diff --git a/messages/en-US.json b/messages/en-US.json
index 660ffa5c9..e7b7f3c12 100644
--- a/messages/en-US.json
+++ b/messages/en-US.json
@@ -1777,7 +1777,7 @@
     "aiProviderTypeMicrosoftFoundryDescription": "Microsoft Foundry; upstream URL required",
     "aiProviderTypeOpenRouterDescription": "OpenRouter API",
     "aiProviderTypeVercelAiGatewayDescription": "Vercel AI Gateway",
-    "aiProviderTypeCustomDescription": "Bring your own OpenAI-compatible endpoint or route via Pangolin targets",
+    "aiProviderTypeCustomDescription": "Bring your own endpoint or route via site targets",
     "aiProviderUpstreamUrl": "Upstream URL",
     "aiProviderUpstreamUrlDescription": "Base URL for the provider API",
     "aiProviderUpstreamUrlOptionalDescription": "Leave blank to use the default upstream URL for this provider",
diff --git a/src/app/[orgId]/settings/ai-providers/[providerId]/network/page.tsx b/src/app/[orgId]/settings/ai-providers/[providerId]/network/page.tsx
index e685bc560..fafbdf49f 100644
--- a/src/app/[orgId]/settings/ai-providers/[providerId]/network/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/[orgId]/settings/ai-providers/[providerId]/network/page.tsx
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ import {
     createAiProviderFormSchema,
     showsUpstreamUrlField,
     toAiProviderNetworkPayload,
-    upstreamUrlRequired,
     type AiProviderFormValues
 } from "@app/lib/aiProviderFormSchema";
 import { aiProviderQueries } from "@app/lib/queries";
@@ -91,7 +90,6 @@ export default function AiProviderNetworkPage() {
     const providerType = form.watch("type");
     const routingMode = form.watch("routingMode");
     const showUpstream = showsUpstreamUrlField(providerType, routingMode);
-    const requireUpstream = upstreamUrlRequired(providerType, routingMode);
     const showRoutingMode = providerType === "custom";
     const isTargetModeSelected = routingMode === "target";
     const isTargetModeSaved =
@@ -218,22 +216,9 @@ export default function AiProviderNetworkPage() {
                                                                     field.value ??
                                                                     "url"
                                                                 }
-                                                                onChange={(
-                                                                    value
-                                                                ) => {
-                                                                    field.onChange(
-                                                                        value
-                                                                    );
-                                                                    if (
-                                                                        value ===
-                                                                        "target"
-                                                                    ) {
-                                                                        form.setValue(
-                                                                            "upstreamUrl",
-                                                                            ""
-                                                                        );
-                                                                    }
-                                                                }}
+                                                                onChange={
+                                                                    field.onChange
+                                                                }
                                                             />
                                                         </FormControl>
                                                         <FormMessage />
@@ -284,14 +269,10 @@ export default function AiProviderNetworkPage() {
                                                             {t(
                                                                 "aiProviderUpstreamUrl"
                                                             )}
-                                                            {requireUpstream
-                                                                ? ""
-                                                                : " (optional)"}
                                                         </FormLabel>
                                                         <FormControl>
                                                             <Input
                                                                 autoComplete="off"
-                                                                placeholder="https://"
                                                                 value={
                                                                     field.value ??
                                                                     ""
@@ -302,13 +283,9 @@ export default function AiProviderNetworkPage() {
                                                             />
                                                         </FormControl>
                                                         <FormDescription>
-                                                            {requireUpstream
-                                                                ? t(
-                                                                      "aiProviderUpstreamUrlDescription"
-                                                                  )
-                                                                : t(
-                                                                      "aiProviderUpstreamUrlOptionalDescription"
-                                                                  )}
+                                                            {t(
+                                                                "aiProviderUpstreamUrlDescription"
+                                                            )}
                                                         </FormDescription>
                                                         <FormMessage />
                                                     </FormItem>
diff --git a/src/app/[orgId]/settings/ai-providers/create/page.tsx b/src/app/[orgId]/settings/ai-providers/create/page.tsx
index 6b47146a5..c9125659d 100644
--- a/src/app/[orgId]/settings/ai-providers/create/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/[orgId]/settings/ai-providers/create/page.tsx
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ import {
     emptyUpstreamForType,
     showsUpstreamUrlField,
     toAiProviderCreatePayload,
-    upstreamUrlRequired,
     type AiProviderFormValues
 } from "@app/lib/aiProviderFormSchema";
 import { zodResolver } from "@hookform/resolvers/zod";
@@ -95,7 +94,6 @@ export default function CreateAiProviderPage() {
     const authType = form.watch("authType");
 
     const showUpstream = showsUpstreamUrlField(providerType, routingMode);
-    const requireUpstream = upstreamUrlRequired(providerType, routingMode);
     const showRoutingMode = providerType === "custom";
     const showTargets = providerType === "custom" && routingMode === "target";
     const showApiKey = authTypeRequiresApiKey(authType ?? "bearer");
@@ -436,14 +434,9 @@ export default function CreateAiProviderPage() {
                                                                         value
                                                                     );
                                                                     if (
-                                                                        value ===
+                                                                        value !==
                                                                         "target"
                                                                     ) {
-                                                                        form.setValue(
-                                                                            "upstreamUrl",
-                                                                            ""
-                                                                        );
-                                                                    } else {
                                                                         targetsRef.current =
                                                                             [];
                                                                     }
@@ -498,14 +491,10 @@ export default function CreateAiProviderPage() {
                                                             {t(
                                                                 "aiProviderUpstreamUrl"
                                                             )}
-                                                            {requireUpstream
-                                                                ? ""
-                                                                : " (optional)"}
                                                         </FormLabel>
                                                         <FormControl>
                                                             <Input
                                                                 autoComplete="off"
-                                                                placeholder="https://"
                                                                 value={
                                                                     field.value ??
                                                                     ""
@@ -516,13 +505,9 @@ export default function CreateAiProviderPage() {
                                                             />
                                                         </FormControl>
                                                         <FormDescription>
-                                                            {requireUpstream
-                                                                ? t(
-                                                                      "aiProviderUpstreamUrlDescription"
-                                                                  )
-                                                                : t(
-                                                                      "aiProviderUpstreamUrlOptionalDescription"
-                                                                  )}
+                                                            {t(
+                                                                "aiProviderUpstreamUrlDescription"
+                                                            )}
                                                         </FormDescription>
                                                         <FormMessage />
                                                     </FormItem>
diff --git a/src/lib/aiProviderDefaults.ts b/src/lib/aiProviderDefaults.ts
index da4c43739..96fbb5e18 100644
--- a/src/lib/aiProviderDefaults.ts
+++ b/src/lib/aiProviderDefaults.ts
@@ -85,13 +85,8 @@ export function providerRequiresUpstreamUrl(
     type: AiProviderType,
     routingMode: AiProviderRoutingMode = "url"
 ): boolean {
-    if (routingMode === "target") {
-        return false;
-    }
-    if (type === "custom") {
-        return true;
-    }
-    return AI_PROVIDER_DEFAULTS[type].upstreamUrl === null;
+    const mode = type === "custom" ? routingMode : "url";
+    return mode !== "target";
 }
 
 export function defaultsForProviderType(
diff --git a/src/lib/aiProviderFormSchema.ts b/src/lib/aiProviderFormSchema.ts
index e033c0185..a425fb0e3 100644
--- a/src/lib/aiProviderFormSchema.ts
+++ b/src/lib/aiProviderFormSchema.ts
@@ -148,17 +148,6 @@ export function emptyUpstreamForType(type: AiProviderType): string {
 export function showsUpstreamUrlField(
     type: AiProviderType,
     routingMode: "url" | "target" | undefined
-): boolean {
-    const mode = type === "custom" ? (routingMode ?? "url") : "url";
-    if (mode === "target") {
-        return false;
-    }
-    return true;
-}
-
-export function upstreamUrlRequired(
-    type: AiProviderType,
-    routingMode: "url" | "target" | undefined
 ): boolean {
     const mode = type === "custom" ? (routingMode ?? "url") : "url";
     return providerRequiresUpstreamUrl(type, mode);