diff --git a/public/index.html b/public/index.html
index 80f29fc4a..61e4c207b 100644
--- a/public/index.html
+++ b/public/index.html
@@ -2071,7 +2071,7 @@
                                 <div>
                                     <h4 data-i18n="TogetherAI Model">TogetherAI Model</h4>
                                     <select id="model_togetherai_select">
-                                        <option data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">
+                                        <option value="" data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">
                                             -- Connect to the API --
                                         </option>
                                     </select>
@@ -2095,7 +2095,7 @@
                                 <div>
                                     <h4 data-i18n="OpenRouter Model">OpenRouter Model</h4>
                                     <select id="openrouter_model">
-                                        <option data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">
+                                        <option value="" data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">
                                             -- Connect to the API --
                                         </option>
                                     </select>
@@ -2122,7 +2122,7 @@
                                 <div>
                                     <h4 data-i18n="InfermaticAI Model">InfermaticAI Model</h4>
                                     <select id="model_infermaticai_select">
-                                        <option>
+                                        <option value="" data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">
                                             -- Connect to the API --
                                         </option>
                                     </select>
@@ -2145,7 +2145,7 @@
                                 <div>
                                     <h4 data-i18n="DreamGen Model">DreamGen Model</h4>
                                     <select id="model_dreamgen_select">
-                                        <option>
+                                        <option value="" data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">
                                             -- Connect to the API --
                                         </option>
                                     </select>
@@ -2171,7 +2171,7 @@
                                 <div class="flex1">
                                     <h4 data-i18n="Mancer Model">Mancer Model</h4>
                                     <select id="mancer_model">
-                                        <option data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">
+                                        <option value="" data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">
                                             -- Connect to the API --
                                         </option>
                                     </select>
@@ -2221,7 +2221,7 @@
                                     For privacy reasons, your API key will be hidden after you reload the page.
                                 </div>
                                 <select id="featherless_model">
-                                    <option data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">
+                                    <option value="" data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">
                                         -- Connect to the API --
                                     </option>
                                 </select>
@@ -2249,7 +2249,7 @@
                                 <div>
                                     <h4 data-i18n="vLLM Model">vLLM Model</h4>
                                     <select id="vllm_model">
-                                        <option data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">
+                                        <option value="" data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">
                                             -- Connect to the API --
                                         </option>
                                     </select>
@@ -2295,7 +2295,7 @@
                                 <div>
                                     <h4 data-i18n="Aphrodite Model">Aphrodite Model</h4>
                                     <select id="aphrodite_model">
-                                        <option data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">
+                                        <option value="" data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">
                                             -- Connect to the API --
                                         </option>
                                     </select>
@@ -2338,7 +2338,7 @@
                                         <span data-i18n="Ollama Model">Ollama Model</span>
                                     </h4>
                                     <select id="ollama_model">
-                                        <option data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">
+                                        <option value="" data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">
                                             -- Connect to the API --
                                         </option>
                                     </select>
@@ -2376,7 +2376,7 @@
                                         EXPERIMENTAL FEATURE. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. DON'T ASK FOR SUPPORT ON THIS.
                                     </b>
                                     <select id="tabby_model">
-                                        <option data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">
+                                        <option value="" data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">
                                             -- Connect to the API --
                                         </option>
                                     </select>
@@ -2704,7 +2704,7 @@
                             <div>
                                 <h4 data-i18n="OpenRouter Model">OpenRouter Model</h4>
                                 <select id="model_openrouter_select">
-                                    <option data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">-- Connect to the API --</option>
+                                    <option value="" data-i18n="-- Connect to the API --">-- Connect to the API --</option>
                                 </select>
                             </div>
                             <label for="openrouter_use_fallback" class="checkbox_label marginTopBot5" data-i18n="[title]Allow fallback routes Description" title="Automatically chooses an alternative model if the chosen model can't serve your request.">
diff --git a/public/scripts/slash-commands.js b/public/scripts/slash-commands.js
index 299211ba8..aa494c366 100644
--- a/public/scripts/slash-commands.js
+++ b/public/scripts/slash-commands.js
@@ -3470,7 +3470,7 @@ function getModelOptions(quiet) {
         return nullResult;
     }
 
-    const options = Array.from(modelSelectControl.options);
+    const options = Array.from(modelSelectControl.options).filter(x => x.value);
     return { control: modelSelectControl, options };
 }