diff --git a/src/onboard.ts b/src/onboard.ts
index 04c0a7e..ed66b1a 100644
--- a/src/onboard.ts
+++ b/src/onboard.ts
@@ -373,8 +373,14 @@ async function stepModel(config: OnboardConfig, env: Record<string, string>): Pr
   if (!isSelfHosted) {
     spinner.start('Checking account...');
     // Pass the API key explicitly since it may not be in process.env yet
+    // Priority: manually entered key > env object > process.env
     const apiKey = config.apiKey || env.LETTA_API_KEY || process.env.LETTA_API_KEY;
+    console.log(`[Debug] config.apiKey: ${config.apiKey?.slice(0, 20)}...`);
+    console.log(`[Debug] env.LETTA_API_KEY: ${env.LETTA_API_KEY?.slice(0, 20)}...`);
+    console.log(`[Debug] process.env.LETTA_API_KEY: ${process.env.LETTA_API_KEY?.slice(0, 20)}...`);
+    console.log(`[Debug] Using apiKey: ${apiKey?.slice(0, 20)}...`);
     billingTier = await getBillingTier(apiKey);
+    console.log(`[Debug] billingTier result: "${billingTier}"`);
     config.billingTier = billingTier ?? undefined;
     spinner.stop(billingTier === 'free' ? 'Free plan' : `Plan: ${billingTier || 'unknown'}`);
   }
diff --git a/src/utils/model-selection.ts b/src/utils/model-selection.ts
index dd6f0e5..3c257eb 100644
--- a/src/utils/model-selection.ts
+++ b/src/utils/model-selection.ts
@@ -35,23 +35,25 @@ export async function getBillingTier(apiKey?: string): Promise<string | null> {
       return null;
     }
     
-    if (!key) return 'free';
+    if (!key) {
+      return 'free';
+    }
     
     const response = await fetch(`${baseUrl}/v1/metadata/balance`, {
-      headers: { 'Authorization': `Bearer ${key}` },
+      headers: { 
+        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+        'Authorization': `Bearer ${key}`,
+      },
     });
     
     if (!response.ok) {
-      console.error(`[BillingTier] API returned ${response.status}`);
       return 'free';
     }
     
     const data = await response.json() as { billing_tier?: string };
     const tier = data.billing_tier?.toLowerCase() ?? 'free';
-    console.log(`[BillingTier] Got tier: ${tier}`);
     return tier;
-  } catch (err) {
-    console.error(`[BillingTier] Error:`, err);
+  } catch {
     return 'free';
   }
 }