diff --git a/.codegraphrc.json b/.codegraphrc.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..98663830
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.codegraphrc.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+  "embeddings": { "model": "bge-large" }
+}
diff --git a/src/cli.js b/src/cli.js
index 60dbac63..e048ac44 100644
--- a/src/cli.js
+++ b/src/cli.js
@@ -7,7 +7,13 @@ import { buildGraph } from './builder.js';
 import { loadConfig } from './config.js';
 import { findCycles, formatCycles } from './cycles.js';
 import { openReadonlyOrFail } from './db.js';
-import { buildEmbeddings, EMBEDDING_STRATEGIES, MODELS, search } from './embedder.js';
+import {
+  buildEmbeddings,
+  DEFAULT_MODEL,
+  EMBEDDING_STRATEGIES,
+  MODELS,
+  search,
+} from './embedder.js';
 import { exportDOT, exportJSON, exportMermaid } from './export.js';
 import { setVerbose } from './logger.js';
 import {
@@ -423,12 +429,13 @@ program
   .command('models')
   .description('List available embedding models')
   .action(() => {
+    const defaultModel = config.embeddings?.model || DEFAULT_MODEL;
     console.log('\nAvailable embedding models:\n');
-    for (const [key, config] of Object.entries(MODELS)) {
-      const def = key === 'minilm' ? ' (default)' : '';
-      const ctx = config.contextWindow ? `${config.contextWindow} ctx` : '';
+    for (const [key, cfg] of Object.entries(MODELS)) {
+      const def = key === defaultModel ? ' (default)' : '';
+      const ctx = cfg.contextWindow ? `${cfg.contextWindow} ctx` : '';
       console.log(
-        `  ${key.padEnd(12)} ${String(config.dim).padStart(4)}d  ${ctx.padEnd(9)} ${config.desc}${def}`,
+        `  ${key.padEnd(12)} ${String(cfg.dim).padStart(4)}d  ${ctx.padEnd(9)} ${cfg.desc}${def}`,
       );
     }
     console.log('\nUsage: codegraph embed --model <name> --strategy <structured|source>');
@@ -442,8 +449,7 @@ program
   )
   .option(
     '-m, --model <name>',
-    'Embedding model: minilm (default), jina-small, jina-base, jina-code, nomic, nomic-v1.5, bge-large. Run `codegraph models` for details',
-    'minilm',
+    'Embedding model (default from config or minilm). Run `codegraph models` for details',
   )
   .option(
     '-s, --strategy <name>',
@@ -458,7 +464,8 @@ program
       process.exit(1);
     }
     const root = path.resolve(dir || '.');
-    await buildEmbeddings(root, opts.model, undefined, { strategy: opts.strategy });
+    const model = opts.model || config.embeddings?.model || DEFAULT_MODEL;
+    await buildEmbeddings(root, model, undefined, { strategy: opts.strategy });
   });
 
 program
diff --git a/src/embedder.js b/src/embedder.js
index 938a5976..4aba1e7d 100644
--- a/src/embedder.js
+++ b/src/embedder.js
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ export const MODELS = {
 
 export const EMBEDDING_STRATEGIES = ['structured', 'source'];
 
-export const DEFAULT_MODEL = 'minilm';
+export const DEFAULT_MODEL = 'nomic-v1.5';
 const BATCH_SIZE_MAP = {
   minilm: 32,
   'jina-small': 16,