diff --git a/client-sdks/stainless/openapi.yml b/client-sdks/stainless/openapi.yml
index bd22f2129..bd2d4b7a4 100644
--- a/client-sdks/stainless/openapi.yml
+++ b/client-sdks/stainless/openapi.yml
@@ -6443,11 +6443,10 @@ components:
         model:
           type: string
           description: >-
-            The content moderation model you would like to use.
+            (Optional) The content moderation model you would like to use.
       additionalProperties: false
       required:
         - input
-        - model
       title: RunModerationRequest
     ModerationObject:
       type: object
diff --git a/docs/static/deprecated-llama-stack-spec.html b/docs/static/deprecated-llama-stack-spec.html
index e3e182dd7..8bd8ecf3f 100644
--- a/docs/static/deprecated-llama-stack-spec.html
+++ b/docs/static/deprecated-llama-stack-spec.html
@@ -8185,13 +8185,12 @@
                     },
                     "model": {
                         "type": "string",
-                        "description": "The content moderation model you would like to use."
+                        "description": "(Optional) The content moderation model you would like to use."
                     }
                 },
                 "additionalProperties": false,
                 "required": [
-                    "input",
-                    "model"
+                    "input"
                 ],
                 "title": "RunModerationRequest"
             },
diff --git a/docs/static/deprecated-llama-stack-spec.yaml b/docs/static/deprecated-llama-stack-spec.yaml
index 6b5b8230a..cd86239e8 100644
--- a/docs/static/deprecated-llama-stack-spec.yaml
+++ b/docs/static/deprecated-llama-stack-spec.yaml
@@ -6104,11 +6104,10 @@ components:
         model:
           type: string
           description: >-
-            The content moderation model you would like to use.
+            (Optional) The content moderation model you would like to use.
       additionalProperties: false
       required:
         - input
-        - model
       title: RunModerationRequest
     ModerationObject:
       type: object
diff --git a/docs/static/llama-stack-spec.html b/docs/static/llama-stack-spec.html
index 384770954..d9dbe27c9 100644
--- a/docs/static/llama-stack-spec.html
+++ b/docs/static/llama-stack-spec.html
@@ -6919,13 +6919,12 @@
                     },
                     "model": {
                         "type": "string",
-                        "description": "The content moderation model you would like to use."
+                        "description": "(Optional) The content moderation model you would like to use."
                     }
                 },
                 "additionalProperties": false,
                 "required": [
-                    "input",
-                    "model"
+                    "input"
                 ],
                 "title": "RunModerationRequest"
             },
diff --git a/docs/static/llama-stack-spec.yaml b/docs/static/llama-stack-spec.yaml
index 36b9c7153..604a4eace 100644
--- a/docs/static/llama-stack-spec.yaml
+++ b/docs/static/llama-stack-spec.yaml
@@ -5230,11 +5230,10 @@ components:
         model:
           type: string
           description: >-
-            The content moderation model you would like to use.
+            (Optional) The content moderation model you would like to use.
       additionalProperties: false
       required:
         - input
-        - model
       title: RunModerationRequest
     ModerationObject:
       type: object
diff --git a/docs/static/stainless-llama-stack-spec.html b/docs/static/stainless-llama-stack-spec.html
index 77a64ced0..687c35db8 100644
--- a/docs/static/stainless-llama-stack-spec.html
+++ b/docs/static/stainless-llama-stack-spec.html
@@ -8591,13 +8591,12 @@
                     },
                     "model": {
                         "type": "string",
-                        "description": "The content moderation model you would like to use."
+                        "description": "(Optional) The content moderation model you would like to use."
                     }
                 },
                 "additionalProperties": false,
                 "required": [
-                    "input",
-                    "model"
+                    "input"
                 ],
                 "title": "RunModerationRequest"
             },
diff --git a/docs/static/stainless-llama-stack-spec.yaml b/docs/static/stainless-llama-stack-spec.yaml
index bd22f2129..bd2d4b7a4 100644
--- a/docs/static/stainless-llama-stack-spec.yaml
+++ b/docs/static/stainless-llama-stack-spec.yaml
@@ -6443,11 +6443,10 @@ components:
         model:
           type: string
           description: >-
-            The content moderation model you would like to use.
+            (Optional) The content moderation model you would like to use.
       additionalProperties: false
       required:
         - input
-        - model
       title: RunModerationRequest
     ModerationObject:
       type: object
diff --git a/llama_stack/apis/safety/safety.py b/llama_stack/apis/safety/safety.py
index eaaa937d3..f6d51871b 100644
--- a/llama_stack/apis/safety/safety.py
+++ b/llama_stack/apis/safety/safety.py
@@ -123,13 +123,13 @@ class Safety(Protocol):
 
     @webmethod(route="/openai/v1/moderations", method="POST", level=LLAMA_STACK_API_V1, deprecated=True)
     @webmethod(route="/moderations", method="POST", level=LLAMA_STACK_API_V1)
-    async def run_moderation(self, input: str | list[str], model: str) -> ModerationObject:
+    async def run_moderation(self, input: str | list[str], model: str | None = None) -> ModerationObject:
         """Create moderation.
 
         Classifies if text and/or image inputs are potentially harmful.
         :param input: Input (or inputs) to classify.
         Can be a single string, an array of strings, or an array of multi-modal input objects similar to other models.
-        :param model: The content moderation model you would like to use.
+        :param model: (Optional) The content moderation model you would like to use.
         :returns: A moderation object.
         """
         ...
diff --git a/llama_stack/core/datatypes.py b/llama_stack/core/datatypes.py
index 5f4775d87..172bc17b8 100644
--- a/llama_stack/core/datatypes.py
+++ b/llama_stack/core/datatypes.py
@@ -374,6 +374,15 @@ class VectorStoresConfig(BaseModel):
     )
 
 
+class SafetyConfig(BaseModel):
+    """Configuration for default moderations model."""
+
+    default_shield_id: str | None = Field(
+        default=None,
+        description="ID of the shield to use for when `model` is not specified in the `moderations` API request.",
+    )
+
+
 class QuotaPeriod(StrEnum):
     DAY = "day"
 
@@ -532,6 +541,11 @@ can be instantiated multiple times (with different configs) if necessary.
         description="Configuration for vector stores, including default embedding model",
     )
 
+    safety: SafetyConfig | None = Field(
+        default=None,
+        description="Configuration for default moderations model",
+    )
+
     @field_validator("external_providers_dir")
     @classmethod
     def validate_external_providers_dir(cls, v):
diff --git a/llama_stack/core/routers/__init__.py b/llama_stack/core/routers/__init__.py
index 20c17e59d..2f35fe04f 100644
--- a/llama_stack/core/routers/__init__.py
+++ b/llama_stack/core/routers/__init__.py
@@ -95,6 +95,8 @@ async def get_auto_router_impl(
 
     elif api == Api.vector_io:
         api_to_dep_impl["vector_stores_config"] = run_config.vector_stores
+    elif api == Api.safety:
+        api_to_dep_impl["safety_config"] = run_config.safety
 
     impl = api_to_routers[api.value](routing_table, **api_to_dep_impl)
     await impl.initialize()
diff --git a/llama_stack/core/routers/safety.py b/llama_stack/core/routers/safety.py
index d171c9721..79eac8b46 100644
--- a/llama_stack/core/routers/safety.py
+++ b/llama_stack/core/routers/safety.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from llama_stack.apis.inference import Message
 from llama_stack.apis.safety import RunShieldResponse, Safety
 from llama_stack.apis.safety.safety import ModerationObject
 from llama_stack.apis.shields import Shield
+from llama_stack.core.datatypes import SafetyConfig
 from llama_stack.log import get_logger
 from llama_stack.providers.datatypes import RoutingTable
 
@@ -20,9 +21,11 @@ class SafetyRouter(Safety):
     def __init__(
         self,
         routing_table: RoutingTable,
+        safety_config: SafetyConfig | None = None,
     ) -> None:
         logger.debug("Initializing SafetyRouter")
         self.routing_table = routing_table
+        self.safety_config = safety_config
 
     async def initialize(self) -> None:
         logger.debug("SafetyRouter.initialize")
@@ -60,30 +63,47 @@ class SafetyRouter(Safety):
             params=params,
         )
 
-    async def run_moderation(self, input: str | list[str], model: str) -> ModerationObject:
-        async def get_shield_id(self, model: str) -> str:
-            """Get Shield id from model (provider_resource_id) of shield."""
-            list_shields_response = await self.routing_table.list_shields()
+    async def run_moderation(self, input: str | list[str], model: str | None = None) -> ModerationObject:
+        list_shields_response = await self.routing_table.list_shields()
+        shields = list_shields_response.data
 
-            matches: list[str] = [s.identifier for s in list_shields_response.data if model == s.provider_resource_id]
+        selected_shield: Shield | None = None
+        provider_model: str | None = model
 
+        if model:
+            matches: list[Shield] = [s for s in shields if model == s.provider_resource_id]
             if not matches:
                 raise ValueError(
-                    f"No shield associated with provider_resource id {model}: choose from {[s.provider_resource_id for s in list_shields_response.data]}"
+                    f"No shield associated with provider_resource id {model}: choose from {[s.provider_resource_id for s in shields]}"
                 )
             if len(matches) > 1:
                 raise ValueError(
-                    f"Multiple shields associated with provider_resource id {model}: matched shields {matches}"
+                    f"Multiple shields associated with provider_resource id {model}: matched shields {[s.identifier for s in matches]}"
+                )
+            selected_shield = matches[0]
+        else:
+            default_shield_id = self.safety_config.default_shield_id if self.safety_config else None
+            if not default_shield_id:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    "No moderation model specified and no default_shield_id configured in safety config: select model "
+                    f"from {[s.provider_resource_id or s.identifier for s in shields]}"
                 )
-            return matches[0]
 
-        shield_id = await get_shield_id(self, model)
+            selected_shield = next((s for s in shields if s.identifier == default_shield_id), None)
+            if selected_shield is None:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"Default moderation model not found. Choose from {[s.provider_resource_id or s.identifier for s in shields]}."
+                )
+
+            provider_model = selected_shield.provider_resource_id
+
+        shield_id = selected_shield.identifier
         logger.debug(f"SafetyRouter.run_moderation: {shield_id}")
         provider = await self.routing_table.get_provider_impl(shield_id)
 
         response = await provider.run_moderation(
             input=input,
-            model=model,
+            model=provider_model,
         )
 
         return response
diff --git a/llama_stack/core/stack.py b/llama_stack/core/stack.py
index 4cf1d072d..ebfd59a05 100644
--- a/llama_stack/core/stack.py
+++ b/llama_stack/core/stack.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ from llama_stack.apis.telemetry import Telemetry
 from llama_stack.apis.tools import RAGToolRuntime, ToolGroups, ToolRuntime
 from llama_stack.apis.vector_io import VectorIO
 from llama_stack.core.conversations.conversations import ConversationServiceConfig, ConversationServiceImpl
-from llama_stack.core.datatypes import Provider, StackRunConfig, VectorStoresConfig
+from llama_stack.core.datatypes import Provider, SafetyConfig, StackRunConfig, VectorStoresConfig
 from llama_stack.core.distribution import get_provider_registry
 from llama_stack.core.inspect import DistributionInspectConfig, DistributionInspectImpl
 from llama_stack.core.prompts.prompts import PromptServiceConfig, PromptServiceImpl
@@ -175,6 +175,30 @@ async def validate_vector_stores_config(vector_stores_config: VectorStoresConfig
     logger.debug(f"Validated default embedding model: {default_model_id} (dimension: {embedding_dimension})")
 
 
+async def validate_safety_config(safety_config: SafetyConfig | None, impls: dict[Api, Any]):
+    if safety_config is None or safety_config.default_shield_id is None:
+        return
+
+    if Api.shields not in impls:
+        raise ValueError("Safety configuration requires the shields API to be enabled")
+
+    if Api.safety not in impls:
+        raise ValueError("Safety configuration requires the safety API to be enabled")
+
+    shields_impl = impls[Api.shields]
+    response = await shields_impl.list_shields()
+    shields_by_id = {shield.identifier: shield for shield in response.data}
+
+    default_shield_id = safety_config.default_shield_id
+    # don't validate if there are no shields registered
+    if shields_by_id and default_shield_id not in shields_by_id:
+        available = sorted(shields_by_id)
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"Configured default_shield_id '{default_shield_id}' not found among registered shields."
+            f" Available shields: {available}"
+        )
+
+
 class EnvVarError(Exception):
     def __init__(self, var_name: str, path: str = ""):
         self.var_name = var_name
@@ -412,6 +436,7 @@ class Stack:
         await register_resources(self.run_config, impls)
         await refresh_registry_once(impls)
         await validate_vector_stores_config(self.run_config.vector_stores, impls)
+        await validate_safety_config(self.run_config.safety, impls)
         self.impls = impls
 
     def create_registry_refresh_task(self):
diff --git a/llama_stack/distributions/ci-tests/run.yaml b/llama_stack/distributions/ci-tests/run.yaml
index ecf9eed3b..ed880d4a0 100644
--- a/llama_stack/distributions/ci-tests/run.yaml
+++ b/llama_stack/distributions/ci-tests/run.yaml
@@ -274,3 +274,5 @@ vector_stores:
   default_embedding_model:
     provider_id: sentence-transformers
     model_id: nomic-ai/nomic-embed-text-v1.5
+safety:
+  default_shield_id: llama-guard
diff --git a/llama_stack/distributions/starter-gpu/run.yaml b/llama_stack/distributions/starter-gpu/run.yaml
index 92483c78e..33e8c9b59 100644
--- a/llama_stack/distributions/starter-gpu/run.yaml
+++ b/llama_stack/distributions/starter-gpu/run.yaml
@@ -277,3 +277,5 @@ vector_stores:
   default_embedding_model:
     provider_id: sentence-transformers
     model_id: nomic-ai/nomic-embed-text-v1.5
+safety:
+  default_shield_id: llama-guard
diff --git a/llama_stack/distributions/starter/run.yaml b/llama_stack/distributions/starter/run.yaml
index 3b9d8f890..4ca0914af 100644
--- a/llama_stack/distributions/starter/run.yaml
+++ b/llama_stack/distributions/starter/run.yaml
@@ -274,3 +274,5 @@ vector_stores:
   default_embedding_model:
     provider_id: sentence-transformers
     model_id: nomic-ai/nomic-embed-text-v1.5
+safety:
+  default_shield_id: llama-guard
diff --git a/llama_stack/distributions/starter/starter.py b/llama_stack/distributions/starter/starter.py
index c8c7101a6..49b7a2463 100644
--- a/llama_stack/distributions/starter/starter.py
+++ b/llama_stack/distributions/starter/starter.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from llama_stack.core.datatypes import (
     Provider,
     ProviderSpec,
     QualifiedModel,
+    SafetyConfig,
     ShieldInput,
     ToolGroupInput,
     VectorStoresConfig,
@@ -256,6 +257,9 @@ def get_distribution_template(name: str = "starter") -> DistributionTemplate:
                         model_id="nomic-ai/nomic-embed-text-v1.5",
                     ),
                 ),
+                safety_config=SafetyConfig(
+                    default_shield_id="llama-guard",
+                ),
             ),
         },
         run_config_env_vars={
diff --git a/llama_stack/distributions/template.py b/llama_stack/distributions/template.py
index 64f21e626..f0c4c6b9e 100644
--- a/llama_stack/distributions/template.py
+++ b/llama_stack/distributions/template.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from llama_stack.core.datatypes import (
     DistributionSpec,
     ModelInput,
     Provider,
+    SafetyConfig,
     ShieldInput,
     TelemetryConfig,
     ToolGroupInput,
@@ -188,6 +189,7 @@ class RunConfigSettings(BaseModel):
     default_datasets: list[DatasetInput] | None = None
     default_benchmarks: list[BenchmarkInput] | None = None
     vector_stores_config: VectorStoresConfig | None = None
+    safety_config: SafetyConfig | None = None
     telemetry: TelemetryConfig = Field(default_factory=lambda: TelemetryConfig(enabled=True))
     storage_backends: dict[str, Any] | None = None
     storage_stores: dict[str, Any] | None = None
@@ -290,6 +292,9 @@ class RunConfigSettings(BaseModel):
         if self.vector_stores_config:
             config["vector_stores"] = self.vector_stores_config.model_dump(exclude_none=True)
 
+        if self.safety_config:
+            config["safety"] = self.safety_config.model_dump(exclude_none=True)
+
         return config
 
 
diff --git a/llama_stack/providers/inline/safety/code_scanner/code_scanner.py b/llama_stack/providers/inline/safety/code_scanner/code_scanner.py
index e1cd8c5e4..7da9ea0d7 100644
--- a/llama_stack/providers/inline/safety/code_scanner/code_scanner.py
+++ b/llama_stack/providers/inline/safety/code_scanner/code_scanner.py
@@ -101,7 +101,10 @@ class MetaReferenceCodeScannerSafetyImpl(Safety):
             metadata=metadata,
         )
 
-    async def run_moderation(self, input: str | list[str], model: str) -> ModerationObject:
+    async def run_moderation(self, input: str | list[str], model: str | None = None) -> ModerationObject:
+        if model is None:
+            raise ValueError("Code scanner moderation requires a model identifier.")
+
         inputs = input if isinstance(input, list) else [input]
         results = []
 
diff --git a/llama_stack/providers/inline/safety/llama_guard/llama_guard.py b/llama_stack/providers/inline/safety/llama_guard/llama_guard.py
index 47c6ccbed..6f6346e82 100644
--- a/llama_stack/providers/inline/safety/llama_guard/llama_guard.py
+++ b/llama_stack/providers/inline/safety/llama_guard/llama_guard.py
@@ -200,7 +200,10 @@ class LlamaGuardSafetyImpl(Safety, ShieldsProtocolPrivate):
 
         return await impl.run(messages)
 
-    async def run_moderation(self, input: str | list[str], model: str) -> ModerationObject:
+    async def run_moderation(self, input: str | list[str], model: str | None = None) -> ModerationObject:
+        if model is None:
+            raise ValueError("Llama Guard moderation requires a model identifier.")
+
         if isinstance(input, list):
             messages = input.copy()
         else:
diff --git a/llama_stack/providers/inline/safety/prompt_guard/prompt_guard.py b/llama_stack/providers/inline/safety/prompt_guard/prompt_guard.py
index 8ca96300f..2015e1150 100644
--- a/llama_stack/providers/inline/safety/prompt_guard/prompt_guard.py
+++ b/llama_stack/providers/inline/safety/prompt_guard/prompt_guard.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ class PromptGuardSafetyImpl(Safety, ShieldsProtocolPrivate):
 
         return await self.shield.run(messages)
 
-    async def run_moderation(self, input: str | list[str], model: str) -> ModerationObject:
+    async def run_moderation(self, input: str | list[str], model: str | None = None) -> ModerationObject:
         raise NotImplementedError("run_moderation is not implemented for Prompt Guard")
 
 
diff --git a/llama_stack/providers/remote/safety/nvidia/nvidia.py b/llama_stack/providers/remote/safety/nvidia/nvidia.py
index c0df8f095..236f16207 100644
--- a/llama_stack/providers/remote/safety/nvidia/nvidia.py
+++ b/llama_stack/providers/remote/safety/nvidia/nvidia.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class NVIDIASafetyAdapter(Safety, ShieldsProtocolPrivate):
         self.shield = NeMoGuardrails(self.config, shield.shield_id)
         return await self.shield.run(messages)
 
-    async def run_moderation(self, input: str | list[str], model: str) -> ModerationObject:
+    async def run_moderation(self, input: str | list[str], model: str | None = None) -> ModerationObject:
         raise NotImplementedError("NVIDIA safety provider currently does not implement run_moderation")
 
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/core/routers/test_safety_router.py b/tests/unit/core/routers/test_safety_router.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bf195ff33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/core/routers/test_safety_router.py
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+# Copyright (c) Meta Platforms, Inc. and affiliates.
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# This source code is licensed under the terms described in the LICENSE file in
+# the root directory of this source tree.
+
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock
+
+from llama_stack.apis.safety.safety import ModerationObject, ModerationObjectResults
+from llama_stack.apis.shields import ListShieldsResponse, Shield
+from llama_stack.core.datatypes import SafetyConfig
+from llama_stack.core.routers.safety import SafetyRouter
+
+
+async def test_run_moderation_uses_default_shield_when_model_missing():
+    routing_table = AsyncMock()
+    shield = Shield(
+        identifier="shield-1",
+        provider_resource_id="provider/shield-model",
+        provider_id="provider-id",
+        params={},
+    )
+    routing_table.list_shields.return_value = ListShieldsResponse(data=[shield])
+
+    moderation_response = ModerationObject(
+        id="mid",
+        model="shield-1",
+        results=[ModerationObjectResults(flagged=False)],
+    )
+    provider = AsyncMock()
+    provider.run_moderation.return_value = moderation_response
+    routing_table.get_provider_impl.return_value = provider
+
+    router = SafetyRouter(routing_table=routing_table, safety_config=SafetyConfig(default_shield_id="shield-1"))
+
+    result = await router.run_moderation("hello world")
+
+    assert result is moderation_response
+    routing_table.get_provider_impl.assert_awaited_once_with("shield-1")
+    provider.run_moderation.assert_awaited_once()
+    _, kwargs = provider.run_moderation.call_args
+    assert kwargs["model"] == "provider/shield-model"
+    assert kwargs["input"] == "hello world"
diff --git a/tests/unit/core/test_stack_validation.py b/tests/unit/core/test_stack_validation.py
index fa5348d1c..d28803006 100644
--- a/tests/unit/core/test_stack_validation.py
+++ b/tests/unit/core/test_stack_validation.py
@@ -11,8 +11,9 @@ from unittest.mock import AsyncMock
 import pytest
 
 from llama_stack.apis.models import ListModelsResponse, Model, ModelType
-from llama_stack.core.datatypes import QualifiedModel, StackRunConfig, StorageConfig, VectorStoresConfig
-from llama_stack.core.stack import validate_vector_stores_config
+from llama_stack.apis.shields import ListShieldsResponse, Shield
+from llama_stack.core.datatypes import QualifiedModel, SafetyConfig, StackRunConfig, StorageConfig, VectorStoresConfig
+from llama_stack.core.stack import validate_safety_config, validate_vector_stores_config
 from llama_stack.providers.datatypes import Api
 
 
@@ -65,3 +66,37 @@ class TestVectorStoresValidation:
         )
 
         await validate_vector_stores_config(run_config.vector_stores, {Api.models: mock_models})
+
+
+class TestSafetyConfigValidation:
+    async def test_validate_success(self):
+        safety_config = SafetyConfig(default_shield_id="shield-1")
+
+        shield = Shield(
+            identifier="shield-1",
+            provider_id="provider-x",
+            provider_resource_id="model-x",
+            params={},
+        )
+
+        shields_impl = AsyncMock()
+        shields_impl.list_shields.return_value = ListShieldsResponse(data=[shield])
+
+        await validate_safety_config(safety_config, {Api.shields: shields_impl, Api.safety: AsyncMock()})
+
+    async def test_validate_wrong_shield_id(self):
+        safety_config = SafetyConfig(default_shield_id="wrong-shield-id")
+
+        shields_impl = AsyncMock()
+        shields_impl.list_shields.return_value = ListShieldsResponse(
+            data=[
+                Shield(
+                    identifier="shield-1",
+                    provider_resource_id="model-x",
+                    provider_id="provider-x",
+                    params={},
+                )
+            ]
+        )
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="wrong-shield-id"):
+            await validate_safety_config(safety_config, {Api.shields: shields_impl, Api.safety: AsyncMock()})