diff --git a/backend/services/routing_policy.py b/backend/services/routing_policy.py
index 1db24bd..cf83d1a 100644
--- a/backend/services/routing_policy.py
+++ b/backend/services/routing_policy.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ DEFAULTS: dict = {
     "fast": os.environ.get("MC_ROUTE_FAST", "fast"),
     "heavy": os.environ.get("MC_ROUTE_HEAVY", "heavy"),
     "coder": os.environ.get("MC_ROUTE_CODER", "coder"),
-    "coder_lite": os.environ.get("MC_ROUTE_CODER_LITE", "").strip(),
+    "coder_lite": os.environ.get("MC_ROUTE_CODER_LITE", ""),
     "heavy_chars": int(os.environ.get("MC_GATEWAY_HEAVY_CHARS", "8000")),
     "coding_escalate_chars": int(os.environ.get("MC_CODING_ESCALATE_CHARS", "120000")),
     "fast_no_think": _env_bool("MC_FAST_NO_THINK", "1"),