diff --git a/crates/arc-attractor/src/parser/lexer.rs b/crates/arc-attractor/src/parser/lexer.rs
index 3bbe574fb..44c86828c 100644
--- a/crates/arc-attractor/src/parser/lexer.rs
+++ b/crates/arc-attractor/src/parser/lexer.rs
@@ -238,7 +238,27 @@ pub mod combinators {
         Ok((rest, AstValue::Str(format!("{num}{unit}"))))
     }
 
-    /// Parse an AST value: duration, float, integer, boolean, quoted string, or bare identifier.
+    /// Parse a bare string value containing hyphens and dots (e.g., `gpt-5.2-codex`).
+    ///
+    /// Must start with an alpha/underscore character, then may continue with
+    /// alphanumeric, underscore, hyphen, or dot characters. Must contain at
+    /// least one hyphen or dot (otherwise `identifier` handles it).
+    pub fn bare_string(input: &str) -> IResult<&str, String> {
+        let (rest, raw) = recognize(pair(
+            take_while1(|c: char| c.is_ascii_alphabetic() || c == '_'),
+            take_while(|c: char| c.is_ascii_alphanumeric() || c == '_' || c == '-' || c == '.'),
+        ))(input)?;
+        if !raw.contains('-') && !raw.contains('.') {
+            return Err(nom::Err::Error(nom::error::Error::new(
+                input,
+                nom::error::ErrorKind::Verify,
+            )));
+        }
+        Ok((rest, raw.to_string()))
+    }
+
+    /// Parse an AST value: duration, float, integer, boolean, quoted string, bare identifier,
+    /// or bare string (e.g., `gpt-5.2-codex`).
     pub fn value(input: &str) -> IResult<&str, AstValue> {
         let input = input.trim_start();
         alt((
@@ -247,6 +267,7 @@ pub mod combinators {
             map(float_value, AstValue::Float),
             map(integer_value, AstValue::Int),
             map(boolean, AstValue::Bool),
+            map(bare_string, AstValue::Str),
             map(identifier, |s: &str| AstValue::Ident(s.to_string())),
         ))(input)
     }
@@ -403,4 +424,39 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(value("true"), Ok(("", AstValue::Bool(true))));
         assert_eq!(value("LR"), Ok(("", AstValue::Ident("LR".into()))));
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parse_bare_string_with_hyphens_and_dots() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            bare_string("gpt-5.2 rest"),
+            Ok((" rest", "gpt-5.2".into()))
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            bare_string("gpt-5.2-codex"),
+            Ok(("", "gpt-5.2-codex".into()))
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            bare_string("gpt-5.3-codex-spark"),
+            Ok(("", "gpt-5.3-codex-spark".into()))
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            bare_string("gemini-3-flash-preview"),
+            Ok(("", "gemini-3-flash-preview".into()))
+        );
+        // Plain identifier without hyphens/dots should fail (identifier handles it)
+        assert!(bare_string("LR").is_err());
+        assert!(bare_string("openai").is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parse_value_bare_string() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            value("gpt-5.2"),
+            Ok(("", AstValue::Str("gpt-5.2".into())))
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            value("gpt-5.2-codex"),
+            Ok(("", AstValue::Str("gpt-5.2-codex".into())))
+        );
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/arc-attractor/tests/kilroy_compat.rs b/crates/arc-attractor/tests/kilroy_compat.rs
index f4413bdbc..02d049560 100644
--- a/crates/arc-attractor/tests/kilroy_compat.rs
+++ b/crates/arc-attractor/tests/kilroy_compat.rs
@@ -26,34 +26,27 @@ fn parse_kilroy_simple_example() {
     assert!(graph.find_exit_node().is_some());
 }
 
-// The batch_*.dot files use unquoted values with hyphens/dots (e.g., `llm_model=gpt-5.2`)
-// which is valid in kilroy's more lenient Go parser but not in arc's strict DOT parser.
-// These tests document the parser gap: arc requires quoting such values.
 #[test]
-fn parse_kilroy_batch_clean_requires_quoted_model_values() {
-    let err = parse_kilroy_dot("batch_clean.dot").unwrap_err();
-    assert!(
-        err.contains("grammar error"),
-        "expected grammar error for unquoted `gpt-5.2`, got: {err}"
-    );
+fn parse_kilroy_batch_clean() {
+    let graph = parse_kilroy_dot("batch_clean.dot").unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(graph.name, "G");
+    assert_eq!(graph.nodes.len(), 3);
+    assert!(graph.find_start_node().is_some());
+    assert!(graph.find_exit_node().is_some());
 }
 
 #[test]
-fn parse_kilroy_batch_has_errors_requires_quoted_model_values() {
-    let err = parse_kilroy_dot("batch_has_errors.dot").unwrap_err();
-    assert!(
-        err.contains("grammar error"),
-        "expected grammar error for unquoted `gpt-5.2`, got: {err}"
-    );
+fn parse_kilroy_batch_has_errors() {
+    // This file is intentionally missing llm_provider on the work node.
+    // It should still parse successfully — validation is separate from parsing.
+    let graph = parse_kilroy_dot("batch_has_errors.dot").unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(graph.nodes.len(), 3);
 }
 
 #[test]
-fn parse_kilroy_batch_warnings_only_requires_quoted_model_values() {
-    let err = parse_kilroy_dot("batch_warnings_only.dot").unwrap_err();
-    assert!(
-        err.contains("grammar error"),
-        "expected grammar error for unquoted `gpt-5.2`, got: {err}"
-    );
+fn parse_kilroy_batch_warnings_only() {
+    let graph = parse_kilroy_dot("batch_warnings_only.dot").unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(graph.nodes.len(), 3);
 }
 
 #[test]