diff --git a/__tests__/components/waves/CreateDrop.test.tsx b/__tests__/components/waves/CreateDrop.test.tsx
index 8290805353..6a621f4e79 100644
--- a/__tests__/components/waves/CreateDrop.test.tsx
+++ b/__tests__/components/waves/CreateDrop.test.tsx
@@ -38,21 +38,11 @@ jest.mock("@/contexts/wave/MyStreamContext", () => ({
 jest.mock("@/components/waves/CreateDropStormParts", () => () => (
   <div data-testid="storm" />
 ));
+const PREFILL_URL =
+  "https://opensea.io/item/ethereum/0x1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef12345678/123";
+
 jest.mock("@/components/waves/CreateDropContent", () => (props: any) => (
-  <button
-    onClick={() =>
-      props.submitDrop({
-        drop: { wave_id: "1" },
-        dropId: null,
-      } as DropMutationBody)
-    }
-  >
-    submit
-  </button>
-));
-jest.mock("@/components/waves/CreateCurationDropContent", () => ({
-  __esModule: true,
-  default: (props: any) => (
+  <div>
     <button
       onClick={() =>
         props.submitDrop({
@@ -61,8 +51,35 @@ jest.mock("@/components/waves/CreateCurationDropContent", () => ({
         } as DropMutationBody)
       }
     >
-      submit curation
+      submit
+    </button>
+    <button
+      onClick={() =>
+        props.onSwitchToDropModeWithUrl(
+          "https://opensea.io/item/ethereum/0x1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef12345678/123"
+        )
+      }
+    >
+      switch to drop
     </button>
+  </div>
+));
+jest.mock("@/components/waves/CreateCurationDropContent", () => ({
+  __esModule: true,
+  default: (props: any) => (
+    <div>
+      <button
+        onClick={() =>
+          props.submitDrop({
+            drop: { wave_id: "1" },
+            dropId: null,
+          } as DropMutationBody)
+        }
+      >
+        submit curation
+      </button>
+      <div data-testid="initial-url">{props.initialUrl ?? ""}</div>
+    </div>
   ),
 }));
 
@@ -172,4 +189,82 @@ describe("CreateDrop", () => {
       type: "success",
     });
   });
+
+  it("switches to curation mode with a prefilled url seed", async () => {
+    useWaveMock.mockReturnValue({ isCurationWave: true } as any);
+
+    render(
+      <AuthContext.Provider value={{ setToast: jest.fn() } as any}>
+        <ReactQueryWrapperContext.Provider
+          value={{ waitAndInvalidateDrops: jest.fn() } as any}
+        >
+          <CreateDrop
+            activeDrop={null}
+            onCancelReplyQuote={() => {}}
+            onDropAddedToQueue={jest.fn()}
+            wave={wave}
+            dropId={null}
+            fixedDropMode={"BOTH" as any}
+            privileges={{} as any}
+          />
+        </ReactQueryWrapperContext.Provider>
+      </AuthContext.Provider>
+    );
+
+    await userEvent.click(screen.getByText("switch to drop"));
+
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(screen.getByTestId("initial-url")).toHaveTextContent(PREFILL_URL)
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("resets to default mode when wave scope changes", async () => {
+    useWaveMock.mockReturnValue({ isCurationWave: true } as any);
+    const nextWave = { ...wave, id: "2" };
+
+    const { rerender } = render(
+      <AuthContext.Provider value={{ setToast: jest.fn() } as any}>
+        <ReactQueryWrapperContext.Provider
+          value={{ waitAndInvalidateDrops: jest.fn() } as any}
+        >
+          <CreateDrop
+            activeDrop={null}
+            onCancelReplyQuote={() => {}}
+            onDropAddedToQueue={jest.fn()}
+            wave={wave}
+            dropId={null}
+            fixedDropMode={"BOTH" as any}
+            privileges={{} as any}
+          />
+        </ReactQueryWrapperContext.Provider>
+      </AuthContext.Provider>
+    );
+
+    await userEvent.click(screen.getByText("switch to drop"));
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(screen.getByText("submit curation")).toBeInTheDocument()
+    );
+
+    rerender(
+      <AuthContext.Provider value={{ setToast: jest.fn() } as any}>
+        <ReactQueryWrapperContext.Provider
+          value={{ waitAndInvalidateDrops: jest.fn() } as any}
+        >
+          <CreateDrop
+            activeDrop={null}
+            onCancelReplyQuote={() => {}}
+            onDropAddedToQueue={jest.fn()}
+            wave={nextWave}
+            dropId={null}
+            fixedDropMode={"BOTH" as any}
+            privileges={{} as any}
+          />
+        </ReactQueryWrapperContext.Provider>
+      </AuthContext.Provider>
+    );
+
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(screen.getByText("switch to drop")).toBeInTheDocument()
+    );
+  });
 });
diff --git a/components/waves/CreateCurationDropContent.tsx b/components/waves/CreateCurationDropContent.tsx
index a93cc37be3..c8bba69cc2 100644
--- a/components/waves/CreateCurationDropContent.tsx
+++ b/components/waves/CreateCurationDropContent.tsx
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ interface CreateCurationDropContentProps {
   readonly wave: ApiWave;
   readonly dropId: string | null;
   readonly isDropMode: boolean;
+  readonly initialUrl: string | null;
   readonly submitDrop: (dropRequest: DropMutationBody) => void;
   readonly curationComposerVariant?: CurationComposerVariant | undefined;
 }
@@ -148,6 +149,7 @@ const CreateCurationDropContent: React.FC<CreateCurationDropContentProps> = ({
   wave,
   dropId,
   isDropMode,
+  initialUrl,
   submitDrop,
   curationComposerVariant = "default",
 }) => {
@@ -159,7 +161,7 @@ const CreateCurationDropContent: React.FC<CreateCurationDropContentProps> = ({
   const { processIncomingDrop } = useMyStream();
   const { signDrop } = useDropSignature();
 
-  const [urlValue, setUrlValue] = useState("");
+  const [urlValue, setUrlValue] = useState(() => initialUrl ?? "");
   const [submitting, setSubmitting] = useState(false);
   const [showLiveValidation, setShowLiveValidation] = useState(false);
   const [isSupportedUrlsModalOpen, setIsSupportedUrlsModalOpen] =
@@ -480,7 +482,7 @@ const CreateCurationDropContent: React.FC<CreateCurationDropContentProps> = ({
           </div>
         </div>
       ) : (
-        <div className="tw-flex tw-w-full tw-items-end">
+        <div className="tw-flex tw-w-full tw-items-start">
           <div className="tw-flex tw-w-full tw-items-center tw-gap-x-2 lg:tw-gap-x-3">
             <div className="tw-w-full tw-flex-grow">
               <CreateCurationDropUrlInput
@@ -496,7 +498,7 @@ const CreateCurationDropContent: React.FC<CreateCurationDropContentProps> = ({
               />
             </div>
           </div>
-          <div className="tw-ml-2 lg:tw-ml-3">
+          <div className="tw-ml-2 tw-self-start lg:tw-ml-3">
             <div className="tw-flex tw-items-center tw-gap-x-3">
               <CreateDropSubmit
                 submitting={submitting}
diff --git a/components/waves/CreateDrop.tsx b/components/waves/CreateDrop.tsx
index de4bc66d99..e603a775ca 100644
--- a/components/waves/CreateDrop.tsx
+++ b/components/waves/CreateDrop.tsx
@@ -1,13 +1,6 @@
 "use client";
 
-import {
-  useEffect,
-  useRef,
-  useState,
-  useCallback,
-  useContext,
-  useMemo,
-} from "react";
+import { useRef, useState, useCallback, useContext, useMemo } from "react";
 import type { CreateDropConfig } from "@/entities/IDrop";
 import CreateDropStormParts from "./CreateDropStormParts";
 import { AnimatePresence, motion } from "framer-motion";
@@ -67,9 +60,17 @@ export default function CreateDrop({
   useKeyPressEvent("Escape", () => onCancelReplyQuote());
   const [isStormMode, setIsStormMode] = useState(false);
   const [drop, setDrop] = useState<CreateDropConfig | null>(null);
+  const [dropModeOverride, setDropModeOverride] = useState<{
+    scopeKey: string;
+    value: boolean;
+  } | null>(null);
+  const [curationPrefillSeed, setCurationPrefillSeed] = useState<{
+    scopeKey: string;
+    url: string;
+  } | null>(null);
   const { processDropRemoved, processIncomingDrop } = useMyStream();
   const { isCurationWave } = useWave(wave);
-  const getIsDropMode = () => {
+  const getDefaultIsDropMode = () => {
     if (fixedDropMode === DropMode.CHAT) {
       return false;
     }
@@ -82,21 +83,41 @@ export default function CreateDrop({
     return false;
   };
 
-  const [isDropMode, setIsDropMode] = useState(getIsDropMode());
+  const activeDropScope =
+    activeDrop === null
+      ? "none"
+      : `${activeDrop.action}:${activeDrop.drop.id}:${activeDrop.partId}`;
+  const modeScopeKey = `${wave.id}:${fixedDropMode}:${wave.chat.authenticated_user_eligible}:${wave.participation.authenticated_user_eligible}:${activeDropScope}`;
+  const modeScopeEpochRef = useRef(0);
+  const lastModeScopeKeyRef = useRef(modeScopeKey);
+  if (lastModeScopeKeyRef.current !== modeScopeKey) {
+    lastModeScopeKeyRef.current = modeScopeKey;
+    modeScopeEpochRef.current += 1;
+  }
+  const modeScopeToken = `${modeScopeKey}:${modeScopeEpochRef.current}`;
+  const defaultIsDropMode = getDefaultIsDropMode();
+  const isDropMode =
+    dropModeOverride?.scopeKey === modeScopeToken
+      ? dropModeOverride.value
+      : defaultIsDropMode;
+  const initialCurationUrl =
+    curationPrefillSeed?.scopeKey === modeScopeToken
+      ? curationPrefillSeed.url
+      : null;
   const isCurationDropMode = isCurationWave && isDropMode;
-  useEffect(() => setIsDropMode(getIsDropMode()), [wave, activeDrop]);
 
-  const onDropModeChange = useCallback(
+  const canSwitchDropMode = useCallback(
     (newIsDropMode: boolean) => {
       if (fixedDropMode !== DropMode.BOTH) {
-        return;
+        return false;
       }
+
       if (newIsDropMode && !wave.participation.authenticated_user_eligible) {
         setToast({
           message: "You are not eligible to drop in this wave",
           type: "error",
         });
-        return;
+        return false;
       }
 
       if (!newIsDropMode && !wave.chat.authenticated_user_eligible) {
@@ -104,12 +125,34 @@ export default function CreateDrop({
           message: "You are not eligible to chat in this wave",
           type: "error",
         });
+        return false;
+      }
+
+      return true;
+    },
+    [fixedDropMode, setToast, wave]
+  );
+
+  const onDropModeChange = useCallback(
+    (newIsDropMode: boolean) => {
+      if (!canSwitchDropMode(newIsDropMode)) {
         return;
       }
+      setCurationPrefillSeed(null);
+      setDropModeOverride({ scopeKey: modeScopeToken, value: newIsDropMode });
+    },
+    [canSwitchDropMode, modeScopeToken]
+  );
 
-      setIsDropMode(newIsDropMode);
+  const onSwitchToDropModeWithUrl = useCallback(
+    (url: string) => {
+      if (!canSwitchDropMode(true)) {
+        return;
+      }
+      setCurationPrefillSeed({ scopeKey: modeScopeToken, url });
+      setDropModeOverride({ scopeKey: modeScopeToken, value: true });
     },
-    [wave]
+    [canSwitchDropMode, modeScopeToken]
   );
 
   const onRemovePart = useCallback((partIndex: number) => {
@@ -252,6 +295,7 @@ export default function CreateDrop({
       setDrop,
       setIsStormMode,
       onDropModeChange,
+      onSwitchToDropModeWithUrl,
       submitDrop,
       privileges,
     }),
@@ -265,6 +309,7 @@ export default function CreateDrop({
       setDrop,
       setIsStormMode,
       onDropModeChange,
+      onSwitchToDropModeWithUrl,
       submitDrop,
       privileges,
     ]
@@ -298,6 +343,7 @@ export default function CreateDrop({
           wave={wave}
           dropId={dropId}
           isDropMode={isDropMode}
+          initialUrl={initialCurationUrl}
           submitDrop={submitDrop}
           curationComposerVariant={curationComposerVariant}
         />
diff --git a/components/waves/CreateDropContent.tsx b/components/waves/CreateDropContent.tsx
index 3fde7dc975..e7b49fbb31 100644
--- a/components/waves/CreateDropContent.tsx
+++ b/components/waves/CreateDropContent.tsx
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ import {
 import type { MissingRequirements } from "./utils/getMissingRequirements";
 import { getMissingRequirements } from "./utils/getMissingRequirements";
 import { getOptimisticDrop } from "./utils/getOptimisticDrop";
+import { normalizeCurationDropInput } from "./utils/validateCurationDropUrl";
 
 // Use next/dynamic for lazy loading with SSR support
 const TermsSignatureFlow = dynamic(
@@ -116,6 +117,7 @@ interface CreateDropContentProps {
   >;
   readonly setIsStormMode: React.Dispatch<React.SetStateAction<boolean>>;
   readonly onDropModeChange: (newIsDropMode: boolean) => void;
+  readonly onSwitchToDropModeWithUrl: (url: string) => void;
   readonly submitDrop: (dropRequest: DropMutationBody) => void;
   readonly privileges: DropPrivileges;
 }
@@ -345,6 +347,7 @@ const CreateDropContent: React.FC<CreateDropContentProps> = ({
   setDrop,
   setIsStormMode,
   onDropModeChange,
+  onSwitchToDropModeWithUrl,
   submitDrop,
   privileges,
 }) => {
@@ -360,7 +363,7 @@ const CreateDropContent: React.FC<CreateDropContentProps> = ({
   const { addOptimisticDrop } = useContext(ReactQueryWrapperContext);
   const { processIncomingDrop } = useMyStream();
   const { signDrop } = useDropSignature();
-  const { isMemesWave } = useWave(wave);
+  const { isMemesWave, isCurationWave } = useWave(wave);
 
   const [submitting, setSubmitting] = useState(false);
   const [editorState, setEditorState] = useState<EditorState | null>(null);
@@ -478,6 +481,14 @@ const CreateDropContent: React.FC<CreateDropContentProps> = ({
   const getCanAddPart = () => getHaveMarkdownOrFile() && !getIsDropLimit();
   const canSubmit = getCanSubmit();
   const canAddPart = getCanAddPart();
+  const normalizedCurationDropUrl = useMemo(() => {
+    if (!isCurationWave || isDropMode) {
+      return null;
+    }
+    return normalizeCurationDropInput(getMarkdown ?? "");
+  }, [getMarkdown, isCurationWave, isDropMode]);
+  const showCurationDropModeWarning =
+    !isDropMode && !!normalizedCurationDropUrl && isCurationWave;
 
   const [referencedNfts, setReferencedNfts] = useState<ReferencedNft[]>([]);
 
@@ -908,6 +919,13 @@ const CreateDropContent: React.FC<CreateDropContentProps> = ({
     await prepareAndSubmitDrop(createGifDrop(gif));
   };
 
+  const onSwitchToDropMode = useCallback(() => {
+    if (!normalizedCurationDropUrl) {
+      return;
+    }
+    onSwitchToDropModeWithUrl(normalizedCurationDropUrl);
+  }, [normalizedCurationDropUrl, onSwitchToDropModeWithUrl]);
+
   const focusInputWithDelay = (delay: number) => {
     setTimeout(() => {
       createDropInputRef.current?.focus();
@@ -1182,6 +1200,18 @@ const CreateDropContent: React.FC<CreateDropContentProps> = ({
               onMentionedWave={onMentionedWave}
               onDrop={onDrop}
             />
+            {showCurationDropModeWarning && (
+              <div className="tw-mt-2 tw-text-[11px] tw-leading-4 tw-text-amber-200/90">
+                This looks like a curation URL.{" "}
+                <button
+                  type="button"
+                  className="tw-border-0 tw-bg-transparent tw-p-0 tw-text-[11px] tw-font-medium tw-text-amber-300 tw-underline tw-transition desktop-hover:hover:tw-text-amber-100"
+                  onClick={onSwitchToDropMode}
+                >
+                  Switch to Drop mode
+                </button>
+              </div>
+            )}
           </div>
         </div>
         <div className="tw-ml-2 lg:tw-ml-3">