diff --git a/.changeset/quick-model-search.md b/.changeset/quick-model-search.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5b01ee44f97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/quick-model-search.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"kilo-code": patch
+---
+
+Update model search results instantly and keep the active match visible while typing.
diff --git a/packages/kilo-docs/public/img/screenshot-tests/kilo-vscode/visual-regression/agentmanager/full-screen-diff-with-changes-chromium-linux.png b/packages/kilo-docs/public/img/screenshot-tests/kilo-vscode/visual-regression/agentmanager/full-screen-diff-with-changes-chromium-linux.png
index 85a8ddb7b65..22ffe596c1a 100644
--- a/packages/kilo-docs/public/img/screenshot-tests/kilo-vscode/visual-regression/agentmanager/full-screen-diff-with-changes-chromium-linux.png
+++ b/packages/kilo-docs/public/img/screenshot-tests/kilo-vscode/visual-regression/agentmanager/full-screen-diff-with-changes-chromium-linux.png
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1
-oid sha256:a7d7d047f14440d3dafc8a202131af6e755f80875012fd934a56580de21d36d5
-size 52887
+oid sha256:c3863da7e15cc40467319046521fbbfed0ee6ceab9f1f3ad03adb8941f454666
+size 52895
diff --git a/packages/kilo-vscode/tests/model-selector-accessibility.spec.ts b/packages/kilo-vscode/tests/model-selector-accessibility.spec.ts
index 45a7a339fdc..6fda7cdbb95 100644
--- a/packages/kilo-vscode/tests/model-selector-accessibility.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/kilo-vscode/tests/model-selector-accessibility.spec.ts
@@ -193,6 +193,18 @@ test("large catalogs keep the rendered tree bounded and navigate to distant mode
   // The window mounts before we measure it, yet stays far smaller than the catalog.
   await expect.poll(() => tree.getByRole("treeitem").count()).toBeGreaterThan(0)
   await expect.poll(() => tree.getByRole("treeitem").count()).toBeLessThan(50)
+  await expect(page.getByRole("treeitem", { name: "Model 300" })).toBeVisible()
+
+  // Searching from deep in the catalog scrolls the first active match into view.
+  await tree.getByRole("treeitem").last().hover()
+  await tree.evaluate((el) => el.scrollTo({ top: el.scrollHeight }))
+  await combobox.pressSequentially("Model 5")
+  const first = page.getByRole("treeitem", { name: "Model 500" })
+  await expect(first).toBeVisible()
+  await expect(combobox).toHaveAttribute("aria-activedescendant", await first.getAttribute("id"))
+  const hovered = page.getByRole("treeitem", { name: "Model 501" })
+  await hovered.hover()
+  await expect(combobox).toHaveAttribute("aria-activedescendant", await hovered.getAttribute("id"))
 
   // Reaching a distant model scrolls it into the mounted window and activates it.
   await combobox.fill("Model 599")
diff --git a/packages/kilo-vscode/webview-ui/src/components/shared/ModelSelector.tsx b/packages/kilo-vscode/webview-ui/src/components/shared/ModelSelector.tsx
index b6e83e2836d..2b3b6cac507 100644
--- a/packages/kilo-vscode/webview-ui/src/components/shared/ModelSelector.tsx
+++ b/packages/kilo-vscode/webview-ui/src/components/shared/ModelSelector.tsx
@@ -159,7 +159,6 @@ export const ModelSelectorBase: Component<ModelSelectorBaseProps> = (props) => {
   const expanded = vscode.getModelSelectorExpanded
   const setExpanded = vscode.setModelSelectorExpanded
   const [search, setSearch] = createSignal("")
-  const [debouncedSearch, setDebouncedSearch] = createSignal("")
   const [selectedKey, setSelectedKey] = createSignal(CLEAR_KEY)
   const [browsing, setBrowsing] = createSignal(false)
   const [navigating, setNavigating] = createSignal(false)
@@ -181,6 +180,10 @@ export const ModelSelectorBase: Component<ModelSelectorBaseProps> = (props) => {
   let listRef: HTMLDivElement | undefined
   let bodyRef: HTMLDivElement | undefined
   let previewTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined
+  let scrollFrame: number | undefined
+  let pointerX: number | undefined
+  let pointerY: number | undefined
+  let previousSearch: string | undefined
   const [virtualizer, setVirtualizer] = createSignal<VirtualizerHandle>()
   const [pointer, setPointer] = createSignal(true)
 
@@ -223,16 +226,9 @@ export const ModelSelectorBase: Component<ModelSelectorBaseProps> = (props) => {
   const hasProviders = () => visibleModels().length > 0
   const canOpen = () => hasProviders() || ((props.allowClear ?? false) && !!props.value)
 
-  // Debounce search input to avoid re-filtering on every keystroke
-  createEffect(() => {
-    const q = search()
-    const t = setTimeout(() => setDebouncedSearch(q), 250)
-    onCleanup(() => clearTimeout(t))
-  })
-
   // Flat filtered list for keyboard navigation
   const filtered = createMemo(() => {
-    const q = debouncedSearch().trim()
+    const q = search().trim()
     if (!q) {
       return visibleModels()
     }
@@ -251,7 +247,7 @@ export const ModelSelectorBase: Component<ModelSelectorBaseProps> = (props) => {
 
   const favoriteModels = createMemo(() => {
     if (props.favorites === false) return []
-    if (!session || debouncedSearch()) return []
+    if (!session || search()) return []
     const map = new Map(visibleModels().map((m) => [modelKey(m.providerID, m.id), m]))
     const list = session
       .favoriteModels()
@@ -400,7 +396,7 @@ export const ModelSelectorBase: Component<ModelSelectorBaseProps> = (props) => {
     if (!m) return props.allowClear ? CLEAR_KEY : defaultKey()
     const key = modelKey(m.providerID, m.id)
     const favorite = favoriteKey(m)
-    if (!debouncedSearch() && favoriteKeys().has(key) && rowMap().has(favorite)) return favorite
+    if (!search() && favoriteKeys().has(key) && rowMap().has(favorite)) return favorite
     return canonicalKey(m)
   }
   const chosen = (row: ModelRow) => {
@@ -453,7 +449,10 @@ export const ModelSelectorBase: Component<ModelSelectorBaseProps> = (props) => {
   // which would cause star/unstar to reset selection mid-interaction.
   // Falls back to defaultKey when the active model is filtered out.
   createEffect(() => {
+    const query = search()
     const list = filtered()
+    const searchChanged = query !== previousSearch
+    previousSearch = query
     untrack(() => {
       const active = activeModel()
       const canon = active ? canonicalKey(active) : null
@@ -468,10 +467,16 @@ export const ModelSelectorBase: Component<ModelSelectorBaseProps> = (props) => {
               ? CLEAR_KEY
               : defaultKey()
       setSelectedKey(next)
-      setBrowsing(!!debouncedSearch() && nodeMap().has(next))
+      setBrowsing(!!search() && nodeMap().has(next))
       setNavigating(false)
       setPreActiveKey(next)
       setPreviewKey(next)
+      if (!open() || !searchChanged) return
+      if (scrollFrame !== undefined) cancelAnimationFrame(scrollFrame)
+      scrollFrame = requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+        scrollFrame = undefined
+        scrollRow(next, "nearest")
+      })
     })
   })
 
@@ -500,8 +505,9 @@ export const ModelSelectorBase: Component<ModelSelectorBaseProps> = (props) => {
     setBrowsing(false)
     setNavigating(false)
     setSearch("")
-    setDebouncedSearch("")
     clearTimeout(previewTimer)
+    if (scrollFrame !== undefined) cancelAnimationFrame(scrollFrame)
+    scrollFrame = undefined
   })
 
   // Register before the popover mounts so programmatic slash-command opens
@@ -519,6 +525,7 @@ export const ModelSelectorBase: Component<ModelSelectorBaseProps> = (props) => {
     window.removeEventListener("openModelPicker", onTrigger)
     window.removeEventListener("keydown", onEscape, true)
     clearTimeout(previewTimer)
+    if (scrollFrame !== undefined) cancelAnimationFrame(scrollFrame)
   })
 
   function pick(model: EnrichedModel) {
@@ -552,6 +559,20 @@ export const ModelSelectorBase: Component<ModelSelectorBaseProps> = (props) => {
     previewTimer = setTimeout(() => setPreviewKey(key), 200)
   }
 
+  function pointerMove(e: MouseEvent) {
+    const target = e.target
+    if (!(target instanceof Element)) return
+    const item = target.closest<HTMLElement>('[role="treeitem"][data-key]')
+    const key = item?.dataset.key
+    if (!key) return
+    const moved = pointerX !== undefined && pointerY !== undefined && (e.clientX !== pointerX || e.clientY !== pointerY)
+    pointerX = e.clientX
+    pointerY = e.clientY
+    if (!moved) return
+    setPointer(true)
+    setSelectedKey(key)
+  }
+
   function scrollRow(key: string | null | undefined, block: ScrollLogicalPosition = "nearest") {
     if (!key) return
     const idx = nodeIndex().get(key)
@@ -808,6 +829,7 @@ export const ModelSelectorBase: Component<ModelSelectorBaseProps> = (props) => {
                     placeholder={language.t("dialog.model.search.placeholder")}
                     value={search()}
                     onInput={(e) => {
+                      setPointer(false)
                       setBrowsing(false)
                       setNavigating(false)
                       setSearch(e.currentTarget.value)
@@ -846,7 +868,14 @@ export const ModelSelectorBase: Component<ModelSelectorBaseProps> = (props) => {
                   </Tooltip>
                 </div>
 
-                <div id={listID} class="model-selector-list" role="tree" aria-label={label()} ref={listRef}>
+                <div
+                  id={listID}
+                  class="model-selector-list"
+                  role="tree"
+                  aria-label={label()}
+                  ref={listRef}
+                  onMouseMove={pointerMove}
+                >
                   <Show when={groups().length === 0}>
                     <div class="model-selector-empty" role="status" aria-live="polite">
                       {language.t("dialog.model.empty")}
@@ -871,16 +900,13 @@ export const ModelSelectorBase: Component<ModelSelectorBaseProps> = (props) => {
                             return (
                               <div
                                 id={optionID(key)}
+                                data-key={key}
                                 class={`model-selector-group-label${props.allowClear || group.key !== groups()[0]?.key ? " model-selector-group-label--divided" : ""}${isSelected(key) ? " selected" : ""}${isSelected(key) && !pointer() ? " keyboard-focused" : ""}`}
                                 role="treeitem"
                                 aria-level={1}
                                 aria-expanded={shown()}
                                 onMouseDown={(e) => e.preventDefault()}
                                 onClick={() => toggleGroup(group.key)}
-                                onMouseMove={() => setPointer(true)}
-                                onMouseEnter={() => {
-                                  if (pointer()) setSelectedKey(key)
-                                }}
                               >
                                 <svg
                                   class={`model-selector-group-chevron${shown() ? "" : " model-selector-group-chevron--collapsed"}`}
@@ -893,7 +919,7 @@ export const ModelSelectorBase: Component<ModelSelectorBaseProps> = (props) => {
                                   <path d="M4 6l4 5 4-5H4z" />
                                 </svg>
                                 <span>{group.label}</span>
-                                <Show when={!shown() && !!debouncedSearch()}>
+                                <Show when={!shown() && !!search()}>
                                   <span class="model-selector-group-match-dot" aria-hidden="true" />
                                 </Show>
                               </div>
@@ -906,15 +932,12 @@ export const ModelSelectorBase: Component<ModelSelectorBaseProps> = (props) => {
                             return (
                               <div
                                 id={optionID(CLEAR_KEY)}
+                                data-key={CLEAR_KEY}
                                 class={`model-selector-item${isSelected(CLEAR_KEY) && !pointer() ? " keyboard-focused" : ""}${isSelected(CLEAR_KEY) ? " selected" : ""}${!props.value?.providerID ? " active" : ""}`}
                                 role="treeitem"
                                 aria-level={1}
                                 aria-selected={!props.value?.providerID}
                                 onClick={() => pickClear()}
-                                onMouseMove={() => setPointer(true)}
-                                onMouseEnter={() => {
-                                  if (pointer()) setSelectedKey(CLEAR_KEY)
-                                }}
                               >
                                 <span class="model-selector-item-name" style={{ "font-style": "italic", opacity: 0.7 }}>
                                   {props.clearLabel ?? language.t("dialog.model.notSet")}
@@ -939,6 +962,7 @@ export const ModelSelectorBase: Component<ModelSelectorBaseProps> = (props) => {
                             >
                               <div
                                 id={optionID(row.key)}
+                                data-key={row.key}
                                 class={`model-selector-item${(hovered() && !pointer()) || preActive() ? " keyboard-focused" : ""}${hovered() || preActive() ? " selected" : ""}${chosen(row) ? " active" : ""}`}
                                 role="treeitem"
                                 aria-level={2}
@@ -955,10 +979,6 @@ export const ModelSelectorBase: Component<ModelSelectorBaseProps> = (props) => {
                                 onDblClick={() => {
                                   if (expanded()) selectRow(row)
                                 }}
-                                onMouseMove={() => setPointer(true)}
-                                onMouseEnter={() => {
-                                  if (pointer()) setSelectedKey(row.key)
-                                }}
                               >
                                 <div class="model-selector-item-left">
                                   <span class="model-selector-item-name">