fix(desktop): disclose sticky model overrides

apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/model-pill.test.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+import { cleanup, render, screen } from '@testing-library/react'
+import type { ReactNode } from 'react'
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+import {
+  setActiveSessionId,
+  setCurrentModel,
+  setCurrentProvider,
+  setProfileDefaultModel,
+  setProfileDefaultProvider
+} from '@/store/session'
+
+import { ModelPill } from './model-pill'
+
+vi.mock('@/components/ui/tooltip', () => ({
+  Tip: ({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) => children
+}))
+
+vi.mock('@/i18n', () => ({
+  useI18n: () => ({
+    t: {
+      shell: {
+        statusbar: {
+          modelNone: 'none',
+          modelOverrideTitle: (provider: string, model: string, defaultProvider: string, defaultModel: string) =>
+            `Composer override · ${provider}: ${model}. Default: ${defaultProvider}: ${defaultModel}`,
+          modelTitle: (provider: string, model: string) => `Model · ${provider}: ${model}`,
+          openModelPicker: 'Open model picker',
+          switchModel: 'Switch model',
+          unknown: 'unknown'
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  })
+}))
+
+const model = {
+  canSwitch: true,
+  model: 'deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash',
+  provider: 'deepseek'
+}
+
+describe('ModelPill composer override indicator', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    setActiveSessionId(null)
+    setCurrentModel('deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash')
+    setCurrentProvider('deepseek')
+    setProfileDefaultModel('google/gemma-4-26b-a4b-it:free')
+    setProfileDefaultProvider('openrouter')
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    cleanup()
+    setActiveSessionId(null)
+    setCurrentModel('')
+    setCurrentProvider('')
+    setProfileDefaultModel('')
+    setProfileDefaultProvider('')
+  })
+
+  it('discloses a sticky new-chat selection that differs from the profile default', () => {
+    const { container } = render(<ModelPill disabled={false} model={model} />)
+
+    const button = screen.getByRole('button', { name: /Composer override/ })
+
+    expect(button.getAttribute('data-model-override')).toBe('true')
+    expect(container.querySelector('[data-slot="model-override-indicator"]')).not.toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('does not label a live session model as a composer override', () => {
+    setActiveSessionId('session-1')
+    const { container } = render(<ModelPill disabled={false} model={model} />)
+
+    const button = screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Open model picker' })
+
+    expect(button.getAttribute('data-model-override')).toBeNull()
+    expect(container.querySelector('[data-slot="model-override-indicator"]')).toBeNull()
+  })
+})

apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/model-pill.tsx

@@ -7,14 +7,17 @@ import { DropdownMenu, DropdownMenuContent, DropdownMenuTrigger } from '@/compon
 import { GlyphSpinner } from '@/components/ui/glyph-spinner'
 import { Tip } from '@/components/ui/tooltip'
 import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
-import { ChevronDown } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { AlertTriangle, ChevronDown } from '@/lib/icons'
 import { formatModelStatusLabel } from '@/lib/model-status-label'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import {
+  $activeSessionId,
   $currentFastMode,
   $currentModel,
   $currentProvider,
   $currentReasoningEffort,
+  $profileDefaultModel,
+  $profileDefaultProvider,
   setModelPickerOpen
 } from '@/store/session'
 
@@ -44,20 +47,44 @@ export function ModelPill({
   const currentProvider = useStore($currentProvider)
   const fastMode = useStore($currentFastMode)
   const reasoningEffort = useStore($currentReasoningEffort)
+  const activeSessionId = useStore($activeSessionId)
+  const profileDefaultModel = useStore($profileDefaultModel)
+  const profileDefaultProvider = useStore($profileDefaultProvider)
   const [open, setOpen] = useState(false)
 
+  const normalizedCurrentModel = currentModel.trim().toLowerCase()
+  const normalizedDefaultModel = profileDefaultModel.trim().toLowerCase()
+  const normalizedCurrentProvider = currentProvider.trim().toLowerCase()
+  const normalizedDefaultProvider = profileDefaultProvider.trim().toLowerCase()
+
+  const providerDiffers =
+    !!normalizedCurrentProvider &&
+    !!normalizedDefaultProvider &&
+    normalizedCurrentProvider !== normalizedDefaultProvider
+
+  const hasComposerOverride =
+    !activeSessionId &&
+    !!normalizedCurrentModel &&
+    !!normalizedDefaultModel &&
+    (normalizedCurrentModel !== normalizedDefaultModel || providerDiffers)
+
   // The model resolves a beat after the gateway/session comes up. Rather than
   // flash a literal "No model", show a quiet loader (inherits the pill text
   // color at half opacity) until a model lands.
+  const overrideIcon = hasComposerOverride ? (
+    <AlertTriangle aria-hidden="true" className="size-3 shrink-0 text-amber-500" data-slot="model-override-indicator" />
+  ) : null
+
   const label = compact ? (
-    <ChevronDown className="size-3.5 shrink-0 opacity-70" />
+    (overrideIcon ?? <ChevronDown className="size-3.5 shrink-0 opacity-70" />)
   ) : (
     <>
       {currentModel.trim() ? (
         <span className="truncate">{formatModelStatusLabel(currentModel, { fastMode, reasoningEffort })}</span>
       ) : (
         <GlyphSpinner className="opacity-50" spinner="braille" />
       )}
+      {overrideIcon}
       <ChevronDown className="size-2.5 shrink-0 opacity-50" />
     </>
   )
@@ -71,14 +98,24 @@ export function ModelPill({
       )
     : PILL
 
-  const title = currentProvider ? copy.modelTitle(currentProvider, currentModel || copy.modelNone) : copy.switchModel
+  const title = hasComposerOverride
+    ? copy.modelOverrideTitle(
+        currentProvider || copy.unknown,
+        currentModel,
+        profileDefaultProvider || copy.unknown,
+        profileDefaultModel
+      )
+    : currentProvider
+      ? copy.modelTitle(currentProvider, currentModel || copy.modelNone)
+      : copy.switchModel
 
   if (!model.modelMenuContent) {
     return (
-      <Tip label={copy.openModelPicker} side="top">
+      <Tip label={hasComposerOverride ? title : copy.openModelPicker} side="top">
         <Button
-          aria-label={copy.openModelPicker}
+          aria-label={hasComposerOverride ? title : copy.openModelPicker}
           className={pillClass}
+          data-model-override={hasComposerOverride ? 'true' : undefined}
           disabled={disabled}
           onClick={() => setModelPickerOpen(true)}
           type="button"
@@ -94,7 +131,14 @@ export function ModelPill({
     <DropdownMenu onOpenChange={setOpen} open={open}>
       <Tip label={title} side="top">
         <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
-          <Button aria-label={title} className={pillClass} disabled={disabled} type="button" variant="ghost">
+          <Button
+            aria-label={title}
+            className={pillClass}
+            data-model-override={hasComposerOverride ? 'true' : undefined}
+            disabled={disabled}
+            type="button"
+            variant="ghost"
+          >
             {label}
           </Button>
         </DropdownMenuTrigger>

apps/desktop/src/app/desktop-controller.tsx

@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@ import {
   setCurrentModel,
   setCurrentProvider,
   setMessages,
+  setProfileDefaultModel,
+  setProfileDefaultProvider,
   setRememberedSessionId
 } from '../store/session'
 import { onSessionsChanged } from '../store/session-sync'
@@ -1081,6 +1083,8 @@ export function DesktopController() {
               void queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['model-options'] })
             }}
             onMainModelChanged={(provider, model) => {
+              setProfileDefaultProvider(provider)
+              setProfileDefaultModel(model)
               setCurrentProvider(provider)
               setCurrentModel(model)
               updateModelOptionsCache(provider, model, true)

apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-model-controls.test.tsx

@@ -3,7 +3,17 @@ import { cleanup, render, renderHook } from '@testing-library/react'
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
 import { getGlobalModelInfo } from '@/hermes'
-import { $activeSessionId, $currentModel, $currentProvider, setCurrentModel, setCurrentProvider } from '@/store/session'
+import {
+  $activeSessionId,
+  $currentModel,
+  $currentProvider,
+  $profileDefaultModel,
+  $profileDefaultProvider,
+  setCurrentModel,
+  setCurrentProvider,
+  setProfileDefaultModel,
+  setProfileDefaultProvider
+} from '@/store/session'
 
 import { useModelControls } from './use-model-controls'
 
@@ -56,6 +66,8 @@ describe('useModelControls', () => {
     $activeSessionId.set(null)
     setCurrentModel('')
     setCurrentProvider('')
+    setProfileDefaultModel('')
+    setProfileDefaultProvider('')
   })
 
   afterEach(() => {
@@ -64,6 +76,8 @@ describe('useModelControls', () => {
     $activeSessionId.set(null)
     setCurrentModel('')
     setCurrentProvider('')
+    setProfileDefaultModel('')
+    setProfileDefaultProvider('')
   })
 
   it('applies the global model when there is no active runtime session', async () => {
@@ -179,4 +193,27 @@ describe('useModelControls', () => {
     await result.current.refreshCurrentModel(true)
     expect($currentModel.get()).toBe('openai/gpt-5.5')
   })
+
+  it('reads the global default even when a sticky composer pick must survive', async () => {
+    setCurrentModel('deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash')
+    setCurrentProvider('deepseek')
+    vi.mocked(getGlobalModelInfo).mockResolvedValue({ model: 'google/gemma-4-26b-a4b-it:free', provider: 'openrouter' })
+    vi.mocked(getGlobalModelInfo).mockClear()
+
+    const { result } = renderHook(() =>
+      useModelControls({
+        activeSessionId: null,
+        queryClient: new QueryClient(),
+        requestGateway: vi.fn()
+      })
+    )
+
+    await result.current.refreshCurrentModel()
+
+    expect(getGlobalModelInfo).toHaveBeenCalledOnce()
+    expect($currentModel.get()).toBe('deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash')
+    expect($currentProvider.get()).toBe('deepseek')
+    expect($profileDefaultModel.get()).toBe('google/gemma-4-26b-a4b-it:free')
+    expect($profileDefaultProvider.get()).toBe('openrouter')
+  })
 })

apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-model-controls.ts

@@ -4,7 +4,15 @@ import { useCallback } from 'react'
 import { getGlobalModelInfo } from '@/hermes'
 import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
 import { notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
-import { $activeSessionId, $currentModel, $currentProvider, setCurrentModel, setCurrentProvider } from '@/store/session'
+import {
+  $activeSessionId,
+  $currentModel,
+  $currentProvider,
+  setCurrentModel,
+  setCurrentProvider,
+  setProfileDefaultModel,
+  setProfileDefaultProvider
+} from '@/store/session'
 import type { ModelOptionsResponse } from '@/types/hermes'
 
 interface ModelSelection {
@@ -35,24 +43,31 @@ export function useModelControls({ activeSessionId, queryClient, requestGateway
     [activeSessionId, queryClient]
   )
 
-  // Seed the composer's model state from the profile default. `force` reseeds
-  // for a profile swap (the new profile has its own default); otherwise this
-  // only fills an EMPTY selection so a user's pick (plain UI state in
-  // $currentModel) survives the lifecycle refreshes that fire on boot / fresh
-  // draft / session events. A live session owns the footer, so skip entirely.
+  // Track the profile default even when a sticky composer pick survives. The
+  // composer uses that mirror to disclose overrides; `force` still reseeds the
+  // actual selection for a profile swap. A live session owns the footer, so skip
+  // entirely rather than mixing global config into session state.
   const refreshCurrentModel = useCallback(async (force = false) => {
     try {
       if ($activeSessionId.get()) {
         return
       }
 
-      if (!force && $currentModel.get()) {
+      const result = await getGlobalModelInfo()
+
+      if ($activeSessionId.get()) {
         return
       }
 
-      const result = await getGlobalModelInfo()
+      if (typeof result.model === 'string') {
+        setProfileDefaultModel(result.model)
+      }
 
-      if ($activeSessionId.get() || (!force && $currentModel.get())) {
+      if (typeof result.provider === 'string') {
+        setProfileDefaultProvider(result.provider)
+      }
+
+      if (!force && $currentModel.get()) {
         return
       }
 

apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts

@@ -2115,6 +2115,8 @@ export const en: Translations = {
       switchModel: 'Switch model',
       openModelPicker: 'Open model picker',
       modelTitle: (provider, model) => `Model · ${provider}: ${model}`,
+      modelOverrideTitle: (provider, model, defaultProvider, defaultModel) =>
+        `Composer override · ${provider}: ${model}. Default: ${defaultProvider}: ${defaultModel}`,
       providerModelTitle: (provider, model) => `${provider} · ${model}`
     }
   },

apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts

@@ -2060,6 +2060,8 @@ export const ja = defineLocale({
       switchModel: 'モデルを切り替え',
       openModelPicker: 'モデルピッカーを開く',
       modelTitle: (provider, model) => `モデル · ${provider}: ${model}`,
+      modelOverrideTitle: (provider, model, defaultProvider, defaultModel) =>
+        `作成欄の上書き · ${provider}: ${model}。デフォルト: ${defaultProvider}: ${defaultModel}`,
       providerModelTitle: (provider, model) => `${provider} · ${model}`
     }
   },

apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts

@@ -1751,6 +1751,7 @@ export interface Translations {
       switchModel: string
       openModelPicker: string
       modelTitle: (provider: string, model: string) => string
+      modelOverrideTitle: (provider: string, model: string, defaultProvider: string, defaultModel: string) => string
       providerModelTitle: (provider: string, model: string) => string
     }
   }

apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts

@@ -1998,6 +1998,8 @@ export const zhHant = defineLocale({
       switchModel: '切換模型',
       openModelPicker: '開啟模型選擇器',
       modelTitle: (provider, model) => `模型 · ${provider}：${model}`,
+      modelOverrideTitle: (provider, model, defaultProvider, defaultModel) =>
+        `輸入框模型覆寫 · ${provider}：${model}。預設：${defaultProvider}：${defaultModel}`,
       providerModelTitle: (provider, model) => `${provider} · ${model}`
     }
   },

apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts

@@ -2282,6 +2282,8 @@ export const zh: Translations = {
       switchModel: '切换模型',
       openModelPicker: '打开模型选择器',
       modelTitle: (provider, model) => `模型 · ${provider}: ${model}`,
+      modelOverrideTitle: (provider, model, defaultProvider, defaultModel) =>
+        `输入框模型覆盖 · ${provider}: ${model}。默认: ${defaultProvider}: ${defaultModel}`,
       providerModelTitle: (provider, model) => `${provider} · ${model}`
     }
   },

apps/desktop/src/store/session.ts

@@ -262,6 +262,11 @@ export const $resumeFailedSessionId = atom<string | null>(null)
 export const $resumeExhaustedSessionId = atom<string | null>(null)
 export const $currentModel = atom(storedString(COMPOSER_MODEL_KEY) ?? '')
 export const $currentProvider = atom(storedString(COMPOSER_PROVIDER_KEY) ?? '')
+// Memory-only profile defaults used to distinguish an intentional composer
+// override from the model configured in Settings. The override remains sticky;
+// these mirrors make that difference visible instead of silently billable.
+export const $profileDefaultModel = atom('')
+export const $profileDefaultProvider = atom('')
 export const $currentReasoningEffort = atom(storedString(COMPOSER_EFFORT_KEY) ?? '')
 export const $currentServiceTier = atom('')
 export const $currentFastMode = atom(storedBoolean(COMPOSER_FAST_KEY, false))
@@ -319,6 +324,9 @@ export const setCurrentProvider = (next: Updater<string>) => {
   persistString(COMPOSER_PROVIDER_KEY, $currentProvider.get() || null)
 }
 
+export const setProfileDefaultModel = (next: Updater<string>) => updateAtom($profileDefaultModel, next)
+export const setProfileDefaultProvider = (next: Updater<string>) => updateAtom($profileDefaultProvider, next)
+
 export const setCurrentReasoningEffort = (next: Updater<string>) => {
   updateAtom($currentReasoningEffort, next)
   persistString(COMPOSER_EFFORT_KEY, $currentReasoningEffort.get() || null)