diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/components/ChatInput.tsx b/ui/desktop/src/components/ChatInput.tsx
index 76e1b0858c57..1c01d5b7f56a 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/components/ChatInput.tsx
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/components/ChatInput.tsx
@@ -203,17 +203,34 @@ export default function ChatInput({
     setHasUserTyped(false);
   }, [initialValue]); // Keep only initialValue as a dependency
 
+  // Track if we've already set the recipe prompt to avoid re-setting it
+  const hasSetRecipePromptRef = useRef(false);
+
   // Handle recipe prompt updates
   useEffect(() => {
-    // If recipe is accepted and we have an initial prompt, and no messages yet, set the prompt
-    if (recipeAccepted && initialPrompt && messages.length === 0 && !displayValue.trim()) {
+    // If recipe is accepted and we have an initial prompt, and no messages yet, and we haven't set it before
+    if (
+      recipeAccepted &&
+      initialPrompt &&
+      messages.length === 0 &&
+      !hasSetRecipePromptRef.current
+    ) {
       setDisplayValue(initialPrompt);
       setValue(initialPrompt);
+      hasSetRecipePromptRef.current = true;
       setTimeout(() => {
         textAreaRef.current?.focus();
       }, 0);
     }
-  }, [recipeAccepted, initialPrompt, messages.length, displayValue]);
+    // we don't need hasSetRecipePromptRef in the dependency array because it is a ref that persists across renders
+  }, [recipeAccepted, initialPrompt, messages.length]);
+
+  // Reset the recipe prompt flag when the recipe changes or messages are added
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (messages.length > 0 || !recipeAccepted || !initialPrompt) {
+      hasSetRecipePromptRef.current = false;
+    }
+  }, [recipeAccepted, initialPrompt, messages.length]);
 
   // Draft functionality - load draft if no initial value or recipe
   useEffect(() => {
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/hooks/useRecipeManager.ts b/ui/desktop/src/hooks/useRecipeManager.ts
index 17ed7c41bca2..b61a07c391a0 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/hooks/useRecipeManager.ts
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/hooks/useRecipeManager.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { useEffect, useMemo, useState, useRef } from 'react';
 import { createRecipe, Recipe } from '../recipe';
 import { Message, createUserMessage } from '../types/message';
-import { updateSystemPromptWithParameters } from '../utils/providerUtils';
+import { updateSystemPromptWithParameters, substituteParameters } from '../utils/providerUtils';
 import { useChatContext } from '../contexts/ChatContext';
 
 interface LocationState {
@@ -115,18 +115,6 @@ export const useRecipeManager = (messages: Message[], locationState?: LocationSt
     setReadyForAutoUserPrompt(true);
   }, []);
 
-  // Substitute parameters in prompt
-  const substituteParameters = (prompt: string, params: Record<string, string>): string => {
-    let substitutedPrompt = prompt;
-
-    for (const key in params) {
-      // Escape special characters in the key (parameter) and match optional whitespace
-      const regex = new RegExp(`{{\\s*${key.replace(/[.*+?^${}()|[\]\\]/g, '\\$&')}\\s*}}`, 'g');
-      substitutedPrompt = substitutedPrompt.replace(regex, params[key]);
-    }
-    return substitutedPrompt;
-  };
-
   // Get the recipe's initial prompt (always return the actual prompt, don't modify based on conversation state)
   const initialPrompt = useMemo(() => {
     if (!recipeConfig?.prompt || !recipeAccepted || recipeConfig?.isScheduledExecution) {
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/utils/providerUtils.ts b/ui/desktop/src/utils/providerUtils.ts
index fa099f8e110f..778a52d06728 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/utils/providerUtils.ts
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/utils/providerUtils.ts
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ There may be (but not always) some tools mentioned in the instructions which you
 `;
 
 // Helper function to substitute parameters in text
-const substituteParameters = (text: string, params: Record<string, string>): string => {
+export const substituteParameters = (text: string, params: Record<string, string>): string => {
   let substitutedText = text;
 
   for (const key in params) {