diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 0255bc7d..9db6a5e8 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Fixed
+
+- Composer model picker now opens immediately from the existing option list while the dynamic `/api/models` catalog hydrates in the background, and a just-selected session model survives a hard refresh even if the refresh interrupts the async session update. Previously a slow model-catalog request could make the model button appear unresponsive, and a quick reload after selecting a model could restore the old session model.
+
 ## [v0.51.112] — 2026-05-22 — Release CJ (stage-405 — 1-PR — session model authoritative across restore)
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/static/boot.js b/static/boot.js
index 2497df69..f2704d0a 100644
--- a/static/boot.js
+++ b/static/boot.js
@@ -955,6 +955,11 @@ $('modelSelect').onchange=async()=>{
   if(typeof closeModelDropdown==='function') closeModelDropdown();
   if(typeof _writePersistedModelState==='function') _writePersistedModelState(modelState.model,modelState.model_provider);
   else try{localStorage.setItem('hermes-webui-model',modelState.model)}catch{}
+  if(typeof _rememberPendingSessionModel==='function') _rememberPendingSessionModel(S.session.session_id,modelState.model,modelState.model_provider);
+  S.session.model=modelState.model;
+  S.session.model_provider=modelState.model_provider||null;
+  if(typeof syncModelChip==='function') syncModelChip();
+  syncTopbar();
   // Clarify scope: composer model changes are session-local, not the global default.
   if(typeof showToast==='function'){
     showToast(t('model_scope_toast')||'Applies to this conversation from your next message.', 3000);
@@ -965,10 +970,12 @@ $('modelSelect').onchange=async()=>{
     model:modelState.model,
     model_provider:modelState.model_provider||null,
   })});
-  S.session.model=modelState.model;
-  S.session.model_provider=modelState.model_provider||null;
-  if(typeof syncModelChip==='function') syncModelChip();
-  syncTopbar();
+  if(typeof _readPendingSessionModel==='function'&&typeof _clearPendingSessionModel==='function'){
+    const pending=_readPendingSessionModel(S.session.session_id);
+    if(!pending||(pending.model===modelState.model&&String(pending.model_provider||'')===String(modelState.model_provider||''))){
+      _clearPendingSessionModel(S.session.session_id);
+    }
+  }
   _applySessionContextMetadataUpdate(data);
   // Warn if selected model belongs to a different provider than what Hermes is configured for
   if(typeof _checkProviderMismatch==='function'){
diff --git a/static/sessions.js b/static/sessions.js
index d828862b..98ee6252 100644
--- a/static/sessions.js
+++ b/static/sessions.js
@@ -622,6 +622,7 @@ async function loadSession(sid){
   if (typeof window !== 'undefined' && typeof window._resetScrollDirectionTracker === 'function') {
     try { window._resetScrollDirectionTracker(); } catch (_) {}
   }
+  if(typeof _applyPendingSessionModelForSession==='function') _applyPendingSessionModelForSession(sid);
   // Sync workspace display immediately so the chip label reflects the new session's workspace
   // before any async message-loading begins (mirrors how model is handled).
   if(typeof syncTopbar==='function') syncTopbar();
diff --git a/static/ui.js b/static/ui.js
index e8bc9b8c..cc0c7435 100644
--- a/static/ui.js
+++ b/static/ui.js
@@ -733,6 +733,8 @@ window.addEventListener('visibilitychange',()=>{
 let _dynamicModelLabels={};
 window._configuredModelBadges=window._configuredModelBadges||{};
 const MODEL_STATE_KEY='hermes-webui-model-state';
+const PENDING_SESSION_MODEL_PREFIX='hermes-webui-pending-session-model:';
+const PENDING_SESSION_MODEL_MAX_AGE_MS=10*60*1000;
 
 // ── Smart model resolver ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 // Finds the best matching option value in a <select> for a given model ID.
@@ -814,6 +816,71 @@ function _clearPersistedModelState(){
   localStorage.removeItem('hermes-webui-model');
   localStorage.removeItem(MODEL_STATE_KEY);
 }
+function _pendingSessionModelKey(sessionId){
+  return PENDING_SESSION_MODEL_PREFIX+String(sessionId||'');
+}
+function _rememberPendingSessionModel(sessionId, model, modelProvider){
+  const sid=String(sessionId||'').trim();
+  const value=String(model||'').trim();
+  if(!sid||!value) return;
+  const provider=modelProvider?String(modelProvider).trim():(_providerFromModelValue(value)||null);
+  try{
+    sessionStorage.setItem(_pendingSessionModelKey(sid), JSON.stringify({
+      model:value,
+      model_provider:provider||null,
+      saved_at:Date.now(),
+    }));
+  }catch(_){}
+}
+function _readPendingSessionModel(sessionId){
+  const sid=String(sessionId||'').trim();
+  if(!sid) return null;
+  try{
+    const raw=sessionStorage.getItem(_pendingSessionModelKey(sid));
+    if(!raw) return null;
+    const parsed=JSON.parse(raw);
+    const model=String(parsed&&parsed.model||'').trim();
+    if(!model){
+      sessionStorage.removeItem(_pendingSessionModelKey(sid));
+      return null;
+    }
+    const savedAt=Number(parsed.saved_at||0);
+    if(savedAt&&Date.now()-savedAt>PENDING_SESSION_MODEL_MAX_AGE_MS){
+      sessionStorage.removeItem(_pendingSessionModelKey(sid));
+      return null;
+    }
+    return {
+      model,
+      model_provider:parsed&&parsed.model_provider?String(parsed.model_provider):(_providerFromModelValue(model)||null),
+    };
+  }catch(_){
+    try{sessionStorage.removeItem(_pendingSessionModelKey(sid));}catch(__){}
+    return null;
+  }
+}
+function _clearPendingSessionModel(sessionId){
+  const sid=String(sessionId||'').trim();
+  if(!sid) return;
+  try{sessionStorage.removeItem(_pendingSessionModelKey(sid));}catch(_){}
+}
+function _applyPendingSessionModelForSession(sessionId){
+  if(!S.session||S.session.session_id!==sessionId) return false;
+  const pending=_readPendingSessionModel(sessionId);
+  if(!pending) return false;
+  const sameModel=String(S.session.model||'')===pending.model;
+  const sameProvider=String(S.session.model_provider||'')===String(pending.model_provider||'');
+  if(sameModel&&sameProvider){
+    _clearPendingSessionModel(sessionId);
+    return false;
+  }
+  S.session.model=pending.model;
+  S.session.model_provider=pending.model_provider||null;
+  const retry=_persistSessionModelCorrection(pending.model,pending.model_provider||null,{propagateErrors:true});
+  if(retry&&typeof retry.then==='function'){
+    retry.then(()=>_clearPendingSessionModel(sessionId)).catch(()=>{});
+  }
+  return true;
+}
 function _findModelInDropdown(modelId, sel, preferredProviderId){
   if(!modelId||!sel) return null;
   const options=Array.from(sel.options);
@@ -893,13 +960,14 @@ function _modelStateFromAppliedDropdown(sel, modelValue){
     : {model:modelValue,model_provider:null};
   return {model:state.model||modelValue,model_provider:state.model_provider||null};
 }
-function _persistSessionModelCorrection(model, provider){
+function _persistSessionModelCorrection(model, provider, opts){
   if(!S.session) return;
-  fetch(new URL('api/session/update',document.baseURI||location.href).href,{
+  const request=fetch(new URL('api/session/update',document.baseURI||location.href).href,{
     method:'POST',credentials:'include',
     headers:{'Content-Type':'application/json'},
     body:JSON.stringify({session_id:S.session.id||S.session.session_id,model:model,model_provider:provider||null})
-  }).catch(()=>{});
+  });
+  return opts&&opts.propagateErrors ? request : request.catch(()=>{});
 }
 function _applySessionModelFallback(sel){
   if(!sel) return null;
@@ -1496,10 +1564,9 @@ async function toggleModelDropdown(){
   if(typeof closeWsDropdown==='function') closeWsDropdown();
   if(typeof closeReasoningDropdown==='function') closeReasoningDropdown();
   if(typeof closeToolsetsDropdown==='function') closeToolsetsDropdown();
-  if(typeof window._ensureModelDropdownReady==='function') window._ensureModelDropdownReady();
-  const ready=window._modelDropdownReady;
-  if(ready&&typeof ready.then==='function'){
-    try{await ready;}catch(_){}
+  if(typeof window._ensureModelDropdownReady==='function'){
+    const ready=window._ensureModelDropdownReady();
+    if(ready&&typeof ready.catch==='function') ready.catch(()=>{});
   }
   if(dd.classList.contains('open')) return;
   renderModelDropdown();
diff --git a/tests/test_issue1743_model_picker_race.py b/tests/test_issue1743_model_picker_race.py
index 2bd46da9..33413902 100644
--- a/tests/test_issue1743_model_picker_race.py
+++ b/tests/test_issue1743_model_picker_race.py
@@ -12,14 +12,16 @@ def _body_between(src: str, start: str, end: str) -> str:
     return src[start_idx:end_idx]
 
 
-def test_model_picker_open_waits_for_async_model_catalog_before_rendering():
-    """Opening the visible picker must not render stale static <select> options."""
+def test_model_picker_opens_before_async_model_catalog_finishes():
+    """Opening the visible picker must not block on a slow /api/models request."""
     body = _body_between(UI_JS, "async function toggleModelDropdown", "function closeModelDropdown")
 
-    assert "window._modelDropdownReady" in body
     assert "window._ensureModelDropdownReady" in body
-    assert "await" in body
-    assert body.index("await") < body.index("renderModelDropdown()")
+    render_idx = body.index("renderModelDropdown()")
+    open_idx = body.index("dd.classList.add('open')")
+    await_idx = body.find("await")
+    assert render_idx < open_idx
+    assert await_idx == -1 or open_idx < await_idx
 
 
 def test_populate_model_dropdown_rerenders_if_picker_is_already_open():
diff --git a/tests/test_model_selection_refresh_persistence.py b/tests/test_model_selection_refresh_persistence.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3f3eaad3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_model_selection_refresh_persistence.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+"""Regression coverage for model selection surviving hard refresh.
+
+The frontend updates the visible model chip before the async
+``/api/session/update`` request returns. A hard refresh can abort that request,
+so the browser must remember the session-scoped selection and reapply it on the
+next ``loadSession()`` before ``syncTopbar()`` projects server metadata.
+"""
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
+BOOT_JS = (ROOT / "static" / "boot.js").read_text()
+SESSIONS_JS = (ROOT / "static" / "sessions.js").read_text()
+UI_JS = (ROOT / "static" / "ui.js").read_text()
+
+
+def _body_between(src: str, start: str, end: str) -> str:
+    start_idx = src.index(start)
+    end_idx = src.index(end, start_idx)
+    return src[start_idx:end_idx]
+
+
+def test_model_selection_records_pending_state_before_async_session_update():
+    """A refresh during /api/session/update must not lose the selected model."""
+    body = _body_between(BOOT_JS, "$('modelSelect').onchange=async()=>", "$('msg').addEventListener")
+
+    pending_idx = body.index("_rememberPendingSessionModel")
+    local_model_idx = body.index("S.session.model=modelState.model")
+    update_idx = body.index("await api('/api/session/update'")
+
+    assert pending_idx < update_idx
+    assert local_model_idx < update_idx
+    assert "_clearPendingSessionModel" in body
+
+
+def test_load_session_applies_pending_model_before_first_topbar_sync():
+    """Reload should project the pending selection before server old metadata wins."""
+    body = _body_between(SESSIONS_JS, "async function loadSession", "const activeStreamId=")
+
+    apply_idx = body.index("_applyPendingSessionModelForSession")
+    sync_idx = body.index("syncTopbar()")
+
+    assert apply_idx < sync_idx
+
+
+def test_pending_model_helpers_are_session_scoped_and_expire():
+    assert "const PENDING_SESSION_MODEL_PREFIX" in UI_JS
+    assert "function _pendingSessionModelKey" in UI_JS
+    assert "function _rememberPendingSessionModel" in UI_JS
+    assert "function _applyPendingSessionModelForSession" in UI_JS
+    assert "propagateErrors:true" in UI_JS
+    assert "sessionStorage" in UI_JS
+    assert "10*60*1000" in UI_JS