diff --git a/web/src/App.tsx b/web/src/App.tsx
index 5c288fc..863c20f 100644
--- a/web/src/App.tsx
+++ b/web/src/App.tsx
@@ -119,9 +119,8 @@ function loadStoredModelPreferences() {
   }
 }
 
-function pickProviderModel(options: string[], preferred: string | null, fallback: string | null = null) {
-  if (fallback && options.includes(fallback)) return fallback;
-  if (preferred && options.includes(preferred)) return preferred;
+function pickProviderModel(options: string[], preferred: string | null) {
+  if (preferred?.trim()) return preferred.trim();
   return options[0] ?? "";
 }
 
@@ -197,34 +196,46 @@ type ModelComboboxProps = {
 
 function ModelCombobox({ options, value, onChange, disabled = false }: ModelComboboxProps) {
   const [open, setOpen] = useState(false);
-  const [query, setQuery] = useState("");
+  const [draftValue, setDraftValue] = useState(value);
   const rootRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
   const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
 
+  const normalizedDraftValue = draftValue.trim();
   const filteredOptions = useMemo(() => {
-    const needle = query.trim().toLowerCase();
+    const needle = normalizedDraftValue.toLowerCase();
     if (!needle) return options;
     return options.filter((option) => option.toLowerCase().includes(needle));
-  }, [options, query]);
+  }, [normalizedDraftValue, options]);
+  const hasExactOption = options.includes(normalizedDraftValue);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (open) return;
+    setDraftValue(value);
+  }, [open, value]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!open) return;
     inputRef.current?.focus();
   }, [open]);
 
+  const commitDraftValue = () => {
+    onChange(normalizedDraftValue);
+    setDraftValue(normalizedDraftValue);
+    setOpen(false);
+  };
+
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!open) return;
 
     const handlePointerDown = (event: PointerEvent) => {
       if (rootRef.current?.contains(event.target as Node)) return;
-      setOpen(false);
-      setQuery("");
+      commitDraftValue();
     };
 
     const handleKeyDown = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
       if (event.key !== "Escape") return;
       setOpen(false);
-      setQuery("");
+      setDraftValue(value);
     };
 
     window.addEventListener("pointerdown", handlePointerDown);
@@ -233,32 +244,63 @@ function ModelCombobox({ options, value, onChange, disabled = false }: ModelComb
       window.removeEventListener("pointerdown", handlePointerDown);
       window.removeEventListener("keydown", handleKeyDown);
     };
-  }, [open]);
+  }, [commitDraftValue, open, value]);
 
   return (
     <div className="relative" ref={rootRef}>
-      <button
-        type="button"
-        className="flex h-9 min-w-56 items-center justify-between rounded-md border border-input bg-background px-2 text-sm"
-        onClick={() => {
-          if (disabled) return;
-          setOpen((current) => !current);
-        }}
-        disabled={disabled}
-      >
-        <span className="truncate text-left">{value || "Select model"}</span>
-        <ChevronDown className="ml-2 h-4 w-4 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground" />
-      </button>
+      <div className="flex h-9 min-w-56 items-center rounded-md border border-input bg-background px-2 text-sm">
+        <input
+          ref={inputRef}
+          value={draftValue}
+          onFocus={() => {
+            if (disabled) return;
+            setDraftValue(value);
+            setOpen(true);
+          }}
+          onInput={(event) => {
+            setDraftValue(event.currentTarget.value);
+            setOpen(true);
+          }}
+          onKeyDown={(event) => {
+            if (event.key !== "Enter") return;
+            event.preventDefault();
+            commitDraftValue();
+          }}
+          className="h-full min-w-0 flex-1 bg-transparent outline-none placeholder:text-muted-foreground"
+          placeholder="Select or type model"
+          disabled={disabled}
+        />
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          className="ml-2 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground disabled:opacity-50"
+          onClick={() => {
+            if (disabled) return;
+            if (open) {
+              commitDraftValue();
+              return;
+            }
+            setDraftValue(value);
+            setOpen(true);
+          }}
+          disabled={disabled}
+          aria-label="Toggle model options"
+        >
+          <ChevronDown className="h-4 w-4" />
+        </button>
+      </div>
       {open ? (
         <div className="absolute right-0 z-50 mt-1 w-full rounded-md border border-border bg-background p-1 shadow-md">
-          <input
-            ref={inputRef}
-            value={query}
-            onInput={(event) => setQuery(event.currentTarget.value)}
-            className="mb-1 h-8 w-full rounded-sm border border-input bg-background px-2 text-sm outline-none"
-            placeholder="Filter models"
-          />
           <div className="max-h-64 overflow-y-auto">
+            {normalizedDraftValue && !hasExactOption ? (
+              <button
+                type="button"
+                className="flex w-full items-center gap-2 rounded-sm px-2 py-1.5 text-left text-sm hover:bg-muted"
+                onClick={commitDraftValue}
+              >
+                <Check className={cn("h-4 w-4", normalizedDraftValue === value ? "opacity-100" : "opacity-0")} />
+                <span className="truncate">Use "{normalizedDraftValue}"</span>
+              </button>
+            ) : null}
             {filteredOptions.length ? (
               filteredOptions.map((option) => (
                 <button
@@ -268,16 +310,16 @@ function ModelCombobox({ options, value, onChange, disabled = false }: ModelComb
                   onClick={() => {
                     onChange(option);
                     setOpen(false);
-                    setQuery("");
+                    setDraftValue(option);
                   }}
                 >
                   <Check className={cn("h-4 w-4", option === value ? "opacity-100" : "opacity-0")} />
                   <span className="truncate">{option}</span>
                 </button>
               ))
-            ) : (
+            ) : !normalizedDraftValue ? (
               <p className="px-2 py-2 text-sm text-muted-foreground">No models found</p>
-            )}
+            ) : null}
           </div>
         </div>
       ) : null}
@@ -545,10 +587,11 @@ export default function App() {
   const providerModelOptions = useMemo(() => getModelOptions(modelCatalog, provider), [modelCatalog, provider]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
+    if (model.trim()) return;
     setModel((current) => {
-      return pickProviderModel(providerModelOptions, providerModelPreferences[provider], current);
+      return current.trim() || pickProviderModel(providerModelOptions, providerModelPreferences[provider]);
     });
-  }, [provider, providerModelOptions, providerModelPreferences]);
+  }, [model, provider, providerModelOptions, providerModelPreferences]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (typeof window === "undefined") return;
@@ -1233,7 +1276,7 @@ export default function App() {
                       const nextProvider = event.currentTarget.value as Provider;
                       setProvider(nextProvider);
                       const options = getModelOptions(modelCatalog, nextProvider);
-                      setModel((current) => pickProviderModel(options, providerModelPreferences[nextProvider], current));
+                      setModel(pickProviderModel(options, providerModelPreferences[nextProvider]));
                     }}
                     disabled={isSending}
                   >
@@ -1244,12 +1287,13 @@ export default function App() {
                   <ModelCombobox
                     options={providerModelOptions}
                     value={model}
-                    disabled={isSending || providerModelOptions.length === 0}
+                    disabled={isSending}
                     onChange={(nextModel) => {
-                      setModel(nextModel);
+                      const normalizedModel = nextModel.trim();
+                      setModel(normalizedModel);
                       setProviderModelPreferences((current) => ({
                         ...current,
-                        [provider]: nextModel,
+                        [provider]: normalizedModel || null,
                       }));
                     }}
                   />