diff --git a/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/dialogs/DialogManageModels.svelte b/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/dialogs/DialogManageModels.svelte
index b6b6d45c31..5c86904bac 100644
--- a/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/dialogs/DialogManageModels.svelte
+++ b/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/dialogs/DialogManageModels.svelte
@@ -1,19 +1,9 @@
 <script lang="ts">
-	import { SettingsBackends } from '$lib/components/app/backends';
 	import { Logo } from '$lib/components/app/misc';
 	import { ModelsDiscover } from '$lib/components/app/models/discover';
 	import * as Dialog from '$lib/components/ui/dialog';
-	import * as Tabs from '$lib/components/ui/tabs';
 	import { SETTINGS_KEYS } from '$lib/constants';
 	import { serverStore, settingsStore } from '$lib/stores';
-	import type { BackendProtocol } from '$lib/types';
-
-	type ManageTab = 'discover' | 'providers';
-
-	const PROTOCOL_TABS: Array<{ label: string; value: BackendProtocol }> = [
-		{ label: 'Llama-compat', value: 'llama.cpp' },
-		{ label: 'OpenAI-compat', value: 'openai' }
-	];
 
 	interface Props {
 		open?: boolean;
@@ -26,15 +16,6 @@
 	let hasDiscover = $derived(
 		serverStore.localIsRouter && settingsStore.config[SETTINGS_KEYS.ENABLE_DISCOVER_MODELS] === true
 	);
-	let tab = $state<ManageTab>('discover');
-	let providerProtocol = $state<BackendProtocol>('llama.cpp');
-
-	// land on the first available tab each time the dialog opens
-	$effect(() => {
-		if (!open) return;
-
-		tab = hasDiscover ? 'discover' : 'providers';
-	});
 
 	function handleOpenChange(value: boolean) {
 		open = value;
@@ -50,56 +31,18 @@
 			<Dialog.Title class="flex items-center gap-2">
 				<Logo class="h-5 w-5" style="--size: 1.25rem" />
 
-				<span>Manage models</span>
+				<span>Discover models</span>
 			</Dialog.Title>
 
-			<Dialog.Description>
-				Download models from the catalog and manage the providers this UI can talk to.
-			</Dialog.Description>
+			<Dialog.Description
+				>Download models from the catalog into the local server.</Dialog.Description
+			>
 		</Dialog.Header>
 
-		<Tabs.Root
-			class="min-h-0 flex-1 gap-3"
-			onValueChange={(value) => (tab = value as ManageTab)}
-			value={tab}
-		>
-			<Tabs.List>
-				{#if hasDiscover}
-					<Tabs.Trigger value="discover">Discover</Tabs.Trigger>
-				{/if}
-
-				<Tabs.Trigger value="providers">Providers</Tabs.Trigger>
-			</Tabs.List>
-
-			{#if hasDiscover}
-				<Tabs.Content
-					class="grid min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-hidden"
-					style="grid-template-columns: auto 1fr;"
-					value="discover"
-				>
-					<ModelsDiscover />
-				</Tabs.Content>
-			{/if}
-
-			<Tabs.Content class="min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-y-auto" value="providers">
-				<Tabs.Root
-					class="gap-3"
-					onValueChange={(value) => (providerProtocol = value as BackendProtocol)}
-					value={providerProtocol}
-				>
-					<Tabs.List>
-						{#each PROTOCOL_TABS as protocolTab (protocolTab.value)}
-							<Tabs.Trigger value={protocolTab.value}>{protocolTab.label}</Tabs.Trigger>
-						{/each}
-					</Tabs.List>
-
-					{#each PROTOCOL_TABS as protocolTab (protocolTab.value)}
-						<Tabs.Content value={protocolTab.value}>
-							<SettingsBackends protocol={protocolTab.value} />
-						</Tabs.Content>
-					{/each}
-				</Tabs.Root>
-			</Tabs.Content>
-		</Tabs.Root>
+		{#if hasDiscover}
+			<div class="grid min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-hidden" style="grid-template-columns: auto 1fr;">
+				<ModelsDiscover />
+			</div>
+		{/if}
 	</Dialog.Content>
 </Dialog.Root>
diff --git a/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/navigation/SidebarNavigation/SidebarNavigationActions.svelte b/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/navigation/SidebarNavigation/SidebarNavigationActions.svelte
index 55b5423a37..4da689d656 100644
--- a/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/navigation/SidebarNavigation/SidebarNavigationActions.svelte
+++ b/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/navigation/SidebarNavigation/SidebarNavigationActions.svelte
@@ -9,10 +9,11 @@
 		ICON_STRIP_TRANSITION_DELAY_MULTIPLIER,
 		ICON_STRIP_TRANSITION_DURATION,
 		ROUTES,
+		SETTINGS_KEYS,
 		SIDEBAR_ACTIONS_ITEMS
 	} from '$lib/constants';
 	import { SidebarAction, TooltipSide } from '$lib/enums';
-	import { conversationsStore, deviceStore } from '$lib/stores';
+	import { conversationsStore, deviceStore, serverStore, settingsStore } from '$lib/stores';
 	import type { Component } from 'svelte';
 	import { onMount } from 'svelte';
 	import { circIn } from 'svelte/easing';
@@ -48,7 +49,16 @@
 
 	const isOnMobile = $derived(deviceStore.isMobile);
 
-	const actionsItems = SIDEBAR_ACTIONS_ITEMS;
+	// the discovery dialog downloads into the local server, so the entry is only
+	// useful when that server is a router with discovery enabled
+	const hasDiscover = $derived(
+		serverStore.localIsRouter && settingsStore.config[SETTINGS_KEYS.ENABLE_DISCOVER_MODELS] === true
+	);
+	const actionsItems = $derived(
+		SIDEBAR_ACTIONS_ITEMS.filter(
+			(item) => item.action !== SidebarAction.MANAGE_MODELS || hasDiscover
+		)
+	);
 
 	$effect(() => {
 		if (isSearchModeActive && searchInputRef) {
diff --git a/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/settings/SettingsChat/SettingsChat.svelte b/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/settings/SettingsChat/SettingsChat.svelte
index a128821142..b6beaa4cc0 100644
--- a/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/settings/SettingsChat/SettingsChat.svelte
+++ b/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/settings/SettingsChat/SettingsChat.svelte
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 		SettingsChatFields,
 		SettingsChatImportExportTab,
 		SettingsChatMobileHeader,
+		SettingsChatProvidersTab,
 		SettingsChatToolsTab,
 		SettingsFooter
 	} from '$lib/components/app/settings';
@@ -160,7 +161,9 @@
 		<div class="mx-auto max-w-2xl px-4 flex-1 md:mt-4">
 			<div class="space-y-6 pt-3">
 				<div class="grid">
-					{#if currentSection.slug === SETTINGS_SECTION_SLUGS.TOOLS}
+					{#if currentSection.slug === SETTINGS_SECTION_SLUGS.BACKENDS}
+						<SettingsChatProvidersTab />
+					{:else if currentSection.slug === SETTINGS_SECTION_SLUGS.TOOLS}
 						<SettingsChatToolsTab />
 					{:else if currentSection.slug === SETTINGS_SECTION_SLUGS.IMPORT_EXPORT}
 						<SettingsChatImportExportTab />
diff --git a/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/settings/SettingsChat/SettingsChatProvidersTab.svelte b/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/settings/SettingsChat/SettingsChatProvidersTab.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..089246bcc3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/settings/SettingsChat/SettingsChatProvidersTab.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+	import { SettingsBackends } from '$lib/components/app/backends';
+	import * as Tabs from '$lib/components/ui/tabs';
+	import type { BackendProtocol } from '$lib/types';
+
+	const PROTOCOL_TABS: Array<{ label: string; value: BackendProtocol }> = [
+		{ label: 'Llama-compat', value: 'llama.cpp' },
+		{ label: 'OpenAI-compat', value: 'openai' }
+	];
+
+	let protocol = $state<BackendProtocol>('llama.cpp');
+</script>
+
+<div class="space-y-3">
+	<p class="text-sm text-muted-foreground">Endpoints this UI can talk to.</p>
+
+	<Tabs.Root
+		class="gap-3"
+		onValueChange={(value) => (protocol = value as BackendProtocol)}
+		value={protocol}
+	>
+		<Tabs.List>
+			{#each PROTOCOL_TABS as protocolTab (protocolTab.value)}
+				<Tabs.Trigger value={protocolTab.value}>{protocolTab.label}</Tabs.Trigger>
+			{/each}
+		</Tabs.List>
+
+		{#each PROTOCOL_TABS as protocolTab (protocolTab.value)}
+			<Tabs.Content value={protocolTab.value}>
+				<SettingsBackends protocol={protocolTab.value} />
+			</Tabs.Content>
+		{/each}
+	</Tabs.Root>
+</div>
diff --git a/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/settings/index.ts b/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/settings/index.ts
index 7473e6af8e..2b40e948b6 100644
--- a/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/settings/index.ts
+++ b/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/settings/index.ts
@@ -74,3 +74,9 @@ export { default as SettingsChatFields } from './SettingsChat/SettingsChatFields
  * server favicons and permission management controls.
  */
 export { default as SettingsChatToolsTab } from './SettingsChat/SettingsChatToolsTab.svelte';
+
+/**
+ * Providers panel for chat settings. Switches between the llama.cpp and
+ * OpenAI-compatible protocols and lists the endpoints configured for each.
+ */
+export { default as SettingsChatProvidersTab } from './SettingsChat/SettingsChatProvidersTab.svelte';
diff --git a/tools/ui/src/lib/constants/settings.constants.ts b/tools/ui/src/lib/constants/settings.constants.ts
index b08781e54d..361279d2ba 100644
--- a/tools/ui/src/lib/constants/settings.constants.ts
+++ b/tools/ui/src/lib/constants/settings.constants.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
 	Monitor,
 	Moon,
 	PencilRuler,
+	Server,
 	SlidersVertical,
 	Sun
 } from '@lucide/svelte';
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ import type {
 /** Settings sections — slug is the routing identity, title is the display label. */
 export const SETTINGS_SECTIONS = {
 	AGENTIC: { slug: 'agentic', title: 'Agentic' },
-	BACKENDS: { slug: 'backends', title: 'Backends' },
+	BACKENDS: { slug: 'backends', title: 'Providers' },
 	DEVELOPER: { slug: 'developer', title: 'Developer' },
 	DISPLAY: { slug: 'display', title: 'Display' },
 	GENERAL: { slug: 'general', title: 'General' },
@@ -196,6 +197,13 @@ export const SETTINGS_REGISTRY: SettingsSectionEntry[] = [
 		slug: SETTINGS_SECTION_SLUGS.GENERAL,
 		title: SETTINGS_SECTION_TITLES.GENERAL
 	},
+	// Providers
+	{
+		icon: Server,
+		settings: [],
+		slug: SETTINGS_SECTION_SLUGS.BACKENDS,
+		title: SETTINGS_SECTION_TITLES.BACKENDS
+	},
 	// Display
 	{
 		icon: Monitor,
diff --git a/tools/ui/src/lib/constants/ui.constants.ts b/tools/ui/src/lib/constants/ui.constants.ts
index 8199f187eb..ea4ad03042 100644
--- a/tools/ui/src/lib/constants/ui.constants.ts
+++ b/tools/ui/src/lib/constants/ui.constants.ts
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ export const SIDEBAR_ACTIONS_ITEMS: DesktopIconStripItem[] = [
 	{
 		action: SidebarAction.MANAGE_MODELS,
 		icon: Boxes,
-		tooltip: 'Manage models'
+		tooltip: 'Discover models'
 	},
 	{
 		action: SidebarAction.SETTINGS,