diff --git a/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/dialogs/DialogManageModels.svelte b/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/dialogs/DialogManageModels.svelte
index 1c54fec333..0b12310034 100644
--- a/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/dialogs/DialogManageModels.svelte
+++ b/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/dialogs/DialogManageModels.svelte
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 <script lang="ts">
+	import { ArrowLeft, Compass } from '@lucide/svelte';
+	import ModelsDiscover from '$lib/components/app/models/discover/ModelsDiscover.svelte';
 	import ModelsManager from '$lib/components/app/models/ModelsManager/ModelsManager.svelte';
+	import { Button } from '$lib/components/ui/button';
 	import * as Dialog from '$lib/components/ui/dialog';
 	import { MODEL_ICON } from '$lib/constants';
+	import { uiStore } from '$lib/stores';
+	import { untrack } from 'svelte';
 
 	interface Props {
 		open?: boolean;
@@ -10,6 +15,54 @@
 
 	let { onOpenChange, open = $bindable(false) }: Props = $props();
 
+	type View = 'discover' | 'manage';
+
+	/** How long a view takes to fade out before the next one fades in. */
+	const VIEW_FADE_MS = 150;
+
+	// what the user asked for, and what is actually rendered: a view change fades the
+	// current one out, swaps, then fades the next one in
+	let view = $state<View>('manage');
+	let shownView = $state<View>('manage');
+	let isSwapping = $state(false);
+
+	$effect(() => {
+		const next = view;
+
+		if (next === shownView) return;
+
+		// nothing to fade while the dialog is closed, so the view is set before it opens
+		if (!open) {
+			untrack(() => (shownView = next));
+
+			return;
+		}
+
+		untrack(() => (isSwapping = true));
+
+		const timer = setTimeout(() => {
+			untrack(() => {
+				shownView = next;
+				isSwapping = false;
+			});
+		}, VIEW_FADE_MS);
+
+		return () => clearTimeout(timer);
+	});
+
+	let title = $derived(view === 'discover' ? 'Discover' : 'Models');
+
+	// the sidebar's Discover entry opens this dialog on its Discover view
+	$effect(() => {
+		if (!uiStore.discoverModelsOpen) return;
+
+		untrack(() => {
+			uiStore.discoverModelsOpen = false;
+			view = 'discover';
+			handleOpenChange(true);
+		});
+	});
+
 	function handleOpenChange(value: boolean) {
 		open = value;
 		onOpenChange?.(value);
@@ -22,16 +75,91 @@
 		onCloseAutoFocus={(event) => event.preventDefault()}
 		onOpenAutoFocus={(event) => event.preventDefault()}
 	>
-		<Dialog.Header class="flex flex-row items-center p-2 pr-8">
-			<Dialog.Title class="flex min-h-7 items-center gap-2">
-				<MODEL_ICON class="h-5 w-5 shrink-0" />
+		<Dialog.Header class="relative flex flex-row items-center justify-between p-2 pr-8">
+			<!--
+				The arrow is out of the flow and the title slides, so entering a sub-view
+				moves the title with a transform instead of reflowing the header. min-h
+				keeps the header's height fixed either way.
+			-->
+			<Button
+				aria-label="Back to models"
+				class="absolute top-1/2 left-1 h-7 w-7 -translate-y-1/2 transition-[opacity,visibility] duration-200 ease-[cubic-bezier(0.23,1,0.32,1)] {view ===
+				'manage'
+					? 'invisible opacity-0'
+					: 'visible opacity-100'}"
+				onclick={() => (view = 'manage')}
+				size="icon"
+				variant="ghost"
+			>
+				<ArrowLeft class="h-4 w-4" />
+			</Button>
 
-				<span>Models</span>
+			<Dialog.Title
+				class="flex min-h-7 items-center gap-2 transition-transform duration-200 ease-[cubic-bezier(0.23,1,0.32,1)] {view ===
+				'manage'
+					? 'translate-x-0'
+					: 'translate-x-8'}"
+			>
+				<!-- the marks cross-fade in one grid cell, so the title never shifts -->
+				<span class="grid h-5 w-5 shrink-0 place-items-center">
+					<MODEL_ICON
+						class="col-start-1 row-start-1 h-5 w-5 transition-opacity duration-150 {view ===
+						'manage'
+							? 'opacity-100'
+							: 'opacity-0'}"
+					/>
+
+					<Compass
+						class="col-start-1 row-start-1 h-5 w-5 transition-opacity duration-150 {view ===
+						'discover'
+							? 'opacity-100'
+							: 'opacity-0'}"
+					/>
+				</span>
+
+				<span>{title}</span>
 			</Dialog.Title>
 		</Dialog.Header>
 
-		<div class="min-h-0 flex-1">
-			<ModelsManager class="h-full" />
+		<div class="dialog-view min-h-0 flex-1" data-visible={!isSwapping}>
+			{#if shownView === 'manage'}
+				<ModelsManager class="h-full">
+					{#snippet toolbarEnd()}
+						<Button
+							class="gap-1.5"
+							onclick={() => (view = 'discover')}
+							size="sm"
+							variant="tertiary"
+						>
+							<Compass class="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+
+							Discover Models
+						</Button>
+					{/snippet}
+				</ModelsManager>
+			{:else}
+				<div class="grid h-full overflow-hidden" style="grid-template-columns: auto 1fr;">
+					<ModelsDiscover />
+				</div>
+			{/if}
 		</div>
 	</Dialog.Content>
 </Dialog.Root>
+
+<style>
+	/* a view change reads as one surface swapping, not as content teleporting */
+	.dialog-view {
+		opacity: 0;
+		transition: opacity 150ms cubic-bezier(0.23, 1, 0.32, 1);
+	}
+
+	.dialog-view[data-visible='true'] {
+		opacity: 1;
+	}
+
+	@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
+		.dialog-view {
+			transition-duration: 100ms;
+		}
+	}
+</style>
diff --git a/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/ui.svelte.ts b/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/ui.svelte.ts
index 15a8876955..e405ff77a2 100644
--- a/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/ui.svelte.ts
+++ b/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/ui.svelte.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ class UiStore {
 	/** Set when a flow outside the chat wants the composer focused once it can take it. */
 	composerFocusRequested = $state(false);
 
+	discoverModelsOpen = $state(false);
+
 	/** Whether the desktop sidebar is expanded (open). */
 	isSidebarExpanded = $state(false);
 	/** Model the manager reveals when it opens, a qualified id or a raw model name. */
@@ -25,6 +27,10 @@ class UiStore {
 		return requested;
 	}
 
+	openDiscoverModels(): void {
+		this.discoverModelsOpen = true;
+	}
+
 	/** Open the models manager, optionally focused on one model. */
 	openModelsManager(focus?: string): void {
 		this.manageModelFocus = focus ?? null;