diff --git a/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/chat/ChatScreen/ChatScreenForm.svelte b/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/chat/ChatScreen/ChatScreenForm.svelte
index 962b6774fc..cc11851fa4 100644
--- a/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/chat/ChatScreen/ChatScreenForm.svelte
+++ b/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/chat/ChatScreen/ChatScreenForm.svelte
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 	import { page } from '$app/state';
 	import { ChatForm } from '$lib/components/app';
 	import { useDraftMessages } from '$lib/hooks/use-draft-messages.svelte';
-	import { deviceStore } from '$lib/stores';
+	import { deviceStore, uiStore } from '$lib/stores';
 	import { onMount } from 'svelte';
 
 	interface Props {
@@ -33,6 +33,15 @@
 	}: Props = $props();
 
 	let chatFormRef: ChatForm | undefined = $state(undefined);
+
+	// a dialog that closed onto the chat asks for the composer to take focus
+	$effect(() => {
+		if (!uiStore.consumeComposerFocus()) return;
+
+		const frame = requestAnimationFrame(() => chatFormRef?.focus());
+
+		return () => cancelAnimationFrame(frame);
+	});
 	let formWrapperEl: HTMLDivElement | undefined = $state();
 	let chatId = $derived(page.params.id as string | undefined);
 
diff --git a/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/dialogs/DialogManageModels.svelte b/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/dialogs/DialogManageModels.svelte
index 50d8351c97..8c5217f628 100644
--- a/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/dialogs/DialogManageModels.svelte
+++ b/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/dialogs/DialogManageModels.svelte
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 <Dialog.Root onOpenChange={handleOpenChange} {open}>
 	<Dialog.Content
 		class="md:h-[calc(100vh-4rem)]! md:max-h-240! md:w-[calc(100vw-4rem)]! md:max-w-360! flex flex-col p-4"
+		onCloseAutoFocus={(event) => event.preventDefault()}
 		onOpenAutoFocus={(event) => event.preventDefault()}
 	>
 		<Dialog.Header class="flex flex-row items-center justify-between p-2 pr-8">
@@ -37,6 +38,6 @@
 			</Button>
 		</Dialog.Header>
 
-		<ModelsManager class="mt-4" />
+		<ModelsManager class="mt-4" onClose={() => handleOpenChange(false)} />
 	</Dialog.Content>
 </Dialog.Root>
diff --git a/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/models/ModelsManager/ModelsManager.svelte b/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/models/ModelsManager/ModelsManager.svelte
index 6f842ee4be..f4d4711e59 100644
--- a/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/models/ModelsManager/ModelsManager.svelte
+++ b/tools/ui/src/lib/components/app/models/ModelsManager/ModelsManager.svelte
@@ -260,6 +260,8 @@
 	async function useInNewChat(option: ModelOption): Promise<void> {
 		await modelsStore.selectModelById(option.id);
 		await conversationsStore.openNewChat();
+		// the chat is behind the dialog, so it takes focus once the dialog is out of the way
+		uiStore.requestComposerFocus();
 		onClose?.();
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/ui.svelte.ts b/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/ui.svelte.ts
index 4b481d0b85..a232a0d598 100644
--- a/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/ui.svelte.ts
+++ b/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/ui.svelte.ts
@@ -7,14 +7,25 @@
  */
 
 class UiStore {
-	discoverModelsOpen = $state(false);
+	/** 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. */
 	manageModelFocus = $state<string | null>(null);
 	/** Open state of the models manager, driven from the sidebar and from model rows. */
 	manageModelsOpen = $state(false);
+	/** Read and clear the request, so it fires once. */
+	consumeComposerFocus(): boolean {
+		const requested = this.composerFocusRequested;
+
+		this.composerFocusRequested = false;
+
+		return requested;
+	}
+
 	openDiscoverModels(): void {
 		this.discoverModelsOpen = true;
 	}
@@ -24,6 +35,11 @@ class UiStore {
 		this.manageModelFocus = focus ?? null;
 		this.manageModelsOpen = true;
 	}
+
+	/** Ask the composer to take focus, e.g. after a dialog closes onto the chat. */
+	requestComposerFocus(): void {
+		this.composerFocusRequested = true;
+	}
 }
 
 export const uiStore = new UiStore();