diff --git a/frontend/src/app/pages/AgentChat/ChatInput.tsx b/frontend/src/app/pages/AgentChat/ChatInput.tsx
index f77bdd58..428bd878 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/pages/AgentChat/ChatInput.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/pages/AgentChat/ChatInput.tsx
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ const ChatInput = forwardRef<ChatInputHandle, Props>(({ onSend, disabled, mode,
     prefilledRef.current = prefillPrompt;
     editor.style.opacity = '0.5';
     editor.style.transition = 'opacity 0.15s';
-    editor.focus();
     const solidify = () => {
       editor.style.opacity = '';
       editor.removeEventListener('keydown', solidify);
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardCanvas.tsx b/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardCanvas.tsx
index d89ae699..18ac301f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardCanvas.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardCanvas.tsx
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ interface DashboardCanvasProps {
   onNewAgent: () => void;
   onToolbarCancel: () => void;
   onToolbarSend: (...args: any[]) => void;
-  onStarterPrefill: (prompt: string) => void;
+  onStarter: (action: 'hover' | 'leave' | 'commit', prompt?: string) => void;
   toolbarPrefill?: string;
   onAddView: (outputId: string) => void;
   onHistoryResume: (sessionId: string) => void;
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ const DashboardCanvas: React.FC<DashboardCanvasProps> = ({
   onNewAgent,
   onToolbarCancel,
   onToolbarSend,
-  onStarterPrefill,
+  onStarter,
   toolbarPrefill,
   onAddView,
   onHistoryResume,
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ const DashboardCanvas: React.FC<DashboardCanvasProps> = ({
         />
 
         {sessionList.length === 0 && Object.keys(viewCards).length === 0 && Object.keys(browserCards).length === 0 ? (
-          <DashboardEmptyState c={c} onLaunch={onToolbarSend} onPrefill={onStarterPrefill} />
+          <DashboardEmptyState c={c} onLaunch={onToolbarSend} onStarter={onStarter} />
         ) : (
           <div
             ref={canvas.contentRef}
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardEmptyState.tsx b/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardEmptyState.tsx
index 297db543..7c27ff6e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardEmptyState.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardEmptyState.tsx
@@ -62,9 +62,10 @@ const STARTER_CATEGORIES: StarterCategory[] = [
 const DashboardEmptyState: React.FC<{
   c: ClaudeTokens;
   onLaunch?: (prompt: string, mode: string, model: string) => void;
-  // Open the composer with the prompt typed in (unsent) so the user hits send.
-  onPrefill?: (prompt: string) => void;
-}> = ({ c, onLaunch, onPrefill }) => {
+  // hover = preview-open the composer (translucent), leave = close it,
+  // commit = lock it open so the user can move to send.
+  onStarter?: (action: 'hover' | 'leave' | 'commit', prompt?: string) => void;
+}> = ({ c, onLaunch, onStarter }) => {
   // The host hides Dashboard with visibility:hidden (not display:none), which keeps
   // CSS animations ticking; gate on active so the shimmer only burns while watched.
   const active = useDashboardActive();
@@ -81,17 +82,17 @@ const DashboardEmptyState: React.FC<{
   // model connected); otherwise fall back to the plain hint.
   const showChips = !!onLaunch && canRun;
 
+  const isAppBuilder = currentCategory?.target === 'app-builder';
+
+  // Click commits the query into the composer (locks it open); the user then sends.
   const launch = (prompt: string) => {
     if (launching) return;
-    // Build prompts open the App Builder (live preview) with the prompt auto-sent.
-    if (currentCategory?.target === 'app-builder') {
+    if (isAppBuilder) {
       navigate(`/apps/new?prompt=${encodeURIComponent(prompt)}`);
       return;
     }
-    // Open the composer with the prompt typed in, unsent: the user sees the chat
-    // open with their message ready and clicks send. Falls back to direct launch.
-    if (onPrefill) {
-      onPrefill(prompt);
+    if (onStarter) {
+      onStarter('commit', prompt);
       return;
     }
     if (!onLaunch) return;
@@ -201,12 +202,16 @@ const DashboardEmptyState: React.FC<{
                 >
                   <ArrowLeft size={15} /> back
                 </Box>
-                <Box sx={{ display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 0.9, width: '100%', maxWidth: 480 }}>
+                <Box
+                  onMouseLeave={() => { if (!isAppBuilder) onStarter?.('leave'); }}
+                  sx={{ display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 0.9, width: '100%', maxWidth: 480 }}
+                >
                   {currentPrompts.map((prompt) => (
                     <Box
                       component="button"
                       key={prompt}
                       onClick={() => launch(prompt)}
+                      onMouseEnter={() => { if (!isAppBuilder) onStarter?.('hover', prompt); }}
                       disabled={launching}
                       sx={{
                         textAlign: 'left',
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/hooks/state/useDashboardController.ts b/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/hooks/state/useDashboardController.ts
index 2a21c465..f0080a00 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/hooks/state/useDashboardController.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/hooks/state/useDashboardController.ts
@@ -159,16 +159,28 @@ export function useDashboardController(dashboardId: string, isActive: boolean) {
     setSearchPaletteOpen,
   });
 
-  // Starter-prompt prefill: opens the composer with the prompt typed in (unsent),
-  // so the user reviews and hits send. Bump a nonce so re-clicking the same prompt
-  // (after editing/clearing) still re-seeds. Cleared when the composer closes.
+  // Starter-prompt preview: HOVER opens the composer with the prompt typed in
+  // (translucent, unsent); leaving closes it again; CLICK locks it open so the
+  // user can move to the send button without it vanishing. Then they hit send.
   const [toolbarPrefill, setToolbarPrefill] = useState<string | undefined>(undefined);
-  const handleStarterPrefill = useCallback((prompt: string) => {
-    setToolbarPrefill(prompt);
-    setToolbarOpen(true);
+  const starterLockedRef = useRef(false);
+  const handleStarter = useCallback((action: 'hover' | 'leave' | 'commit', prompt?: string) => {
+    if (action === 'hover' && prompt) {
+      setToolbarPrefill(prompt);
+      setToolbarOpen(true);
+    } else if (action === 'commit' && prompt) {
+      starterLockedRef.current = true;
+      setToolbarPrefill(prompt);
+      setToolbarOpen(true);
+    } else if (action === 'leave' && !starterLockedRef.current) {
+      setToolbarOpen(false);
+    }
   }, [setToolbarOpen]);
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!toolbarOpen && toolbarPrefill) setToolbarPrefill(undefined);
+    if (!toolbarOpen) {
+      starterLockedRef.current = false;
+      if (toolbarPrefill) setToolbarPrefill(undefined);
+    }
   }, [toolbarOpen, toolbarPrefill]);
 
   useDashboardClipboard({
@@ -266,7 +278,7 @@ export function useDashboardController(dashboardId: string, isActive: boolean) {
     neighborDirections, toolbarOpen, searchPaletteOpen, newAgentBounce,
     toolbarRef, spawnOriginsRef, revealSpawnedRef, measuredHeightsRef, getCanvasState,
     toolbarPrefill,
-    onStarterPrefill: handleStarterPrefill,
+    onStarter: handleStarter,
     onViewportMouseDown: handleViewportMouseDown,
     onViewportMouseMove: handleViewportMouseMove,
     onViewportMouseUp: handleViewportMouseUp,