diff --git a/frontend/src/app/pages/AgentChat/ChatInput/toolbar/ChatInputToolbar.tsx b/frontend/src/app/pages/AgentChat/ChatInput/toolbar/ChatInputToolbar.tsx
index d9e661d6..5b6774b8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/pages/AgentChat/ChatInput/toolbar/ChatInputToolbar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/pages/AgentChat/ChatInput/toolbar/ChatInputToolbar.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import { ModelPickerMenu } from '../model-picker/ModelPickerMenu';
 import { ThinkingLevelControl } from './ThinkingLevelControl';
 import { ToolbarActions } from './ToolbarActions';
 import { ModelPickerState } from '../hooks/useModelPicker';
+import { useAppSelector } from '@/shared/hooks';
+import { hasFreeTrialActive, hasModelConnected } from '@/app/components/Onboarding/steps/skipPredicates';
 
 type ThinkingLevel = 'off' | 'low' | 'medium' | 'high' | 'auto';
 
@@ -79,6 +81,11 @@ export const ChatInputToolbar: React.FC<Props> = (p) => {
     },
   };
 
+  // On the free trial the run is fixed (model + thinking forced server-side), so hide both
+  // the model picker and the thinking selector, there's nothing to choose. Returns the moment
+  // a real model is connected.
+  const hideForTrial = useAppSelector((s) => hasFreeTrialActive(s) && !hasModelConnected(s));
+
   return (
     <Box
       sx={{
@@ -138,16 +145,18 @@ export const ChatInputToolbar: React.FC<Props> = (p) => {
         pendingPayloadEstimate={pendingPayloadEstimate}
       />
 
-      <ThinkingLevelControl
-        c={c}
-        model={model}
-        allModelFlat={allModelFlat}
-        thinkingLevel={thinkingLevel}
-        onThinkingLevelChange={onThinkingLevelChange}
-        thinkingAnchor={thinkingAnchor}
-        setThinkingAnchor={setThinkingAnchor}
-        menuPaperProps={menuPaperProps}
-      />
+      {!hideForTrial && (
+        <ThinkingLevelControl
+          c={c}
+          model={model}
+          allModelFlat={allModelFlat}
+          thinkingLevel={thinkingLevel}
+          onThinkingLevelChange={onThinkingLevelChange}
+          thinkingAnchor={thinkingAnchor}
+          setThinkingAnchor={setThinkingAnchor}
+          menuPaperProps={menuPaperProps}
+        />
+      )}
 
       <Box sx={{ flex: 1 }} />
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/pages/AgentChat/ChatInput/toolbar/ModeControl.tsx b/frontend/src/app/pages/AgentChat/ChatInput/toolbar/ModeControl.tsx
index 7352a4ef..ec452af8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/pages/AgentChat/ChatInput/toolbar/ModeControl.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/pages/AgentChat/ChatInput/toolbar/ModeControl.tsx
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import Typography from '@mui/material/Typography';
 import KeyboardArrowDownIcon from '@mui/icons-material/KeyboardArrowDown';
 import { ClaudeTokens } from '@/shared/styles/claudeTokens';
 import { useAppSelector } from '@/shared/hooks';
-import { hasFreeTrialActive } from '@/app/components/Onboarding/steps/skipPredicates';
+import { hasFreeTrialActive, hasModelConnected } from '@/app/components/Onboarding/steps/skipPredicates';
 
 interface ModeConf { label: string; icon: React.ReactNode; color: string }
 
@@ -31,8 +31,9 @@ export const ModeControl: React.FC<Props> = ({
   c, menuPaperProps, modeConf, modesArr, mode, onModeChange, iconMap, modeAnchor, setModeAnchor, setModelAnchor, allModelFlat, model,
 }) => {
   // On the free trial the model is fixed server-side, so there's nothing to pick: hide the
-  // whole model control (no picker, no model name) until the user connects their own model.
-  const freeTrialActive = useAppSelector(hasFreeTrialActive);
+  // model control. The moment a real model is connected we show it again, even if trial state
+  // lingers (gate on !hasModelConnected, not just the trial flag).
+  const hideModelPicker = useAppSelector((s) => hasFreeTrialActive(s) && !hasModelConnected(s));
   return (
     <>
       <Box
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ export const ModeControl: React.FC<Props> = ({
         })}
       </Menu>
 
-      {!freeTrialActive && (
+      {!hideModelPicker && (
         <Box
           onClick={(e) => setModelAnchor(e.currentTarget)}
           sx={{