diff --git a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/catalog.shared.ts b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/catalog.shared.ts
index e4c8277fd9..e873071f69 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/catalog.shared.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/catalog.shared.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@ import type { RunAgent, RunCommand, RunProvider, RunReference } from "./types"
 type CurrentAgent = NonNullable<Awaited<ReturnType<OpencodeClient["v2"]["agent"]["list"]>>["data"]>["data"][number]
 type CurrentCommand = NonNullable<Awaited<ReturnType<OpencodeClient["v2"]["command"]["list"]>>["data"]>["data"][number]
 type CurrentSkill = NonNullable<Awaited<ReturnType<OpencodeClient["v2"]["skill"]["list"]>>["data"]>["data"][number]
-type CurrentProvider = NonNullable<Awaited<ReturnType<OpencodeClient["v2"]["provider"]["list"]>>["data"]>["data"][number]
+type CurrentProvider = NonNullable<
+  Awaited<ReturnType<OpencodeClient["v2"]["provider"]["list"]>>["data"]
+>["data"][number]
 type CurrentModel = NonNullable<Awaited<ReturnType<OpencodeClient["v2"]["model"]["list"]>>["data"]>["data"][number]
 
 function location(directory: string) {
@@ -105,6 +107,22 @@ export async function waitForCatalogReady(input: {
   }
 }
 
+export async function waitForDefaultModel(input: {
+  sdk: OpencodeClient
+  directory: string
+  timeoutMs?: number
+}): Promise<{ providerID: string; modelID: string } | undefined> {
+  const deadline = Date.now() + (input.timeoutMs ?? 5_000)
+  while (Date.now() < deadline) {
+    const model = await input.sdk.v2.model
+      .default(location(input.directory), { throwOnError: true })
+      .then((result) => result.data?.data)
+      .catch(() => undefined)
+    if (model) return { providerID: model.providerID, modelID: model.id }
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 25))
+  }
+}
+
 export async function loadRunAgents(sdk: OpencodeClient, directory: string): Promise<RunAgent[]> {
   const result = await sdk.v2.agent.list(location(directory), { throwOnError: true })
   return (result.data?.data ?? []).map(runAgent)
diff --git a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/footer.ts b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/footer.ts
index 6a4c03e797..2432c29689 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/footer.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/footer.ts
@@ -390,6 +390,10 @@ export class RunFooter implements FooterApi {
   }
 
   public event(next: FooterEvent): void {
+    if (next.type === "model") {
+      this.setCurrentModel(next.selection)
+    }
+
     if (next.type === "turn.duration") {
       const current = this.currentModel()
       this.flush()
diff --git a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/runtime.boot.ts b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/runtime.boot.ts
index 2933ce5fdd..eae1db77e8 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/runtime.boot.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/runtime.boot.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ export type ModelInfo = {
 export type SessionInfo = {
   first: boolean
   history: RunPrompt[]
+  model?: NonNullable<RunInput["model"]>
   variant: string | undefined
 }
 
@@ -141,7 +142,8 @@ const layer = Layer.effect(
       return {
         first: session.first,
         history: sessionHistory(session),
-        variant: pickVariant(model, session),
+        model: session.model,
+        variant: pickVariant(model ?? session.model, session),
       }
     })
 
diff --git a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/runtime.lifecycle.ts b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/runtime.lifecycle.ts
index a25b293883..d9dab9f309 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/runtime.lifecycle.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/runtime.lifecycle.ts
@@ -124,17 +124,9 @@ function splashInfo(title: string | undefined, history: RunPrompt[]) {
 
 function footerLabels(input: Pick<RunInput, "agent" | "model" | "variant">): FooterLabels {
   const agentLabel = Locale.titlecase(input.agent ?? "build")
-
-  if (!input.model) {
-    return {
-      agentLabel,
-      modelLabel: "Model default",
-    }
-  }
-
   return {
     agentLabel,
-    modelLabel: formatModelLabel(input.model, input.variant),
+    modelLabel: input.model ? formatModelLabel(input.model, input.variant) : "",
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/runtime.ts b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/runtime.ts
index 5c6ede1582..092bda3096 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/runtime.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/runtime.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 import { createOpencodeClient } from "@opencode-ai/sdk/v2"
 import { Flag } from "@opencode-ai/core/flag/flag"
 import { MessageID } from "@/session/schema"
-import { loadRunAgents, loadRunCommands, loadRunReferences } from "./catalog.shared"
+import { loadRunAgents, loadRunCommands, loadRunReferences, waitForDefaultModel } from "./catalog.shared"
 import { createRunDemo } from "./demo"
 import { resolveModelInfo, resolveModelInfoStrict, resolveRunTuiConfig, resolveSessionInfo } from "./runtime.boot"
 import { createRuntimeLifecycle } from "./runtime.lifecycle"
@@ -181,13 +181,13 @@ async function runInteractiveRuntime(input: RunRuntimeInput, deps: RunRuntimeDep
   const log = trace()
   const tuiConfigTask = resolveRunTuiConfig()
   const ctx = await input.boot()
-  const modelTask = resolveModelInfo(ctx.sdk, ctx.directory, ctx.model)
   const sessionTask =
     ctx.resume === true
       ? resolveSessionInfo(ctx.sdk, ctx.sessionID, ctx.model)
       : Promise.resolve({
           first: true,
           history: [],
+          model: undefined,
           variant: undefined,
         })
   const savedTask = resolveSavedVariant(ctx.model)
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ async function runInteractiveRuntime(input: RunRuntimeInput, deps: RunRuntimeDep
   const state: RuntimeState = {
     shown: !session.first,
     aborting: false,
-    model: ctx.model,
+    model: ctx.model ?? session.model,
     providers: [],
     variants: [],
     limits: {},
@@ -206,6 +206,38 @@ async function runInteractiveRuntime(input: RunRuntimeInput, deps: RunRuntimeDep
     sessionTitle: ctx.sessionTitle,
     agent: ctx.agent,
   }
+  const modelTask = (async () => {
+    if (state.model) {
+      return {
+        model: state.model,
+        savedVariant,
+        boot: true,
+        info: await resolveModelInfo(ctx.sdk, ctx.directory, state.model),
+      }
+    }
+
+    const model = await waitForDefaultModel({ sdk: ctx.sdk, directory: ctx.directory })
+    const [fallbackSavedVariant, info] = await Promise.all([
+      resolveSavedVariant(model),
+      resolveModelInfo(ctx.sdk, ctx.directory, model),
+    ])
+    if (!model || state.model) {
+      return {
+        model: state.model,
+        savedVariant: undefined,
+        boot: false,
+        info,
+      }
+    }
+
+    state.model = model
+    return {
+      model,
+      savedVariant: fallbackSavedVariant,
+      boot: true,
+      info,
+    }
+  })()
   const ensureSession = () => {
     if (!input.resolveSession || state.sessionID) {
       return Promise.resolve()
@@ -345,9 +377,11 @@ async function runInteractiveRuntime(input: RunRuntimeInput, deps: RunRuntimeDep
       }
 
       state.aborting = true
-      void (state.stream
-        ? state.stream.then((item) => item.handle.interruptActiveTurn())
-        : ctx.sdk.v2.session.interrupt({ sessionID: state.sessionID }))
+      void (
+        state.stream
+          ? state.stream.then((item) => item.handle.interruptActiveTurn())
+          : ctx.sdk.v2.session.interrupt({ sessionID: state.sessionID })
+      )
         .catch(() => {})
         .finally(() => {
           state.aborting = false
@@ -417,12 +451,13 @@ async function runInteractiveRuntime(input: RunRuntimeInput, deps: RunRuntimeDep
     info: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof resolveModelInfo>>,
     current: string | undefined,
     boot = false,
+    saved = savedVariant,
   ) => {
     state.providers = info.providers
     state.variants = variantsFor(state.providers, state.model)
     state.limits = info.limits
     state.activeVariant = boot
-      ? resolveVariant(ctx.variant, current, savedVariant, state.variants)
+      ? resolveVariant(ctx.variant, current, saved, state.variants)
       : current && !state.variants.includes(current)
         ? undefined
         : current
@@ -430,7 +465,11 @@ async function runInteractiveRuntime(input: RunRuntimeInput, deps: RunRuntimeDep
     footer.event({ type: "models", providers: info.providers })
     footer.event({ type: "variants", variants: state.variants, current: state.activeVariant })
     if (state.model)
-      footer.event({ type: "model", model: formatModelLabel(state.model, state.activeVariant, state.providers) })
+      footer.event({
+        type: "model",
+        model: formatModelLabel(state.model, state.activeVariant, state.providers),
+        selection: state.model,
+      })
   }
 
   let catalogRefresh: Promise<void> | undefined
@@ -485,7 +524,15 @@ async function runInteractiveRuntime(input: RunRuntimeInput, deps: RunRuntimeDep
     void Promise.resolve(input.afterPaint(ctx)).catch(() => {})
   }
 
-  void modelTask.then((info) => applyModelInfo(info, session.variant, true))
+  void modelTask.then((result) => {
+    const current = state.model
+    const boot =
+      result.boot &&
+      !!current &&
+      current.providerID === result.model?.providerID &&
+      current.modelID === result.model.modelID
+    applyModelInfo(result.info, boot ? session.variant : state.activeVariant, boot, result.savedVariant)
+  })
 
   const streamTask = deps.streamTransport ?? import("./stream-v2.transport")
   const ensureStream = () => {
diff --git a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/session.shared.ts b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/session.shared.ts
index 49dece5a89..62d27ab37d 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/session.shared.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/session.shared.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ type Turn = {
 export type RunSession = {
   first: boolean
   turns: Turn[]
+  model?: NonNullable<RunInput["model"]>
+  variant?: string
 }
 
 function fileName(url: string, filename?: string) {
@@ -197,6 +199,13 @@ export async function resolveCurrentSession(
         },
       ]
     }),
+    ...(session.data.data.model && {
+      model: {
+        providerID: session.data.data.model.providerID,
+        modelID: session.data.data.model.id,
+      },
+      variant: session.data.data.model.variant,
+    }),
   }
 }
 
@@ -223,6 +232,10 @@ export function sessionVariant(session: RunSession, model: RunInput["model"]): s
     return undefined
   }
 
+  if (session.model?.providerID === model.providerID && session.model.modelID === model.modelID) {
+    return session.variant
+  }
+
   for (let idx = session.turns.length - 1; idx >= 0; idx -= 1) {
     const turn = session.turns[idx]
     if (turn.provider !== model.providerID || turn.model !== model.modelID) {
diff --git a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/types.ts b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/types.ts
index f311febb26..2c489e2626 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/types.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/types.ts
@@ -312,6 +312,7 @@ export type FooterEvent =
   | {
       type: "model"
       model: string
+      selection: NonNullable<RunInput["model"]>
     }
   | {
       type: "turn.send"
diff --git a/packages/opencode/test/cli/run/catalog.shared.test.ts b/packages/opencode/test/cli/run/catalog.shared.test.ts
index bdf57ef7d1..847eceebec 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/test/cli/run/catalog.shared.test.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode/test/cli/run/catalog.shared.test.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,37 @@
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, mock, spyOn, test } from "bun:test"
 import { OpencodeClient } from "@opencode-ai/sdk/v2"
-import { loadRunReferences, runProviders } from "@/cli/cmd/run/catalog.shared"
+import { loadRunReferences, runProviders, waitForDefaultModel } from "@/cli/cmd/run/catalog.shared"
 
 afterEach(() => {
   mock.restore()
 })
 
 describe("run catalog shared", () => {
+  test("resolves the catalog-selected model for the footer", async () => {
+    const client = new OpencodeClient()
+    const selected = spyOn(client.v2.model, "default").mockImplementation(
+      () =>
+        Promise.resolve({
+          data: {
+            location: { directory: "/tmp", project: { id: "proj_1", directory: "/tmp" } },
+            data: {
+              id: "gpt-5",
+              providerID: "openai",
+            },
+          },
+          error: undefined,
+          request: new Request("https://opencode.test"),
+          response: new Response(),
+        }) as never,
+    )
+
+    await expect(waitForDefaultModel({ sdk: client, directory: "/tmp" })).resolves.toEqual({
+      providerID: "openai",
+      modelID: "gpt-5",
+    })
+    expect(selected).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ location: { directory: "/tmp" } }, { throwOnError: true })
+  })
+
   test("loads visible project references from the current reference catalog", async () => {
     const client = new OpencodeClient()
     const list = spyOn(client.v2.reference, "list").mockImplementation(
diff --git a/packages/opencode/test/cli/run/runtime.test.ts b/packages/opencode/test/cli/run/runtime.test.ts
index 702d82d769..0a933c0a5f 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/test/cli/run/runtime.test.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode/test/cli/run/runtime.test.ts
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ describe("run interactive runtime", () => {
   test("waits for provider metadata before eager replay transport bootstrap", async () => {
     const providersStarted = defer<void>()
     const providers = defer<void>()
+    const lifecycleModels: unknown[] = []
 
     const sdk = new OpencodeClient()
     const legacyProviders = spyOn(sdk.config, "providers").mockRejectedValue(new Error("legacy providers should stay unused"))
@@ -249,23 +250,23 @@ describe("run interactive runtime", () => {
         replay: true,
         replayLimit: 100,
         agent: "build",
-        model: {
-          providerID: "openai",
-          modelID: "gpt-5",
-        },
+        model: undefined,
         variant: undefined,
         files: [],
         thinking: true,
         backgroundSubagents: false,
       },
       {
-        createRuntimeLifecycle: async () => ({
-          footer: footer(),
-          onResize: () => () => {},
-          refreshTheme: () => {},
-          resetForReplay: () => Promise.resolve(),
-          close: () => Promise.resolve(),
-        }),
+        createRuntimeLifecycle: async (input) => {
+          lifecycleModels.push(input.model)
+          return {
+            footer: footer(),
+            onResize: () => () => {},
+            refreshTheme: () => {},
+            resetForReplay: () => Promise.resolve(),
+            close: () => Promise.resolve(),
+          }
+        },
         streamTransport: Promise.resolve({
           createSessionTransport: async (input: { providers?: () => RunProvider[]; footer: FooterApi }) => {
             transportProviders.push(input.providers?.() ?? [])
@@ -293,12 +294,107 @@ describe("run interactive runtime", () => {
 
     await task
 
+    expect(lifecycleModels).toEqual([{ providerID: "openai", modelID: "gpt-5" }])
     expect(transportProviders).toEqual([[provider]])
     expect(legacyProviders).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
     expect(legacyAgents).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
     expect(legacyCommands).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
+  test("paints before resolving the catalog-selected model", async () => {
+    const sdk = new OpencodeClient()
+    const defaultStarted = defer<void>()
+    const releaseDefault = defer<void>()
+    const lifecycleStarted = defer<void>()
+    const modelShown = defer<void>()
+    const events: FooterEvent[] = []
+    const api = footer(events)
+    const event = api.event
+    api.event = (value) => {
+      event(value)
+      if (value.type !== "model") return
+      modelShown.resolve()
+      api.close()
+    }
+
+    spyOn(sdk.v2.model, "default").mockImplementation(async () => {
+      defaultStarted.resolve()
+      await releaseDefault.promise
+      return ok({
+        location: { directory: "/tmp" },
+        data: { id: "gpt-5", providerID: "openai" },
+      }) as never
+    })
+    spyOn(sdk.v2.provider, "list").mockImplementation(() =>
+      ok({ location: { directory: "/tmp" }, data: [] }) as never,
+    )
+    spyOn(sdk.v2.model, "list").mockImplementation(() =>
+      ok({ location: { directory: "/tmp" }, data: [] }) as never,
+    )
+    spyOn(sdk.v2.agent, "list").mockImplementation(() =>
+      ok({ location: { directory: "/tmp" }, data: [] }) as never,
+    )
+    spyOn(sdk.v2.reference, "list").mockImplementation(() =>
+      ok({ location: { directory: "/tmp" }, data: [] }) as never,
+    )
+    spyOn(sdk.v2.command, "list").mockImplementation(() =>
+      ok({ location: { directory: "/tmp" }, data: [] }) as never,
+    )
+    spyOn(sdk.v2.skill, "list").mockImplementation(() =>
+      ok({ location: { directory: "/tmp" }, data: [] }) as never,
+    )
+
+    const task = runInteractiveMode(
+      {
+        sdk,
+        directory: "/tmp",
+        sessionID: "ses-fresh",
+        resume: false,
+        agent: "build",
+        model: undefined,
+        variant: undefined,
+        files: [],
+        thinking: false,
+        backgroundSubagents: false,
+      },
+      {
+        createRuntimeLifecycle: async (input) => {
+          expect(input.model).toBeUndefined()
+          lifecycleStarted.resolve()
+          return {
+            footer: api,
+            onResize: () => () => {},
+            refreshTheme: () => {},
+            resetForReplay: () => Promise.resolve(),
+            close: () => Promise.resolve(),
+          }
+        },
+        streamTransport: Promise.resolve({
+          createSessionTransport: async () => ({
+            runPromptTurn: async () => {},
+            interruptActiveTurn: async () => {},
+            selectSubagent: () => {},
+            replayOnResize: async () => false,
+            close: async () => {},
+          }),
+          formatUnknownError: (error: unknown) => (error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)),
+        }),
+      },
+    )
+
+    await defaultStarted.promise
+    await lifecycleStarted.promise
+    releaseDefault.resolve()
+    await modelShown.promise
+    await task
+
+    expect(events.find((event) => event.type === "model")).toEqual({
+      type: "model",
+      model: "gpt-5 · openai",
+      selection: { providerID: "openai", modelID: "gpt-5" },
+    })
+  })
+
   test("retains last-known-good state across failed coalesced refreshes and retries later", async () => {
     const sdk = new OpencodeClient()
     const refreshGate = defer<void>()
diff --git a/packages/opencode/test/cli/run/session.shared.test.ts b/packages/opencode/test/cli/run/session.shared.test.ts
index a470f51014..102a53ba50 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/test/cli/run/session.shared.test.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode/test/cli/run/session.shared.test.ts
@@ -303,6 +303,8 @@ describe("run session shared", () => {
 
     const out = await resolveCurrentSession(client, "ses_1")
 
+    expect(out.model).toEqual({ providerID: "openai", modelID: "gpt-5" })
+    expect(out.variant).toBe("high")
     expect(out.turns[0]?.prompt).toEqual({
       text: "Review @note.ts",
       parts: [