diff --git a/ui-web/src/features/extAgents/ExtAgentsPage.test.tsx b/ui-web/src/features/extAgents/ExtAgentsPage.test.tsx
index f89111ebb..844952966 100644
--- a/ui-web/src/features/extAgents/ExtAgentsPage.test.tsx
+++ b/ui-web/src/features/extAgents/ExtAgentsPage.test.tsx
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ const hostModels = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   loads: 0,
 }))
 vi.mock('../model/source', () => ({
-  providers: () => hostModels.providers,
+  defaultProviders: () => hostModels.providers,
   loadDefaultProviders: async () => {
     hostModels.loads += 1
   },
diff --git a/ui-web/src/features/extAgents/ExtAgentsPage.tsx b/ui-web/src/features/extAgents/ExtAgentsPage.tsx
index c0d48bac2..77de07455 100644
--- a/ui-web/src/features/extAgents/ExtAgentsPage.tsx
+++ b/ui-web/src/features/extAgents/ExtAgentsPage.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { KeyInput } from '../../components/KeyInput'
 import { ModelPicker } from '../../components/ModelPicker'
 import { t } from '../../i18n/t'
 import * as lang from '../../state/lang'
-import { loadDefaultProviders, providers as hostProviders } from '../model/source'
+import { defaultProviders as hostProviders, loadDefaultProviders } from '../model/source'
 import { offered } from '../model/types'
 import { byOf, installOf, isOwnRow } from './catalogue'
 import { SectionBlock, Spin, Tile, connect, ordered, shownOf } from './Rows'
diff --git a/ui-web/src/features/model/source.test.ts b/ui-web/src/features/model/source.test.ts
index 1b759d3ec..1814bf0d4 100644
--- a/ui-web/src/features/model/source.test.ts
+++ b/ui-web/src/features/model/source.test.ts
@@ -114,7 +114,9 @@ async function live({ session = null, answers = null }: Options = {}) {
     loadPermMode: settingsModule.loadPermMode,
     loadSettings: settingsModule.loadSettings,
     settingsSnapshot: settingsModule.settingsSnapshot,
-    get providersLive() { return model.providers() },
+    loadDefaultProviders: model.loadDefaultProviders,
+    get providersLive() { return model.modelSource.providers() },
+    get defaultProvidersLive() { return model.defaultProviders() },
     get defaultModelLive() { return model.defaultModel() },
     get defaultProviderLive() { return model.defaultProvider() },
   }
@@ -344,6 +346,34 @@ describe('providers the page does not offer', () => {
   })
 })
 
+describe('the two provider scopes', () => {
+  const row = (slug: string, current = false) =>
+    ({ slug, name: slug, authenticated: true, models: [`${slug}/m`], is_current: current })
+
+  it('a default-scoped read leaves the conversation rows alone', async () => {
+    /* `is_current` is the whole difference: the backend marks the
+       conversation's provider when the read names a session and
+       agents.defaults' when it does not. Sharing one array let the settings
+       dialog's read -- which every settings write repeats -- put the default's
+       answer under the composer's picker, which then opened on the default's
+       column with the conversation's model prepended and ticked there, under a
+       vendor whose key does not serve it. */
+    const h = await live({ session: 'sess-1' })
+
+    const perSession = h.settings.loadProviders()
+    await h.settle(0, { model: 'gemini/g', provider: 'gemini', providers: [row('deepseek'), row('gemini', true)] })
+    await perSession
+    expect(h.settings.providersLive.filter((p) => p.current).map((p) => p.id)).toEqual(['gemini'])
+
+    const perDefault = h.settings.loadDefaultProviders()
+    await h.settle(1, { model: 'deepseek/d', provider: 'deepseek', providers: [row('deepseek', true), row('gemini')] })
+    await perDefault
+
+    expect(h.settings.providersLive.filter((p) => p.current).map((p) => p.id)).toEqual(['gemini'])
+    expect(h.settings.defaultProvidersLive.filter((p) => p.current).map((p) => p.id)).toEqual(['deepseek'])
+  })
+})
+
 describe('the follows-default repaint under navigation', () => {
   it('drops the repaint when the reader left during the write', async () => {
     const h = await live({ session: 'a' })
diff --git a/ui-web/src/features/model/source.ts b/ui-web/src/features/model/source.ts
index 21e0f59cc..77b538ea4 100644
--- a/ui-web/src/features/model/source.ts
+++ b/ui-web/src/features/model/source.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import type { ApiProtocol, Kind, ModelSource, Offer, Provider } from './types'
 type ProviderWire = ResultOf<'model.options'>['providers'][number]
 
 let providersLive: Provider[] = []
+let defaultProvidersLive: Provider[] = []
 let defaultModelLive = ''
 let defaultProviderLive = ''
 
@@ -28,7 +29,15 @@ let defaultProviderLive = ''
    the boot in src/app/boot.ts is what learns the answer. */
 export const setupState: { providerConfigured: boolean | null } = { providerConfigured: null }
 
-export const providers = (): Provider[] => providersLive
+/* The rows the settings page reads: the default-scoped answer. Apart from the
+   session-scoped one below because `is_current` is the difference between them
+   -- the backend marks the conversation's provider when the read names a
+   session and `agents.defaults`' when it does not. One array held both, so
+   opening the settings dialog (or any provider write) put the default's answer
+   under the composer's picker: it then opened on the default's column with the
+   conversation's model prepended and ticked there, under a vendor whose key
+   does not serve it. The same split as `defaultModelLive` above, one layer out. */
+export const defaultProviders = (): Provider[] => defaultProvidersLive
 export const defaultModel = (): string => defaultModelLive
 export const defaultProvider = (): string => defaultProviderLive
 
@@ -116,7 +125,7 @@ const rowsOf = (list: ProviderWire[]): Provider[] =>
    coalesced onto the dropped load and showed no provider to connect. */
 export async function loadDefaultProviders(): Promise<void> {
   const mo = await gateway().call('model.options', {})
-  providersLive = rowsOf(mo.providers || [])
+  defaultProvidersLive = rowsOf(mo.providers || [])
 }
 
 export async function loadProviders(sid?: string | null, gen?: number): Promise<void> {
@@ -265,6 +274,7 @@ export function stagedTier(): string | null {
    registered, are both the module's. */
 export function _resetForTests(): void {
   providersLive = []
+  defaultProvidersLive = []
   defaultModelLive = ''
   defaultProviderLive = ''
   paintChip = () => {}
diff --git a/ui-web/src/features/settings/source.ts b/ui-web/src/features/settings/source.ts
index 7c884c749..fb4867a1c 100644
--- a/ui-web/src/features/settings/source.ts
+++ b/ui-web/src/features/settings/source.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ import {
   defaultProvider,
   loadDefaultProviders,
   persistModel,
-  providers,
+  defaultProviders,
   setDefaultPair,
 } from '../model/source'
 import { loadSessions, SESS_CHANNELS } from '../rail/source'
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ export const settingsSnapshot = (): SettingsSnapshot => ({
   // Both default-scoped on purpose: the settings page describes what new
   // conversations start on, so pairing the default model with the visible
   // session's provider badged the wrong row whenever the two scopes differ.
-  providers: providers(), curProvider: defaultProvider(), model: defaultModel(),
+  providers: defaultProviders(), curProvider: defaultProvider(), model: defaultModel(),
   tools: extTools(), skills: extSkillRows(), mcp: extMcpRows(),
 }) as SettingsSnapshot
 
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ export const keySet = (tool: string, vendor: string, raw: Record<string, unknown
    already has a connected provider and a chat model, and whether its web
    step already has a key on file for either web tool's vendor. */
 export function modelStepDone(): boolean {
-  return providers().some((p) => p.on) && !!defaultModel()
+  return defaultProviders().some((p) => p.on) && !!defaultModel()
 }
 
 export function webStepDone(): boolean {