diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index d4a41496c..5f1d891dc 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -47,5 +47,13 @@ usr/**/*
 # for browser-use
 agent_history.gif
 
-.agent/**
+.agents/**
 .claude/**
+
+meta.json
+.lock
+**/*storage.sqlite
+
+hashes_codebase.json
+
+**/*plans
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/plugins/_model_config/extensions/webui/chat-nav-after/model-switcher.html b/plugins/_model_config/extensions/webui/chat-input-progress-start/model-switcher.html
similarity index 74%
rename from plugins/_model_config/extensions/webui/chat-nav-after/model-switcher.html
rename to plugins/_model_config/extensions/webui/chat-input-progress-start/model-switcher.html
index 2bae38a2b..477682630 100644
--- a/plugins/_model_config/extensions/webui/chat-nav-after/model-switcher.html
+++ b/plugins/_model_config/extensions/webui/chat-input-progress-start/model-switcher.html
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<!-- Model Switcher - Floating Preset Selector -->
+<!-- Model Switcher - Floating Preset Selector (left-aligned with inline model display) -->
 <script type="module">
   import { store } from "/plugins/_model_config/webui/model-config-store.js";
 </script>
@@ -17,12 +17,31 @@
                 :class="{ 'has-override': !!$store.modelConfig.switcherOverride }"
                 @click="showDropdown = !showDropdown"
                 @click.outside="showDropdown = false">
-          <span class="material-symbols-outlined">neurology</span>
+          <span class="material-symbols-outlined" style="font-size: 16px;">neurology</span>
           <span class="model-switcher-label" x-text="$store.modelConfig.getSwitcherLabel()"></span>
-          <span class="material-symbols-outlined" style="font-size: 0.75rem;"
+          <span class="material-symbols-outlined" style="font-size: 0.7rem;"
                 x-text="showDropdown ? 'expand_less' : 'expand_more'"></span>
         </button>
 
+        <!-- Inline active model pills (shown when a preset is active) -->
+        <template x-if="$store.modelConfig.switcherOverride">
+          <div class="model-switcher-active-pills">
+            <template x-if="$store.modelConfig.getActiveModels().main">
+              <div class="model-pill">
+                <span class="model-pill-role">Main</span>
+                <span class="model-pill-name" x-text="$store.modelConfig.getActiveModels().main.name"></span>
+              </div>
+            </template>
+            <template x-if="$store.modelConfig.getActiveModels().utility">
+              <div class="model-pill">
+                <span class="model-pill-role">Util</span>
+                <span class="model-pill-name" x-text="$store.modelConfig.getActiveModels().utility.name"></span>
+              </div>
+            </template>
+          </div>
+        </template>
+
+        <!-- Dropdown (opens upward) -->
         <div class="model-switcher-dropdown" x-show="showDropdown" x-transition.opacity>
           <!-- Use Default -->
           <template x-if="$store.modelConfig.switcherOverride">
@@ -99,6 +118,9 @@
   }
   .model-switcher-anchor {
     position: relative;
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    gap: 6px;
   }
   .model-switcher-btn {
     width: auto;
@@ -108,6 +130,7 @@
     border: none;
     font-size: 0.75rem;
     white-space: nowrap;
+    flex-shrink: 0;
   }
   .model-switcher-btn:hover {
     border: none;
@@ -116,15 +139,53 @@
     /* color: var(--color-text); */
   }
   .model-switcher-label {
-    max-width: 160px;
+    max-width: 120px;
     overflow: hidden;
     text-overflow: ellipsis;
   }
+
+  /* Inline active model pills */
+  .model-switcher-active-pills {
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    gap: 6px;
+    flex-shrink: 1;
+    min-width: 0;
+  }
+  .model-pill {
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    gap: 4px;
+    padding: 2px 8px;
+    border-radius: 12px;
+    background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-highlight) 8%, transparent);
+    border: 1px solid color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-highlight) 15%, transparent);
+    font-size: 0.68rem;
+    white-space: nowrap;
+    min-width: 0;
+    overflow: hidden;
+  }
+  .model-pill-role {
+    font-weight: 600;
+    opacity: 0.55;
+    font-size: 0.62rem;
+    text-transform: uppercase;
+    letter-spacing: 0.03em;
+    flex-shrink: 0;
+  }
+  .model-pill-name {
+    opacity: 0.85;
+    overflow: hidden;
+    text-overflow: ellipsis;
+    min-width: 0;
+  }
+
+  /* Dropdown - opens upward, aligned to left */
   .model-switcher-dropdown {
     position: absolute;
     bottom: calc(100% + 6px);
-    right: 0;
-    min-width: 250px;
+    left: 0;
+    min-width: 280px;
     max-height: 550px;
     overflow-y: auto;
     background-color: var(--color-panel);
@@ -202,4 +263,11 @@
     opacity: 0.6;
     font-size: 0.75rem;
   }
+
+  /* Responsive: hide pills on narrow screens */
+  @media (max-width: 600px) {
+    .model-switcher-active-pills {
+      display: none;
+    }
+  }
 </style>
diff --git a/plugins/_model_config/webui/model-config-store.js b/plugins/_model_config/webui/model-config-store.js
index 64cd38df4..1256c4896 100644
--- a/plugins/_model_config/webui/model-config-store.js
+++ b/plugins/_model_config/webui/model-config-store.js
@@ -557,6 +557,21 @@ export const store = createStore("modelConfig", {
     return o.preset_name || o.name || o.provider || 'Custom';
   },
 
+  getActivePreset() {
+    const o = this.switcherOverride;
+    if (!o || !o.preset_name) return null;
+    return this.switcherPresets.find(p => p.name === o.preset_name) || null;
+  },
+
+  getActiveModels() {
+    const preset = this.getActivePreset();
+    if (!preset) return { main: null, utility: null };
+    return {
+      main: preset.chat?.name ? { provider: preset.chat.provider, name: preset.chat.name } : null,
+      utility: preset.utility?.name ? { provider: preset.utility.provider, name: preset.utility.name } : null,
+    };
+  },
+
   // Text conversion utilities (accessible from templates via $store.modelConfig)
   textToKwargs,
   textToHeaders,
diff --git a/webui/components/chat/input/chat-bar-input.html b/webui/components/chat/input/chat-bar-input.html
index 4b205dbd2..0f41dd3b2 100644
--- a/webui/components/chat/input/chat-bar-input.html
+++ b/webui/components/chat/input/chat-bar-input.html
@@ -156,7 +156,20 @@
     #chat-input::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb { background-color: rgba(155,155,155,0.5); border-radius: 6px; -webkit-transition: background-color 0.2s ease; transition: background-color 0.2s ease; }
     #chat-input::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb:hover { background-color: rgba(155,155,155,0.7); }
     #chat-input:focus { outline: 0.05rem solid rgba(155,155,155,0.5); font-size: 0.955rem; padding-top: 0.45rem; background-color: var(--color-input-focus); }
-    #chat-input::placeholder { color: var(--color-text-muted); opacity: 0.7; }
+    #chat-input::placeholder { color: var(--color-text-muted); opacity: 0.7; transition: color 0.3s ease; }
+
+    /* Progress ghost text animation — gentle pulse on placeholder */
+    #chat-input.progress-active::placeholder {
+      animation: placeholder-pulse 2s ease-in-out infinite;
+    }
+    @keyframes placeholder-pulse {
+      0%, 100% { opacity: 0.45; }
+      50% { opacity: 0.85; }
+    }
+    #chat-input.progress-active {
+      border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-highlight) 20%, transparent);
+      outline-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-highlight) 15%, transparent);
+    }
 
     #expand-button { 
     position: absolute;
diff --git a/webui/components/chat/input/input-store.js b/webui/components/chat/input/input-store.js
index 047458d86..488e64229 100644
--- a/webui/components/chat/input/input-store.js
+++ b/webui/components/chat/input/input-store.js
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ const model = {
   message: "",
   /** Composer + menu (bottom actions moved into dropdown) */
   chatMoreMenuOpen: false,
+  progressText: "",
+  progressActive: false,
 
   toggleChatMoreMenu() {
     this.chatMoreMenuOpen = !this.chatMoreMenuOpen;
@@ -32,6 +34,10 @@ const model = {
   get inputPlaceholder() {
     const state = this._getSendState();
     if (state === "all") return "Press Enter to send queued messages";
+    // Show progress as ghost text when agent is working and input is empty
+    if (this.progressText && !this.message) {
+      return "|>  " + this.progressText;
+    }
     return "Type your message here...";
   },
 
diff --git a/webui/components/chat/input/progress.html b/webui/components/chat/input/progress.html
index 041c338dc..dee1a4c4e 100644
--- a/webui/components/chat/input/progress.html
+++ b/webui/components/chat/input/progress.html
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@
 <body>
     <div id="progress-bar-box" x-data>
         <x-extension id="chat-input-progress-start"></x-extension>
-        <h4 id="progress-bar-h">
-            <span id="progress-bar-i">|></span><span id="progress-bar"></span>
-        </h4>
+
+        <!-- Hidden legacy progress-bar element (keeps JS updater happy, not displayed) -->
+        <span id="progress-bar" style="display:none;"></span>
+
         <div id="progress-bar-right">
           <h4 id="progress-bar-stop-speech" x-data x-cloak x-show="$store.speech.isSpeaking">
               <span id="stop-speech" @click="$store.speech.stop()" style="cursor: pointer" title="Stop Speech" aria-label="Stop Speech">
@@ -38,12 +39,10 @@
 
 
     <style>
-    #progress-bar-box { background-color: var(--color-panel); padding: var(--spacing-sm) var(--spacing-md) var(--spacing-xs) var(--spacing-md); display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; justify-content: space-between; align-items: center; z-index: 1001; gap: var(--spacing-sm); }
+    #progress-bar-box { background-color: var(--color-panel); padding: var(--spacing-xs) var(--spacing-md) 0 var(--spacing-md); display: flex; flex-wrap: nowrap; justify-content: flex-start; align-items: center; z-index: 1001; gap: var(--spacing-sm); min-height: 0; }
     #progress-bar-box > x-extension { display: contents; }
-    #progress-bar-box h4 { margin: 0 1.2em 0 0; }
-    #progress-bar-h { color: var(--color-primary); display: flex; align-items: left; justify-content: flex-start; height: 1.2em; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; overflow: hidden; font-weight: normal; }
-    #progress-bar-i { font-weight: bold; padding-right: 0.5em; color: var(--color-secondary); }
-    #progress-bar-right { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: var(--spacing-sm); flex-shrink: 0; }
+    #progress-bar-box h4 { margin: 0; }
+    #progress-bar-right { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: var(--spacing-sm); flex-shrink: 0; margin-left: auto; margin-right: calc(5.5rem + var(--spacing-xs)); }
     #progress-bar-right > x-extension { display: contents; }
     #chat-nav-buttons { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 2px; opacity: 0.85; }
     #chat-nav-buttons .btn-icon-action { padding: var(--spacing-xs); }
@@ -52,8 +51,6 @@
     }
     .shiny-text { background: linear-gradient(to right, var(--color-primary-dark) 20%, var(--color-text) 40%, var(--color-text) 60%, var(--color-primary-dark) 60%); background-size: 200% auto; color: transparent; -webkit-background-clip: text; background-clip: text; animation: shine 1s linear infinite; }
     @keyframes shine { to { background-position: -200% center; } }
-    .light-mode #progress-bar-i { color: var(--color-border-dark); opacity: 0.5; }
     </style>
 </body>
 </html>
-
diff --git a/webui/index.js b/webui/index.js
index ef632b17b..9aed25072 100644
--- a/webui/index.js
+++ b/webui/index.js
@@ -481,16 +481,33 @@ function speakMessages(logs) {
 }
 
 function updateProgress(progress, active) {
-  const progressBarEl = document.getElementById("progress-bar");
-  if (!progressBarEl) return;
   if (!progress) progress = "";
 
-  setProgressBarShine(progressBarEl, active);
+  // Strip HTML tags for plain-text placeholder use
+  const plainText = progress.replace(/<[^>]*>/g, "").trim();
 
-  progress = msgs.convertIcons(progress);
+  // Update the input store so the placeholder reflects progress
+  inputStore.progressText = plainText;
+  inputStore.progressActive = !!active;
 
-  if (progressBarEl.innerHTML != progress) {
-    progressBarEl.innerHTML = progress;
+  // Apply shimmer class to the textarea when active
+  const chatInputEl = document.getElementById("chat-input");
+  if (chatInputEl) {
+    if (active && plainText) {
+      addClassToElement(chatInputEl, "progress-active");
+    } else {
+      removeClassFromElement(chatInputEl, "progress-active");
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Also update legacy progress bar element if it still exists
+  const progressBarEl = document.getElementById("progress-bar");
+  if (progressBarEl) {
+    setProgressBarShine(progressBarEl, active);
+    const html = msgs.convertIcons(progress);
+    if (progressBarEl.innerHTML != html) {
+      progressBarEl.innerHTML = html;
+    }
   }
 }