diff --git a/src/tui-opentui/product-host.test.ts b/src/tui-opentui/product-host.test.ts
index daa4c08cf..9740b24a9 100644
--- a/src/tui-opentui/product-host.test.ts
+++ b/src/tui-opentui/product-host.test.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import {
   permissionChoices,
   type ProductHostConfig,
 } from "./product-host.js"
-import { buildModelsFirstCatalog } from "./model-catalog.js"
+import { buildModelsFirstCatalog, modelOptionId } from "./model-catalog.js"
 
 function makeFakeSessionPort(): {
   readonly sends: string[]
@@ -383,6 +383,7 @@ describe("provider-first model picker", () => {
       interrupt: port.interrupt,
       createRenderer: async () => harness.renderer,
       models: catalog,
+      activeModelId: () => modelOptionId("xai/thegreataxios", "grok-4.5"),
       onModelSelect: () => {},
     })
     try {
@@ -396,6 +397,46 @@ describe("provider-first model picker", () => {
     }
   })
 
+  test("stale recents pointing at a different model do not steal the (current) marker", async () => {
+    // Recents still name the model a *previous* session last switched to;
+    // this session has run codex/abk-labs / gpt-5.5 all along without ever
+    // touching the picker. The live model, not the recents list, decides
+    // which row reads "(current)".
+    const harness = await createHarness({ width: 80, height: 24 })
+    const port = makeFakeSessionPort()
+    const catalog = buildModelsFirstCatalog({
+      providers,
+      recent: [{ provider: "xai/thegreataxios", model: "grok-4.5" }],
+    })
+    const host = await mountProductHost({
+      title: "test-session",
+      eventEmitter: new EventEmitter(),
+      send: port.send,
+      interrupt: port.interrupt,
+      createRenderer: async () => harness.renderer,
+      models: catalog,
+      activeModelId: () => modelOptionId("codex/abk-labs", "gpt-5.5"),
+      onModelSelect: () => {},
+    })
+    try {
+      host.openModels?.()
+      await harness.renderOnce()
+      const frame = harness.captureCharFrame()
+      expect(frame).not.toContain("xai/thegreataxios / grok-4.5 (current)")
+      const items = host.shell.overlayItems
+      const codexIndex = items.findIndex((label) => label.includes("codex/abk-labs"))
+      expect(codexIndex).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+      moveOverlaySelection(host.shell, codexIndex)
+      acceptOverlaySelection(host.shell)
+      await harness.renderOnce()
+      const modelFrame = harness.captureCharFrame()
+      expect(modelFrame).toContain("gpt-5.5 (current)")
+    } finally {
+      host.dispose()
+      harness.destroy()
+    }
+  })
+
   test("fits and scrolls within a short terminal instead of overflowing it", async () => {
     const port = makeFakeSessionPort()
     const harness = await createHarness({ width: 80, height: 10 })
diff --git a/src/tui-opentui/product-host.ts b/src/tui-opentui/product-host.ts
index 1af9cc838..f1e8de68d 100644
--- a/src/tui-opentui/product-host.ts
+++ b/src/tui-opentui/product-host.ts
@@ -160,6 +160,13 @@ export type ProductHostConfig = {
   readonly deliver?: ProductHostDeliver
   /** Model/provider rows for the picker (id applied on select). */
   readonly models?: readonly ProductHostModelOption[]
+  /**
+   * Row id (`provider:model`) of the model the session is actually running,
+   * read live on every picker open so it tracks selections made outside the
+   * picker (e.g. `defaultProvider` at startup). Marks that row "(current)"
+   * instead of guessing from the recents list.
+   */
+  readonly activeModelId?: () => string | undefined
   readonly onModelSelect?: (id: string) => void
   /** Description-zone source for the model picker, keyed by row id. */
   readonly describeModel?: (itemId: string) => ItemDescription | null
@@ -543,7 +550,7 @@ export async function mountProductHost(
             const { groups } = groupModelsForPicker(currentModels)
             const group = groups.get(groupProvider)
             if (group !== undefined) {
-              openLevel(annotateCurrent(group.rows, activeModelId()), openModels)
+              openLevel(annotateCurrent(group.rows, config.activeModelId?.()), openModels)
             }
             return
           }
@@ -567,15 +574,9 @@ export async function mountProductHost(
       })
     }
 
-    // Recent's first row (if any) is the model just switched to — the closest
-    // thing to a live "current model" id without threading one through from
-    // the runner. Used only to mark that row "(current)" wherever it appears.
-    const activeModelId = (): string | undefined =>
-      currentModels.find((r) => r.section === "recent")?.id
-
     openModels = (): void => {
       const { top, groups } = groupModelsForPicker(currentModels)
-      const activeId = activeModelId()
+      const activeId = config.activeModelId?.()
       // The active model's own row already reads "(current)" via annotateCurrent
       // below; when it lives inside a provider group, mark the group row too
       // so the pick is visible without descending into it.
diff --git a/src/tui-opentui/runner-host.test.ts b/src/tui-opentui/runner-host.test.ts
index e9ccd5dcf..3395e8d76 100644
--- a/src/tui-opentui/runner-host.test.ts
+++ b/src/tui-opentui/runner-host.test.ts
@@ -208,6 +208,7 @@ describe("mountRunnerHost model picker", () => {
       send: () => {},
       interrupt: () => {},
       providers: { xai: { models: ["grok-4", "grok-3"] } },
+      activeModel: () => ({ provider: "xai", model: "grok-4" }),
       onModelSelect: () => {},
       commands: [],
       onCommand: () => {},
diff --git a/src/tui-opentui/runner-host.ts b/src/tui-opentui/runner-host.ts
index 888e45d15..10636c914 100644
--- a/src/tui-opentui/runner-host.ts
+++ b/src/tui-opentui/runner-host.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import { chromeFromSession, type ChromeSessionInput } from "./chrome-state.js"
 import {
   buildModelsFirstCatalog,
   describeModelCatalogOption,
+  modelOptionId,
   type ModelCatalogOption,
   type ModelCatalogProvidersInput,
   type ModelCatalogRef,
@@ -67,6 +68,12 @@ export type RunnerHostDeps = {
   readonly favoriteModels?: readonly ModelCatalogRef[]
   /** Known providers with no stored credentials yet — rendered as "connect →" rows. */
   readonly unconnectedProviders?: readonly ModelCatalogUnconnectedProvider[]
+  /**
+   * Provider+model the session is actually running, read live on every
+   * picker open. Marks that row "(current)" — independent of recents, which
+   * only move on an explicit `/model` pick and can go stale.
+   */
+  readonly activeModel?: () => ModelCatalogRef | undefined
   readonly onModelSelect: (id: string) => void
   /** Selecting a "connect →" row; runner owns the actual connect flow. */
   readonly onConnectProvider?: (providerName: string) => void
@@ -233,6 +240,10 @@ export async function mountRunnerHost(deps: RunnerHostDeps): Promise<RunnerHost>
       ? { onFavoriteToggle: deps.onFavoriteToggle }
       : {}),
     models: catalog,
+    activeModelId: () => {
+      const active = deps.activeModel?.()
+      return active ? modelOptionId(active.provider, active.model) : undefined
+    },
     onModelSelect,
     describeModel,
     commands: buildCommandCatalog(deps.commands),
diff --git a/src/tui/runner.ts b/src/tui/runner.ts
index 38b0bb26c..3fcbb53a0 100644
--- a/src/tui/runner.ts
+++ b/src/tui/runner.ts
@@ -1932,6 +1932,7 @@ export async function runTUI(initialConfig: Config): Promise<number> {
       model: config.model,
       ...(config.reasoningEffort !== undefined ? { effort: config.reasoningEffort } : {}),
     }),
+    activeModel: () => ({ provider: config.providerName, model: config.model }),
     readCostSummary: () => commandContext.getCostSummary?.(),
     showPromptCost: () => liveShowPromptCost,
     onModelSelect: (id) => {