diff --git a/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/ai-runtime.md b/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/ai-runtime.md
index 0dea28579..c38075ce5 100644
--- a/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/ai-runtime.md
+++ b/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/ai-runtime.md
@@ -77,10 +77,11 @@ runtime cost control, and shared AI transport surfaces.
    by `internal/ai/`, not Patrol runtime-finding wording, and the drawer may
    surface the result as actionable retry/settings status plus same-model
    configured-provider alternatives without converting it into
-   assistant-authored output. The composer must keep typed text and focus while
-   the selected provider is checking or failed, but it must not dispatch a user
-   turn until that selected provider route is ready or the operator chooses a
-   ready alternative.
+   assistant-authored output. Provider checking is a background diagnostic and
+   must not delay the user's first useful chat turn; a confirmed selected-route
+   provider error must keep typed text and focus while blocking dispatch until
+   the route is rechecked successfully or the operator chooses a ready
+   alternative.
    Operator interruption is likewise chat-runtime state: Stop and replacement
    sends must abort the active stream, clear pending tool/approval/question
    affordances, preserve any partial model text, return focus to the composer,
diff --git a/frontend-modern/src/components/AI/Chat/__tests__/AIChat.test.tsx b/frontend-modern/src/components/AI/Chat/__tests__/AIChat.test.tsx
index 9edbe0404..fb532802a 100644
--- a/frontend-modern/src/components/AI/Chat/__tests__/AIChat.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend-modern/src/components/AI/Chat/__tests__/AIChat.test.tsx
@@ -283,12 +283,12 @@ function setViewportWidth(width: number) {
   window.dispatchEvent(new Event('resize'));
 }
 
-async function waitForComposerSendReady() {
+async function waitForProviderCheckSettled() {
   await waitFor(() => {
     expect(mockAIAPI.testProvider).toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
   await waitFor(() => {
-    expect(screen.queryByText('Checking OpenAI provider')).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.queryByText('Verifying OpenAI provider')).not.toBeInTheDocument();
   });
   await waitFor(() => {
     expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Send message' })).not.toBeDisabled();
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ describe('AIChat', () => {
       );
     });
 
-    it('keeps user input queued while the selected provider check is still running', async () => {
+    it('sends user input while the selected provider check is still running', async () => {
       mockAIAPI.getSettings.mockResolvedValue({
         model: 'openai:gpt-4',
         chat_model: '',
@@ -421,17 +421,21 @@ describe('AIChat', () => {
 
       renderChat();
 
-      await screen.findByText('Checking OpenAI provider');
+      await screen.findByText('Verifying OpenAI provider');
       const textarea = screen.getByPlaceholderText(
         'Ask about your infrastructure...',
       ) as HTMLTextAreaElement;
       fireEvent.input(textarea, { target: { value: 'summarize the cluster' } });
 
-      expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Send message' })).toBeDisabled();
+      expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Send message' })).not.toBeDisabled();
       fireEvent.keyDown(textarea, { key: 'Enter' });
 
-      expect(mockChat.sendMessage).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-      expect(textarea.value).toBe('summarize the cluster');
+      expect(mockChat.sendMessage).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        'summarize the cluster',
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+      );
+      expect(textarea.value).toBe('');
       expect(document.activeElement).toBe(textarea);
     });
 
@@ -2074,7 +2078,7 @@ describe('AIChat', () => {
         expect(textarea.value).toBe('@redacted by policy ');
       });
 
-      await waitForComposerSendReady();
+      await waitForProviderCheckSettled();
       fireEvent.keyDown(textarea, { key: 'Enter' });
       expect(mockChat.sendMessage).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         '@redacted by policy',
@@ -2280,7 +2284,7 @@ describe('AIChat', () => {
 
       const textarea = screen.getByPlaceholderText('Ask about your infrastructure...');
       fireEvent.input(textarea, { target: { value: 'what happened here?' } });
-      await waitForComposerSendReady();
+      await waitForProviderCheckSettled();
       fireEvent.keyDown(textarea, { key: 'Enter' });
 
       expect(mockChat.sendMessage).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
@@ -2361,7 +2365,7 @@ describe('AIChat', () => {
       expect(mockAiChatStore.context.briefing?.title).toBe('Patrol finding on web-server');
 
       fireEvent.input(textarea, { target: { value: 'what changed next?' } });
-      await waitForComposerSendReady();
+      await waitForProviderCheckSettled();
       fireEvent.keyDown(textarea, { key: 'Enter' });
 
       await waitFor(() => {
diff --git a/frontend-modern/src/components/AI/Chat/index.tsx b/frontend-modern/src/components/AI/Chat/index.tsx
index 07425c4a3..75672ff38 100644
--- a/frontend-modern/src/components/AI/Chat/index.tsx
+++ b/frontend-modern/src/components/AI/Chat/index.tsx
@@ -554,9 +554,9 @@ export const AIChat: Component<AIChatProps> = (props) => {
     );
   };
 
-  const providerReadinessBlocksSend = createMemo(() => {
+  const providerReadinessHasBlockingError = createMemo(() => {
     const readiness = providerReadiness();
-    if (readiness.status !== 'checking' && readiness.status !== 'error') return false;
+    if (readiness.status !== 'error') return false;
     return providerReadinessMatchesSelection(readiness);
   });
 
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ export const AIChat: Component<AIChatProps> = (props) => {
         provider,
         model,
         message: 'Provider check failed',
-        summary: 'Pulse could not verify the selected provider before this chat sends work.',
+        summary: 'Pulse could not verify the selected provider route.',
         recommendation:
           'Check provider settings and network reachability, then retry the provider check.',
         action: 'open_provider_settings',
@@ -1174,7 +1174,7 @@ export const AIChat: Component<AIChatProps> = (props) => {
   const handleSubmit = () => {
     const prompt = input().trim();
     if (!prompt) return;
-    if (providerReadinessBlocksSend()) {
+    if (providerReadinessHasBlockingError()) {
       focusComposer();
       return;
     }
@@ -2041,7 +2041,7 @@ export const AIChat: Component<AIChatProps> = (props) => {
                   </Show>
                   <button
                     type="submit"
-                    disabled={!input().trim() || providerReadinessBlocksSend()}
+                    disabled={!input().trim() || providerReadinessHasBlockingError()}
                     class="flex h-9 w-9 items-center justify-center rounded-md bg-blue-600 text-white shadow-sm transition-colors hover:bg-blue-700 disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:opacity-45"
                     title="Send"
                     aria-label="Send message"
diff --git a/frontend-modern/src/utils/__tests__/aiChatPresentation.test.ts b/frontend-modern/src/utils/__tests__/aiChatPresentation.test.ts
index 8a8932c1a..8a919de8f 100644
--- a/frontend-modern/src/utils/__tests__/aiChatPresentation.test.ts
+++ b/frontend-modern/src/utils/__tests__/aiChatPresentation.test.ts
@@ -93,6 +93,6 @@ describe('aiChatPresentation', () => {
         status: 'checking',
         providerLabel: 'OpenRouter',
       }).title,
-    ).toBe('Checking OpenRouter provider');
+    ).toBe('Verifying OpenRouter provider');
   });
 });
diff --git a/frontend-modern/src/utils/aiChatPresentation.ts b/frontend-modern/src/utils/aiChatPresentation.ts
index 72a5c434b..33131349e 100644
--- a/frontend-modern/src/utils/aiChatPresentation.ts
+++ b/frontend-modern/src/utils/aiChatPresentation.ts
@@ -85,15 +85,15 @@ export function getAIChatProviderReadinessPresentation(args: {
   if (args.status === 'checking') {
     return {
       tone: 'checking',
-      title: `Checking ${providerLabel} provider`,
-      body: 'Pulse is verifying the selected provider before this chat sends work.',
+      title: `Verifying ${providerLabel} provider`,
+      body: 'Pulse is checking the selected provider route in the background.',
     };
   }
 
   const body =
     args.summary?.trim() ||
     args.message?.trim() ||
-    'Pulse could not verify the selected provider before this chat sends work.';
+    'Pulse could not verify the selected provider route.';
   const recommendation = args.recommendation?.trim() || undefined;
 
   return {