diff --git a/__tests__/components/features/chat/change-agent-button.test.tsx b/__tests__/components/features/chat/change-agent-button.test.tsx
index b7d44d15..766561a5 100644
--- a/__tests__/components/features/chat/change-agent-button.test.tsx
+++ b/__tests__/components/features/chat/change-agent-button.test.tsx
@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@ import { ChangeAgentButton } from "#/components/features/chat/change-agent-butto
 import { renderWithProviders } from "../../../../test-utils";
 import { useConversationStore } from "#/stores/conversation-store";
 
-// Mock WebSocket status
+const mockWebSocketStatus = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(() => "OPEN"));
+
 vi.mock("#/hooks/use-unified-websocket-status", () => ({
-  useUnifiedWebSocketStatus: () => "CONNECTED",
+  useUnifiedWebSocketStatus: () => mockWebSocketStatus(),
 }));
 
 // Mock agent state
@@ -68,6 +69,7 @@ vi.mock("#/hooks/use-handle-plan-click", () => ({
 describe("ChangeAgentButton - Cache Invalidation", () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     vi.clearAllMocks();
+    mockWebSocketStatus.mockReturnValue("OPEN");
     // Reset store state
     useConversationStore.setState({
       conversationMode: "code",
@@ -151,4 +153,12 @@ describe("ChangeAgentButton - Cache Invalidation", () => {
     const button = screen.getByRole("button");
     expect(button).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
+
+  it("enables mode switch on pre-conversation surfaces without a websocket", () => {
+    mockWebSocketStatus.mockReturnValue("CLOSED");
+    renderWithProviders(<ChangeAgentButton />, {
+      navigation: { conversationId: null },
+    });
+    expect(screen.getByRole("button")).not.toBeDisabled();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/__tests__/components/features/chat/components/chat-input-model.test.tsx b/__tests__/components/features/chat/components/chat-input-model.test.tsx
index 870e326e..8a990ad1 100644
--- a/__tests__/components/features/chat/components/chat-input-model.test.tsx
+++ b/__tests__/components/features/chat/components/chat-input-model.test.tsx
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ describe("ChatInputModel", () => {
     const llmSettingsLink = screen.getByRole("link", {
       name: /LLM Profiles|SETTINGS\$LLM_PROFILES|LLM Settings|SETTINGS\$LLM_SETTINGS/,
     });
-    expect(llmSettingsLink).toHaveAttribute("href", "/settings");
+    expect(llmSettingsLink).toHaveAttribute("href", "/settings/llm");
   });
 
   it("renders nothing when llm_model is missing", () => {
diff --git a/src/components/features/chat/change-agent-button.tsx b/src/components/features/chat/change-agent-button.tsx
index c9827b92..fb47b900 100644
--- a/src/components/features/chat/change-agent-button.tsx
+++ b/src/components/features/chat/change-agent-button.tsx
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import { useActiveConversation } from "#/hooks/query/use-active-conversation";
 import { useUnifiedWebSocketStatus } from "#/hooks/use-unified-websocket-status";
 import { useSubConversationTaskPolling } from "#/hooks/query/use-sub-conversation-task-polling";
 import { useHandlePlanClick } from "#/hooks/use-handle-plan-click";
+import { useOptionalConversationId } from "#/hooks/use-conversation-id";
 
 export function ChangeAgentButton() {
   const [contextMenuOpen, setContextMenuOpen] = useState<boolean>(false);
@@ -22,6 +23,9 @@ export function ChangeAgentButton() {
   const { conversationMode, setConversationMode, subConversationTaskId } =
     useConversationStore();
 
+  const { conversationId } = useOptionalConversationId();
+  const isPreConversation = conversationId == null;
+
   const webSocketStatus = useUnifiedWebSocketStatus();
 
   const isWebSocketConnected = webSocketStatus === "OPEN";
@@ -74,13 +78,21 @@ export function ChangeAgentButton() {
 
   // Close context menu when agent starts running
   useEffect(() => {
-    if ((isAgentRunning || !isWebSocketConnected) && contextMenuOpen) {
+    const blockedBySocket = !isPreConversation && !isWebSocketConnected;
+    if ((isAgentRunning || blockedBySocket) && contextMenuOpen) {
       setContextMenuOpen(false);
     }
-  }, [isAgentRunning, contextMenuOpen, isWebSocketConnected]);
+  }, [
+    isAgentRunning,
+    contextMenuOpen,
+    isWebSocketConnected,
+    isPreConversation,
+  ]);
 
   const isButtonDisabled =
-    isAgentRunning || isCreatingConversation || !isWebSocketConnected;
+    isCreatingConversation ||
+    isAgentRunning ||
+    (!isPreConversation && !isWebSocketConnected);
 
   // Handle Shift + Tab keyboard shortcut to cycle through modes
   useEffect(() => {
diff --git a/src/components/features/chat/components/chat-input-actions.tsx b/src/components/features/chat/components/chat-input-actions.tsx
index 544cb81b..820b761a 100644
--- a/src/components/features/chat/components/chat-input-actions.tsx
+++ b/src/components/features/chat/components/chat-input-actions.tsx
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ export function ChatInputActions({
   const isAgentSwitcherDisabled =
     curAgentState === AgentState.RUNNING ||
     isCreatingConversation ||
-    webSocketStatus !== "OPEN";
+    (conversationId != null && webSocketStatus !== "OPEN");
 
   const closeOverflowMenus = () => {
     setActiveSubmenu(null);
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ export function ChatInputActions({
               <Divider inset="menu" />
               <li className="text-sm">
                 <NavigationLink
-                  to="/settings"
+                  to="/settings/llm"
                   onClick={closeOverflowMenus}
                   className="group flex h-[30px] items-center gap-2 rounded p-2 leading-5 text-[var(--oh-foreground)] hover:bg-[var(--oh-interactive-hover)] transition-colors"
                 >
diff --git a/src/components/features/chat/components/chat-input-model.tsx b/src/components/features/chat/components/chat-input-model.tsx
index 04b5af5d..ae40c4c8 100644
--- a/src/components/features/chat/components/chat-input-model.tsx
+++ b/src/components/features/chat/components/chat-input-model.tsx
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ export function ChatInputModel() {
           <Divider />
           <li className="text-sm">
             <NavigationLink
-              to="/settings"
+              to="/settings/llm"
               onClick={() => setIsPopoverOpen(false)}
               className="flex h-[30px] items-center gap-2 rounded p-2 leading-5 text-white hover:bg-[var(--oh-interactive-hover)] transition-colors"
             >