diff --git a/components/model-picker.tsx b/components/model-picker.tsx
index 9f64b4e..89adc43 100644
--- a/components/model-picker.tsx
+++ b/components/model-picker.tsx
@@ -157,9 +157,10 @@ export function ModelControl({
 				}}
 				aria-expanded={open === "model"}
 				title="Conversation model — applies next turn"
-				className="flex items-center gap-1 transition-colors hover:text-foreground"
+				className="flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-full border border-border/60 bg-card/70 px-2.5 py-1 transition-colors hover:border-border hover:bg-muted"
 			>
-				<span>{effectiveId ? prettyModel(effectiveId) : "—"}</span>
+				<span className="text-card-foreground">{effectiveId ? prettyModel(effectiveId) : "—"}</span>
+				<span aria-hidden className="text-[9px] text-muted-foreground">▾</span>
 			</button>
 			<span aria-hidden>·</span>
 			<button
@@ -171,11 +172,12 @@ export function ModelControl({
 				}}
 				aria-expanded={open === "thinking"}
 				title="Thinking level — applies next turn"
-				className="flex items-center gap-1 transition-colors hover:text-foreground"
+				className="flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-full border border-border/60 bg-card/70 px-2.5 py-1 transition-colors hover:border-border hover:bg-muted"
 			>
-				<span>
+				<span className="text-card-foreground">
 					{effectiveLevel === undefined ? "Thinking —" : `Thinking: ${LEVEL_LABEL[effectiveLevel] ?? effectiveLevel}`}
 				</span>
+				<span aria-hidden className="text-[9px] text-muted-foreground">▾</span>
 			</button>
 
 			{open === "model" && (
diff --git a/components/stats-bar.tsx b/components/stats-bar.tsx
index e93400e..bade4c5 100644
--- a/components/stats-bar.tsx
+++ b/components/stats-bar.tsx
@@ -44,7 +44,11 @@ export function StatsBar({
 	return (
 		<div
 			data-testid="stats-bar"
-			className="relative flex items-center justify-between gap-3 px-3 pt-1 text-[10px] text-muted-foreground"
+			// pointer-events-auto: the sticky composer wrapper is pointer-events-none
+			// (so its transparent gradient area never blocks scrolling) — this row
+			// must re-enable events or every control on it is dead (the model-
+			// control wave caught this live: buttons rendered, clicks never landed).
+			className="pointer-events-auto relative flex items-center justify-between gap-3 px-3 pt-1.5 text-[11px] text-muted-foreground"
 		>
 			<button
 				type="button"
diff --git a/tests/render-stats-bar.test.tsx b/tests/render-stats-bar.test.tsx
index cb6151a..57e184b 100644
--- a/tests/render-stats-bar.test.tsx
+++ b/tests/render-stats-bar.test.tsx
@@ -35,8 +35,11 @@ describe("stats bar", () => {
 		assert.match(html, /data-testid="stats-context">—</);
 		assert.match(html, /data-testid="stats-cost">—</);
 		// no turns, no settings, catalog not loaded → both control labels "—"
-		assert.match(html, /data-testid="stats-model"[^>]*><span>—<\/span>/);
+		assert.match(html, /data-testid="stats-model"[^>]*>\s*<span[^>]*>—<\/span>/);
 		assert.match(html, /Thinking —</);
+		// the control reads as a button: pill border + dropdown chevron
+		assert.match(html, /data-testid="stats-model"[^>]*rounded-full[^>]*>/);
+		assert.match(html, /▾/);
 	});
 
 	it("folds context + cost from the turns log (core/prices, no local math)", () => {
@@ -51,7 +54,7 @@ describe("stats bar", () => {
 		assert.match(html, /data-testid="stats-cost">\$0\.0020</);
 		// model button label falls back to the last turn's actual model
 		// (the catalog + settings are what drive it once loaded)
-		assert.match(html, /data-testid="stats-model"[^>]*><span>Glm 5\.3 Flash<\/span>/);
+		assert.match(html, /data-testid="stats-model"[^>]*>\s*<span[^>]*>Glm 5\.3 Flash<\/span>/);
 	});
 
 	it("shows — for cost when every turn is unpriceable, never a fake $0", () => {