diff --git a/mobile/src/cloud/CloudAgentPicker.test.tsx b/mobile/src/cloud/CloudAgentPicker.test.tsx
index b482871bd4f..5ef293ffb38 100644
--- a/mobile/src/cloud/CloudAgentPicker.test.tsx
+++ b/mobile/src/cloud/CloudAgentPicker.test.tsx
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ vi.mock('../components/MobileAgentIcon', () => ({
   MobileAgentIcon: 'MobileAgentIcon'
 }))
 vi.mock('../i18n/use-mobile-translation', () => ({
-  useMobileTranslation: () => (_key: string, fallback: string) => fallback
+  useMobileTranslation: () => (_key: string, fallback: string, values?: Record<string, string>) =>
+    fallback.replace(/\{\{(\w+)\}\}/g, (_match, name: string) => values?.[name] ?? '')
 }))
 vi.mock('../theme/use-mobile-color-scheme', () => ({
   useMobileColorScheme: () => 'dark'
@@ -69,6 +70,15 @@ describe('CloudAgentPicker', () => {
     expect(group.props.accessibilityLabel).toBe('Agent')
     const checked = radios(tree).filter((node) => node.props.accessibilityState.checked)
     expect(checked.map(iconOf)).toEqual(['gemini'])
+    // Each chip says its name, plus its state when selected, with catalog names.
+    expect(radios(tree).map((node) => node.props.accessibilityLabel)).toEqual([
+      'Claude',
+      'Codex',
+      'OpenCode',
+      'Gemini, selected',
+      'Cursor',
+      'GitHub Copilot'
+    ])
   })
 
   it('reports the pressed agent and holds every chip while disabled', () => {
diff --git a/mobile/src/cloud/CloudAgentPicker.tsx b/mobile/src/cloud/CloudAgentPicker.tsx
index 23193a4ff17..e59a783bb01 100644
--- a/mobile/src/cloud/CloudAgentPicker.tsx
+++ b/mobile/src/cloud/CloudAgentPicker.tsx
@@ -36,6 +36,12 @@ export function CloudAgentPicker(props: {
           <Pressable
             key={id}
             accessibilityRole="radio"
+            // Name plus state, so the chip reads the same in any order the wrap puts it in.
+            accessibilityLabel={
+              checked
+                ? t('cloud.agent.chipSelected', '{{agent}}, selected', { agent: label })
+                : label
+            }
             accessibilityState={{ checked, disabled: props.disabled }}
             disabled={props.disabled}
             onPress={() => props.onChange(id)}
diff --git a/mobile/src/i18n/locales/en.json b/mobile/src/i18n/locales/en.json
index acd220d6e19..cfc360c5d23 100644
--- a/mobile/src/i18n/locales/en.json
+++ b/mobile/src/i18n/locales/en.json
@@ -4968,7 +4968,8 @@
       "deviceLabelConnected": "{{device}}, connected {{date}}"
     },
     "agent": {
-      "label": "Agent"
+      "label": "Agent",
+      "chipSelected": "{{agent}}, selected"
     },
     "started": {
       "title": "{{agent}} started with your prompt",
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/NewWorkspaceComposerModal.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/NewWorkspaceComposerModal.tsx
index b13712a7f9e..95692576d13 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/NewWorkspaceComposerModal.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/NewWorkspaceComposerModal.tsx
@@ -158,12 +158,8 @@ function QuickTabBody({
   const [quickAgentOverride, setQuickAgentOverride] = useState<TuiAgent | null | undefined>(
     modalData.recovery?.agent
   )
-  const { orcaCloud, orcaCloudModel, quickAgent, chipAgentIds } = useComposerQuickAgent(
-    cardProps,
-    settings,
-    quickAgentOverride,
-    setQuickAgentOverride
-  )
+  const { orcaCloud, orcaCloudModel, quickAgent, chipAgentIds, agentNotice } =
+    useComposerQuickAgent(cardProps, settings, quickAgentOverride, setQuickAgentOverride)
   // Why keyed by agent: a pick repaired to another agent must not carry the old one's surface.
   const [quickAgentPick, setQuickAgentPick] = useState<
     Omit<NonNullable<ComposerModalData['recovery']>, 'note'>
@@ -361,6 +357,7 @@ function QuickTabBody({
         // Chips list offered agents, keeping a pick whose chat is still being learned.
         detectedAgentIds={chipAgentIds}
         createDisabled={createDisabled}
+        agentNotice={agentNotice}
         agentSurfaceRows={
           agentMenuModel
             ? {
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/NewWorkspaceComposerAgentSection.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/NewWorkspaceComposerAgentSection.tsx
index 734097669ee..506f773730e 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/NewWorkspaceComposerAgentSection.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/NewWorkspaceComposerAgentSection.tsx
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ type NewWorkspaceComposerAgentSectionProps = Pick<
   NewWorkspaceComposerCardProps,
   | 'quickAgent'
   | 'agentSurfaceRows'
+  | 'agentNotice'
   | 'agentPickerDraft'
   | 'agentSetupDisabled'
   | 'selectedRepoIsGit'
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ type NewWorkspaceComposerAgentSectionProps = Pick<
 export function NewWorkspaceComposerAgentSection({
   quickAgent,
   agentSurfaceRows,
+  agentNotice,
   agentPickerDraft,
   agentSetupDisabled,
   selectedRepoIsGit,
@@ -100,6 +102,7 @@ export function NewWorkspaceComposerAgentSection({
           onSelectBlankTerminal={() => onQuickAgentChange(null)}
           onPick={(agent, draft, entry) => onQuickAgentChange(agent, draft?.surface, draft, entry)}
         />
+        {agentNotice ? <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{agentNotice}</p> : null}
       </div>
 
       <div className="!mb-2">
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/OrcaCloudAgentPicker.fixture.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/OrcaCloudAgentPicker.fixture.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d2d4937c26a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/OrcaCloudAgentPicker.fixture.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+// The composer's agent picker with Orca Cloud as the run target: the image's six agents, as installed.
+import React from 'react'
+import { defineFixture } from '../../component-fixtures/component-fixture'
+import { AgentLaunchPicker } from '@/components/agent/AgentLaunchPicker'
+import { orcaCloudAgentMenuModel } from '@/lib/orca-cloud/orca-cloud-agent-picker'
+import type { TuiAgent } from '../../../../shared/agent-launch/catalog/tui-agent'
+
+const noop = (): void => {}
+const settle = (): Promise<void> => new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 80))
+
+function Picker(props: {
+  agent: TuiAgent
+  disabled?: TuiAgent[]
+  notice?: string
+}): React.JSX.Element {
+  const model = orcaCloudAgentMenuModel({
+    defaultTuiAgent: 'claude',
+    disabledTuiAgents: props.disabled ?? [],
+    agentCmdOverrides: {},
+    agentDefaultArgs: {},
+    agentDefaultEnv: {}
+  } as unknown as Parameters<typeof orcaCloudAgentMenuModel>[0])
+  return (
+    <div className="h-[460px] bg-background p-4">
+      <div className="w-[420px] space-y-1">
+        <label className="text-xs font-medium text-muted-foreground">Agent [Optional]</label>
+        <AgentLaunchPicker
+          model={model}
+          agent={props.agent}
+          matchTriggerWidth
+          emptyLabel="Blank Terminal"
+          defaultAgent="claude"
+          onSetDefault={noop}
+          onSelectBlankTerminal={noop}
+          onPick={noop}
+        />
+        {props.notice ? <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{props.notice}</p> : null}
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
+const open = async (frame: HTMLElement): Promise<void> => {
+  // Radix menus open on pointerdown, not click.
+  frame
+    .querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>('button[aria-haspopup]')
+    ?.dispatchEvent(
+      new PointerEvent('pointerdown', { bubbles: true, button: 0, pointerType: 'mouse' })
+    )
+  await settle()
+}
+
+export const closed = defineFixture({ width: 480, render: () => <Picker agent="claude" /> })
+
+export const openSix = defineFixture({
+  width: 480,
+  render: () => <Picker agent="claude" />,
+  interact: open
+})
+
+export const openTwoDisabled = defineFixture({
+  width: 480,
+  render: () => <Picker agent="claude" disabled={['cursor', 'copilot']} />,
+  interact: open
+})
+
+/** The user's default (Aider) isn't on the image: said once under the picker, not swapped silently. */
+export const fallback = defineFixture({
+  width: 480,
+  render: () => (
+    <Picker
+      agent="claude"
+      notice="Aider isn’t available on Orca Cloud yet, so Claude is selected."
+    />
+  )
+})
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/new-workspace-composer-card-props.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/new-workspace-composer-card-props.ts
index 1fa4bc9b435..ca566812044 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/new-workspace-composer-card-props.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/new-workspace-composer-card-props.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ export type NewWorkspaceComposerCardProps = {
   nameInputRef?: React.RefObject<HTMLInputElement | null>
   quickAgent: TuiAgent | null
   agentSurfaceRows?: AgentComboboxSurfaceRows
+  /** One muted line under the agent picker (Orca Cloud: why another agent is selected). */
+  agentNotice?: string
   agentPickerDraft?: AgentPickerDraft
   agentSetupDisabled?: boolean
   onQuickAgentChange: (
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/use-composer-quick-agent.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/use-composer-quick-agent.ts
index e4570289ffb..2178b08b831 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/use-composer-quick-agent.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/use-composer-quick-agent.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { useMemo } from 'react'
 import { useAppStore } from '@/store/index'
+import { useTranslate } from '@/i18n/use-translate'
+import { formatAgentTypeLabel } from '../../../../shared/agent-status/presentation/agent-type-label'
 import { agentChoicePending } from '@/lib/host-chat-program'
 import { useAgentsOfferedForLaunch } from '@/lib/host-chat-program-acquisition'
 import {
@@ -9,6 +11,7 @@ import {
 } from '@/lib/quick-workspace-agent-selection'
 import {
   ORCA_CLOUD_AGENT_IDS,
+  orcaCloudAgentFallback,
   orcaCloudAgentMenuModel,
   pickOrcaCloudAgent
 } from '@/lib/orca-cloud/orca-cloud-agent-picker'
@@ -35,6 +38,7 @@ export function useComposerQuickAgent(
   quickAgentOverride: TuiAgent | null | undefined,
   setQuickAgentOverride: (agent: TuiAgent | null | undefined) => void
 ) {
+  const t = useTranslate()
   // The picker rows' workspace when known, so the offered list and the rows read one host.
   const launchWorkspace =
     cardProps.agentRows?.target.workspace ?? composerLaunchWorkspace(cardProps)
@@ -79,5 +83,23 @@ export function useComposerQuickAgent(
   const chipAgentIds =
     offeredAgentIds &&
     new Set([...offeredAgentIds, ...(quickAgent && choicePending(quickAgent) ? [quickAgent] : [])])
-  return { orcaCloud, orcaCloudModel, quickAgent, chipAgentIds }
+  // Said, not silent: the agent the user wanted isn't on the image, so another one is selected.
+  const orcaCloudFallback = orcaCloud
+    ? orcaCloudAgentFallback({
+        override: quickAgentOverride,
+        defaultAgent: settings?.defaultTuiAgent,
+        selected: quickAgent
+      })
+    : null
+  const agentNotice = orcaCloudFallback
+    ? t(
+        'components.newWorkspace.orcaCloudAgentFallback',
+        '{{agent}} isn’t available on Orca Cloud yet, so {{fallback}} is selected.',
+        {
+          agent: formatAgentTypeLabel(orcaCloudFallback.wanted),
+          fallback: formatAgentTypeLabel(orcaCloudFallback.selected)
+        }
+      )
+    : undefined
+  return { orcaCloud, orcaCloudModel, quickAgent, chipAgentIds, agentNotice }
 }
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/en.json b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/en.json
index 860d93848f2..e1781c034f2 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/en.json
+++ b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/en.json
@@ -22944,7 +22944,8 @@
         "yamlSource": "orca.yaml",
         "bothSources": "orca.yaml + local",
         "localSource": "local settings"
-      }
+      },
+      "orcaCloudAgentFallback": "{{agent}} isn’t available on Orca Cloud yet, so {{fallback}} is selected."
     },
     "JiraIssueWorkspace": {
       "pendingChange": "Another issue change is in progress."
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/lib/orca-cloud/orca-cloud-agent-picker.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/lib/orca-cloud/orca-cloud-agent-picker.test.ts
index e271d1bdbd5..84ed412b784 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/lib/orca-cloud/orca-cloud-agent-picker.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/lib/orca-cloud/orca-cloud-agent-picker.test.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ import { resolveQuickWorkspaceAgentSelection } from '@/lib/quick-workspace-agent
 import {
   ORCA_CLOUD_AGENT_IDS,
   orcaCloudAgentMenuModel,
-  pickOrcaCloudAgent
+  pickOrcaCloudAgent,
+  orcaCloudAgentFallback
 } from './orca-cloud-agent-picker'
 
 describe('pickOrcaCloudAgent', () => {
@@ -85,3 +86,29 @@ describe('Orca Cloud composer selection repair', () => {
     ).toEqual({ quickAgent: 'cursor', quickAgentOverride: 'cursor' })
   })
 })
+
+describe('orcaCloudAgentFallback', () => {
+  it('names the agent the user wanted when the image does not ship it', () => {
+    expect(
+      orcaCloudAgentFallback({ override: 'aider', defaultAgent: 'claude', selected: 'claude' })
+    ).toEqual({ wanted: 'aider', selected: 'claude' })
+    expect(
+      orcaCloudAgentFallback({ override: undefined, defaultAgent: 'goose', selected: 'claude' })
+    ).toEqual({ wanted: 'goose', selected: 'claude' })
+  })
+
+  it('says nothing once the pick is on the image, for Blank Terminal, or with nothing selected', () => {
+    expect(
+      orcaCloudAgentFallback({ override: 'gemini', defaultAgent: 'goose', selected: 'gemini' })
+    ).toBeNull()
+    expect(
+      orcaCloudAgentFallback({ override: undefined, defaultAgent: 'codex', selected: 'codex' })
+    ).toBeNull()
+    expect(
+      orcaCloudAgentFallback({ override: null, defaultAgent: 'goose', selected: null })
+    ).toBeNull()
+    expect(
+      orcaCloudAgentFallback({ override: undefined, defaultAgent: 'blank', selected: null })
+    ).toBeNull()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/lib/orca-cloud/orca-cloud-agent-picker.ts b/src/renderer/src/lib/orca-cloud/orca-cloud-agent-picker.ts
index 955bb49d95f..d0b0ffd4216 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/lib/orca-cloud/orca-cloud-agent-picker.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/lib/orca-cloud/orca-cloud-agent-picker.ts
@@ -57,3 +57,24 @@ export function orcaCloudAgentMenuModel(
     defaultTuiAgent: settings?.defaultTuiAgent
   }
 }
+
+/**
+ * The agent the user wanted (a local pick made before choosing Orca Cloud, or their default) when the
+ * image doesn't ship it and another agent is selected instead; null when nothing was substituted.
+ */
+export function orcaCloudAgentFallback(args: {
+  override: TuiAgent | null | undefined
+  defaultAgent: TuiAgent | 'blank' | null | undefined
+  selected: TuiAgent | null
+}): { wanted: TuiAgent; selected: TuiAgent } | null {
+  const wanted =
+    args.override !== undefined && args.override !== null
+      ? args.override
+      : args.override === null || args.defaultAgent === 'blank'
+        ? null
+        : (args.defaultAgent ?? null)
+  if (!wanted || !args.selected || isOrcaCloudImageAgent(wanted) || wanted === args.selected) {
+    return null
+  }
+  return { wanted, selected: args.selected }
+}