diff --git a/src/frontend/web/von_interface/static/css/participantProfile.css b/src/frontend/web/von_interface/static/css/participantProfile.css
index 7f92be4c..6b6d8625 100644
--- a/src/frontend/web/von_interface/static/css/participantProfile.css
+++ b/src/frontend/web/von_interface/static/css/participantProfile.css
@@ -49,7 +49,9 @@
 .catalogue-filters input { min-width: 0; width: 100%; padding: 6px; font-size: 12px; border: 1px solid #cdd7de; border-radius: 5px; }
 .catalogue-filters button { font-size: 12px; border: 1px solid #cdd7de; border-radius: 5px; padding: 4px; background: white; color: #243449; }
 .catalogue-filters button[aria-pressed=true] { background: #dceafa; }
-.viewing-message-exchange .conversation-model-controls, .viewing-message-exchange .conversation-model-controls + .footer-separator, .viewing-message-exchange #conversationRuntimeCostInfo { display: none; }
+/* Model settings remain reachable across conversation types. Their visibility
+   follows the footer preference; only chat-specific cost is hidden here. */
+.viewing-message-exchange #conversationRuntimeCostInfo { display: none; }
 .conversation-unread-badge { background: #466eab; color: white; border-radius: 10px; padding: 1px 6px; font-size: 11px; }
 .conversation-unread-badge[hidden] { display: none; }
 .chat-session-tab-header > .participant-avatar { margin-right: 5px; vertical-align: middle; }
diff --git a/tests/browser/footerModelVisibility.cjs b/tests/browser/footerModelVisibility.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..28e162df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/browser/footerModelVisibility.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+// Candidate-source fixture with mocked APIs; no backend, credentials or model calls.
+// Optional native zoom: DISPLAY=<isolated display> XDOTOOL=<path> ... node this-file.
+const { chromium, expect } = require('@playwright/test');
+const fs = require('node:fs');
+const path = require('node:path');
+const http = require('node:http');
+const { createHash } = require('node:crypto');
+const { execFileSync } = require('node:child_process');
+const root = path.resolve(__dirname, '../../src/frontend/web/von_interface');
+const template = fs.readFileSync(path.join(root, 'templates/von_interface.html'), 'utf8');
+const footer = template.slice(template.indexOf('  <!-- Footer for Model Info -->'), template.indexOf('  <!-- RAG Status Modal -->')).replace(/{%.*?%}/g, '');
+const output = process.argv[2] || '.run/footer-model-visibility';
+const baseline = process.argv.includes('--baseline');
+const native = Boolean(process.env.DISPLAY && process.env.XDOTOOL);
+const html = `<link rel="stylesheet" href="/static/styles.css"><link rel="stylesheet" href="/static/css/participantProfile.css">
+<button id="chat">Chat</button><button id="exchange">Messages</button>
+<button class="tab-button" data-tab="settingsTab" onclick="window.settingsOpened=true">Settings</button>
+<div id="conversationWorkspace"><div id="messagesContainer"></div></div>${footer}
+<script type="module">
+import { setModelInfoFooterText } from '/static/js/domUtils.js';
+import { selectMessageConversation, showChatConversation } from '/static/js/components/conversationCatalogue.js';
+import { mountFooterPreferences } from '/static/js/utils/footerPreferences.js';
+localStorage.setItem('von_current_user', JSON.stringify({name:'Footer Test User',concept_id:'#V#footer_test'}));
+window.refreshFooter = setModelInfoFooterText;
+window.openExchange = () => selectMessageConversation({session_id:'fixture',viewer_id:'#V#footer_test',participant_ids:['#V#footer_test','#V#peer'],other_participant_ids:['#V#peer'],session_name:'Fixture peer'});
+document.querySelector('#exchange').onclick = window.openExchange;
+document.querySelector('#chat').onclick = showChatConversation;
+mountFooterPreferences();
+document.documentElement.setAttribute('data-footer-database','true');
+await setModelInfoFooterText();
+window.fixtureReady = true;
+</script>`;
+const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
+    if (req.url === '/') { res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/html'); return res.end(html); }
+    if (!req.url.startsWith('/static/') || req.url.includes('..')) { res.writeHead(404); return res.end(); }
+    const file = path.join(root, req.url.split('?')[0]);
+    res.setHeader('Content-Type', file.endsWith('.js') ? 'text/javascript' : 'text/css');
+    try { res.end(fs.readFileSync(file)); } catch { res.writeHead(404); res.end(); }
+});
+(async () => {
+    fs.mkdirSync(output, { recursive: true });
+    await new Promise(resolve => server.listen(0, '127.0.0.1', resolve));
+    const browser = await chromium.launch({headless:!native,args:native ? ['--window-size=1600,1000','--disable-gpu'] : []});
+    const page = await browser.newPage({viewport:native ? null : {width:1600,height:1000}});
+    const errors = [];
+    page.on('pageerror', error => errors.push(error.message));
+    let missing = false;
+    let releaseProbe;
+    let pendingProbe;
+    let probeWaiting = false;
+    await page.route('**/api/**', async route => {
+        const url = route.request().url();
+        let body = {};
+        if (/\/settings\/?$/.test(new URL(url).pathname)) body = missing ? {} : {resolved_llm:{model:'gpt-6-astra',provider:'openai'}};
+        if (url.includes('/llm/info')) {
+            if (pendingProbe) { probeWaiting = true; await pendingProbe; probeWaiting = false; }
+            body = missing ? {} : {model:'gpt-6-astra',provider:'openai',status:'ready'};
+        }
+        if (url.includes('/auth/status')) body = {authenticated:true,email:'footer@example.test'};
+        if (url.includes('capability-index/status')) body = {ready:true,status:'ready'};
+        if (url.includes('my_organisations')) body = {organisations:[{concept_id:'#V#footer_org',name:'Fixture Organisation',role:'member'}]};
+        if (url.includes('/messages/')) body = {success:true,messages:[],threads:[],conversations:[]};
+        return route.fulfill({json:body});
+    });
+    const evidence = [];
+    const model = page.locator('.conversation-model-controls');
+    async function check(name, hidden = false) {
+        await expect(model)[hidden ? 'toBeHidden' : 'toBeVisible']();
+        await expect(page.locator('.footer-user-segment')).toBeVisible();
+        await expect(page.locator('.footer-org-switcher')).toBeVisible();
+        await expect(page.locator('.db-conn-badge')).toBeVisible();
+        evidence.push(await page.evaluate(name => ({name,exchange:document.body.classList.contains('viewing-message-exchange'),modelDisplay:getComputedStyle(document.querySelector('.conversation-model-controls')).display,model:document.querySelector('.conversation-model-controls').textContent,dpr:devicePixelRatio,innerWidth,outerWidth}), name));
+    }
+    try {
+        await page.goto(`http://127.0.0.1:${server.address().port}`);
+        await page.waitForFunction(() => window.fixtureReady);
+        await check('initial');
+        await expect(model).toContainText('gpt-6-astra');
+        await page.evaluate(() => window.openExchange());
+        await check('message exchange', baseline);
+        await page.screenshot({path:path.join(output,'message-exchange.png')});
+        await page.evaluate(() => window.refreshFooter());
+        await check('refresh in message exchange', baseline);
+        await page.locator('#chat').click();
+        await check('return to chat');
+        pendingProbe = new Promise(resolve => { releaseProbe = resolve; });
+        await page.evaluate(() => { window.footerPending = window.refreshFooter(); });
+        await expect.poll(() => probeWaiting).toBe(true);
+        await check('pending model status refresh');
+        releaseProbe(); pendingProbe = null;
+        await page.evaluate(() => window.footerPending);
+        missing = true;
+        await page.reload();
+        await page.waitForFunction(() => window.fixtureReady);
+        await check('reload without model metadata');
+        await expect(model).toContainText('Not Set');
+        await model.locator('button').click();
+        expect(await page.evaluate(() => window.settingsOpened)).toBe(true);
+        missing = false;
+        await page.reload();
+        await page.waitForFunction(() => window.fixtureReady);
+        await page.evaluate(() => window.openExchange());
+        if (native) {
+            const key = (...args) => execFileSync(process.env.XDOTOOL,args,{encoding:'utf8'});
+            await page.bringToFront();
+            const windows = key('search','--onlyvisible','--class','Chromium').trim().split('\n');
+            expect(windows).toHaveLength(1);
+            key('windowfocus','--sync',windows[0]);
+            for (const [zoom, presses] of [[1,0],[1.25,2],[1.5,1],[2,2],[1,-1]]) {
+                if (presses <= 0) key('key','ctrl+0');
+                else for (let n=0;n<presses;n++) key('key','ctrl+equal');
+                await expect.poll(() => page.evaluate(() => devicePixelRatio)).toBe(zoom);
+                await check(`native zoom ${zoom}`, baseline);
+            }
+        }
+        await page.locator('#chat').click();
+        await page.setViewportSize({width:390,height:844});
+        await check('narrow chat');
+        await page.evaluate(() => document.documentElement.setAttribute('data-footer-model','false'));
+        await check('explicit hidden preference', true);
+        await page.evaluate(() => document.documentElement.setAttribute('data-footer-model','true'));
+        await check('restored preference');
+        expect(errors).toEqual([]);
+        fs.writeFileSync(path.join(output,'receipt.json'),JSON.stringify({sourceCommit:execFileSync('git',['rev-parse','HEAD'],{encoding:'utf8'}).trim(),stylesheetSha256:createHash('sha256').update(fs.readFileSync(path.join(root,'static/css/participantProfile.css'))).digest('hex'),browser:browser.version(),baseline,native,fixture:'actual footer renderer, CSS and message/chat route functions; mocked API responses',evidence,errors},null,2));
+        console.log(JSON.stringify(evidence));
+    } finally { await browser.close(); server.close(); }
+})().catch(error => { console.error(error); server.close(); process.exitCode=1; });