diff --git a/src/components/chat/conversation-shell.tsx b/src/components/chat/conversation-shell.tsx
index 455adc1..45e4663 100644
--- a/src/components/chat/conversation-shell.tsx
+++ b/src/components/chat/conversation-shell.tsx
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ interface ConversationShellProps {
   availableCommands?: AvailableCommandInfo[] | null
   attachmentTabId?: string | null
   draftStorageKey?: string | null
+  hideInput?: boolean
 }
 
 export function ConversationShell({
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ export function ConversationShell({
   availableCommands,
   attachmentTabId,
   draftStorageKey,
+  hideInput = false,
 }: ConversationShellProps) {
   return (
     <div className="flex h-full min-h-0 flex-col">
@@ -65,24 +67,26 @@ export function ConversationShell({
         onRespond={onRespondPermission}
       />
 
-      <ChatInput
-        status={status}
-        promptCapabilities={promptCapabilities}
-        defaultPath={defaultPath}
-        onFocus={onFocus}
-        onSend={onSend}
-        onCancel={onCancel}
-        modes={modes}
-        configOptions={configOptions}
-        modeLoading={modeLoading}
-        configOptionsLoading={configOptionsLoading}
-        selectedModeId={selectedModeId}
-        onModeChange={onModeChange}
-        onConfigOptionChange={onConfigOptionChange}
-        availableCommands={availableCommands}
-        attachmentTabId={attachmentTabId}
-        draftStorageKey={draftStorageKey}
-      />
+      {!hideInput && (
+        <ChatInput
+          status={status}
+          promptCapabilities={promptCapabilities}
+          defaultPath={defaultPath}
+          onFocus={onFocus}
+          onSend={onSend}
+          onCancel={onCancel}
+          modes={modes}
+          configOptions={configOptions}
+          modeLoading={modeLoading}
+          configOptionsLoading={configOptionsLoading}
+          selectedModeId={selectedModeId}
+          onModeChange={onModeChange}
+          onConfigOptionChange={onConfigOptionChange}
+          availableCommands={availableCommands}
+          attachmentTabId={attachmentTabId}
+          draftStorageKey={draftStorageKey}
+        />
+      )}
 
       {error && (
         <div className="px-4 py-2 text-xs text-destructive bg-destructive/5 border-t border-destructive/20">
diff --git a/src/components/conversations/conversation-detail-panel.tsx b/src/components/conversations/conversation-detail-panel.tsx
index 196cc3c..3454c73 100644
--- a/src/components/conversations/conversation-detail-panel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/conversations/conversation-detail-panel.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { useConnectionLifecycle } from "@/hooks/use-connection-lifecycle"
 import { MessageListView } from "@/components/message/message-list-view"
 import { ConversationShell } from "@/components/chat/conversation-shell"
 import { AgentSelector } from "@/components/chat/agent-selector"
+import { ChatInput } from "@/components/chat/chat-input"
 import {
   createConversation,
   openSettingsWindow,
@@ -151,6 +152,7 @@ const ConversationTabView = memo(function ConversationTabView({
   const [agentConnectError, setAgentConnectError] = useState<string | null>(
     null
   )
+  const [hasSentMessage, setHasSentMessage] = useState(false)
 
   const hasPersistedConversation = dbConversationId != null
   const canAutoConnect =
@@ -425,6 +427,7 @@ const ConversationTabView = memo(function ConversationTabView({
       )
       setSendSignal((prev) => prev + 1)
       setSyncState(effectiveConversationId, "awaiting_persist")
+      setHasSentMessage(true)
       lifecycleSend(draft, selectedModeIdArg)
 
       const persistedId = dbConvIdRef.current
@@ -534,6 +537,9 @@ const ConversationTabView = memo(function ConversationTabView({
     [connConnect, connDisconnect, workingDirForConnection]
   )
 
+  const showDraftHeader = !hasPersistedConversation
+  const isWelcomeMode = showDraftHeader && !hasSentMessage
+
   const messageListNode = (
     <MessageListView
       conversationId={effectiveConversationId}
@@ -543,11 +549,10 @@ const ConversationTabView = memo(function ConversationTabView({
       sessionStats={detail?.session_stats ?? null}
       detailLoading={detailLoading}
       detailError={detailError}
+      hideEmptyState={showDraftHeader}
     />
   )
 
-  const showDraftHeader = !hasPersistedConversation
-
   return (
     <ConversationShell
       status={connStatus}
@@ -569,8 +574,59 @@ const ConversationTabView = memo(function ConversationTabView({
       availableCommands={connectionCommands}
       attachmentTabId={tabId}
       draftStorageKey={draftStorageKey}
+      hideInput={isWelcomeMode}
     >
-      {showDraftHeader ? (
+      {isWelcomeMode ? (
+        <div className="flex h-full min-h-0 flex-col items-center justify-center">
+          <div className="flex w-full max-w-2xl flex-col gap-4 px-4">
+            <AgentSelector
+              defaultAgentType={selectedAgent}
+              onSelect={handleAgentSelect}
+              onAgentsLoaded={(agents) => {
+                setAgentsLoaded(true)
+                setUsableAgentCount(
+                  agents.filter((agent) => agent.enabled && agent.available)
+                    .length
+                )
+              }}
+              onOpenAgentsSettings={handleOpenAgentsSettings}
+              disabled={isConnecting || dbConversationId != null}
+            />
+            {autoConnectError || agentConnectError ? (
+              <button
+                type="button"
+                onClick={handleOpenAgentsSettings}
+                className="w-full cursor-pointer rounded-lg border border-destructive/30 bg-destructive/5 px-3 py-2 text-center text-xs text-destructive transition-colors hover:bg-destructive/10"
+              >
+                <div
+                  className="overflow-hidden text-ellipsis whitespace-nowrap text-center"
+                  title={autoConnectError ?? agentConnectError ?? ""}
+                >
+                  {autoConnectError ?? agentConnectError}
+                </div>
+              </button>
+            ) : null}
+            <ChatInput
+              status={connStatus}
+              promptCapabilities={conn.promptCapabilities}
+              defaultPath={workingDirForConnection}
+              onFocus={handleFocus}
+              onSend={handleSend}
+              onCancel={handleCancel}
+              modes={connectionModes}
+              configOptions={connectionConfigOptions}
+              modeLoading={modeLoading}
+              configOptionsLoading={configOptionsLoading}
+              selectedModeId={selectedModeId}
+              onModeChange={setModeId}
+              onConfigOptionChange={handleSetConfigOption}
+              availableCommands={connectionCommands}
+              attachmentTabId={tabId}
+              draftStorageKey={draftStorageKey}
+            />
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      ) : showDraftHeader ? (
         <div className="flex h-full min-h-0 flex-col">
           <div className="px-4 pt-3 pb-2">
             <AgentSelector
diff --git a/src/components/message/message-list-view.tsx b/src/components/message/message-list-view.tsx
index 47e9397..824c6b6 100644
--- a/src/components/message/message-list-view.tsx
+++ b/src/components/message/message-list-view.tsx
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ interface MessageListViewProps {
   sessionStats?: SessionStats | null
   detailLoading?: boolean
   detailError?: string | null
+  hideEmptyState?: boolean
 }
 
 interface ResolvedMessageGroup extends MessageGroup {
@@ -133,6 +134,7 @@ export function MessageListView({
   sessionStats = null,
   detailLoading = false,
   detailError = null,
+  hideEmptyState = false,
 }: MessageListViewProps) {
   const t = useTranslations("Folder.chat.messageList")
   const sharedT = useTranslations("Folder.chat.shared")
@@ -237,14 +239,15 @@ export function MessageListView({
   }, [])
 
   const emptyState = useMemo(
-    () => (
-      <div className="px-4 py-12 text-center">
-        <p className="text-muted-foreground text-sm">
-          {t("emptyConversation")}
-        </p>
-      </div>
-    ),
-    [t]
+    () =>
+      hideEmptyState ? null : (
+        <div className="px-4 py-12 text-center">
+          <p className="text-muted-foreground text-sm">
+            {t("emptyConversation")}
+          </p>
+        </div>
+      ),
+    [hideEmptyState, t]
   )
 
   const agentPlanOverlayKey = liveMessage?.id ?? `history-${conversationId}`