diff --git a/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/dashboard.html b/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/dashboard.html
index ea30ac6..d95c61e 100644
--- a/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/dashboard.html
+++ b/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/dashboard.html
@@ -1223,11 +1223,9 @@ function switchDashboardTab(name) {
     const button = $("tab-" + tabName);
     if (button) button.classList.toggle("active", tabName === dashboardTab);
   }
-  if (name === "chat") {
-    const promptEl = $("chat-prompt");
-    if (promptEl) promptEl.focus();
-  }
-  refreshActiveTab(true);
+  void refreshActiveTab(true).then(() => {
+    if (dashboardTab === "chat") $("chat-prompt")?.focus();
+  });
 }
 
 function updateSectionVisibility() {
@@ -1636,7 +1634,7 @@ async function loadAccountSummary(force) {
   }
   if (!r.ok) { setSession(null); renderAuthForms(); return false; }
   applyAccountSummary(r.data, force);
-  if (dashboardTab === "chat" && !refreshBlocked()) renderChatModels(force);
+  if (availableModels.length) renderChatModels(Boolean(force));
   return true;
 }
 
@@ -1830,6 +1828,9 @@ function bindChatPromptShortcuts() {
     promptEl.style.height = "auto";
     promptEl.style.height = Math.min(promptEl.scrollHeight, 200) + "px";
   });
+  promptEl.addEventListener("blur", () => {
+    if (pendingChatModelRefresh) renderChatModels(true);
+  });
 }
 
 async function cancelProxyRequest(requestId) {
@@ -1866,6 +1867,21 @@ function applyAvailableModels(models, map) {
   }).filter(model => model.id);
 }
 
+async function preloadChatModels(forceRender) {
+  const [map, models, routing] = await Promise.all([
+    fetchJson("/v1/network/map"),
+    fetchJson("/v1/models"),
+    fetchJson("/v1/routing"),
+  ]);
+  if (routing) lastRouting = routing;
+  applyAvailableModels(models, map);
+  if (forceRender !== false) {
+    panelSig.chatModels = null;
+    renderChatModels(true);
+  }
+  return { map, models, routing };
+}
+
 function markRefreshed() {
   $("refreshed").textContent = "refreshed " + new Date().toLocaleTimeString();
 }
@@ -1893,20 +1909,10 @@ async function fetchOverviewTab() {
 }
 
 async function fetchChatTab() {
-  const fetches = [
-    fetchJson("/v1/network/map"),
-    fetchJson("/v1/models"),
-    fetchJson("/v1/routing"),
-  ];
-  if (isLoggedIn) fetches.push(apiCall("/v1/account"));
-  const [map, models, routing, accountResp] = await Promise.all(fetches);
-  lastRouting = routing;
-  applyAvailableModels(models, map);
-  if (accountResp && accountResp.ok) applyAccountSummary(accountResp.data, false);
-  if (!refreshBlocked()) {
-    renderChatModels(true);
-  } else {
-    pendingChatModelRefresh = true;
+  await preloadChatModels(true);
+  if (isLoggedIn) {
+    const accountResp = await apiCall("/v1/account");
+    if (accountResp && accountResp.ok) applyAccountSummary(accountResp.data, false);
   }
 }
 
@@ -2003,10 +2009,12 @@ bindChatPromptShortcuts();
 (async () => {
   if (sessionToken) await loadAccountSummary(true);
   else renderAuthForms();
-  await refreshActiveTab(true);
+  await Promise.all([
+    preloadChatModels(true),
+    refreshActiveTab(true),
+  ]);
   renderChatHistory(true);
   renderChatAuthHint();
-  if (dashboardTab === "chat") renderChatModels(true);
 })();
 setInterval(pollCallWallIfIdle, CALL_WALL_POLL_MS);
 </script>
diff --git a/tests/test_dashboard.py b/tests/test_dashboard.py
index a43d8f9..b37a472 100644
--- a/tests/test_dashboard.py
+++ b/tests/test_dashboard.py
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ def test_dashboard_chat_uses_streaming_fetch():
     assert ".body.getReader()" in html
     assert '=== "[DONE]"' in html
     assert 'console.error("chat stream failed", err)' in html
+    assert "preloadChatModels" in html
+    assert "renderChatModels(true)" in html
 
 
 def test_network_map_includes_node_friendly_name():