diff --git a/mobile/lib/features/agents/agent_model_picker.dart b/mobile/lib/features/agents/agent_model_picker.dart
index 7433e78cae..6eb8570118 100644
--- a/mobile/lib/features/agents/agent_model_picker.dart
+++ b/mobile/lib/features/agents/agent_model_picker.dart
@@ -120,9 +120,9 @@ bool validAgentModelSelection(
 
 /// The model and effort a new agent starts with, so the easy path is a
 /// capable but affordable choice rather than a blank (or the priciest) one.
-/// A draft's own model wins when the catalog offers it; otherwise the first
-/// Sonnet model, at medium effort when supported. Anything the catalog
-/// doesn't offer is left for the user to choose.
+/// A draft's own model wins when the catalog offers it; then the service's
+/// recommendation; otherwise the first Sonnet model, at medium effort when
+/// supported. Anything the catalog doesn't offer is left for the user.
 (String?, String?) startingAgentModel(
   List<RemoteAgentModel> catalog, {
   String? draftModel,
@@ -135,6 +135,12 @@ bool validAgentModelSelection(
       drafted.efforts.contains(draftEffort) ? draftEffort : null,
     );
   }
+  final recommended = catalog
+      .where((entry) => entry.recommendedEffort != null)
+      .firstOrNull;
+  if (recommended != null) {
+    return (recommended.id, recommended.recommendedEffort);
+  }
   final fallback = catalog
       .where((entry) => entry.id.toLowerCase().contains('sonnet'))
       .firstOrNull;
diff --git a/mobile/lib/shared/agents/remote_agents.dart b/mobile/lib/shared/agents/remote_agents.dart
index c9ba3040f0..4cfedd5bee 100644
--- a/mobile/lib/shared/agents/remote_agents.dart
+++ b/mobile/lib/shared/agents/remote_agents.dart
@@ -492,7 +492,10 @@ class RemoteAgentController extends ChangeNotifier {
     }
     final rows = result['models'];
     if (rows is! List) throw StateError('Could not load available models.');
-    return rows.map((row) => RemoteAgentModel.fromJson(row)).toList();
+    final recommended = result['recommended_selection'];
+    return rows
+        .map((row) => RemoteAgentModel.fromJson(row, recommended: recommended))
+        .toList();
   }
 
   /// Saves only an active agent owned by this account, then verifies readback.
@@ -986,12 +989,19 @@ class RemoteAgentModel {
     required this.id,
     required this.name,
     required this.efforts,
+    this.recommendedEffort,
   });
   final String id;
   final String name;
   final List<String> efforts;
 
-  factory RemoteAgentModel.fromJson(dynamic value) {
+  /// Set when the service recommends this model, at this effort, for new
+  /// agents. Creation guidance only; it never replaces a saved choice.
+  final String? recommendedEffort;
+
+  /// [recommended] is the catalog's optional `recommended_selection`; a
+  /// malformed one, or one naming a pair this model lacks, is ignored.
+  factory RemoteAgentModel.fromJson(dynamic value, {dynamic recommended}) {
     if (value is! Map ||
         value['id'] is! String ||
         (value['id'] as String).trim().isEmpty ||
@@ -1005,10 +1015,18 @@ class RemoteAgentModel {
         efforts.any((item) => item is! String || item.trim().isEmpty)) {
       throw StateError('Invalid model catalog.');
     }
+    final id = value['id'] as String;
+    final recommendedEffort =
+        recommended is Map && recommended['model_id'] == id
+        ? recommended['reasoning_effort']
+        : null;
     return RemoteAgentModel(
-      id: value['id'] as String,
+      id: id,
       name: value['display_name'] as String,
       efforts: List<String>.from(efforts),
+      recommendedEffort: efforts.contains(recommendedEffort)
+          ? recommendedEffort as String
+          : null,
     );
   }
 }
diff --git a/mobile/test/features/agents/agent_model_picker_test.dart b/mobile/test/features/agents/agent_model_picker_test.dart
index 302d104eff..31ef0708bd 100644
--- a/mobile/test/features/agents/agent_model_picker_test.dart
+++ b/mobile/test/features/agents/agent_model_picker_test.dart
@@ -30,6 +30,44 @@ void main() {
     expect(startingAgentModel([opus, highOnly]), ('claude-sonnet-5', null));
   });
 
+  test('the service recommendation wins over the Sonnet fallback', () {
+    final recommendedOpus = RemoteAgentModel.fromJson(
+      {
+        'id': opus.id,
+        'display_name': opus.name,
+        'supported_reasoning_efforts': opus.efforts,
+      },
+      recommended: {'model_id': opus.id, 'reasoning_effort': 'high'},
+    );
+    expect(startingAgentModel([recommendedOpus, sonnet]), (opus.id, 'high'));
+    expect(
+      startingAgentModel(
+        [recommendedOpus, sonnet],
+        draftModel: sonnet.id,
+        draftEffort: 'low',
+      ),
+      (sonnet.id, 'low'),
+    );
+  });
+
+  test('ignores a recommendation the model does not offer', () {
+    for (final recommended in [
+      {'model_id': opus.id, 'reasoning_effort': 'max'},
+      {'model_id': 'gone', 'reasoning_effort': 'high'},
+      {'model_id': opus.id},
+      'opus',
+      null,
+    ]) {
+      final model = RemoteAgentModel.fromJson({
+        'id': opus.id,
+        'display_name': opus.name,
+        'supported_reasoning_efforts': opus.efforts,
+      }, recommended: recommended);
+      expect(model.recommendedEffort, isNull, reason: '$recommended');
+      expect(startingAgentModel([model, sonnet]), (sonnet.id, 'medium'));
+    }
+  });
+
   test('chooses nothing when no Sonnet is offered', () {
     expect(startingAgentModel([opus]), (null, null));
   });
diff --git a/mobile/test/features/agents/create_agent_page_test.dart b/mobile/test/features/agents/create_agent_page_test.dart
index b29ccc9336..6b1b41117a 100644
--- a/mobile/test/features/agents/create_agent_page_test.dart
+++ b/mobile/test/features/agents/create_agent_page_test.dart
@@ -279,6 +279,36 @@ void main() {
       isNotNull,
     );
   });
+
+  testWidgets('a new agent starts on the service-recommended model', (
+    tester,
+  ) async {
+    final h = await AgentsHarness.create();
+    h.registry.models = [
+      {
+        'id': 'premium-model',
+        'display_name': 'Premium model',
+        'supported_reasoning_efforts': ['low', 'medium', 'high'],
+      },
+      {
+        'id': 'kgoose-claude-sonnet-4-6',
+        'display_name': 'Sonnet',
+        'supported_reasoning_efforts': ['low', 'medium', 'high'],
+      },
+    ];
+    h.registry.recommendedSelection = {
+      'model_id': 'premium-model',
+      'reasoning_effort': 'high',
+    };
+    await h.open(tester, directory: [existing]);
+    if (!supportsRemoteAgents(h.community)) return;
+    await tester.tap(find.byTooltip('Add agent'));
+    await tester.pumpAndSettle();
+
+    expect(find.text('Premium model'), findsOneWidget);
+    expect(find.text('Sonnet'), findsNothing);
+    expect(find.text('high'), findsOneWidget);
+  });
 }
 
 class _StalledPosterClient implements HttpClient {
diff --git a/mobile/test/helpers/remote_agents_fixture.dart b/mobile/test/helpers/remote_agents_fixture.dart
index 7f7429ad02..2b5ecffed9 100644
--- a/mobile/test/helpers/remote_agents_fixture.dart
+++ b/mobile/test/helpers/remote_agents_fixture.dart
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ class FakeRegistry extends BuilderlabAccountClient {
       'supported_reasoning_efforts': ['max'],
     },
   ];
+  Map<String, dynamic>? recommendedSelection;
   Completer<void>? catalogGate;
   bool failCatalog = false;
   bool failListing = false;
@@ -98,7 +99,10 @@ class FakeRegistry extends BuilderlabAccountClient {
       case '/v3/beekeeper/get-model-catalog':
         await catalogGate?.future;
         if (failCatalog) throw StateError('Catalog unavailable.');
-        return {'models': models};
+        return {
+          'models': models,
+          'recommended_selection': ?recommendedSelection,
+        };
       case '/v3/beekeeper/list-agents':
         if (failListing) throw StateError('Registry unavailable.');
         return {'status': 1, 'agents': listed};