diff --git a/web/src/app/chat/ChatPage.tsx b/web/src/app/chat/ChatPage.tsx
index a1e5fd2b7..e63e57212 100644
--- a/web/src/app/chat/ChatPage.tsx
+++ b/web/src/app/chat/ChatPage.tsx
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ import {
   removeMessage,
   sendMessage,
   setMessageAsLatest,
+  updateLlmOverrideForChatSession,
   updateParentChildren,
   uploadFilesForChat,
   useScrollonStream,
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ import {
 import { usePopup } from "@/components/admin/connectors/Popup";
 import { SEARCH_PARAM_NAMES, shouldSubmitOnLoad } from "./searchParams";
 import { useDocumentSelection } from "./useDocumentSelection";
-import { LlmOverride, useFilters, useLlmOverride } from "@/lib/hooks";
+import { LlmDescriptor, useFilters, useLlmManager } from "@/lib/hooks";
 import { ChatState, FeedbackType, RegenerationState } from "./types";
 import { DocumentResults } from "./documentSidebar/DocumentResults";
 import { OnyxInitializingLoader } from "@/components/OnyxInitializingLoader";
@@ -89,7 +90,11 @@ import {
 import { buildFilters } from "@/lib/search/utils";
 import { SettingsContext } from "@/components/settings/SettingsProvider";
 import Dropzone from "react-dropzone";
-import { checkLLMSupportsImageInput, getFinalLLM } from "@/lib/llm/utils";
+import {
+  checkLLMSupportsImageInput,
+  getFinalLLM,
+  structureValue,
+} from "@/lib/llm/utils";
 import { ChatInputBar } from "./input/ChatInputBar";
 import { useChatContext } from "@/components/context/ChatContext";
 import { v4 as uuidv4 } from "uuid";
@@ -356,7 +361,7 @@ export function ChatPage({
     ]
   );
 
-  const llmOverrideManager = useLlmOverride(
+  const llmManager = useLlmManager(
     llmProviders,
     selectedChatSession,
     liveAssistant
@@ -1138,7 +1143,7 @@ export function ChatPage({
     forceSearch,
     isSeededChat,
     alternativeAssistantOverride = null,
-    modelOverRide,
+    modelOverride,
     regenerationRequest,
     overrideFileDescriptors,
   }: {
@@ -1148,7 +1153,7 @@ export function ChatPage({
     forceSearch?: boolean;
     isSeededChat?: boolean;
     alternativeAssistantOverride?: Persona | null;
-    modelOverRide?: LlmOverride;
+    modelOverride?: LlmDescriptor;
     regenerationRequest?: RegenerationRequest | null;
     overrideFileDescriptors?: FileDescriptor[];
   } = {}) => {
@@ -1191,6 +1196,22 @@ export function ChatPage({
       currChatSessionId = chatSessionIdRef.current as string;
     }
     frozenSessionId = currChatSessionId;
+    // update the selected model for the chat session if one is specified so that
+    // it persists across page reloads. Do not `await` here so that the message
+    // request can continue and this will just happen in the background.
+    // NOTE: only set the model override for the chat session once we send a
+    // message with it. If the user switches models and then starts a new
+    // chat session, it is unexpected for that model to be used when they
+    // return to this session the next day.
+    let finalLLM = modelOverride || llmManager.currentLlm;
+    updateLlmOverrideForChatSession(
+      currChatSessionId,
+      structureValue(
+        finalLLM.name || "",
+        finalLLM.provider || "",
+        finalLLM.modelName || ""
+      )
+    );
 
     updateStatesWithNewSessionId(currChatSessionId);
 
@@ -1250,11 +1271,14 @@ export function ChatPage({
         : null) ||
       (messageMap.size === 1 ? Array.from(messageMap.values())[0] : null);
 
-    const currentAssistantId = alternativeAssistantOverride
-      ? alternativeAssistantOverride.id
-      : alternativeAssistant
-        ? alternativeAssistant.id
-        : liveAssistant.id;
+    let currentAssistantId;
+    if (alternativeAssistantOverride) {
+      currentAssistantId = alternativeAssistantOverride.id;
+    } else if (alternativeAssistant) {
+      currentAssistantId = alternativeAssistant.id;
+    } else {
+      currentAssistantId = liveAssistant.id;
+    }
 
     resetInputBar();
     let messageUpdates: Message[] | null = null;
@@ -1326,15 +1350,13 @@ export function ChatPage({
         forceSearch,
         regenerate: regenerationRequest !== undefined,
         modelProvider:
-          modelOverRide?.name ||
-          llmOverrideManager.llmOverride.name ||
-          undefined,
+          modelOverride?.name || llmManager.currentLlm.name || undefined,
         modelVersion:
-          modelOverRide?.modelName ||
-          llmOverrideManager.llmOverride.modelName ||
+          modelOverride?.modelName ||
+          llmManager.currentLlm.modelName ||
           searchParams.get(SEARCH_PARAM_NAMES.MODEL_VERSION) ||
           undefined,
-        temperature: llmOverrideManager.temperature || undefined,
+        temperature: llmManager.temperature || undefined,
         systemPromptOverride:
           searchParams.get(SEARCH_PARAM_NAMES.SYSTEM_PROMPT) || undefined,
         useExistingUserMessage: isSeededChat,
@@ -1802,7 +1824,7 @@ export function ChatPage({
     const [_, llmModel] = getFinalLLM(
       llmProviders,
       liveAssistant,
-      llmOverrideManager.llmOverride
+      llmManager.currentLlm
     );
     const llmAcceptsImages = checkLLMSupportsImageInput(llmModel);
 
@@ -2121,7 +2143,7 @@ export function ChatPage({
   }, [searchParams, router]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    llmOverrideManager.updateImageFilesPresent(imageFileInMessageHistory);
+    llmManager.updateImageFilesPresent(imageFileInMessageHistory);
   }, [imageFileInMessageHistory]);
 
   const pathname = usePathname();
@@ -2175,9 +2197,9 @@ export function ChatPage({
 
   function createRegenerator(regenerationRequest: RegenerationRequest) {
     // Returns new function that only needs `modelOverRide` to be specified when called
-    return async function (modelOverRide: LlmOverride) {
+    return async function (modelOverride: LlmDescriptor) {
       return await onSubmit({
-        modelOverRide,
+        modelOverride,
         messageIdToResend: regenerationRequest.parentMessage.messageId,
         regenerationRequest,
         forceSearch: regenerationRequest.forceSearch,
@@ -2258,9 +2280,7 @@ export function ChatPage({
       {(settingsToggled || userSettingsToggled) && (
         <UserSettingsModal
           setPopup={setPopup}
-          setLlmOverride={(newOverride) =>
-            llmOverrideManager.updateLLMOverride(newOverride)
-          }
+          setCurrentLlm={(newLlm) => llmManager.updateCurrentLlm(newLlm)}
           defaultModel={user?.preferences.default_model!}
           llmProviders={llmProviders}
           onClose={() => {
@@ -2324,7 +2344,7 @@ export function ChatPage({
         <ShareChatSessionModal
           assistantId={liveAssistant?.id}
           message={message}
-          modelOverride={llmOverrideManager.llmOverride}
+          modelOverride={llmManager.currentLlm}
           chatSessionId={sharedChatSession.id}
           existingSharedStatus={sharedChatSession.shared_status}
           onClose={() => setSharedChatSession(null)}
@@ -2342,7 +2362,7 @@ export function ChatPage({
         <ShareChatSessionModal
           message={message}
           assistantId={liveAssistant?.id}
-          modelOverride={llmOverrideManager.llmOverride}
+          modelOverride={llmManager.currentLlm}
           chatSessionId={chatSessionIdRef.current}
           existingSharedStatus={chatSessionSharedStatus}
           onClose={() => setSharingModalVisible(false)}
@@ -3058,7 +3078,7 @@ export function ChatPage({
                                               messageId: message.messageId,
                                               parentMessage: parentMessage!,
                                               forceSearch: true,
-                                            })(llmOverrideManager.llmOverride);
+                                            })(llmManager.currentLlm);
                                           } else {
                                             setPopup({
                                               type: "error",
@@ -3203,7 +3223,7 @@ export function ChatPage({
                               availableDocumentSets={documentSets}
                               availableTags={tags}
                               filterManager={filterManager}
-                              llmOverrideManager={llmOverrideManager}
+                              llmManager={llmManager}
                               removeDocs={() => {
                                 clearSelectedDocuments();
                               }}
diff --git a/web/src/app/chat/RegenerateOption.tsx b/web/src/app/chat/RegenerateOption.tsx
index f947ebf78..1265db2eb 100644
--- a/web/src/app/chat/RegenerateOption.tsx
+++ b/web/src/app/chat/RegenerateOption.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import { useChatContext } from "@/components/context/ChatContext";
 import {
   getDisplayNameForModel,
-  LlmOverride,
-  useLlmOverride,
+  LlmDescriptor,
+  useLlmManager,
 } from "@/lib/hooks";
 import { StringOrNumberOption } from "@/components/Dropdown";
 
@@ -106,13 +106,13 @@ export default function RegenerateOption({
   onDropdownVisibleChange,
 }: {
   selectedAssistant: Persona;
-  regenerate: (modelOverRide: LlmOverride) => Promise<void>;
+  regenerate: (modelOverRide: LlmDescriptor) => Promise<void>;
   overriddenModel?: string;
   onHoverChange: (isHovered: boolean) => void;
   onDropdownVisibleChange: (isVisible: boolean) => void;
 }) {
   const { llmProviders } = useChatContext();
-  const llmOverrideManager = useLlmOverride(llmProviders);
+  const llmManager = useLlmManager(llmProviders);
 
   const [_, llmName] = getFinalLLM(llmProviders, selectedAssistant, null);
 
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ export default function RegenerateOption({
   );
 
   const currentModelName =
-    llmOverrideManager?.llmOverride.modelName ||
+    llmManager?.currentLlm.modelName ||
     (selectedAssistant
       ? selectedAssistant.llm_model_version_override || llmName
       : llmName);
diff --git a/web/src/app/chat/input/ChatInputBar.tsx b/web/src/app/chat/input/ChatInputBar.tsx
index 4010be443..f8a5c34aa 100644
--- a/web/src/app/chat/input/ChatInputBar.tsx
+++ b/web/src/app/chat/input/ChatInputBar.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { Persona } from "@/app/admin/assistants/interfaces";
 import LLMPopover from "./LLMPopover";
 import { InputPrompt } from "@/app/chat/interfaces";
 
-import { FilterManager, LlmOverrideManager } from "@/lib/hooks";
+import { FilterManager, LlmManager } from "@/lib/hooks";
 import { useChatContext } from "@/components/context/ChatContext";
 import { ChatFileType, FileDescriptor } from "../interfaces";
 import {
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ interface ChatInputBarProps {
   setMessage: (message: string) => void;
   stopGenerating: () => void;
   onSubmit: () => void;
-  llmOverrideManager: LlmOverrideManager;
+  llmManager: LlmManager;
   chatState: ChatState;
   alternativeAssistant: Persona | null;
   // assistants
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ export function ChatInputBar({
   availableSources,
   availableDocumentSets,
   availableTags,
-  llmOverrideManager,
+  llmManager,
   proSearchEnabled,
   setProSearchEnabled,
 }: ChatInputBarProps) {
@@ -781,7 +781,7 @@ export function ChatInputBar({
 
                 <LLMPopover
                   llmProviders={llmProviders}
-                  llmOverrideManager={llmOverrideManager}
+                  llmManager={llmManager}
                   requiresImageGeneration={false}
                   currentAssistant={selectedAssistant}
                 />
diff --git a/web/src/app/chat/input/LLMPopover.tsx b/web/src/app/chat/input/LLMPopover.tsx
index ad7e18e8e..1a4b6ab08 100644
--- a/web/src/app/chat/input/LLMPopover.tsx
+++ b/web/src/app/chat/input/LLMPopover.tsx
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import {
   LLMProviderDescriptor,
 } from "@/app/admin/configuration/llm/interfaces";
 import { Persona } from "@/app/admin/assistants/interfaces";
-import { LlmOverrideManager } from "@/lib/hooks";
+import { LlmManager } from "@/lib/hooks";
 
 import {
   Tooltip,
@@ -31,21 +31,19 @@ import { useUser } from "@/components/user/UserProvider";
 
 interface LLMPopoverProps {
   llmProviders: LLMProviderDescriptor[];
-  llmOverrideManager: LlmOverrideManager;
+  llmManager: LlmManager;
   requiresImageGeneration?: boolean;
   currentAssistant?: Persona;
 }
 
 export default function LLMPopover({
   llmProviders,
-  llmOverrideManager,
+  llmManager,
   requiresImageGeneration,
   currentAssistant,
 }: LLMPopoverProps) {
   const [isOpen, setIsOpen] = useState(false);
   const { user } = useUser();
-  const { llmOverride, updateLLMOverride } = llmOverrideManager;
-  const currentLlm = llmOverride.modelName;
 
   const llmOptionsByProvider: {
     [provider: string]: {
@@ -93,19 +91,19 @@ export default function LLMPopover({
     : null;
 
   const [localTemperature, setLocalTemperature] = useState(
-    llmOverrideManager.temperature ?? 0.5
+    llmManager.temperature ?? 0.5
   );
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    setLocalTemperature(llmOverrideManager.temperature ?? 0.5);
-  }, [llmOverrideManager.temperature]);
+    setLocalTemperature(llmManager.temperature ?? 0.5);
+  }, [llmManager.temperature]);
 
   const handleTemperatureChange = (value: number[]) => {
     setLocalTemperature(value[0]);
   };
 
   const handleTemperatureChangeComplete = (value: number[]) => {
-    llmOverrideManager.updateTemperature(value[0]);
+    llmManager.updateTemperature(value[0]);
   };
 
   return (
@@ -120,15 +118,15 @@ export default function LLMPopover({
             toggle
             flexPriority="stiff"
             name={getDisplayNameForModel(
-              llmOverrideManager?.llmOverride.modelName ||
+              llmManager?.currentLlm.modelName ||
                 defaultModelDisplayName ||
                 "Models"
             )}
             Icon={getProviderIcon(
-              llmOverrideManager?.llmOverride.provider ||
+              llmManager?.currentLlm.provider ||
                 defaultProvider?.provider ||
                 "anthropic",
-              llmOverrideManager?.llmOverride.modelName ||
+              llmManager?.currentLlm.modelName ||
                 defaultProvider?.default_model_name ||
                 "claude-3-5-sonnet-20240620"
             )}
@@ -147,12 +145,12 @@ export default function LLMPopover({
                 <button
                   key={index}
                   className={`w-full flex items-center gap-x-2 px-3 py-2 text-sm text-left hover:bg-background-100 dark:hover:bg-neutral-800 transition-colors duration-150 ${
-                    currentLlm === name
+                    llmManager.currentLlm.modelName === name
                       ? "bg-background-100 dark:bg-neutral-900 text-text"
                       : "text-text-darker"
                   }`}
                   onClick={() => {
-                    updateLLMOverride(destructureValue(value));
+                    llmManager.updateCurrentLlm(destructureValue(value));
                     setIsOpen(false);
                   }}
                 >
@@ -172,7 +170,7 @@ export default function LLMPopover({
                       );
                     }
                   })()}
-                  {llmOverrideManager.imageFilesPresent &&
+                  {llmManager.imageFilesPresent &&
                     !checkLLMSupportsImageInput(name) && (
                       <TooltipProvider>
                         <Tooltip delayDuration={0}>
@@ -199,7 +197,7 @@ export default function LLMPopover({
             <div className="w-full px-3 py-2">
               <Slider
                 value={[localTemperature]}
-                max={llmOverrideManager.maxTemperature}
+                max={llmManager.maxTemperature}
                 min={0}
                 step={0.01}
                 onValueChange={handleTemperatureChange}
diff --git a/web/src/app/chat/lib.tsx b/web/src/app/chat/lib.tsx
index 38d5386d9..62c908d55 100644
--- a/web/src/app/chat/lib.tsx
+++ b/web/src/app/chat/lib.tsx
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ export function getChatRetentionInfo(
   };
 }
 
-export async function updateModelOverrideForChatSession(
+export async function updateLlmOverrideForChatSession(
   chatSessionId: string,
   newAlternateModel: string
 ) {
diff --git a/web/src/app/chat/message/AgenticMessage.tsx b/web/src/app/chat/message/AgenticMessage.tsx
index e0ed44070..f5a1d1094 100644
--- a/web/src/app/chat/message/AgenticMessage.tsx
+++ b/web/src/app/chat/message/AgenticMessage.tsx
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ import { ValidSources } from "@/lib/types";
 import { useMouseTracking } from "./hooks";
 import { SettingsContext } from "@/components/settings/SettingsProvider";
 import RegenerateOption from "../RegenerateOption";
-import { LlmOverride } from "@/lib/hooks";
+import { LlmDescriptor } from "@/lib/hooks";
 import { ContinueGenerating } from "./ContinueMessage";
 import { MemoizedAnchor, MemoizedParagraph } from "./MemoizedTextComponents";
 import { extractCodeText, preprocessLaTeX } from "./codeUtils";
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ export const AgenticMessage = ({
   isComplete?: boolean;
   handleFeedback?: (feedbackType: FeedbackType) => void;
   overriddenModel?: string;
-  regenerate?: (modelOverRide: LlmOverride) => Promise<void>;
+  regenerate?: (modelOverRide: LlmDescriptor) => Promise<void>;
   setPresentingDocument?: (document: OnyxDocument) => void;
   toggleDocDisplay?: (agentic: boolean) => void;
   error?: string | null;
diff --git a/web/src/app/chat/message/Messages.tsx b/web/src/app/chat/message/Messages.tsx
index d64d20a32..981c29a7a 100644
--- a/web/src/app/chat/message/Messages.tsx
+++ b/web/src/app/chat/message/Messages.tsx
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ import { useMouseTracking } from "./hooks";
 import { SettingsContext } from "@/components/settings/SettingsProvider";
 import GeneratingImageDisplay from "../tools/GeneratingImageDisplay";
 import RegenerateOption from "../RegenerateOption";
-import { LlmOverride } from "@/lib/hooks";
+import { LlmDescriptor } from "@/lib/hooks";
 import { ContinueGenerating } from "./ContinueMessage";
 import { MemoizedAnchor, MemoizedParagraph } from "./MemoizedTextComponents";
 import { extractCodeText, preprocessLaTeX } from "./codeUtils";
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ export const AIMessage = ({
   handleForceSearch?: () => void;
   retrievalDisabled?: boolean;
   overriddenModel?: string;
-  regenerate?: (modelOverRide: LlmOverride) => Promise<void>;
+  regenerate?: (modelOverRide: LlmDescriptor) => Promise<void>;
   setPresentingDocument: (document: OnyxDocument) => void;
   removePadding?: boolean;
 }) => {
diff --git a/web/src/app/chat/modal/ShareChatSessionModal.tsx b/web/src/app/chat/modal/ShareChatSessionModal.tsx
index 52acaf4d4..5b2bd8235 100644
--- a/web/src/app/chat/modal/ShareChatSessionModal.tsx
+++ b/web/src/app/chat/modal/ShareChatSessionModal.tsx
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { CopyButton } from "@/components/CopyButton";
 import { SEARCH_PARAM_NAMES } from "../searchParams";
 import { usePopup } from "@/components/admin/connectors/Popup";
 import { structureValue } from "@/lib/llm/utils";
-import { LlmOverride } from "@/lib/hooks";
+import { LlmDescriptor } from "@/lib/hooks";
 import { Separator } from "@/components/ui/separator";
 import { AdvancedOptionsToggle } from "@/components/AdvancedOptionsToggle";
 
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ async function generateShareLink(chatSessionId: string) {
 async function generateSeedLink(
   message?: string,
   assistantId?: number,
-  modelOverride?: LlmOverride
+  modelOverride?: LlmDescriptor
 ) {
   const baseUrl = `${window.location.protocol}//${window.location.host}`;
   const model = modelOverride
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ export function ShareChatSessionModal({
   onClose: () => void;
   message?: string;
   assistantId?: number;
-  modelOverride?: LlmOverride;
+  modelOverride?: LlmDescriptor;
 }) {
   const [shareLink, setShareLink] = useState<string>(
     existingSharedStatus === ChatSessionSharedStatus.Public
diff --git a/web/src/app/chat/modal/UserSettingsModal.tsx b/web/src/app/chat/modal/UserSettingsModal.tsx
index e69c34a17..61d7e7d54 100644
--- a/web/src/app/chat/modal/UserSettingsModal.tsx
+++ b/web/src/app/chat/modal/UserSettingsModal.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { useContext, useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { Modal } from "@/components/Modal";
-import { getDisplayNameForModel, LlmOverride } from "@/lib/hooks";
+import { getDisplayNameForModel, LlmDescriptor } from "@/lib/hooks";
 import { LLMProviderDescriptor } from "@/app/admin/configuration/llm/interfaces";
 
 import { destructureValue, structureValue } from "@/lib/llm/utils";
@@ -31,12 +31,12 @@ export function UserSettingsModal({
   setPopup,
   llmProviders,
   onClose,
-  setLlmOverride,
+  setCurrentLlm,
   defaultModel,
 }: {
   setPopup: (popupSpec: PopupSpec | null) => void;
   llmProviders: LLMProviderDescriptor[];
-  setLlmOverride?: (newOverride: LlmOverride) => void;
+  setCurrentLlm?: (newLlm: LlmDescriptor) => void;
   onClose: () => void;
   defaultModel: string | null;
 }) {
@@ -127,18 +127,14 @@ export function UserSettingsModal({
     );
   });
 
-  const llmOptions = Object.entries(llmOptionsByProvider).flatMap(
-    ([provider, options]) => [...options]
-  );
-
   const router = useRouter();
   const handleChangedefaultModel = async (defaultModel: string | null) => {
     try {
       const response = await setUserDefaultModel(defaultModel);
 
       if (response.ok) {
-        if (defaultModel && setLlmOverride) {
-          setLlmOverride(destructureValue(defaultModel));
+        if (defaultModel && setCurrentLlm) {
+          setCurrentLlm(destructureValue(defaultModel));
         }
         setPopup({
           message: "Default model updated successfully",
diff --git a/web/src/lib/hooks.ts b/web/src/lib/hooks.ts
index dc187c454..ae750c052 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/hooks.ts
+++ b/web/src/lib/hooks.ts
@@ -360,18 +360,18 @@ export const useUsers = ({ includeApiKeys }: UseUsersParams) => {
   };
 };
 
-export interface LlmOverride {
+export interface LlmDescriptor {
   name: string;
   provider: string;
   modelName: string;
 }
 
-export interface LlmOverrideManager {
-  llmOverride: LlmOverride;
-  updateLLMOverride: (newOverride: LlmOverride) => void;
+export interface LlmManager {
+  currentLlm: LlmDescriptor;
+  updateCurrentLlm: (newOverride: LlmDescriptor) => void;
   temperature: number;
   updateTemperature: (temperature: number) => void;
-  updateModelOverrideForChatSession: (chatSession?: ChatSession) => void;
+  updateModelOverrideBasedOnChatSession: (chatSession?: ChatSession) => void;
   imageFilesPresent: boolean;
   updateImageFilesPresent: (present: boolean) => void;
   liveAssistant: Persona | null;
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ Thus, the input should be
 
 Changes take place as
 - liveAssistant or currentChatSession changes (and the associated model override is set)
-- (uploadLLMOverride) User explicitly setting a model override (and we explicitly override and set the userSpecifiedOverride which we'll use in place of the user preferences unless overridden by an assistant)
+- (updateCurrentLlm) User explicitly setting a model override (and we explicitly override and set the userSpecifiedOverride which we'll use in place of the user preferences unless overridden by an assistant)
 
 If we have a live assistant, we should use that model override
 
@@ -419,55 +419,78 @@ This approach ensures that user preferences are maintained for existing chats wh
 providing appropriate defaults for new conversations based on the available tools.
 */
 
-export function useLlmOverride(
+export function useLlmManager(
   llmProviders: LLMProviderDescriptor[],
   currentChatSession?: ChatSession,
   liveAssistant?: Persona
-): LlmOverrideManager {
+): LlmManager {
   const { user } = useUser();
 
+  const [userHasManuallyOverriddenLLM, setUserHasManuallyOverriddenLLM] =
+    useState(false);
   const [chatSession, setChatSession] = useState<ChatSession | null>(null);
+  const [currentLlm, setCurrentLlm] = useState<LlmDescriptor>({
+    name: "",
+    provider: "",
+    modelName: "",
+  });
 
-  const llmOverrideUpdate = () => {
-    if (liveAssistant?.llm_model_version_override) {
-      setLlmOverride(
-        getValidLlmOverride(liveAssistant.llm_model_version_override)
-      );
-    } else if (currentChatSession?.current_alternate_model) {
-      setLlmOverride(
-        getValidLlmOverride(currentChatSession.current_alternate_model)
-      );
-    } else if (user?.preferences?.default_model) {
-      setLlmOverride(getValidLlmOverride(user.preferences.default_model));
-      return;
-    } else {
-      const defaultProvider = llmProviders.find(
-        (provider) => provider.is_default_provider
-      );
+  const llmUpdate = () => {
+    /* Should be called when the live assistant or current chat session changes */
 
-      if (defaultProvider) {
-        setLlmOverride({
-          name: defaultProvider.name,
-          provider: defaultProvider.provider,
-          modelName: defaultProvider.default_model_name,
-        });
+    // separate function so we can `return` to break out
+    const _llmUpdate = () => {
+      // if the user has overridden in this session and just switched to a brand
+      // new session, use their manually specified model
+      if (userHasManuallyOverriddenLLM && !currentChatSession) {
+        return;
       }
-    }
+
+      if (currentChatSession?.current_alternate_model) {
+        setCurrentLlm(
+          getValidLlmDescriptor(currentChatSession.current_alternate_model)
+        );
+      } else if (liveAssistant?.llm_model_version_override) {
+        setCurrentLlm(
+          getValidLlmDescriptor(liveAssistant.llm_model_version_override)
+        );
+      } else if (userHasManuallyOverriddenLLM) {
+        // if the user has an override and there's nothing special about the
+        // current chat session, use the override
+        return;
+      } else if (user?.preferences?.default_model) {
+        setCurrentLlm(getValidLlmDescriptor(user.preferences.default_model));
+      } else {
+        const defaultProvider = llmProviders.find(
+          (provider) => provider.is_default_provider
+        );
+
+        if (defaultProvider) {
+          setCurrentLlm({
+            name: defaultProvider.name,
+            provider: defaultProvider.provider,
+            modelName: defaultProvider.default_model_name,
+          });
+        }
+      }
+    };
+
+    _llmUpdate();
     setChatSession(currentChatSession || null);
   };
 
-  const getValidLlmOverride = (
-    overrideModel: string | null | undefined
-  ): LlmOverride => {
-    if (overrideModel) {
-      const model = destructureValue(overrideModel);
+  const getValidLlmDescriptor = (
+    modelName: string | null | undefined
+  ): LlmDescriptor => {
+    if (modelName) {
+      const model = destructureValue(modelName);
       if (!(model.modelName && model.modelName.length > 0)) {
         const provider = llmProviders.find((p) =>
-          p.model_names.includes(overrideModel)
+          p.model_names.includes(modelName)
         );
         if (provider) {
           return {
-            modelName: overrideModel,
+            modelName: modelName,
             name: provider.name,
             provider: provider.provider,
           };
@@ -491,38 +514,32 @@ export function useLlmOverride(
     setImageFilesPresent(present);
   };
 
-  const [llmOverride, setLlmOverride] = useState<LlmOverride>({
-    name: "",
-    provider: "",
-    modelName: "",
-  });
-
-  // Manually set the override
-  const updateLLMOverride = (newOverride: LlmOverride) => {
+  // Manually set the LLM
+  const updateCurrentLlm = (newLlm: LlmDescriptor) => {
     const provider =
-      newOverride.provider ||
-      findProviderForModel(llmProviders, newOverride.modelName);
+      newLlm.provider || findProviderForModel(llmProviders, newLlm.modelName);
     const structuredValue = structureValue(
-      newOverride.name,
+      newLlm.name,
       provider,
-      newOverride.modelName
+      newLlm.modelName
     );
-    setLlmOverride(getValidLlmOverride(structuredValue));
+    setCurrentLlm(getValidLlmDescriptor(structuredValue));
+    setUserHasManuallyOverriddenLLM(true);
   };
 
-  const updateModelOverrideForChatSession = (chatSession?: ChatSession) => {
+  const updateModelOverrideBasedOnChatSession = (chatSession?: ChatSession) => {
     if (chatSession && chatSession.current_alternate_model?.length > 0) {
-      setLlmOverride(getValidLlmOverride(chatSession.current_alternate_model));
+      setCurrentLlm(getValidLlmDescriptor(chatSession.current_alternate_model));
     }
   };
 
   const [temperature, setTemperature] = useState<number>(() => {
-    llmOverrideUpdate();
+    llmUpdate();
 
     if (currentChatSession?.current_temperature_override != null) {
       return Math.min(
         currentChatSession.current_temperature_override,
-        isAnthropic(llmOverride.provider, llmOverride.modelName) ? 1.0 : 2.0
+        isAnthropic(currentLlm.provider, currentLlm.modelName) ? 1.0 : 2.0
       );
     } else if (
       liveAssistant?.tools.some((tool) => tool.name === SEARCH_TOOL_ID)
@@ -533,22 +550,23 @@ export function useLlmOverride(
   });
 
   const maxTemperature = useMemo(() => {
-    return isAnthropic(llmOverride.provider, llmOverride.modelName) ? 1.0 : 2.0;
-  }, [llmOverride]);
+    return isAnthropic(currentLlm.provider, currentLlm.modelName) ? 1.0 : 2.0;
+  }, [currentLlm]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (isAnthropic(llmOverride.provider, llmOverride.modelName)) {
+    if (isAnthropic(currentLlm.provider, currentLlm.modelName)) {
       const newTemperature = Math.min(temperature, 1.0);
       setTemperature(newTemperature);
       if (chatSession?.id) {
         updateTemperatureOverrideForChatSession(chatSession.id, newTemperature);
       }
     }
-  }, [llmOverride]);
+  }, [currentLlm]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
+    llmUpdate();
+
     if (!chatSession && currentChatSession) {
-      setChatSession(currentChatSession || null);
       if (temperature) {
         updateTemperatureOverrideForChatSession(
           currentChatSession.id,
@@ -570,7 +588,7 @@ export function useLlmOverride(
   }, [liveAssistant, currentChatSession]);
 
   const updateTemperature = (temperature: number) => {
-    if (isAnthropic(llmOverride.provider, llmOverride.modelName)) {
+    if (isAnthropic(currentLlm.provider, currentLlm.modelName)) {
       setTemperature((prevTemp) => Math.min(temperature, 1.0));
     } else {
       setTemperature(temperature);
@@ -581,9 +599,9 @@ export function useLlmOverride(
   };
 
   return {
-    updateModelOverrideForChatSession,
-    llmOverride,
-    updateLLMOverride,
+    updateModelOverrideBasedOnChatSession,
+    currentLlm,
+    updateCurrentLlm,
     temperature,
     updateTemperature,
     imageFilesPresent,
diff --git a/web/src/lib/llm/utils.ts b/web/src/lib/llm/utils.ts
index 1880385e0..90ef39859 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/llm/utils.ts
+++ b/web/src/lib/llm/utils.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 import { Persona } from "@/app/admin/assistants/interfaces";
 import { LLMProviderDescriptor } from "@/app/admin/configuration/llm/interfaces";
-import { LlmOverride } from "@/lib/hooks";
+import { LlmDescriptor } from "@/lib/hooks";
 
 export function getFinalLLM(
   llmProviders: LLMProviderDescriptor[],
   persona: Persona | null,
-  llmOverride: LlmOverride | null
+  currentLlm: LlmDescriptor | null
 ): [string, string] {
   const defaultProvider = llmProviders.find(
     (llmProvider) => llmProvider.is_default_provider
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ export function getFinalLLM(
     model = persona.llm_model_version_override || model;
   }
 
-  if (llmOverride) {
-    provider = llmOverride.provider || provider;
-    model = llmOverride.modelName || model;
+  if (currentLlm) {
+    provider = currentLlm.provider || provider;
+    model = currentLlm.modelName || model;
   }
 
   return [provider, model];
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export function getFinalLLM(
 export function getLLMProviderOverrideForPersona(
   liveAssistant: Persona,
   llmProviders: LLMProviderDescriptor[]
-): LlmOverride | null {
+): LlmDescriptor | null {
   const overrideProvider = liveAssistant.llm_model_provider_override;
   const overrideModel = liveAssistant.llm_model_version_override;
 
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ export const structureValue = (
   return `${name}__${provider}__${modelName}`;
 };
 
-export const destructureValue = (value: string): LlmOverride => {
+export const destructureValue = (value: string): LlmDescriptor => {
   const [displayName, provider, modelName] = value.split("__");
   return {
     name: displayName,
diff --git a/web/src/lib/users/UserSettings.tsx b/web/src/lib/users/UserSettings.tsx
index c99a23917..9ce55a27c 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/users/UserSettings.tsx
+++ b/web/src/lib/users/UserSettings.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-import { LlmOverride } from "../hooks";
-
 export async function setUserDefaultModel(
   model: string | null
 ): Promise<Response> {