diff --git a/frontend/src/shell/SteerInput.test.tsx b/frontend/src/shell/SteerInput.test.tsx
index c532c329..608c6571 100644
--- a/frontend/src/shell/SteerInput.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/shell/SteerInput.test.tsx
@@ -338,6 +338,47 @@ test("initial restored workspace waits for its delayed policy before creating a
   }));
 });
 
+test("initial submit waits for delayed workspace summaries before allowing a confirmed legacy workspace", async () => {
+  let body: unknown;
+  let releaseSummaries!: () => void;
+  let summaryRequestStarted = false;
+  const summariesMayFinish = new Promise<void>((resolve) => { releaseSummaries = resolve; });
+  localStorage.setItem("thothii.workspace-registry.v1.preferences", JSON.stringify({
+    workspaceId: "legacy-workspace", provider: "deepseek", model: "deepseek-v4-pro", thinking: "medium",
+  }));
+  server.use(
+    http.get("http://localhost:8787/settings", () => HttpResponse.json({ workspace: "legacy-workspace" })),
+    http.get("http://localhost:8787/workspaces", async () => {
+      summaryRequestStarted = true;
+      await summariesMayFinish;
+      return HttpResponse.json([{
+        id: "legacy-workspace", name: "legacy-workspace", file: "legacy-workspace.yaml", displayName: "Legacy workspace",
+      }]);
+    }),
+    http.get("http://localhost:8787/models", () => HttpResponse.json({ models: [
+      { provider: "deepseek", id: "deepseek-v4-pro", name: "DeepSeek V4 Pro", reasoning: true },
+    ] })),
+    http.post("http://localhost:8787/sessions", async ({ request }) => {
+      body = await request.json();
+      return HttpResponse.json({ id: "s1" });
+    }),
+  );
+  const client = new QueryClient({ defaultOptions: { queries: { retry: false } } });
+  render(<QueryClientProvider client={client}><ComposerFooter /><SteerInput sessionId={null} /></QueryClientProvider>);
+
+  await waitFor(() => expect(summaryRequestStarted).toBe(true));
+  await userEvent.type(screen.getByRole("textbox", { name: /new question/i }), "q");
+  await userEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: /send/i }));
+
+  expect(body).toBeUndefined();
+  expect(screen.getByRole("button", { name: /send/i })).toBeDisabled();
+  releaseSummaries();
+
+  await waitFor(() => expect(body).toEqual({
+    question: "q", workspaceId: "legacy-workspace", provider: "deepseek", model: "deepseek-v4-pro", thinking: "medium",
+  }));
+});
+
 test("submit follows a rapid workspace switch instead of waiting for an abandoned policy", async () => {
   let body: unknown;
   let releaseC!: () => void;
diff --git a/frontend/src/shell/SteerInput.tsx b/frontend/src/shell/SteerInput.tsx
index ec54932b..91f95936 100644
--- a/frontend/src/shell/SteerInput.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/shell/SteerInput.tsx
@@ -156,7 +156,9 @@ export function SteerInput({
  */
 export function ComposerFooter() {
   const { data: settings } = useQuery({ queryKey: ["settings"], queryFn: getSettings });
-  const { data: workspaces = [] } = useQuery({ queryKey: ["workspaces"], queryFn: listWorkspaces });
+  const { data: workspaces = [], isLoading: workspacesLoading } = useQuery({
+    queryKey: ["workspaces"], queryFn: listWorkspaces,
+  });
   const { data: modelsData } = useQuery({ queryKey: ["models"], queryFn: listModels });
   const models = modelsData?.models ?? [];
   const tokenUsage = useSessionStore((state) => state.tokenUsage);
@@ -190,9 +192,16 @@ export function ComposerFooter() {
     : models;
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (selectedWorkspace?.revision) workspacePolicyGate.select(workspace);
-    else workspacePolicyGate.clear();
-  }, [selectedWorkspace, workspace]);
+    if (!workspace) {
+      workspacePolicyGate.clear();
+    } else if (workspacesLoading) {
+      workspacePolicyGate.beginSummary(workspace);
+    } else if (selectedWorkspace?.revision) {
+      workspacePolicyGate.select(workspace);
+    } else {
+      workspacePolicyGate.allowLegacy(workspace);
+    }
+  }, [selectedWorkspace, workspace, workspacesLoading]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!allowedModels?.length) return;
@@ -222,11 +231,11 @@ export function ComposerFooter() {
   }, [selectedWorkspace, workspace, workspacePolicyError, workspaceRecord]);
 
   function update(patch: WorkspacePreference) {
-    if (
-      patch.workspaceId
-      && patch.workspaceId !== workspace
-      && workspaces.some((candidate) => candidate.id === patch.workspaceId && candidate.revision)
-    ) workspacePolicyGate.select(patch.workspaceId);
+    if (patch.workspaceId && patch.workspaceId !== workspace) {
+      const selected = workspaces.find((candidate) => candidate.id === patch.workspaceId);
+      if (selected?.revision) workspacePolicyGate.select(patch.workspaceId);
+      else workspacePolicyGate.allowLegacy(patch.workspaceId);
+    }
     const next = workspacePreferences.save({ ...preferences, ...patch });
     setPreferences(next);
   }
diff --git a/frontend/src/workspaces/drafts.ts b/frontend/src/workspaces/drafts.ts
index c8725e69..afac013f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/workspaces/drafts.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/workspaces/drafts.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ export interface WorkspaceDraft {
 type PolicySelection = {
   workspaceId: string;
   generation: number;
-  state: "pending" | "ready" | "error";
+  state: "summary" | "pending" | "ready" | "error";
   error?: Error;
   settled: Promise<void>;
   settle: () => void;
@@ -23,13 +23,13 @@ type PolicySelection = {
 let selection: PolicySelection | undefined;
 let nextGeneration = 0;
 
-function pendingSelection(workspaceId: string): PolicySelection {
+function pendingSelection(workspaceId: string, state: "summary" | "pending"): PolicySelection {
   let settle!: () => void;
   let supersede!: () => void;
   return {
     workspaceId,
     generation: ++nextGeneration,
-    state: "pending",
+    state,
     settled: new Promise<void>((resolve) => { settle = resolve; }),
     settle,
     superseded: new Promise<void>((resolve) => { supersede = resolve; }),
@@ -39,10 +39,30 @@ function pendingSelection(workspaceId: string): PolicySelection {
 
 /** In-memory coordination between the footer's selected policy and session creation. */
 export const workspacePolicyGate = {
-  select(workspaceId: string): void {
-    if (selection?.workspaceId === workspaceId) return;
+  beginSummary(workspaceId: string): void {
+    if (selection?.workspaceId === workspaceId && selection.state === "summary") return;
     selection?.supersede();
-    selection = pendingSelection(workspaceId);
+    selection = pendingSelection(workspaceId, "summary");
+  },
+
+  select(workspaceId: string): void {
+    if (selection?.workspaceId === workspaceId) {
+      if (selection.state === "summary") selection.state = "pending";
+      if (selection.state === "pending") return;
+    }
+    selection?.supersede();
+    selection = pendingSelection(workspaceId, "pending");
+  },
+
+  allowLegacy(workspaceId: string): void {
+    if (selection?.workspaceId !== workspaceId) {
+      this.clear();
+      return;
+    }
+    if (selection.state === "summary") {
+      selection.state = "ready";
+      selection.settle();
+    }
   },
 
   clear(): void {