diff --git a/components/ChatInput.streaming-thinking.test.mjs b/components/ChatInput.streaming-thinking.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..24d30dd0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/ChatInput.streaming-thinking.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { readFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import test from "node:test";
+
+const source = await readFile(new URL("./ChatInput.tsx", import.meta.url), "utf8");
+const controls = source.slice(source.indexOf("{isStreaming && onThinkingLevelChange &&"));
+
+test("shows the reasoning level of the running turn without offering a control", () => {
+  const readOnly = controls.slice(0, controls.indexOf("{!isStreaming && onThinkingLevelChange &&"));
+  assert.match(readOnly, /<span\s+title=\{t\("chat\.currentReasoning", \{ level: thinkingDisplayLabel \}\)\}/);
+  assert.match(readOnly, /\{thinkingDisplayLabel\}<\/span>/);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(readOnly, /<button|onClick=/);
+});
+
+test("keeps the read-only level aligned with the neighbouring controls", () => {
+  const readOnly = controls.slice(0, controls.indexOf("{!isStreaming && onThinkingLevelChange &&"));
+  const dropdown = controls.slice(controls.indexOf("{!isStreaming && onThinkingLevelChange &&"));
+  const padding = /padding: isMobile \? "0 6px" : "8px 12px"/;
+  const height = /height: 32/;
+  for (const [label, markup] of [["read-only", readOnly], ["dropdown", dropdown]]) {
+    assert.match(markup, padding, `${label} horizontal padding`);
+    assert.match(markup, height, `${label} height`);
+  }
+  // The label collapses to the icon on mobile exactly like the editable control.
+  assert.match(readOnly, /\(!isMobile \|\| controlsMenuOpen\) &&/);
+});
+
+test("shows the level the runtime actually applies, not the selector placeholder", async () => {
+  const session = await readFile(new URL("../hooks/useAgentSession.ts", import.meta.url), "utf8");
+  const start = session.slice(session.indexOf('case "agent_start":'), session.indexOf('case "agent_end":'));
+  // Choosing "auto" leaves pi's setting untouched, so the selector alone cannot be trusted.
+  assert.match(session, /if \(level === "auto"\) return;/);
+  assert.match(start, /fetch\(`\/api\/agent\/\$\{encodeURIComponent\(sessionIdRef\.current\)\}`\)/);
+  assert.match(start, /if \(!agentRunningRef\.current \|\| !d\.state\?\.thinkingLevel\) return;\s*setThinkingLevel\(d\.state\.thinkingLevel as ThinkingLevelOption\);/);
+});
diff --git a/components/ChatInput.tsx b/components/ChatInput.tsx
index 1f91913cb..e30ab7b03 100644
--- a/components/ChatInput.tsx
+++ b/components/ChatInput.tsx
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import { FolderIcon, getFileIcon } from "./FileIcons";
 import { useIsMobile } from "@/hooks/useIsMobile";
 import { useI18n } from "@/hooks/useI18n";
 import { useChatAppearance } from "@/hooks/useChatAppearance";
+import { ThinkingIcon } from "./ThinkingIcon";
 import type { ToolPreset } from "@/lib/tool-presets";
 import { ModelSelector, type ModelSelectorOption } from "./ModelSelector";
 
@@ -2268,6 +2269,25 @@ export const ChatInput = forwardRef<ChatInputHandle, Props>(function ChatInput({
                 backdropFilter: "blur(10px)",
               } : null),
             }}>
+            {isStreaming && onThinkingLevelChange && (
+              // The level cannot change mid-turn, so this is read-only: a button here
+              // would invite clicks that do nothing. It still answers the question
+              // that matters while a turn runs, which budget is this one spending.
+              <span
+                title={t("chat.currentReasoning", { level: thinkingDisplayLabel })}
+                style={{
+                  display: "flex", alignItems: "center", gap: 5,
+                  // The control row has no gap; each control pads itself, so match
+                  // the neighbouring buttons or this sits flush against Stop.
+                  padding: isMobile ? "0 6px" : "8px 12px",
+                  height: 32,
+                  color: "var(--text-dim)", fontSize: 12,
+                }}
+              >
+                <ThinkingIcon active={false} size={11} />
+                {(!isMobile || controlsMenuOpen) && <span style={{ whiteSpace: "nowrap" }}>{thinkingDisplayLabel}</span>}
+              </span>
+            )}
             {!isStreaming && onThinkingLevelChange && (
               <div ref={thinkingDropdownRef} style={{ position: "relative" }}>
                 <button
diff --git a/hooks/useAgentSession.ts b/hooks/useAgentSession.ts
index efd2b8132..14951a048 100644
--- a/hooks/useAgentSession.ts
+++ b/hooks/useAgentSession.ts
@@ -1071,6 +1071,18 @@ export function useAgentSession(opts: UseAgentSessionOptions) {
         setAgentRunning(true);
         setAgentPhase({ kind: "waiting_model" });
         dispatch({ type: "start" });
+        // "auto" is a client-side placeholder that leaves pi's setting untouched,
+        // so the selector can disagree with the runtime. Show the level this turn
+        // actually runs with.
+        if (sessionIdRef.current) {
+          fetch(`/api/agent/${encodeURIComponent(sessionIdRef.current)}`)
+            .then((r) => r.json())
+            .then((d: { state?: AgentStateResponse }) => {
+              if (!agentRunningRef.current || !d.state?.thinkingLevel) return;
+              setThinkingLevel(d.state.thinkingLevel as ThinkingLevelOption);
+            })
+            .catch(() => {});
+        }
         break;
       case "agent_end":
         // One logical prompt can emit multiple agent_end events before retrying,
diff --git a/lib/i18n/messages/en.ts b/lib/i18n/messages/en.ts
index 632b630ce..946be622d 100644
--- a/lib/i18n/messages/en.ts
+++ b/lib/i18n/messages/en.ts
@@ -372,6 +372,7 @@ export const enLocale: LocalePlugin = {
     "chat.allBuiltInTools": "All built-in tools",
     "chat.changeReasoning": "Change reasoning level: {level}",
     "chat.changeReasoningLabel": "Change reasoning level",
+    "chat.currentReasoning": "Reasoning level for this turn: {level}",
     "chat.changeToolPreset": "Change tool preset",
     "chat.stopCompaction": "Stop compaction",
     "chat.compactContext": "Compact context",
diff --git a/lib/i18n/messages/zh-CN.ts b/lib/i18n/messages/zh-CN.ts
index a2f69aa51..88a0723a0 100644
--- a/lib/i18n/messages/zh-CN.ts
+++ b/lib/i18n/messages/zh-CN.ts
@@ -372,6 +372,7 @@ export const zhCNLocale: LocalePlugin = {
     "chat.allBuiltInTools": "全部内置工具",
     "chat.changeReasoning": "更改推理级别：{level}",
     "chat.changeReasoningLabel": "更改推理级别",
+    "chat.currentReasoning": "本轮使用的推理级别：{level}",
     "chat.changeToolPreset": "更改工具预设",
     "chat.stopCompaction": "停止压缩",
     "chat.compactContext": "压缩上下文",
diff --git a/lib/i18n/messages/zh-TW.ts b/lib/i18n/messages/zh-TW.ts
index c8ddcd17d..ff36c3f2e 100644
--- a/lib/i18n/messages/zh-TW.ts
+++ b/lib/i18n/messages/zh-TW.ts
@@ -372,6 +372,7 @@ export const zhTWLocale: LocalePlugin = {
     "chat.allBuiltInTools": "全部內建工具",
     "chat.changeReasoning": "變更推理層級：{level}",
     "chat.changeReasoningLabel": "變更推理層級",
+    "chat.currentReasoning": "本輪使用的推理層級：{level}",
     "chat.changeToolPreset": "更改工具預設",
     "chat.stopCompaction": "停止壓縮",
     "chat.compactContext": "壓縮上下文",