diff --git a/studio/backend/routes/inference.py b/studio/backend/routes/inference.py
index 0615485304..f8cc2d9a1b 100644
--- a/studio/backend/routes/inference.py
+++ b/studio/backend/routes/inference.py
@@ -3423,18 +3423,18 @@ def _request_matches_loaded_settings(
                 # copy and, failing that, to no drafter at all. An ordinary
                 # load reaches the root drafter, so it keeps root-first
                 # detection and reloads when one appears.
-                if detected and not _native_gguf_companion_usable(
-                    detected, llama_backend.gguf_path, mtp_search_root = companion_root
-                ):
+                def _usable(candidate: str) -> bool:
+                    return _native_gguf_companion_usable(
+                        candidate, llama_backend.gguf_path, mtp_search_root = companion_root
+                    )
+
+                if detected and not _usable(detected):
                     detected = detect_mtp_file(
                         llama_backend.gguf_path,
                         search_root = companion_root,
                         skip_root = True,
+                        accept = _usable,
                     )
-                    if detected and not _native_gguf_companion_usable(
-                        detected, llama_backend.gguf_path, mtp_search_root = companion_root
-                    ):
-                        detected = None
             stored = llama_backend.mtp_draft_path
             try:
                 detected_resolved = Path(detected).resolve() if detected else None
@@ -4777,21 +4777,21 @@ async def _load_model_impl(
 
                         if not _mtp_allowed(config.gguf_mtp_file):
                             # The preferred root drafter is out of bounds for a
-                            # grant on a quant subdir, but its MTP/ copy may
-                            # not be. Use that before dropping MTP entirely.
+                            # grant on a quant subdir, but an MTP/ copy may not
+                            # be. Scan them in preference order rather than
+                            # dropping MTP on the first rejection.
                             fallback = detect_mtp_file(
                                 config.gguf_file,
                                 search_root = mtp_search_root,
                                 skip_root = True,
+                                accept = _mtp_allowed,
                             )
-                            if fallback and _mtp_allowed(fallback):
+                            if fallback:
                                 logger.info(
                                     "Using MTP subdirectory drafter for native load: %s",
                                     fallback,
                                 )
-                                config.gguf_mtp_file = fallback
-                            else:
-                                config.gguf_mtp_file = None
+                            config.gguf_mtp_file = fallback
                 _source_load_kwargs = dict(
                     gguf_path = config.gguf_file,
                     mmproj_path = config.gguf_mmproj_file,
diff --git a/studio/backend/tests/test_native_gguf_companion.py b/studio/backend/tests/test_native_gguf_companion.py
index 3b0df808dd..3a7b4b0caf 100644
--- a/studio/backend/tests/test_native_gguf_companion.py
+++ b/studio/backend/tests/test_native_gguf_companion.py
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ from routes.inference import _validate_native_gguf_companion
 from routes.inference import _request_matches_loaded_settings
 from routes.inference import _validate_native_mtp_drafter
 from routes.inference import _loaded_is_local_model
+from routes.inference import _native_gguf_companion_usable
+from utils.models.model_config import detect_mtp_file
 from core.inference.llama_cpp import LlamaCppBackend
 from models.inference import LoadRequest
 
@@ -334,3 +336,51 @@ def test_status_provenance_survives_deleted_model_directory(tmp_path, monkeypatc
     stale = LlamaCppBackend()
     assert not _loaded_is_local_model(stale, False, "unsloth/gemma-4-12b")
     assert _loaded_is_local_model(stale, True, None)
+
+
+def test_native_load_skips_rejected_mtp_candidate_for_next_one(tmp_path):
+    """MTP/ can hold several compatible copies. If the size-preferred one is
+    out of the grant, the next must be tried instead of disabling MTP."""
+    quant_dir = tmp_path / "Q4_0"
+    quant_dir.mkdir()
+    weight = quant_dir / "model.gguf"
+    weight.write_bytes(b"model")
+    outside = tmp_path.parent / "outside-blob.gguf"
+    outside.write_bytes(b"d")
+    companion_dir = tmp_path / "MTP"
+    companion_dir.mkdir()
+    try:
+        (companion_dir / "mtp-model-Q4_0.gguf").symlink_to(outside)
+    except OSError as exc:
+        pytest.skip(f"symlinks unavailable: {exc}")
+    larger = companion_dir / "mtp-model-Q8_0.gguf"
+    larger.write_bytes(b"d" * 5000)
+
+    def _usable(candidate: str) -> bool:
+        return _native_gguf_companion_usable(candidate, str(weight), mtp_search_root = str(tmp_path))
+
+    # Preferred by size, but it resolves out of the permitted directory.
+    assert not _usable(detect_mtp_file(str(weight), str(tmp_path), skip_root = True))
+    assert detect_mtp_file(str(weight), str(tmp_path), skip_root = True, accept = _usable) == str(
+        larger.resolve()
+    )
+
+
+def test_native_load_returns_none_when_no_candidate_passes(tmp_path):
+    quant_dir = tmp_path / "Q4_0"
+    quant_dir.mkdir()
+    weight = quant_dir / "model.gguf"
+    weight.write_bytes(b"model")
+    outside = tmp_path.parent / "outside-only.gguf"
+    outside.write_bytes(b"d")
+    companion_dir = tmp_path / "MTP"
+    companion_dir.mkdir()
+    try:
+        (companion_dir / "mtp-model-Q4_0.gguf").symlink_to(outside)
+    except OSError as exc:
+        pytest.skip(f"symlinks unavailable: {exc}")
+
+    def _usable(candidate: str) -> bool:
+        return _native_gguf_companion_usable(candidate, str(weight), mtp_search_root = str(tmp_path))
+
+    assert detect_mtp_file(str(weight), str(tmp_path), skip_root = True, accept = _usable) is None
diff --git a/studio/backend/utils/models/model_config.py b/studio/backend/utils/models/model_config.py
index e6c1d0b4d7..d379e7ad0a 100644
--- a/studio/backend/utils/models/model_config.py
+++ b/studio/backend/utils/models/model_config.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import re
 import subprocess
 import sys
 from pathlib import Path
-from typing import List, Tuple
+from typing import Callable, List, Tuple
 import hashlib
 import json
 import threading
@@ -1486,6 +1486,7 @@ def detect_mtp_file(
     path: str,
     search_root: Optional[str] = None,
     skip_root: bool = False,
+    accept: Optional[Callable[[str], bool]] = None,
 ) -> Optional[str]:
     """Find the separate MTP drafter (``mtp-*.gguf``) for a local GGUF model.
 
@@ -1505,6 +1506,9 @@ def detect_mtp_file(
 
     ``skip_root`` scans only ``MTP/``, for callers that must discard an
     out-of-bounds root drafter and still want the subdir copy (native loads).
+    ``accept`` filters candidates in preference order, so a caller with extra
+    rules (a native lease) keeps scanning instead of treating the first
+    rejection as no drafter at all.
     """
 
     def _pairing_stem(name: str) -> str:
@@ -1594,10 +1598,14 @@ def detect_mtp_file(
                 if not _matches_weight(f):
                     continue
                 try:
-                    if f.is_file() and _launchable(f):
-                        return _drafter_launch_path(f)
+                    if not (f.is_file() and _launchable(f)):
+                        continue
+                    launch = _drafter_launch_path(f)
                 except OSError:
                     continue
+                if accept is not None and not accept(launch):
+                    continue
+                return launch
 
     subdir_candidates: list[Path] = []
     for d in dirs:
@@ -1647,6 +1655,8 @@ def detect_mtp_file(
             resolved = _drafter_launch_path(candidate)
         except OSError:
             continue
+        if accept is not None and not accept(resolved):
+            continue
         logger.info(f"Detected MTP subdirectory drafter: {resolved}")
         return resolved
     return None
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/chat/stores/chat-runtime-store.ts b/studio/frontend/src/features/chat/stores/chat-runtime-store.ts
index 9409945072..7a7475406f 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/chat/stores/chat-runtime-store.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/chat/stores/chat-runtime-store.ts
@@ -1538,7 +1538,17 @@ export const useChatRuntimeStore = create<ChatRuntimeStore>((set, get) => ({
           maxTokens: nextMaxTokens,
         },
         activeGgufVariant: ggufVariant ?? null,
-        ...(checkpointChanged ? { contextUsage: null } : {}),
+        // Provenance and the spec-fallback reason both describe the model
+        // being replaced, so they go together on a real change. Dropping only
+        // one leaves the settings sheet pairing a stale reason with the wrong
+        // recovery text. The load or status response reseeds both.
+        ...(checkpointChanged
+          ? {
+              contextUsage: null,
+              activeModelIsLocal: false,
+              specFallbackReason: null,
+            }
+          : {}),
       };
     }),
   setActiveThreadId: (activeThreadId) =>
diff --git a/tests/studio/test_model_picker_contracts.py b/tests/studio/test_model_picker_contracts.py
index 35125f02dd..3450bfdc74 100644
--- a/tests/studio/test_model_picker_contracts.py
+++ b/tests/studio/test_model_picker_contracts.py
@@ -357,6 +357,14 @@ def test_local_mtp_warning_covers_path_and_native_gguf_sources():
     # repository id. activeModelIsLocal is the backend's own answer for both.
     assert "activeNativePathToken" not in local.group(0)
     assert ".gguf" not in local.group(0)
+
+    # Switching models must drop both together: a kept flag would classify the
+    # newly selected model by the old one's provenance.
+    store = _read("features/chat/stores/chat-runtime-store.ts")
+    reset = re.search(r"setCheckpoint: \(modelId, ggufVariant\) =>.*?\}\),", store, re.S)
+    assert reset
+    assert "activeModelIsLocal: false" in reset.group(0)
+    assert "specFallbackReason: null" in reset.group(0)
     assert "isLocalGguf" in src.split('specFallbackReason === "drafter_not_found"', 1)[1]