diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/config/training.ts b/studio/frontend/src/config/training.ts
index f8fc09c353..aa5b9822a9 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/config/training.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/config/training.ts
@@ -145,3 +145,10 @@ export const PRIORITY_TRAINING_MODELS: readonly string[] = [
   "unsloth/Llama-3.1-8B-Instruct",
   "unsloth/Llama-3.2-3B-Instruct",
 ];
+
+/** Pin priority models to the top of a list of model IDs, preserving their defined order. */
+export function applyPriorityOrdering(ids: string[]): string[] {
+  const prioritySet = new Set<string>(PRIORITY_TRAINING_MODELS);
+  const rest = ids.filter((id) => !prioritySet.has(id));
+  return [...PRIORITY_TRAINING_MODELS, ...rest];
+}
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/onboarding/components/steps/model-selection-step.tsx b/studio/frontend/src/features/onboarding/components/steps/model-selection-step.tsx
index ab41214d20..90d1b44c92 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/onboarding/components/steps/model-selection-step.tsx
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/onboarding/components/steps/model-selection-step.tsx
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ import {
   TooltipContent,
   TooltipTrigger,
 } from "@/components/ui/tooltip";
-import { MODEL_TYPE_TO_HF_TASK, PRIORITY_TRAINING_MODELS } from "@/config/training";
+import { MODEL_TYPE_TO_HF_TASK, applyPriorityOrdering } from "@/config/training";
 import {
   useDebouncedValue,
   useGpuInfo,
@@ -103,9 +103,7 @@ export function ModelSelectionStep() {
 
   const resultIds = useMemo(() => {
     const ids = hfResults.map((r) => r.id);
-    const prioritySet = new Set(PRIORITY_TRAINING_MODELS);
-    const rest = ids.filter((id) => !prioritySet.has(id));
-    return [...PRIORITY_TRAINING_MODELS, ...rest];
+    return applyPriorityOrdering(ids);
   }, [hfResults]);
 
   // Match Studio behavior: only show exception signals (OOM/TIGHT) in training flows.
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/studio/sections/model-section.tsx b/studio/frontend/src/features/studio/sections/model-section.tsx
index 5f115e160f..1efaccf129 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/studio/sections/model-section.tsx
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/studio/sections/model-section.tsx
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import {
   TooltipContent,
   TooltipTrigger,
 } from "@/components/ui/tooltip";
-import { MODEL_TYPE_TO_HF_TASK, PRIORITY_TRAINING_MODELS } from "@/config/training";
+import { MODEL_TYPE_TO_HF_TASK, applyPriorityOrdering } from "@/config/training";
 import {
   useDebouncedValue,
   useGpuInfo,
@@ -173,9 +173,7 @@ export function ModelSection() {
       ids.push(selectedModel);
     }
 
-    const prioritySet = new Set(PRIORITY_TRAINING_MODELS);
-    const rest = ids.filter((id) => !prioritySet.has(id));
-    return [...PRIORITY_TRAINING_MODELS, ...rest];
+    return applyPriorityOrdering(ids);
   }, [hfResults, selectedModel]);
 
   // Filter out GGUF models — they can't be used for training