diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/regression/composer.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/regression/composer.spec.ts
index e775dbcec59..bd29b70ec15 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/regression/composer.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/regression/composer.spec.ts
@@ -93,7 +93,8 @@ test("a catalog refresh cannot replace an existing session's model", async ({ pa
   await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Choose model variant", exact: true })).toHaveText("high")
   await view.editor.press("Enter")
   await expect.poll(() => prompts.length).toBe(1)
-  expect(switches).toEqual([{ model: { id: "alpha", providerID: "opencode", variant: "high" } }])
+  // The session already runs Alpha high, so the send has no switch to make.
+  expect(switches).toEqual([])
 
   catalog.current = provider(beta)
   await view.push([
@@ -115,10 +116,7 @@ test("a catalog refresh cannot replace an existing session's model", async ({ pa
   await view.editor.fill("Use the replacement I chose")
   await view.editor.press("Enter")
   await expect.poll(() => prompts.length).toBe(2)
-  expect(switches).toEqual([
-    { model: { id: "alpha", providerID: "opencode", variant: "high" } },
-    { model: { id: "beta", providerID: "opencode" } },
-  ])
+  expect(switches).toEqual([{ model: { id: "beta", providerID: "opencode" } }])
 })
 
 test("an existing session's model never shows a fallback while its agent loads", async ({ page }) => {
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/regression/session-queue.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/regression/session-queue.spec.ts
index c175d9e470c..a59e688ba19 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/regression/session-queue.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/regression/session-queue.spec.ts
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ test("follow-up preference controls Enter while Mod+Enter uses the alternate del
   await expect(view.input).toHaveText("")
 })
 
-test("a steer shows as pending in the timeline as the composer clears, before its selection commits", async ({
+test("a steer shows as pending in the timeline as the composer clears, before the server admits it", async ({
   page,
 }) => {
   // The running execution has delivered input, so a new steer waits behind its work.
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ test("a steer shows as pending in the timeline as the composer clears, before it
   )
 
   const view = await openQueue(page, mock, "steer")
-  const commit = await holdRoute(page, (url) => url.pathname === `/api/session/${sessionID}/model`, { method: "POST" })
+  const commit = await holdRoute(page, (url) => url.pathname === `/api/session/${sessionID}/prompt`, { method: "POST" })
 
   const prompt = page.locator('[data-timeline-virtual-content] [data-timeline-row="UserMessage"]', {
     hasText: "steer while the model commits",
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/regression/session-request-docks.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/regression/session-request-docks.spec.ts
index 2206c0e83cd..6cab7463253 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/regression/session-request-docks.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/regression/session-request-docks.spec.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import type { OpenCodeEvent } from "@opencode/client/promise"
 import { expect, test, type Page } from "@playwright/test"
 import { SERVER, sessionHref } from "../utils/app"
 import { installSseTransport } from "../utils/sse-transport"
@@ -209,6 +210,67 @@ test("shows a pending permission dock", async ({ page }) => {
   await expect(page.locator('[data-component="composer"]')).toBeVisible()
 })
 
+test("loads a running subagent's question without polling idle subagents on every update", async ({ page }) => {
+  const runningID = "ses_request_running_subagent"
+  const idleIDs = Array.from({ length: 20 }, (_, index) => `ses_request_idle_${index}`)
+
+  const workspace = await mockWorkspace(page, {
+    name: "RequestDocks",
+    directory,
+    sessions: [
+      { id: sessionID, title },
+      { id: runningID, title: "Running subagent", parentID: sessionID },
+      ...idleIDs.map((id) => ({ id, title: id, parentID: sessionID })),
+    ],
+    seed: { tabs: [sessionID] },
+    // The mock reports a Session with a pending form as running.
+    forms: [
+      {
+        id: "frm_subagent_question",
+        sessionID: runningID,
+        title: "Questions",
+        metadata: { kind: "question" },
+        fields: [{ key: "q0", type: "string", title: "Direction", description: "Which way should the subagent go?" }],
+      },
+    ],
+  })
+
+  // Idle subagents whose worktrees were deleted; a failed read is retried on its next sync.
+  await page.route(/\/api\/session\/ses_request_idle_\d+\/form$/, (route) =>
+    route.fulfill({ status: 404, json: { message: "Location not found" } }),
+  )
+
+  const forms: string[] = []
+  page.on("request", (request) => {
+    const path = new URL(request.url()).pathname
+
+    if (request.method() === "GET" && path.startsWith("/api/session/") && path.endsWith("/form")) forms.push(path)
+  })
+
+  await page.goto(sessionHref(sessionID))
+  await expectSessionTitle(page, title)
+  await expect(
+    page.locator('[data-component="dock-prompt"][data-kind="question"]').getByText("Which way should the subagent go?"),
+  ).toBeVisible()
+
+  // Every session update used to re-request the forms of the whole subagent tree.
+  await workspace.push(
+    [...idleIDs, sessionID].map(
+      (id, index) =>
+        // SAFETY: the fixture event matches the generated OpenCodeEvent shape for its type.
+        ({
+          id: `evt_request_rename_${index}`,
+          created: index + 2,
+          type: "session.renamed",
+          durable: { aggregateID: id, seq: 1, version: 1 },
+          data: { sessionID: id, title: id === sessionID ? "Renamed request docks" : `${id} renamed` },
+        }) as OpenCodeEvent,
+    ),
+  )
+  await expect(page.getByRole("heading", { name: "Renamed request docks", exact: true })).toBeVisible()
+  expect(forms.toSorted()).toEqual([`/api/session/${runningID}/form`, `/api/session/${sessionID}/form`].toSorted())
+})
+
 test("restores the draft caret before typing after a request dock closes", async ({ page }) => {
   const transport = await installSseTransport(page, { server: SERVER, retry: 20 })
   await mockServer(page, { forms: [] })
diff --git a/packages/app/src/composer/submit.test.ts b/packages/app/src/composer/submit.test.ts
index cc9de33af70..73de80caa77 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/composer/submit.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/composer/submit.test.ts
@@ -214,10 +214,10 @@ describe("Composer submission", () => {
       current: { agent: "plan", model: { id: "old", providerID: "old" } },
       calls: ["admit", "switch-agent", "switch-model", "send"],
     },
-    // The model still commits: cached session state may lag behind an earlier switch.
+    // An unchanged selection sends without a model request to wait on.
     {
       current: { agent: "build", model: { providerID: "provider-1", id: "model-1", variant: "balanced" } },
-      calls: ["admit", "switch-model", "send"],
+      calls: ["admit", "send"],
     },
     // A prompt commits a staged revert, which would delete the model switch made after its boundary. The revert
     // settles before admission, whose row it would also delete.
diff --git a/packages/app/src/composer/submit.ts b/packages/app/src/composer/submit.ts
index bbb329f80ba..73c123dfa84 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/composer/submit.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/composer/submit.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ import { parseSlashCommand } from "./client-slash-command"
 
 const submitting = new WeakSet<object>()
 
+// The model each session was last switched to from this client, by session ID.
+const switched = new Map<string, string>()
+
 type ComposerSubmission = {
   id: SessionMessage.ID
   mode: "normal" | "shell"
@@ -500,11 +503,23 @@ async function applySelection(
 
     await beforeModel?.()
 
-    // The server deduplicates unchanged selections; cached SSE state may still be behind an earlier switch.
+    // Skip an unchanged model so a send never waits on that request. An agent switch or a revert can move the
+    // model, and cached SSE state may lag this client's earlier switch, which must also match.
+    const model = `${selection.model.providerID}/${selection.model.modelID}/${selection.variant ?? ""}`
+    const saved = current?.model && `${current.model.providerID}/${current.model.id}/${current.model.variant ?? ""}`
+
+    if (
+      current?.agent === selection.agent &&
+      !current.revert &&
+      saved === model &&
+      (switched.get(session.id) ?? model) === model
+    )
+      return
     await session.api.switchModel({
       sessionID: session.id,
       model: { id: selection.model.modelID, providerID: selection.model.providerID, variant: selection.variant },
     })
+    switched.set(session.id, model)
   } catch (error) {
     cancel?.()
     throw error
diff --git a/packages/app/src/session/requests/model.ts b/packages/app/src/session/requests/model.ts
index 219588ed1b5..ff85f5c9a13 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/session/requests/model.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/session/requests/model.ts
@@ -28,13 +28,21 @@ export function createSessionRequestModel() {
       () => undefined,
     )
   })
-  createEffect(() => {
-    const id = params.id
 
-    if (!id || serverSDK.connection.status() !== "connected") return
-    void Promise.all(
-      sessionTreeIDs(data.session.list(), id).map((sessionID) => data.session.form.sync(sessionID)),
-    ).catch(() => undefined)
+  // Only a running Session can hold a pending form, and events keep loaded forms current. Comparing by value
+  // keeps every session update in a large subagent tree from re-requesting forms.
+  const formSessions = createMemo(
+    () =>
+      sessionTreeIDs(data.session.list(), params.id).filter(
+        (id) => id === params.id || data.session.status(id) === "running",
+      ),
+    [],
+    { equals: (a, b) => a.join() === b.join() },
+  )
+
+  createEffect(() => {
+    if (serverSDK.connection.status() !== "connected") return
+    void Promise.all(formSessions().map((sessionID) => data.session.form.sync(sessionID))).catch(() => undefined)
   })
 
   const formRequest = createMemo((): FormInfo | undefined => {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/effect/app-node-builder.ts b/packages/core/src/effect/app-node-builder.ts
index dfefbf8d662..427b5259828 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/effect/app-node-builder.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/effect/app-node-builder.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { buildLocationServiceMap } from "../location-services.js"
 import { LocationServiceMap } from "../location-service-map.js"
 import { LayerNode } from "@opencode/util/effect/layer-node"
 import { makeGlobalNode } from "@opencode/util/effect/app-node"
-import { Effect, Layer } from "effect"
+import { Effect, Layer, RcMap } from "effect"
 import { Instance } from "../instance/service.js"
 
 const instances = makeGlobalNode({
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ const instances = makeGlobalNode({
       const locations = yield* LocationServiceMap.Service
       return Instance.Service.of({
         provide: (session) => Effect.provide(locations.get(session.location)),
+        live: (session) => RcMap.has(locations.rcMap, LocationServiceMap.canonical(session.location)),
       })
     }),
   ),
diff --git a/packages/core/src/instance/service.ts b/packages/core/src/instance/service.ts
index f23d28f49f2..8299cfd16a2 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/instance/service.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/instance/service.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ export interface Interface {
   readonly provide: (
     session: Session.Info,
   ) => <A, E, R>(effect: Effect.Effect<A, E, R>) => Effect.Effect<A, E | Error, Exclude<R, Services>>
+  /** Whether `provide` would reuse built or booting capabilities. Selectors without it are assumed live. */
+  readonly live?: (session: Session.Info) => Effect.Effect<boolean>
 }
 
 export class Service extends Context.Service<Service, Interface>()("@opencode/Instance") {}
diff --git a/packages/sdk/src/internal/instances.ts b/packages/sdk/src/internal/instances.ts
index 1adecd3a4ea..2f505856a54 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/src/internal/instances.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/src/internal/instances.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { Location } from "@opencode/schema/location"
 import type { Session } from "@opencode/schema/session"
 import { makeGlobalNode } from "@opencode/util/effect/app-node"
 import type { LayerNode } from "@opencode/util/effect/layer-node"
-import { Context, Duration, Effect, Layer, LayerMap, Scope } from "effect"
+import { Context, Duration, Effect, Layer, LayerMap, RcMap, Scope } from "effect"
 
 export interface Configuration {
   readonly plugins: InstancePlugins.List
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ export function layer(options: Options, replacements: () => LayerNode.Replacemen
           ),
         { idleTimeToLive: Duration.infinity },
       )
-      return Instance.Service.of({ provide })
+      return Instance.Service.of({ provide, live: (session) => RcMap.has(instances.rcMap, key(session)) })
     }),
   )
 }
diff --git a/packages/server/src/middleware/form-location.ts b/packages/server/src/middleware/form-location.ts
index b975d1aacfb..3bf93b33f66 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/middleware/form-location.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/middleware/form-location.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { LocationServiceMap } from "@opencode/core/location-services"
 import { Session } from "@opencode/core/session"
 import { LocationNotFoundError, InvalidRequestError, SessionNotFoundError } from "@opencode/protocol/errors"
 import { Effect, Layer } from "effect"
-import { HttpRouter, HttpServerRequest } from "effect/http"
+import { HttpRouter, HttpServerRequest, HttpServerResponse } from "effect/http"
 import { HttpApiMiddleware } from "effect/http-api"
 import { locationErrors, requestRef, sessionInfo, type LocationServices } from "../location"
 
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ export const formLocationLayer = Layer.effect(
     const instances = yield* Instance.Service
     const locations = yield* LocationServiceMap.Service
 
-    return FormLocationMiddleware.of((effect) =>
+    return FormLocationMiddleware.of((effect, options) =>
       Effect.gen(function* () {
         const route = yield* HttpRouter.RouteContext
         if (route.params.sessionID === "global") {
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ export const formLocationLayer = Layer.effect(
         }
 
         const session = yield* sessionInfo(sessions, route.params.sessionID)
+        // Forms live in memory, so a Session without live capabilities has none pending. Listing must
+        // not boot its Location: clients poll whole subagent trees, including deleted worktrees.
+        if (options.endpoint.identifier === "session.form.list" && instances.live && !(yield* instances.live(session)))
+          return HttpServerResponse.jsonUnsafe({ data: [] })
         return yield* effect.pipe(instances.provide(session), locationErrors)
       }),
     )
diff --git a/packages/server/test/fetch.test.ts b/packages/server/test/fetch.test.ts
index 952a89aca0a..c0ad070084f 100644
--- a/packages/server/test/fetch.test.ts
+++ b/packages/server/test/fetch.test.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ it.live("returns LocationNotFoundError for a missing folder and recovers once it
       "/api/integration",
       `/api/session/${session.id}/permission`,
       `/api/experimental/session/${session.id}/instructions/entries`,
-      `/api/session/${session.id}/form`,
       "/api/session/global/form",
     ]
     for (const endpoint of endpoints) {
diff --git a/packages/server/test/session-form.test.ts b/packages/server/test/session-form.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1f22d8ffa07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/server/test/session-form.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import { expect } from "bun:test"
+import fs from "fs/promises"
+import { Effect } from "effect"
+import { tmpdirScoped } from "../../core/test/fixture/tmpdir"
+import { it } from "../../core/test/lib/effect"
+import { ServerFetch } from "../src/fetch"
+
+it.live("lists no forms for a Session whose Location is not live, and pending forms once it is", () =>
+  Effect.gen(function* () {
+    const handler = yield* ServerFetch.make({
+      app: { version: "test" },
+      database: { path: ":memory:" },
+      fs: { filewatcher: false },
+      models: { fetch: false },
+    })
+    const request = (path: string, body?: unknown) =>
+      Effect.promise(async () => {
+        const response = await handler(
+          new Request(`http://opencode.local${path}`, {
+            method: body === undefined ? "GET" : "POST",
+            headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+            body: body === undefined ? undefined : JSON.stringify(body),
+          }),
+        )
+        return { status: response.status, body: await response.json() }
+      })
+    const create = (directory: string) =>
+      request("/api/session", { location: { directory } }).pipe(
+        Effect.map((response) => (response.body as { data: { id: string } }).data.id),
+      )
+
+    // A subagent whose worktree was deleted must not boot or 404.
+    const deleted = yield* tmpdirScoped()
+    const orphan = yield* create(deleted.path)
+    yield* Effect.promise(() => fs.rm(deleted.path, { recursive: true, force: true }))
+    expect(yield* request(`/api/session/${orphan}/form`)).toEqual({ status: 200, body: { data: [] } })
+
+    const directory = yield* tmpdirScoped()
+    const live = yield* create(directory.path)
+    const created = yield* request(`/api/session/${live}/form`, {
+      title: "Pick one",
+      fields: [{ key: "answer", type: "string" }],
+    })
+    expect(created.status).toBe(200)
+    expect(yield* request(`/api/session/${live}/form`)).toEqual({
+      status: 200,
+      body: { data: [(created.body as { data: unknown }).data] },
+    })
+  }).pipe(Effect.scoped),
+)