diff --git a/packages/tui/test/component/dialog-variant.test.tsx b/packages/tui/test/component/dialog-variant.test.tsx
index a6be4fc705c..fdc46c7876c 100644
--- a/packages/tui/test/component/dialog-variant.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/tui/test/component/dialog-variant.test.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 import { expect, test } from "bun:test"
+import { CliRenderEvents, InputRenderable } from "@opentui/core"
+import { once } from "node:events"
 import { DialogVariant } from "../../src/component/dialog-variant"
 import { agent, model, renderLocal } from "../fixture/local"
 
@@ -10,6 +12,10 @@ test("variant picker can explicitly reset an agent variant", async () => {
   expect(setup.local.model.variant.current()).toBe("high")
   setup.dialog.replace(() => <DialogVariant />)
   await setup.waitForFrame((frame) => frame.includes("Select variant") && frame.includes("Default"))
+  // The dialog paints before its deferred filter focus is ready for typing.
+  if (!(setup.renderer.currentFocusedRenderable instanceof InputRenderable))
+    await once(setup.renderer, CliRenderEvents.FOCUSED_RENDERABLE)
+  expect(setup.renderer.currentFocusedRenderable).toBeInstanceOf(InputRenderable)
   await setup.mockInput.typeText("Default")
   await setup.renderOnce()
   setup.mockInput.pressEnter()