diff --git a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/Composer.swift b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/Composer.swift
index 38d6e13..d896f0a 100644
--- a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/Composer.swift
+++ b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/Composer.swift
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ struct StartChatComposer: View {
     /// project page's "+", so the chat always lands in that project.
     var lockedProject: WireProject? = nil
     @State private var projectID: ProjectID?
-    @State private var auto = false
+    @State private var autoOverride: Bool?
     @State private var model: String?
     @State private var effort = MobileEfforts.fallback
     // Advanced options (the Mac new-session sheet's base branch + worktree fields).
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@ struct StartChatComposer: View {
         lockedProject ?? (projects.first { $0.id == projectID } ?? projects.first)
     }
     private var controlled: Bool { selected?.isNucleicControlled ?? false }
+    /// Auto-approve for the chat about to start: the user's choice off-control, but forced on for a
+    /// Nucleic Control project. The host locks Auto on for those chats regardless of what the phone
+    /// sends (they run autonomously — nvrsion needs it: see `AppStore.createSession`), so the
+    /// composer shows it locked on to match the Mac rather than offering a toggle that wouldn't take.
+    private var effectiveAuto: Bool { controlled || (autoOverride ?? false) }
 
     var body: some View {
         VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 10) {
@@ -51,12 +56,17 @@ struct StartChatComposer: View {
                         .font(.subheadline).foregroundStyle(.secondary)
                 }
                 Spacer()
-                Toggle(isOn: $auto) {
-                    Label("Auto", systemImage: auto ? "bolt.fill" : "bolt.slash")
+                Toggle(isOn: Binding(get: { effectiveAuto }, set: { autoOverride = $0 })) {
+                    Label("Auto", systemImage: effectiveAuto ? "bolt.fill" : "bolt.slash")
                 }
                 .toggleStyle(.button)
                 .tint(Palette.accent)
                 .font(.caption)
+                // Locked on for a Nucleic Control project — those chats always run autonomously.
+                .disabled(controlled)
+                .help(controlled
+                    ? "Auto-approve is always on for Nucleic Control chats — they run autonomously."
+                    : "Auto-approve safe actions; destructive ones still ask.")
             }
             HStack {
                 ModelMenu(model: $model, catalog: store.modelCatalog, backend: nil)
@@ -104,7 +114,7 @@ struct StartChatComposer: View {
                         store.startChat(
                             in: project.id, message: draft, model: model, effort: effort,
                             baseBranch: branch.isEmpty ? nil : branch,
-                            useWorktree: useWorktree, auto: auto)
+                            useWorktree: useWorktree, auto: effectiveAuto)
                         draft = ""
                         onStart?()
                     }
@@ -123,6 +133,10 @@ struct StartChatComposer: View {
         .padding(.horizontal, 14)
         .padding(.vertical, 12)
         .glassSurface(cornerRadius: 26)
+        // Prefill the base branch with the project's default so it actually appears (mirroring the
+        // Mac composer's `effectiveBranch`), rather than sitting as an empty placeholder.
+        .onAppear(perform: syncToProject)
+        .onChange(of: projectID) { _, _ in syncToProject() }
         // Switching to a model with a lower effort cap can't leave an unsupported level selected.
         .onChange(of: model) { _, newModel in
             let levels = store.modelCatalog.offeredEfforts(forModel: newModel)
@@ -132,6 +146,16 @@ struct StartChatComposer: View {
             }
         }
     }
+
+    /// Sync the composer to the freshly-selected project: show its default branch as the base, and
+    /// resolve a carried-over Orchestra selection down to a real level when the new project isn't
+    /// under Nucleic Control (Orchestra can't run there — mirrors the Mac's `effectiveEffort`).
+    private func syncToProject() {
+        baseBranch = selected?.defaultBranch ?? ""
+        if MobileEfforts.isOrchestra(effort), !controlled {
+            effort = store.modelCatalog.offeredEfforts(forModel: model).last ?? MobileEfforts.fallback
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 /// The floating "+" start-chat affordance: a Liquid Glass circle in the lower-right that reveals