diff --git a/cortex/model_registry.py b/cortex/model_registry.py
index d2d3e12..82c71f1 100644
--- a/cortex/model_registry.py
+++ b/cortex/model_registry.py
@@ -664,7 +664,8 @@ def save_model(username: str, model_id: str | None, host_id: str,
                label: str, model_name: str, context_k: int = 0,
                tags: list[str] | None = None,
                max_rounds: int | None = None,
-               tools: bool = True) -> str:
+               tools: bool = True,
+               reasoning_budget_tokens: int | None = None) -> str:
     """Create or update a local_openai model entry. Returns the model ID."""
     data = _load(username)
     tags = tags or []
@@ -672,29 +673,31 @@ def save_model(username: str, model_id: str | None, host_id: str,
     if model_id:
         for m in data["models"]:
             if m["id"] == model_id:
-                m["host_id"]    = host_id
-                m["label"]      = label.strip() or model_name.strip()
-                m["model_name"] = model_name.strip()
-                m["context_k"]  = context_k
-                m["max_rounds"] = max_rounds
-                m["tools"]      = tools
-                m["tags"]       = tags
+                m["host_id"]                = host_id
+                m["label"]                  = label.strip() or model_name.strip()
+                m["model_name"]             = model_name.strip()
+                m["context_k"]              = context_k
+                m["max_rounds"]             = max_rounds
+                m["tools"]                  = tools
+                m["tags"]                   = tags
+                m["reasoning_budget_tokens"] = reasoning_budget_tokens
                 _save(username, data)
                 return model_id
         model_id = None
 
     model_id = secrets.token_hex(4)
     data["models"].append({
-        "id":         model_id,
-        "type":       "local_openai",
-        "label":      label.strip() or model_name.strip(),
-        "model_name": model_name.strip(),
-        "provider":   "local",
-        "host_id":    host_id,
-        "context_k":  context_k,
-        "max_rounds": max_rounds,
-        "tools":      tools,
-        "tags":       tags,
+        "id":                     model_id,
+        "type":                   "local_openai",
+        "label":                  label.strip() or model_name.strip(),
+        "model_name":             model_name.strip(),
+        "provider":               "local",
+        "host_id":                host_id,
+        "context_k":              context_k,
+        "max_rounds":             max_rounds,
+        "tools":                  tools,
+        "tags":                   tags,
+        "reasoning_budget_tokens": reasoning_budget_tokens,
     })
     _save(username, data)
     return model_id
diff --git a/cortex/openai_orchestrator.py b/cortex/openai_orchestrator.py
index d8aba00..fc37da4 100644
--- a/cortex/openai_orchestrator.py
+++ b/cortex/openai_orchestrator.py
@@ -287,6 +287,9 @@ async def _run_from_messages(
         if active_tools:
             call_kwargs["tools"] = active_tools
             call_kwargs["tool_choice"] = "auto"
+        reasoning_budget = (model_cfg or {}).get("reasoning_budget_tokens")
+        if reasoning_budget:
+            call_kwargs["extra_body"] = {"reasoning": {"budget_tokens": reasoning_budget}}
         response = await _chat_with_retry(client, **call_kwargs)
 
         choice = response.choices[0]
@@ -346,6 +349,8 @@ async def _run_from_messages(
                 conf_call: dict = {"model": model_name, "messages": messages, "tool_choice": "none"}
                 if active_tools:
                     conf_call["tools"] = active_tools
+                if reasoning_budget:
+                    conf_call["extra_body"] = {"reasoning": {"budget_tokens": reasoning_budget}}
                 conf_resp = await _chat_with_retry(client, **conf_call)
                 final_response = conf_resp.choices[0].message.content or (
                     "This action requires your explicit confirmation before it can proceed."
diff --git a/cortex/routers/local_llm.py b/cortex/routers/local_llm.py
index 5d63538..3d853e0 100644
--- a/cortex/routers/local_llm.py
+++ b/cortex/routers/local_llm.py
@@ -204,12 +204,13 @@ def _render(username: str, success: str = "", error: str = "") -> str:
         else:
             extra_fields = '<input type="hidden" name="credential_id" value="cli">'
 
-        cur_label      = m.get("label", "")
-        cur_model_name = m.get("model_name", "")
-        cur_ctx        = m.get("context_k", 0) or 0
-        cur_max_rounds = m.get("max_rounds") or 0
-        cur_tools      = m.get("tools", True)
-        cur_tags       = ", ".join(m.get("tags") or [])
+        cur_label           = m.get("label", "")
+        cur_model_name      = m.get("model_name", "")
+        cur_ctx             = m.get("context_k", 0) or 0
+        cur_max_rounds      = m.get("max_rounds") or 0
+        cur_tools           = m.get("tools", True)
+        cur_tags            = ", ".join(m.get("tags") or [])
+        cur_reasoning_budget = m.get("reasoning_budget_tokens") or 0
 
         model_rows += f'''
         <div class="model-row" id="model-{m["id"]}">
@@ -256,6 +257,11 @@ def _render(username: str, success: str = "", error: str = "") -> str:
                 <input type="number" name="max_rounds" value="{cur_max_rounds}" min="0"
                        title="Per-model tool loop cap. 0 = use the global default (orchestrator_max_rounds).">
               </div>
+              <div class="field" style="flex:0 0 auto">
+                <label title="OpenRouter reasoning budget in tokens. 0 = no reasoning override (model default). Injects reasoning.budget_tokens into the API call.">Reasoning tokens</label>
+                <input type="number" name="reasoning_budget_tokens" value="{cur_reasoning_budget}" min="0"
+                       title="OpenRouter reasoning budget in tokens. 0 = disabled. E.g. 2048 for light thinking, 8192 for deep reasoning.">
+              </div>
               <div class="field" style="flex:0 0 auto">
                 <label title="Whether this model supports tool calling. If not supported, requests skip the tool loop entirely.">Tool calling</label>
                 <select name="tools"
@@ -459,20 +465,21 @@ async def remove_host(request: Request, host_id: str):
 
 @router.post("/settings/local/models/add", include_in_schema=False)
 async def add_model(
-    request:          Request,
-    provider:         str = Form("local"),
-    label:            str = Form(""),
-    context_k:        int = Form(0),
-    max_rounds:       int = Form(0),
-    tools:            int = Form(1),
-    tags:             str = Form(""),
+    request:                  Request,
+    provider:                 str = Form("local"),
+    label:                    str = Form(""),
+    context_k:                int = Form(0),
+    max_rounds:               int = Form(0),
+    tools:                    int = Form(1),
+    tags:                     str = Form(""),
+    reasoning_budget_tokens:  int = Form(0),
     # local-only fields
-    host_id:          str = Form(""),
-    model_name:       str = Form(""),
+    host_id:                  str = Form(""),
+    model_name:               str = Form(""),
     # cloud-only fields
-    cloud_model_name: str = Form(""),
-    account_id:       str = Form(""),
-    credential_id:    str = Form("cli"),
+    cloud_model_name:         str = Form(""),
+    account_id:               str = Form(""),
+    credential_id:            str = Form("cli"),
 ):
     username = _get_user(request)
     if not username:
@@ -481,6 +488,7 @@ async def add_model(
     tag_list   = [t.strip() for t in tags.split(",") if t.strip()]
     max_rounds_ = max_rounds or None
     tools_bool  = tools != 0
+    reasoning_budget_ = reasoning_budget_tokens or None
 
     if provider == "local":
         if not model_name.strip():
@@ -488,7 +496,8 @@ async def add_model(
         if not host_id.strip():
             return HTMLResponse(_render(username, error="Select a host."))
         reg.save_model(username, None, host_id, label, model_name, context_k, tag_list,
-                       max_rounds=max_rounds_, tools=tools_bool)
+                       max_rounds=max_rounds_, tools=tools_bool,
+                       reasoning_budget_tokens=reasoning_budget_)
         display = label or model_name
 
     elif provider in ("google", "anthropic"):
@@ -513,32 +522,35 @@ async def add_model(
 
 @router.post("/settings/local/models/{model_id}/edit", include_in_schema=False)
 async def edit_model(
-    request:       Request,
-    model_id:      str,
-    mtype:         str = Form(""),
-    label:         str = Form(""),
-    model_name:    str = Form(""),
-    context_k:     int = Form(0),
-    max_rounds:    int = Form(0),
-    tools:         int = Form(1),
-    tags:          str = Form(""),
-    host_id:       str = Form(""),
-    account_id:    str = Form(""),
-    credential_id: str = Form("cli"),
+    request:                 Request,
+    model_id:                str,
+    mtype:                   str = Form(""),
+    label:                   str = Form(""),
+    model_name:              str = Form(""),
+    context_k:               int = Form(0),
+    max_rounds:              int = Form(0),
+    tools:                   int = Form(1),
+    tags:                    str = Form(""),
+    reasoning_budget_tokens: int = Form(0),
+    host_id:                 str = Form(""),
+    account_id:              str = Form(""),
+    credential_id:           str = Form("cli"),
 ):
     username = _get_user(request)
     if not username:
         return RedirectResponse("/login", status_code=302)
     if not model_name.strip():
         return HTMLResponse(_render(username, error="Model name is required."))
-    tag_list    = [t.strip() for t in tags.split(",") if t.strip()]
-    max_rounds_ = max_rounds or None
-    tools_bool  = tools != 0
+    tag_list          = [t.strip() for t in tags.split(",") if t.strip()]
+    max_rounds_       = max_rounds or None
+    tools_bool        = tools != 0
+    reasoning_budget_ = reasoning_budget_tokens or None
     if mtype == "local_openai":
         if not host_id.strip():
             return HTMLResponse(_render(username, error="Select a host for this model."))
         reg.save_model(username, model_id, host_id, label, model_name, context_k, tag_list,
-                       max_rounds=max_rounds_, tools=tools_bool)
+                       max_rounds=max_rounds_, tools=tools_bool,
+                       reasoning_budget_tokens=reasoning_budget_)
     elif mtype == "gemini_api":
         reg.save_cloud_model(username, model_id, "google", model_name, label,
                              account_id=account_id or None, context_k=context_k, tags=tag_list,
diff --git a/cortex/static/index.html b/cortex/static/index.html
index 68914d7..6a0988b 100644
--- a/cortex/static/index.html
+++ b/cortex/static/index.html
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
         <div class="persona-switcher" id="persona-switcher">
             <div class="name" id="persona-name">Inara</div>
             <div class="subtitle">Cortex · Local</div>
+            <div id="session-id"></div>
             <div class="persona-dropdown" id="persona-dropdown"></div>
         </div>
 
@@ -164,7 +165,6 @@
     </div>
 
     <div id="messages"></div>
-    <div id="session-id"></div>
 
     <div id="input-area">
         <!-- Mode select — compact dropdown, opens upward, MRU sorted -->
diff --git a/cortex/static/style.css b/cortex/static/style.css
index 74e2ea9..f7684b2 100644
--- a/cortex/static/style.css
+++ b/cortex/static/style.css
@@ -897,11 +897,14 @@
         #stop:hover { background: #5c1a1a; }
 
         #session-id {
-            font-size: 0.7rem;
+            font-size: 0.68rem;
             color: var(--border);
-            padding: 0 20px 6px;
-            background: var(--surface);
+            white-space: nowrap;
+            overflow: hidden;
+            text-overflow: ellipsis;
+            max-width: 220px;
         }
+        #session-id:empty { display: none; }
 
         /* ── Message wrappers (edit/delete controls) ──────────────── */
         .msg-wrapper {