diff --git a/packages/host/app/components/ai-assistant/llm-mode-toggle.gts b/packages/host/app/components/ai-assistant/llm-mode-toggle.gts
index e7206fce8f8..af4dae651d6 100644
--- a/packages/host/app/components/ai-assistant/llm-mode-toggle.gts
+++ b/packages/host/app/components/ai-assistant/llm-mode-toggle.gts
@@ -20,13 +20,17 @@ interface Signature {
 }
 
 export default class LLMModeToggle extends Component<Signature> {
+  private get selected(): LLMMode {
+    return this.args.selected === 'act' ? 'act' : 'ask';
+  }
+
   <template>
     <div class='llm-mode-toggle' ...attributes>
       <Tooltip @placement='top'>
         <:trigger>
           <button
             type='button'
-            class='llm-mode-option {{if (eq @selected "ask") "selected"}}'
+            class='llm-mode-option {{if (eq this.selected "ask") "selected"}}'
             data-test-llm-mode-option='ask'
             disabled={{@disabled}}
             {{on 'click' (fn this.handleOptionClick 'ask')}}
@@ -45,7 +49,7 @@ export default class LLMModeToggle extends Component<Signature> {
         <:trigger>
           <button
             type='button'
-            class='llm-mode-option {{if (eq @selected "act") "selected"}}'
+            class='llm-mode-option {{if (eq this.selected "act") "selected"}}'
             data-test-llm-mode-option='act'
             disabled={{@disabled}}
             {{on 'click' (fn this.handleOptionClick 'act')}}
@@ -102,7 +106,7 @@ export default class LLMModeToggle extends Component<Signature> {
 
   @action
   private handleOptionClick(mode: LLMMode) {
-    if (mode !== this.args.selected) {
+    if (mode !== this.selected) {
       this.args.onChange(mode);
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/host/tests/acceptance/ai-assistant-test.gts b/packages/host/tests/acceptance/ai-assistant-test.gts
index 41394809a13..dd118f539f9 100644
--- a/packages/host/tests/acceptance/ai-assistant-test.gts
+++ b/packages/host/tests/acceptance/ai-assistant-test.gts
@@ -3008,6 +3008,29 @@ module('Acceptance | AI Assistant tests', function (hooks) {
       .exists();
   });
 
+  test('ask/act toggle defaults to ask on new session', async function (assert) {
+    await visitOperatorMode({
+      stacks: [
+        [
+          {
+            id: `${testRealmURL}index`,
+            format: 'isolated',
+          },
+        ],
+      ],
+    });
+
+    await click('[data-test-open-ai-assistant]');
+    await waitFor('[data-room-settled]');
+
+    assert
+      .dom('[data-test-llm-mode-option="ask"]')
+      .hasClass('selected', 'Ask is selected by default on new session');
+    assert
+      .dom('[data-test-llm-mode-option="act"]')
+      .doesNotHaveClass('selected', 'Act is not selected by default');
+  });
+
   test('new session inherits llm mode from current room', async function (assert) {
     await visitOperatorMode({
       stacks: [