diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d87fbb57..4c6639e7 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+- Fixed model combo not becoming active when a session starts with a blocking dialog (e.g. "Resuming session" prompt on --continue/--resume startup)
 - Improved keyboard navigation in choice menus: arrow keys, Tab, Shift+Tab
 - Added terminal font and font size settings (Tools → Options → Claude Code → General); defaults to auto-detection preferring Adwaita Mono for full Unicode coverage of Claude Code TUI symbols (https://github.com/nbclaudecodegui/NetbeansClaudeCodeGui/issues/18)
 - Reorganized General and Advanced settings tabs: moved technical settings (hang timeout, MCP port, Enable MCP integration, session list limit, debug mode) to Advanced
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index a8aebd31..f70cc2c8 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
     <groupId>io.github.nbclaudecodegui</groupId>
     <artifactId>netbeans-claude-code-gui</artifactId>
-    <version>0.22.31-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.22.32-SNAPSHOT</version>
     <packaging>nbm</packaging>
     <name>Netbeans Claude Code GUI</name>
     <description>NetBeans plugin that provides a GUI for Claude Code CLI — run claude code sessions directly inside the IDE.</description>
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/github/nbclaudecodegui/controller/ClaudeSessionController.java b/src/main/java/io/github/nbclaudecodegui/controller/ClaudeSessionController.java
index 365bee5e..d7397700 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/github/nbclaudecodegui/controller/ClaudeSessionController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/github/nbclaudecodegui/controller/ClaudeSessionController.java
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
  *       direct widget references after {@link #startProcess} returns.</li>
  * </ul>
  */
-public final class ClaudeSessionController {
+public class ClaudeSessionController {
 
     // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
     // Fields
@@ -763,7 +763,7 @@ public void switchModel(int index) {
      * Retries up to {@value #MAX_MODEL_DISCOVERY_ATTEMPTS} times if the screen
      * returns no models.
      */
-    private void discoverModels() {
+    void discoverModels() {
         if (connector == null || modelComboPopulated || modelDiscoveryInProgress) return;
         if (modelDiscoveryAttempts >= MAX_MODEL_DISCOVERY_ATTEMPTS) return;
         modelComboPopulated = true;
@@ -923,9 +923,16 @@ void pollScreenState() {
             model.setLifecycle(SessionLifecycle.READY);
         }
 
-        // On first READY: discover models and detect initial edit mode
+        // On first READY: discover models and detect initial edit mode.
+        // Defer discovery while any blocking dialog is visible — e.g. the
+        // "Resuming session" prompt shown on --continue/--resume startup.
+        // Sending /model while Claude is blocked by such a dialog causes the
+        // model menu to appear only after the dialog is dismissed, by which
+        // time discovery has already timed out and given up.
         if (model.getLifecycle() == SessionLifecycle.READY
-                && !modelComboPopulated && !modelDiscoveryInProgress) {
+                && !modelComboPopulated && !modelDiscoveryInProgress
+                && model.getActiveChoiceMenu() == null
+                && screenContentDetector.detectChoiceMenu(lines).isEmpty()) {
             discoverModels();
             detectAndApplyInitialEditMode(lines);
         }
diff --git a/src/test/java/io/github/nbclaudecodegui/controller/ClaudeSessionControllerTest.java b/src/test/java/io/github/nbclaudecodegui/controller/ClaudeSessionControllerTest.java
index ac58407b..b11dd065 100644
--- a/src/test/java/io/github/nbclaudecodegui/controller/ClaudeSessionControllerTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/io/github/nbclaudecodegui/controller/ClaudeSessionControllerTest.java
@@ -618,6 +618,49 @@ void hangNotDetectedWhenWithinTimeout() {
         assertNull(callbackCommand.get(), "Hang callback should NOT fire when elapsed < timeout");
     }
 
+    // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // discoverModels deferred when blocking dialog is visible at READY
+    // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /**
+     * Regression: when Claude starts with --continue/--resume, it may show a
+     * "Resuming session" dialog before the input prompt.  If discoverModels() is
+     * triggered while this dialog is visible, it sends /model but Claude cannot
+     * process it yet (blocked by the dialog).  Discovery times out, the combo
+     * stays unpopulated, and MAX_MODEL_DISCOVERY_ATTEMPTS prevents any retry.
+     *
+     * Fix: pollScreenState must skip discoverModels() while any choice menu is
+     * visible on screen or already shown to the user.
+     */
+    @Test
+    void pollScreenState_doesNotStartDiscoveryWhenBlockingMenuIsPresent() {
+        List<String> blockingMenuScreen = Arrays.asList(
+                "Resuming the full session will consume a substantial portion of your usage limits.",
+                "❯ 1. Resume from full history",
+                "  2. Resume from summary",
+                "Enter to confirm · Esc to cancel"
+        );
+
+        java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger discoveryCallCount =
+                new java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger(0);
+
+        ClaudeSessionModel m = new ClaudeSessionModel();
+        ClaudeSessionController c = new ClaudeSessionController(m, () -> blockingMenuScreen) {
+            @Override
+            void discoverModels() {
+                discoveryCallCount.incrementAndGet();
+            }
+        };
+
+        m.setLifecycle(SessionLifecycle.READY);
+        c.pollScreenState();
+
+        assertEquals(0, discoveryCallCount.get(),
+                "discoverModels must not be called while a blocking dialog is visible on screen");
+        assertNotNull(m.getActiveChoiceMenu(),
+                "Blocking dialog must be shown to the user while discovery is deferred");
+    }
+
     // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
     // No-op listener base class
     // -------------------------------------------------------------------------