diff --git a/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/CreateAgentStartDialog.tsx b/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/CreateAgentStartDialog.tsx
index a32d2d760..05f8af9a8 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/CreateAgentStartDialog.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/CreateAgentStartDialog.tsx
@@ -1,21 +1,40 @@
 import { FileUp, Plus } from "lucide-react";
+import * as React from "react";
 
-import { ProfileAvatar } from "@/features/profile/ui/ProfileAvatar";
 import { useAgentTemplatesQuery } from "@/features/agents/hooks";
+import { ProfileAvatar } from "@/features/profile/ui/ProfileAvatar";
 import type { AgentTemplate } from "@/shared/api/types";
-import {
-  Dialog,
-  DialogContent,
-  DialogDescription,
-  DialogHeader,
-  DialogTitle,
-} from "@/shared/ui/dialog";
 import { useFileImportZone } from "@/shared/hooks/useFileImportZone";
+import { cn } from "@/shared/lib/cn";
+import { Button } from "@/shared/ui/button";
+import { ChooserDialogContent } from "@/shared/ui/chooser-dialog-content";
+import { Dialog } from "@/shared/ui/dialog";
+import { Markdown } from "@/shared/ui/markdown";
+import { Skeleton } from "@/shared/ui/skeleton";
+
+const agentInstructionMarkdownClassName = [
+  "mt-3 leading-6 text-muted-foreground [&_blockquote]:!text-muted-foreground [&_code]:!text-muted-foreground [&_li]:text-muted-foreground [&_ol]:text-muted-foreground [&_p]:text-muted-foreground [&_strong]:text-muted-foreground [&_td]:text-muted-foreground [&_ul]:text-muted-foreground",
+  "[&>h1]:!text-sm [&>h1]:!font-semibold [&>h1]:!leading-6 [&>h1]:!tracking-normal [&>h1]:!text-foreground",
+  "[&>h2]:!text-sm [&>h2]:!font-semibold [&>h2]:!leading-6 [&>h2]:!tracking-normal [&>h2]:!text-foreground",
+  "[&>h3]:!text-sm [&>h3]:!font-semibold [&>h3]:!leading-6 [&>h3]:!tracking-normal [&>h3]:!text-foreground",
+  "[&>h4]:!text-sm [&>h4]:!font-semibold [&>h4]:!leading-6 [&>h4]:!tracking-normal [&>h4]:!text-foreground",
+  "[&>h5]:!text-sm [&>h5]:!font-semibold [&>h5]:!leading-6 [&>h5]:!tracking-normal [&>h5]:!text-foreground",
+  "[&>h6]:!text-sm [&>h6]:!font-semibold [&>h6]:!leading-6 [&>h6]:!tracking-normal [&>h6]:!text-foreground",
+].join(" ");
+
+const sidebarRowClassName =
+  "flex w-full items-center gap-2 rounded-lg px-4 py-1.5 text-left transition-[background-color,color,box-shadow] focus:outline-hidden focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-sidebar-ring/50 focus-visible:ring-offset-2 focus-visible:ring-offset-sidebar";
+
+const sidebarRowIdleClassName =
+  "text-sidebar-foreground/70 hover:bg-sidebar-accent hover:text-sidebar-accent-foreground";
 
 /**
  * Step 1 of the Create Agent wizard: choose a starting point — a blank
- * agent, a built-in starter template, or an imported agent file. Selecting
- * anything hands off to the details step (CreateAgentDialog) prefilled.
+ * agent, a built-in starter template, or an imported agent file. Uses the
+ * catalog chooser layout: a sidebar list on the left and a template detail
+ * pane on the right. Blank/import act immediately; picking a template
+ * previews it and "Use template" hands off to the details step
+ * (CreateAgentDialog) prefilled.
  */
 export function CreateAgentStartDialog({
   open,
@@ -30,8 +49,12 @@ export function CreateAgentStartDialog({
   onPickBlank: () => void;
   onPickTemplate: (template: AgentTemplate) => void;
 }) {
+  const contentRef = React.useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
   const templatesQuery = useAgentTemplatesQuery({ enabled: open });
   const templates = templatesQuery.data ?? [];
+  const isLoading = templatesQuery.isLoading;
+  const error =
+    templatesQuery.error instanceof Error ? templatesQuery.error : null;
   const {
     fileInputRef,
     isDragOver,
@@ -40,130 +63,318 @@ export function CreateAgentStartDialog({
     openFilePicker,
   } = useFileImportZone({ onImportFile });
 
+  const [selectedTemplateId, setSelectedTemplateId] = React.useState<
+    string | null
+  >(null);
+  const selectedTemplate = React.useMemo(() => {
+    if (templates.length === 0) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    return (
+      templates.find((template) => template.id === selectedTemplateId) ??
+      templates[0]
+    );
+  }, [templates, selectedTemplateId]);
+
+  React.useEffect(() => {
+    if (!open) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (templates.length === 0) {
+      setSelectedTemplateId(null);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    setSelectedTemplateId((current) =>
+      current && templates.some((template) => template.id === current)
+        ? current
+        : templates[0].id,
+    );
+  }, [open, templates]);
+
+  const handleUseTemplate = () => {
+    if (!selectedTemplate) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    onPickTemplate(selectedTemplate);
+  };
+
   return (
     <Dialog onOpenChange={onOpenChange} open={open}>
-      <DialogContent className="max-w-2xl overflow-hidden p-0">
-        <div className="relative flex max-h-[85vh] flex-col" {...dropHandlers}>
-          {isDragOver ? (
-            <div className="pointer-events-none absolute inset-1 z-10 flex items-center justify-center rounded-2xl border-2 border-dashed border-primary/50 bg-background/80 backdrop-blur-sm">
-              <p className="text-sm font-medium text-primary">
-                Drop an agent file to import
-              </p>
-            </div>
-          ) : null}
+      <ChooserDialogContent
+        className="h-168 max-w-4xl"
+        contentClassName="flex min-h-0 flex-1 p-0"
+        data-testid="create-agent-start-dialog"
+        description="Choose a starting point. You can adjust everything in the next step."
+        headerClassName="bg-sidebar pb-3 text-sidebar-foreground"
+        headerTestId="create-agent-start-dialog-header"
+        onOpenAutoFocus={(event) => {
+          event.preventDefault();
+          contentRef.current?.focus();
+        }}
+        ref={contentRef}
+        scrollAreaClassName="flex min-h-0 overflow-hidden px-0"
+        scrollAreaTestId="create-agent-start-dialog-body"
+        tabIndex={-1}
+        title="New agent"
+        {...dropHandlers}
+      >
+        {isDragOver ? (
+          <div className="pointer-events-none absolute inset-1 z-20 flex items-center justify-center rounded-2xl border-2 border-dashed border-primary/50 bg-background/80 backdrop-blur-sm">
+            <p className="text-sm font-medium text-primary">
+              Drop an agent file to import
+            </p>
+          </div>
+        ) : null}
 
-          <DialogHeader className="shrink-0 border-b border-border/60 px-6 py-5 pr-14">
-            <DialogTitle>New agent</DialogTitle>
-            <DialogDescription>
-              Choose a starting point. You can adjust everything in the next
-              step.
-            </DialogDescription>
-          </DialogHeader>
-
-          <div className="min-h-0 flex-1 space-y-4 overflow-y-auto px-6 py-5">
-            <div className="grid gap-2 sm:grid-cols-2">
-              <button
-                className="flex items-center gap-3 rounded-2xl border border-border/70 bg-background/70 px-4 py-3 text-left transition-colors hover:border-primary/50 hover:bg-primary/5"
-                data-testid="create-agent-start-blank"
-                onClick={onPickBlank}
-                type="button"
-              >
-                <span className="flex h-9 w-9 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-lg border border-dashed border-muted-foreground/40 text-muted-foreground">
-                  <Plus className="h-4 w-4" />
-                </span>
-                <span className="min-w-0">
-                  <span className="block text-sm font-semibold tracking-tight">
+        <div className="flex min-h-0 flex-1 flex-col overflow-hidden bg-sidebar sm:flex-row">
+          <div className="flex max-h-56 min-h-0 flex-col sm:max-h-none sm:w-56">
+            <div
+              className="min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-y-auto px-2 py-3"
+              data-testid="create-agent-start-dialog-scroll-area"
+            >
+              <div className="space-y-1">
+                <button
+                  className={cn(sidebarRowClassName, sidebarRowIdleClassName)}
+                  data-testid="create-agent-start-blank"
+                  onClick={onPickBlank}
+                  type="button"
+                >
+                  <span className="flex h-6 w-6 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-md border border-dashed border-sidebar-foreground/40">
+                    <Plus className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+                  </span>
+                  <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate text-sm font-medium">
                     Blank agent
                   </span>
-                  <span className="block truncate text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                    Start from scratch
-                  </span>
-                </span>
-              </button>
+                </button>
 
-              <button
-                className="flex items-center gap-3 rounded-2xl border border-border/70 bg-background/70 px-4 py-3 text-left transition-colors hover:border-primary/50 hover:bg-primary/5"
-                data-testid="create-agent-start-import"
-                onClick={openFilePicker}
-                type="button"
-              >
-                <span className="flex h-9 w-9 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-lg border border-dashed border-muted-foreground/40 text-muted-foreground">
-                  <FileUp className="h-4 w-4" />
-                </span>
-                <span className="min-w-0">
-                  <span className="block text-sm font-semibold tracking-tight">
+                <button
+                  className={cn(sidebarRowClassName, sidebarRowIdleClassName)}
+                  data-testid="create-agent-start-import"
+                  onClick={openFilePicker}
+                  type="button"
+                >
+                  <span className="flex h-6 w-6 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-md border border-dashed border-sidebar-foreground/40">
+                    <FileUp className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+                  </span>
+                  <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate text-sm font-medium">
                     Import from file
                   </span>
-                  <span className="block truncate text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                    .persona.md, .persona.json, .persona.png, or .zip
-                  </span>
-                </span>
-              </button>
-            </div>
+                </button>
+              </div>
 
-            <div className="space-y-2">
-              <p className="text-xs font-medium uppercase tracking-wide text-muted-foreground">
+              <p className="px-4 pb-1 pt-4 text-xs font-medium uppercase tracking-wide text-sidebar-foreground/60">
                 Templates
               </p>
-              <div className="grid gap-2 sm:grid-cols-2">
-                {templates.map((template) => (
-                  <TemplateCard
-                    key={template.id}
-                    onPick={onPickTemplate}
-                    template={template}
-                  />
-                ))}
-              </div>
+
+              {isLoading ? <TemplateListSkeleton /> : null}
+
+              {!isLoading && templates.length > 0 ? (
+                <div className="space-y-1">
+                  {templates.map((template) => {
+                    const isCurrent = template.id === selectedTemplate?.id;
+
+                    return (
+                      <button
+                        aria-current={isCurrent ? "true" : undefined}
+                        className={cn(
+                          sidebarRowClassName,
+                          isCurrent
+                            ? "bg-sidebar-active text-sidebar-active-foreground"
+                            : sidebarRowIdleClassName,
+                        )}
+                        data-testid={`create-agent-template-${template.id}`}
+                        key={template.id}
+                        onClick={() => {
+                          setSelectedTemplateId(template.id);
+                        }}
+                        type="button"
+                      >
+                        <ProfileAvatar
+                          avatarUrl={template.avatarUrl}
+                          className="h-6 w-6 text-3xs"
+                          label={template.displayName}
+                        />
+                        <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate text-sm font-medium">
+                          {template.displayName}
+                        </span>
+                      </button>
+                    );
+                  })}
+                </div>
+              ) : null}
             </div>
           </div>
 
-          <input
-            accept=".md,.json,.png,.zip"
-            className="hidden"
-            onChange={handleFileChange}
-            ref={fileInputRef}
-            type="file"
-          />
+          <div className="relative z-10 ml-px flex min-h-0 flex-1 flex-col overflow-hidden rounded-tl-xl bg-background shadow-[-1px_0_0_0_hsl(var(--sidebar-border)/0.45)]">
+            <div
+              className="min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-y-auto px-5 pb-24 pt-5"
+              data-testid="create-agent-start-detail-pane"
+            >
+              {isLoading ? <TemplateDetailSkeleton /> : null}
+
+              {!isLoading && selectedTemplate ? (
+                <TemplateDetail template={selectedTemplate} />
+              ) : null}
+
+              {!isLoading && templates.length === 0 && !error ? (
+                <div className="flex min-h-80 items-center justify-center rounded-lg border border-dashed border-border/70 px-6 text-center">
+                  <div>
+                    <p className="text-sm font-semibold">
+                      No templates available
+                    </p>
+                    <p className="mt-2 max-w-sm text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+                      Start from a blank agent or import an agent file instead.
+                    </p>
+                  </div>
+                </div>
+              ) : null}
+
+              {error ? (
+                <p className="rounded-lg border border-destructive/30 bg-destructive/10 px-4 py-3 text-sm text-destructive">
+                  {error.message}
+                </p>
+              ) : null}
+            </div>
+
+            <div className="pointer-events-none absolute inset-x-0 bottom-0 flex justify-end bg-linear-to-t from-background via-background/95 to-transparent px-5 pb-4 pt-12">
+              <Button
+                aria-label={
+                  selectedTemplate
+                    ? `Use the ${selectedTemplate.displayName} template`
+                    : undefined
+                }
+                className="pointer-events-auto"
+                data-testid="create-agent-start-use-template"
+                disabled={!selectedTemplate}
+                onClick={handleUseTemplate}
+                size="sm"
+                type="button"
+              >
+                Use template
+              </Button>
+            </div>
+          </div>
         </div>
-      </DialogContent>
+
+        <input
+          accept=".md,.json,.png,.zip"
+          className="hidden"
+          onChange={handleFileChange}
+          ref={fileInputRef}
+          type="file"
+        />
+      </ChooserDialogContent>
     </Dialog>
   );
 }
 
-function TemplateCard({
-  template,
-  onPick,
-}: {
-  template: AgentTemplate;
-  onPick: (template: AgentTemplate) => void;
-}) {
-  const firstLine = template.systemPrompt
-    .trim()
-    .split("\n")
-    .find((line) => line.trim().length > 0);
-
+function TemplateDetail({ template }: { template: AgentTemplate }) {
   return (
-    <button
-      className="flex items-center gap-3 rounded-2xl border border-border/70 bg-background/70 px-4 py-3 text-left transition-colors hover:border-primary/50 hover:bg-primary/5"
-      data-testid={`create-agent-template-${template.id}`}
-      onClick={() => onPick(template)}
-      type="button"
-    >
-      <ProfileAvatar
-        avatarUrl={template.avatarUrl}
-        className="h-9 w-9 shrink-0 rounded-lg text-xs"
-        label={template.displayName}
+    <div className="space-y-6">
+      <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
+        <ProfileAvatar
+          avatarUrl={template.avatarUrl}
+          className="h-12 w-12 text-sm"
+          label={template.displayName}
+        />
+        <div className="min-w-0">
+          <h3 className="truncate text-xl font-semibold leading-snug">
+            {template.displayName}
+          </h3>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
+      <TemplateMetaGroup
+        items={[
+          { label: "Type", value: "Built-in template" },
+          {
+            label: "Preferred model",
+            value: template.model ?? "Use app default",
+          },
+          {
+            label: "Preferred runtime",
+            value: template.runtime ?? "Use app default",
+          },
+        ]}
       />
-      <span className="min-w-0">
-        <span className="block text-sm font-semibold tracking-tight">
-          {template.displayName}
-        </span>
-        {firstLine ? (
-          <span className="block truncate text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-            {firstLine}
-          </span>
-        ) : null}
-      </span>
-    </button>
+
+      <div className="pt-3">
+        <p className="text-base font-semibold text-foreground">
+          Agent instruction
+        </p>
+        <Markdown
+          className={agentInstructionMarkdownClassName}
+          content={template.systemPrompt}
+          interactive={false}
+        />
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+function TemplateMetaGroup({
+  items,
+}: {
+  items: { label: string; value: string }[];
+}) {
+  return (
+    <div className="rounded-lg border border-border/70 bg-card/70">
+      <div className="grid sm:grid-cols-3">
+        {items.map((item, index) => (
+          <div
+            className={cn(
+              "relative px-4 py-3",
+              index > 0 &&
+                "border-t border-border/60 sm:border-t-0 sm:before:absolute sm:before:bottom-3 sm:before:left-0 sm:before:top-3 sm:before:w-px sm:before:bg-border/70",
+            )}
+            key={item.label}
+          >
+            <p className="text-xs font-semibold text-muted-foreground">
+              {item.label}
+            </p>
+            <p className="mt-2 text-sm font-medium text-foreground">
+              {item.value}
+            </p>
+          </div>
+        ))}
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+function TemplateListSkeleton() {
+  return (
+    <div className="space-y-2">
+      {["first", "second", "third", "fourth", "fifth"].map((key) => (
+        <div
+          className="flex items-center gap-2 rounded-lg px-4 py-1.5"
+          key={key}
+        >
+          <Skeleton className="h-6 w-6 rounded-full" />
+          <Skeleton className="h-4 w-28" />
+        </div>
+      ))}
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+function TemplateDetailSkeleton() {
+  return (
+    <div className="space-y-6">
+      <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
+        <Skeleton className="h-12 w-12 rounded-full" />
+        <Skeleton className="h-6 w-40" />
+      </div>
+      <div className="grid overflow-hidden rounded-lg border border-border/70 sm:grid-cols-3">
+        <Skeleton className="h-20 rounded-none" />
+        <Skeleton className="h-20 rounded-none" />
+        <Skeleton className="h-20 rounded-none" />
+      </div>
+      <Skeleton className="h-48 rounded-lg" />
+    </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/agents.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/agents.spec.ts
index fcefa05df..befc0c5cb 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/agents.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/agents.spec.ts
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ test("selecting a template prefills the create agent form", async ({
   await openCreateAgentStart(page);
 
   await page.getByTestId("create-agent-template-builtin:fizz").click();
+  await page.getByTestId("create-agent-start-use-template").click();
 
   await expect(page.getByTestId("agent-name-input")).toHaveValue("Fizz");
   await expect(page.getByTestId("agent-instructions-input")).toHaveValue(
@@ -169,6 +170,7 @@ test("template submit creates an agent card in the grid", async ({ page }) => {
   await openCreateAgentStart(page);
 
   await page.getByTestId("create-agent-template-builtin:fizz").click();
+  await page.getByTestId("create-agent-start-use-template").click();
   await expect(page.getByTestId("agent-name-input")).toHaveValue("Fizz");
   await expect(page.getByTestId("create-agent-submit")).toBeEnabled();
   await page.getByTestId("create-agent-submit").click();