diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/app/(dashboard)/playground/components/chat_ui/AdditionalModelSettings.test.tsx b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/app/(dashboard)/playground/components/chat_ui/AdditionalModelSettings.test.tsx
index 1b443e98495..1c2cb426f23 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/app/(dashboard)/playground/components/chat_ui/AdditionalModelSettings.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/app/(dashboard)/playground/components/chat_ui/AdditionalModelSettings.test.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { act, render, screen, waitFor } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { act, fireEvent, render, screen, waitFor } from "@testing-library/react";
 import userEvent from "@testing-library/user-event";
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import AdditionalModelSettings from "./AdditionalModelSettings";
@@ -128,4 +128,47 @@ describe("AdditionalModelSettings", () => {
       expect(onMockTestFallbacksChange).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false);
     });
   });
+
+  it("should keep a half-typed decimal temperature instead of rewriting it", async () => {
+    const onTemperatureChange = vi.fn();
+
+    render(<AdditionalModelSettings useAdvancedParams onTemperatureChange={onTemperatureChange} />);
+
+    const temperatureField = screen.getByLabelText("Temperature value") as HTMLInputElement;
+    fireEvent.change(temperatureField, { target: { value: "0." } });
+
+    expect(temperatureField.value).toBe("0.");
+
+    fireEvent.change(temperatureField, { target: { value: "0.5" } });
+
+    expect(temperatureField.value).toBe("0.5");
+    expect(onTemperatureChange).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(0.5);
+  });
+
+  it("should let the max tokens field be cleared instead of snapping to a value", async () => {
+    const user = userEvent.setup();
+    const onMaxTokensChange = vi.fn();
+
+    render(<AdditionalModelSettings useAdvancedParams onMaxTokensChange={onMaxTokensChange} />);
+
+    const maxTokensField = screen.getByLabelText("Max tokens value");
+    await user.clear(maxTokensField);
+
+    expect((maxTokensField as HTMLInputElement).value).toBe("");
+  });
+
+  it("should clamp an out-of-range temperature once the field is left", async () => {
+    const user = userEvent.setup();
+    const onTemperatureChange = vi.fn();
+
+    render(<AdditionalModelSettings useAdvancedParams onTemperatureChange={onTemperatureChange} />);
+
+    const temperatureField = screen.getByLabelText("Temperature value");
+    await user.clear(temperatureField);
+    await user.type(temperatureField, "9");
+    await user.tab();
+
+    expect((temperatureField as HTMLInputElement).value).toBe("2");
+    expect(onTemperatureChange).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(2);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/app/(dashboard)/playground/components/chat_ui/AdditionalModelSettings.tsx b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/app/(dashboard)/playground/components/chat_ui/AdditionalModelSettings.tsx
index 4deb7051954..af306e0eb2e 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/app/(dashboard)/playground/components/chat_ui/AdditionalModelSettings.tsx
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/app/(dashboard)/playground/components/chat_ui/AdditionalModelSettings.tsx
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ const AdditionalModelSettings: React.FC<AdditionalModelSettingsProps> = ({
     externalUseAdvancedParams !== undefined ? externalUseAdvancedParams : internalUseAdvancedParams;
   const [localTemperature, setLocalTemperature] = useState(temperature);
   const [localMaxTokens, setLocalMaxTokens] = useState(maxTokens);
+  const [temperatureText, setTemperatureText] = useState(String(temperature));
+  const [maxTokensText, setMaxTokensText] = useState(String(maxTokens));
 
   const streamingId = useId();
   const advancedId = useId();
@@ -51,24 +53,46 @@ const AdditionalModelSettings: React.FC<AdditionalModelSettingsProps> = ({
 
   useEffect(() => {
     setLocalTemperature(temperature);
+    setTemperatureText(String(temperature));
   }, [temperature]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     setLocalMaxTokens(maxTokens);
+    setMaxTokensText(String(maxTokens));
   }, [maxTokens]);
 
   const handleTemperatureChange = (value: number) => {
     const newValue = clamp(Number.isFinite(value) ? value : 1.0, 0, 2);
     setLocalTemperature(newValue);
+    setTemperatureText(String(newValue));
     onTemperatureChange?.(newValue);
   };
 
   const handleMaxTokensChange = (value: number) => {
     const newValue = clamp(Number.isFinite(value) ? Math.round(value) : 1000, 1, 32768);
     setLocalMaxTokens(newValue);
+    setMaxTokensText(String(newValue));
     onMaxTokensChange?.(newValue);
   };
 
+  const handleTemperatureTyped = (raw: string) => {
+    setTemperatureText(raw);
+    const parsed = Number(raw);
+    if (raw.trim() !== "" && Number.isFinite(parsed) && parsed >= 0 && parsed <= 2) {
+      setLocalTemperature(parsed);
+      onTemperatureChange?.(parsed);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const handleMaxTokensTyped = (raw: string) => {
+    setMaxTokensText(raw);
+    const parsed = Number(raw);
+    if (raw.trim() !== "" && Number.isInteger(parsed) && parsed >= 1 && parsed <= 32768) {
+      setLocalMaxTokens(parsed);
+      onMaxTokensChange?.(parsed);
+    }
+  };
+
   const handleUseAdvancedParamsChange = (checked: boolean) => {
     if (onUseAdvancedParamsChange) {
       onUseAdvancedParamsChange(checked);
@@ -175,14 +199,14 @@ const AdditionalModelSettings: React.FC<AdditionalModelSettingsProps> = ({
               </div>
               <Input
                 id={`${temperatureId}-number`}
-                type="number"
-                min={0}
-                max={2}
-                step={0.1}
-                value={localTemperature}
+                type="text"
+                inputMode="decimal"
+                aria-label="Temperature value"
+                value={temperatureText}
                 disabled={!useAdvancedParams}
                 className="h-8 w-20"
-                onChange={(event) => handleTemperatureChange(Number(event.target.value))}
+                onChange={(event) => handleTemperatureTyped(event.target.value)}
+                onBlur={() => handleTemperatureChange(Number(temperatureText))}
               />
             </div>
             <input
@@ -221,14 +245,14 @@ const AdditionalModelSettings: React.FC<AdditionalModelSettingsProps> = ({
               </div>
               <Input
                 id={`${maxTokensId}-number`}
-                type="number"
-                min={1}
-                max={32768}
-                step={1}
-                value={localMaxTokens}
+                type="text"
+                inputMode="numeric"
+                aria-label="Max tokens value"
+                value={maxTokensText}
                 disabled={!useAdvancedParams}
                 className="h-8 w-24"
-                onChange={(event) => handleMaxTokensChange(Number(event.target.value))}
+                onChange={(event) => handleMaxTokensTyped(event.target.value)}
+                onBlur={() => handleMaxTokensChange(Number(maxTokensText))}
               />
             </div>
             <input
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/app/(dashboard)/playground/components/chat_ui/ChatUI.test.tsx b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/app/(dashboard)/playground/components/chat_ui/ChatUI.test.tsx
index 9c102c0526c..8e242e6ec35 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/app/(dashboard)/playground/components/chat_ui/ChatUI.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/app/(dashboard)/playground/components/chat_ui/ChatUI.test.tsx
@@ -401,4 +401,78 @@ describe("ChatUI", () => {
       expect(screen.getByText("All MCP Servers")).toBeInTheDocument();
     });
   });
+
+  it("should keep the chosen endpoint when a model that endpoint can serve is picked", async () => {
+    (fetchModelsModule.fetchAvailableModels as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>).mockResolvedValueOnce([
+      { model_group: "ChatModel", mode: "chat" },
+    ]);
+
+    render(
+      <ChatUI
+        accessToken="1234567890"
+        token="1234567890"
+        userRole="user"
+        userID="1234567890"
+        disabledPersonalKeyCreation={false}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.getByText("Test Key")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+
+    await selectComboboxOption("Select an endpoint", "/v1/responses");
+    await selectComboboxOption("Select a Model", "ChatModel");
+
+    expect(screen.getByPlaceholderText("Select an endpoint")).toHaveValue("/v1/responses");
+  });
+
+  it("should still switch endpoint when the picked model cannot be served by it", async () => {
+    (fetchModelsModule.fetchAvailableModels as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>).mockResolvedValueOnce([
+      { model_group: "SpeechModel", mode: "audio_speech" },
+    ]);
+
+    render(
+      <ChatUI
+        accessToken="1234567890"
+        token="1234567890"
+        userRole="user"
+        userID="1234567890"
+        disabledPersonalKeyCreation={false}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.getByText("Test Key")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+
+    await selectComboboxOption("Select an endpoint", "/v1/responses");
+    await selectComboboxOption("Select a Model", "SpeechModel");
+
+    expect(screen.getByPlaceholderText("Select an endpoint")).toHaveValue("/v1/audio/speech");
+  });
+
+  it("should attach an audio file dropped on the transcription upload area", async () => {
+    render(
+      <ChatUI
+        accessToken="1234567890"
+        token="1234567890"
+        userRole="user"
+        userID="1234567890"
+        disabledPersonalKeyCreation={false}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.getByText("Test Key")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+
+    await selectComboboxOption("Select an endpoint", "/v1/audio/transcriptions");
+
+    const dropZone = (await screen.findByText("Click or drag audio file to upload")).closest("label");
+    const file = new File(["clip"], "clip.wav", { type: "audio/wav" });
+    fireEvent.drop(dropZone as HTMLElement, { dataTransfer: { files: [file] } });
+
+    expect(await screen.findByText("clip.wav")).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/app/(dashboard)/playground/components/chat_ui/ChatUI.tsx b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/app/(dashboard)/playground/components/chat_ui/ChatUI.tsx
index 384d10fd91b..f3d79dd3a2f 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/app/(dashboard)/playground/components/chat_ui/ChatUI.tsx
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/app/(dashboard)/playground/components/chat_ui/ChatUI.tsx
@@ -1149,12 +1149,27 @@ const ChatUI: React.FC<ChatUIProps> = ({
     NotificationsManager.success("Chat history cleared.");
   };
 
+  const currentEndpointServes = (mode: string): boolean => {
+    const modelEndpoint = getEndpointType(mode);
+    if (
+      endpointType === EndpointType.RESPONSES ||
+      endpointType === EndpointType.ANTHROPIC_MESSAGES ||
+      endpointType === EndpointType.INTERACTIONS
+    ) {
+      return modelEndpoint === endpointType || modelEndpoint === EndpointType.CHAT;
+    }
+    if (endpointType === EndpointType.IMAGE_EDITS) {
+      return modelEndpoint === endpointType || modelEndpoint === EndpointType.IMAGE;
+    }
+    return modelEndpoint === endpointType;
+  };
+
   const onModelChange = (value: string) => {
     setSelectedModel(value);
     setShowCustomModelInput(value === "custom");
 
     const model = modelInfo.find((option) => option.model_group === value);
-    if (model?.mode) {
+    if (model?.mode && !currentEndpointServes(model.mode)) {
       setEndpointType(getEndpointType(model.mode));
     }
   };
@@ -1805,7 +1820,14 @@ const ChatUI: React.FC<ChatUIProps> = ({
                   {endpointType === EndpointType.IMAGE_EDITS && (
                     <div className="mb-4">
                       {uploadedImages.length === 0 ? (
-                        <label className="flex cursor-pointer flex-col items-center justify-center rounded-lg border-2 border-dashed border-gray-300 bg-gray-50 px-4 py-8 text-center hover:border-gray-400">
+                        <label
+                          className="flex cursor-pointer flex-col items-center justify-center rounded-lg border-2 border-dashed border-gray-300 bg-gray-50 px-4 py-8 text-center hover:border-gray-400"
+                          onDragOver={(event) => event.preventDefault()}
+                          onDrop={(event) => {
+                            event.preventDefault();
+                            handleImageFiles(Array.from(event.dataTransfer.files));
+                          }}
+                        >
                           <ImageIcon className="mb-2 size-6 text-gray-500" aria-hidden="true" />
                           <p className="text-sm">Click or drag images to upload</p>
                           <p className="text-xs text-gray-500">
@@ -1874,7 +1896,17 @@ const ChatUI: React.FC<ChatUIProps> = ({
                   {endpointType === EndpointType.TRANSCRIPTION && (
                     <div className="mb-4">
                       {!uploadedAudio ? (
-                        <label className="flex cursor-pointer flex-col items-center justify-center rounded-lg border-2 border-dashed border-gray-300 bg-gray-50 px-4 py-8 text-center hover:border-gray-400">
+                        <label
+                          className="flex cursor-pointer flex-col items-center justify-center rounded-lg border-2 border-dashed border-gray-300 bg-gray-50 px-4 py-8 text-center hover:border-gray-400"
+                          onDragOver={(event) => event.preventDefault()}
+                          onDrop={(event) => {
+                            event.preventDefault();
+                            const file = event.dataTransfer.files[0];
+                            if (file) {
+                              handleAudioUpload(file);
+                            }
+                          }}
+                        >
                           <Volume2 className="mb-2 size-6 text-gray-500" aria-hidden="true" />
                           <p className="text-sm">Click or drag audio file to upload</p>
                           <p className="text-xs text-gray-500">