diff --git a/src/index.css b/src/index.css
index c8c4bf9..5256a93 100644
--- a/src/index.css
+++ b/src/index.css
@@ -2121,3 +2121,23 @@ select.studio-input { background: var(--bp-paper); }
   .docs-split { grid-template-columns: 1fr; }
   .docs-rows { max-height: 50vh; }
 }
+
+.approvals-runtime-note {
+  padding: 10px 12px;
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--bp-amber) 14%, var(--bp-paper));
+  border: 1px solid color-mix(in srgb, var(--bp-amber) 40%, var(--bp-navy));
+  font-size: 12px;
+  line-height: 1.4;
+  color: var(--bp-navy);
+}
+
+.agent-llm-state { margin-top: 10px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 4px; }
+.agent-llm-pill {
+  display: inline-block; padding: 2px 8px;
+  font-family: var(--bp-mono); font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 0.06em;
+  border: 1px solid var(--bp-navy); align-self: flex-start;
+}
+.agent-llm-on { background: color-mix(in srgb, #2e7a25 35%, var(--bp-paper)); color: var(--bp-paper); }
+.agent-llm-off { color: var(--bp-muted); }
+.agent-llm-unknown { color: var(--bp-muted); }
+.agent-llm-hint { font-size: 11px; color: var(--bp-muted); line-height: 1.4; }
diff --git a/src/scenes/Agent.tsx b/src/scenes/Agent.tsx
index d3ef3af..af36bcd 100644
--- a/src/scenes/Agent.tsx
+++ b/src/scenes/Agent.tsx
@@ -33,8 +33,21 @@ export default function Agent() {
   ]);
   const [draft, setDraft] = useState("");
   const [working, setWorking] = useState(false);
+  const [llmState, setLlmState] = useState<"unknown" | "ready" | "off">("unknown");
   const scrollRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    let cancelled = false;
+    fetch("/internal/canvas-llm/chat", {
+      method: "POST",
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+      body: JSON.stringify({ messages: [{ role: "user", content: "probe" }], max_tokens: 1 }),
+    })
+      .then((r) => { if (!cancelled) setLlmState(r.status === 503 ? "off" : r.ok ? "ready" : "off"); })
+      .catch(() => { if (!cancelled) setLlmState("off"); });
+    return () => { cancelled = true; };
+  }, []);
+
   useEffect(() => {
     setTimeout(() => scrollRef.current?.scrollTo({ top: scrollRef.current.scrollHeight, behavior: "smooth" }), 50);
   }, [turns]);
@@ -65,7 +78,11 @@ export default function Agent() {
         <header className="agent-side-head">
           <div className="mc-hero-eyebrow"><Bot size={12} /> FlowMaster Command Assistant</div>
           <h2 className="mc-hero-title">Tell the cockpit what to do</h2>
-          <p className="agent-side-sub">Deterministic command router with EA2-backed text memory. The LLM adapter ships separately when a provider key is configured.</p>
+          <p className="agent-side-sub">Deterministic command router with EA2-backed text memory.</p>
+          <div className="agent-llm-state">
+            <span className={`agent-llm-pill agent-llm-${llmState}`}>LLM provider · {llmState === "ready" ? "ON" : llmState === "off" ? "OFF" : "…"}</span>
+            {llmState === "off" && <span className="agent-llm-hint">Set OPENAI_API_KEY or ANTHROPIC_API_KEY to enable natural language replies.</span>}
+          </div>
         </header>
         <div className="agent-tool-list">
           <div className="agent-tool-label">CAPABILITIES</div>
diff --git a/src/scenes/Approvals.tsx b/src/scenes/Approvals.tsx
index 48004b2..ce6ccf5 100644
--- a/src/scenes/Approvals.tsx
+++ b/src/scenes/Approvals.tsx
@@ -163,6 +163,9 @@ export default function Approvals() {
                   </ul>
                 </div>
               )}
+              <div className="approvals-runtime-note">
+                Acting on a step writes the decision back to EA2. The runtime-values service in this environment is currently offline, so a Submit will be rejected with an error. Use this view to inspect cases; switch to a live environment to act on them.
+              </div>
               <div className="approvals-actions">
                 {(tx.available_actions || []).map((a: any) => (
                   <button
@@ -170,8 +173,9 @@ export default function Approvals() {
                     className={`btn ${a.kind === "approve" || a.kind === "submit" ? "btn-primary" : "btn-secondary"}`}
                     disabled={!a.enabled || busy === a.id}
                     onClick={() => handleAction(a.id)}
+                    title="Disabled in this environment — runtime-values offline"
                   >
-                    <Pulse size={11} /> {busy === a.id ? "Sending…" : a.display_label || a.id}
+                    <Pulse size={11} /> {busy === a.id ? "Sending…" : `${a.display_label || a.id} · preview`}
                   </button>
                 ))}
                 {(!tx.available_actions || tx.available_actions.length === 0) && (