diff --git a/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.test.tsx b/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.test.tsx
index 0829421fde..3918b39b5a 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.test.tsx
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ describe("IssueChatThread", () => {
     });
   });
 
-  it("toggles the composer work mode for the next submission without changing the issue immediately", () => {
+  it("hides the planning chip on a standard issue and exposes the toggle through the menu", () => {
     const root = createRoot(container);
     const onWorkModeChange = vi.fn();
 
@@ -404,21 +404,41 @@ describe("IssueChatThread", () => {
       );
     });
 
-    const toggle = container.querySelector(
-      '[data-testid="issue-chat-composer-work-mode-toggle"]',
+    expect(
+      container.querySelector('[data-testid="issue-chat-composer-work-mode-toggle"]'),
+    ).toBeNull();
+    const composer = container.querySelector('[data-testid="issue-chat-composer"]');
+    expect(composer?.getAttribute("data-pending-work-mode")).toBe("standard");
+    expect(composer?.className).not.toContain("amber");
+
+    const menuTrigger = container.querySelector(
+      '[data-testid="issue-chat-composer-work-mode-menu"]',
     ) as HTMLButtonElement | null;
-    expect(toggle).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(toggle?.getAttribute("data-pending-work-mode")).toBe("standard");
+    expect(menuTrigger).not.toBeNull();
+    act(() => {
+      menuTrigger?.click();
+    });
+
+    const menuItem = document.querySelector(
+      '[data-testid="issue-chat-composer-work-mode-menu-toggle"]',
+    ) as HTMLButtonElement | null;
+    expect(menuItem).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(menuItem?.textContent).toContain("Switch to planning");
 
     act(() => {
-      toggle?.click();
+      menuItem?.click();
     });
 
     expect(onWorkModeChange).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-    const composer = container.querySelector('[data-testid="issue-chat-composer"]');
     expect(composer?.getAttribute("data-pending-work-mode")).toBe("planning");
     expect(composer?.className).toContain("amber");
 
+    const visibleChip = container.querySelector(
+      '[data-testid="issue-chat-composer-work-mode-toggle"]',
+    );
+    expect(visibleChip).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(visibleChip?.textContent).toContain("Planning");
+
     act(() => {
       root.unmount();
     });
diff --git a/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.tsx b/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.tsx
index b9803abfdb..aea91c341c 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.tsx
@@ -2837,6 +2837,7 @@ const IssueChatComposer = forwardRef<IssueChatComposerHandle, IssueChatComposerP
   const [unassignedConfirmed, setUnassignedConfirmed] = useState(false);
   const resolvedIssueWorkMode: IssueWorkMode = issueWorkMode ?? "standard";
   const [pendingWorkMode, setPendingWorkMode] = useState<IssueWorkMode>(resolvedIssueWorkMode);
+  const [workModeMenuOpen, setWorkModeMenuOpen] = useState(false);
   const canToggleWorkMode = typeof onWorkModeChange === "function";
   const attachInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement | null>(null);
   const editorRef = useRef<MarkdownEditorRef>(null);
@@ -3221,32 +3222,53 @@ const IssueChatComposer = forwardRef<IssueChatComposerHandle, IssueChatComposerP
             </>
           ) : null}
           {canToggleWorkMode ? (
+            <Popover open={workModeMenuOpen} onOpenChange={setWorkModeMenuOpen}>
+              <PopoverTrigger asChild>
+                <Button
+                  variant="ghost"
+                  size="icon-sm"
+                  data-testid="issue-chat-composer-work-mode-menu"
+                  title="More composer options"
+                >
+                  <MoreHorizontal className="h-4 w-4" />
+                </Button>
+              </PopoverTrigger>
+              <PopoverContent className="w-44 p-1" align="start">
+                <button
+                  type="button"
+                  data-testid="issue-chat-composer-work-mode-menu-toggle"
+                  data-pending-work-mode={pendingWorkMode}
+                  className={cn(
+                    "flex w-full items-center gap-2 rounded px-2 py-1.5 text-xs hover:bg-accent/50",
+                    isPlanning ? "text-amber-700 dark:text-amber-300" : "text-foreground",
+                  )}
+                  onClick={() => {
+                    setPendingWorkMode((prev) => (prev === "planning" ? "standard" : "planning"));
+                    setWorkModeMenuOpen(false);
+                  }}
+                >
+                  {isPlanning ? (
+                    <Hammer className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground" aria-hidden />
+                  ) : (
+                    <ClipboardList className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 text-amber-600 dark:text-amber-300" aria-hidden />
+                  )}
+                  <span>{isPlanning ? "Switch to standard" : "Switch to planning"}</span>
+                </button>
+              </PopoverContent>
+            </Popover>
+          ) : null}
+          {canToggleWorkMode && isPlanning ? (
             <button
               type="button"
               data-testid="issue-chat-composer-work-mode-toggle"
               data-pending-work-mode={pendingWorkMode}
-              aria-pressed={isPlanning}
-              title={
-                isPlanning
-                  ? "Planning mode is on for this submission. Click to switch to Standard."
-                  : "Click to switch this submission to Planning mode."
-              }
-              onClick={() =>
-                setPendingWorkMode((prev) => (prev === "planning" ? "standard" : "planning"))
-              }
-              className={cn(
-                "inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-md border px-2 py-1 text-xs transition-colors",
-                isPlanning
-                  ? "border-amber-500/60 bg-amber-500/15 text-amber-800 hover:bg-amber-500/25 dark:border-amber-500/50 dark:bg-amber-500/15 dark:text-amber-200 dark:hover:bg-amber-500/25"
-                  : "border-border text-muted-foreground hover:bg-accent/50",
-              )}
+              aria-pressed
+              title="Planning mode is on for this submission. Click to switch to Standard."
+              onClick={() => setPendingWorkMode("standard")}
+              className="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-md border border-amber-500/60 bg-amber-500/15 px-2 py-1 text-xs text-amber-800 transition-colors hover:bg-amber-500/25 dark:border-amber-500/50 dark:bg-amber-500/15 dark:text-amber-200 dark:hover:bg-amber-500/25"
             >
-              {isPlanning ? (
-                <ClipboardList className="h-3.5 w-3.5" aria-hidden />
-              ) : (
-                <Hammer className="h-3.5 w-3.5" aria-hidden />
-              )}
-              <span>{isPlanning ? "Planning" : "Standard"}</span>
+              <ClipboardList className="h-3.5 w-3.5" aria-hidden />
+              <span>Planning</span>
             </button>
           ) : null}
         </div>