diff --git a/app/src/components/settings/panels/VoicePanel.tsx b/app/src/components/settings/panels/VoicePanel.tsx
index f512200db..46cc055f9 100644
--- a/app/src/components/settings/panels/VoicePanel.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/settings/panels/VoicePanel.tsx
@@ -416,8 +416,9 @@ const VoicePanel = ({ embedded = false }: VoicePanelProps = {}) => {
               </h3>
               <p className="text-xs text-stone-500 dark:text-neutral-400 mt-1">
                 Choose where transcription and synthesis run. Use the Install locally buttons to
-                download the binaries and models into your workspace — no manual{' '}
-                <code>WHISPER_BIN</code> or <code>PIPER_BIN</code> setup required.
+                download the binaries and models into your workspace. Local providers can be saved
+                before the install finishes — no manual <code>WHISPER_BIN</code> or{' '}
+                <code>PIPER_BIN</code> setup required.
               </p>
             </div>
             <div className="grid grid-cols-1 sm:grid-cols-2 gap-4">
@@ -433,7 +434,7 @@ const VoicePanel = ({ embedded = false }: VoicePanelProps = {}) => {
                   onChange={e => onSttProviderChange(e.target.value as 'cloud' | 'whisper')}
                   className="w-full rounded-md border border-stone-200 dark:border-neutral-800 bg-white dark:bg-neutral-900 px-3 py-2 text-sm text-stone-900 dark:text-neutral-100 focus:outline-none focus:ring-1 focus:ring-primary-400">
                   <option value="cloud">Cloud (Whisper proxy)</option>
-                  <option value="whisper" disabled={!whisperReady}>
+                  <option value="whisper">
                     Local Whisper{whisperReady ? '' : ' (install required)'}
                   </option>
                 </select>
@@ -523,7 +524,7 @@ const VoicePanel = ({ embedded = false }: VoicePanelProps = {}) => {
                   onChange={e => onTtsProviderChange(e.target.value as 'cloud' | 'piper')}
                   className="w-full rounded-md border border-stone-200 dark:border-neutral-800 bg-white dark:bg-neutral-900 px-3 py-2 text-sm text-stone-900 dark:text-neutral-100 focus:outline-none focus:ring-1 focus:ring-primary-400">
                   <option value="cloud">Cloud (ElevenLabs proxy)</option>
-                  <option value="piper" disabled={!piperReady}>
+                  <option value="piper">
                     Local Piper{piperReady ? '' : ' (install required)'}
                   </option>
                 </select>
diff --git a/app/src/components/settings/panels/__tests__/VoicePanel.test.tsx b/app/src/components/settings/panels/__tests__/VoicePanel.test.tsx
index 49e0484b2..18d85ab2e 100644
--- a/app/src/components/settings/panels/__tests__/VoicePanel.test.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/settings/panels/__tests__/VoicePanel.test.tsx
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ describe('VoicePanel', () => {
     expect(screen.getByTestId('whisper-install-state')).toHaveTextContent('Not installed');
   });
 
-  it('disables the Local Whisper STT option when the engine is missing', async () => {
+  it('keeps the Local Whisper STT option selectable when the engine is missing', async () => {
     runtime.whisperStatus = makeInstallStatus('whisper');
     renderWithProviders(<VoicePanel />, { initialEntries: ['/settings/voice'] });
 
@@ -341,8 +341,15 @@ describe('VoicePanel', () => {
       'option[value="whisper"]'
     ) as HTMLOptionElement | null;
     expect(whisperOption).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(whisperOption!.disabled).toBe(true);
+    expect(whisperOption!.disabled).toBe(false);
     expect(whisperOption!.textContent).toMatch(/install required/i);
+
+    fireEvent.change(sttSelect, { target: { value: 'whisper' } });
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(vi.mocked(openhumanVoiceSetProviders)).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.objectContaining({ stt_provider: 'whisper' })
+      )
+    );
   });
 
   it('shows a Reinstall label once Whisper is installed', async () => {
@@ -390,7 +397,7 @@ describe('VoicePanel', () => {
     expect(screen.getByTestId('piper-install-state')).toHaveTextContent('Not installed');
   });
 
-  it('disables the Local Piper TTS option when the engine is missing', async () => {
+  it('keeps the Local Piper TTS option selectable when the engine is missing', async () => {
     runtime.piperStatus = makeInstallStatus('piper');
     renderWithProviders(<VoicePanel />, { initialEntries: ['/settings/voice'] });
 
@@ -399,8 +406,15 @@ describe('VoicePanel', () => {
       'option[value="piper"]'
     ) as HTMLOptionElement | null;
     expect(piperOption).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(piperOption!.disabled).toBe(true);
+    expect(piperOption!.disabled).toBe(false);
     expect(piperOption!.textContent).toMatch(/install required/i);
+
+    fireEvent.change(ttsSelect, { target: { value: 'piper' } });
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(vi.mocked(openhumanVoiceSetProviders)).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.objectContaining({ tts_provider: 'piper' })
+      )
+    );
   });
 
   it('triggers installPiper when the user clicks Install', async () => {