diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 447bac9c..9b5e00b1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## v1.7.88-alpha (2026-06-12)
+
+- AIUI now loads immediately again instead of waiting on a production availability probe and cache-busted iframe URL, restoring the lighter launch behavior from before the regression.
+- Validation pending on the AIUI rollback; the rest of the release train remains unchanged.
+
 ## v1.7.87-alpha (2026-06-12)
 
 - Bitcoin receive now calls LND's on-chain address endpoint with the correct REST method, and backend failures keep the specific address-generation error instead of collapsing into the generic operation-failed message.
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/views/Chat.vue b/neode-ui/src/views/Chat.vue
index a189f185..59740467 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/views/Chat.vue
+++ b/neode-ui/src/views/Chat.vue
@@ -1,18 +1,30 @@
 <template>
   <div class="chat-fullscreen">
-    <!-- Close button (desktop: top-right pill) -->
-    <div class="chat-mode-pill hidden md:flex">
+    <!-- Close button + connection indicator (desktop: top-right pill) -->
+    <div class="chat-mode-pill flex">
       <button class="chat-close-btn" :aria-label="t('chat.closeAssistant')" @click="closeChat">
         <svg class="w-4 h-4" aria-hidden="true" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 24 24">
           <path stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" d="M6 18L18 6M6 6l12 12" />
         </svg>
         <span class="text-xs font-medium">{{ t('chat.close') }}</span>
       </button>
-    </div>
+      <div
+        v-if="aiuiConnected"
+        class="w-2 h-2 rounded-full bg-green-400 ml-2 shadow-[0_0_6px_rgba(74,222,128,0.5)]"
+        :title="t('chat.aiuiConnected')"
+      />
+      </div>
 
-    <!-- Loading indicator while checking availability -->
+    <!-- Mobile back button -->
+    <button class="chat-mobile-back md:hidden" :aria-label="t('common.goBack')" @click="closeChat">
+      <svg class="w-5 h-5" aria-hidden="true" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 24 24">
+        <path stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" d="M15 19l-7-7 7-7" />
+      </svg>
+    </button>
+
+    <!-- Loading indicator while iframe loads -->
     <Transition name="fade">
-      <div v-if="aiuiAvailable === null" class="chat-loading" role="status" aria-live="polite">
+      <div v-if="aiuiUrl && !aiuiConnected" class="chat-loading" role="status" aria-live="polite">
         <div class="glass-card p-8 flex flex-col items-center gap-4">
           <div class="chat-loading-spinner" aria-hidden="true" />
           <p class="text-sm text-white/60">{{ t('chat.loadingAssistant') }}</p>
@@ -27,24 +39,23 @@
       :src="aiuiUrl"
       :title="t('chat.aiAssistant')"
       class="chat-iframe chat-iframe-mobile"
-
       allow="microphone"
       style="background: transparent"
     />
 
-    <!-- Fallback when AIUI is not deployed -->
-    <div v-else-if="aiuiAvailable === false" class="chat-placeholder">
-      <div class="chat-placeholder-inner glass-card p-8">
+    <!-- Fallback when no AIUI URL configured -->
+    <div v-else class="chat-placeholder">
+      <div class="chat-placeholder-inner">
         <div class="chat-placeholder-icon">
           <svg class="w-8 h-8 text-white/40" aria-hidden="true" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 24 24">
             <path stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" d="M8 12h.01M12 12h.01M16 12h.01M21 12c0 4.418-4.03 8-9 8a9.863 9.863 0 01-4.255-.949L3 20l1.395-3.72C3.512 15.042 3 13.574 3 12c0-4.418 4.03-8 9-8s9 3.582 9 8z" />
           </svg>
         </div>
         <h2 class="text-2xl font-semibold text-white mb-2">{{ t('chat.aiAssistant') }}</h2>
-        <p class="text-white/80 mb-4 leading-relaxed">
+        <p class="text-white/60 mb-4 leading-relaxed">
           {{ t('chat.notConfigured') }}
         </p>
-        <p class="text-sm text-white/50">
+        <p class="text-xs text-white/30">
           {{ t('chat.deployCta') }}
         </p>
       </div>
@@ -63,37 +74,16 @@ const { t } = useI18n()
 
 const router = useRouter()
 const aiuiFrame = ref<HTMLIFrameElement | null>(null)
+const aiuiConnected = ref(false)
 let broker: ContextBroker | null = null
 
-const aiuiAvailable = ref<boolean | null>(null) // null = checking, true/false = result
-
 const aiuiUrl = computed(() => {
   const envUrl = import.meta.env.VITE_AIUI_URL
-  if (envUrl) return `${envUrl}?embedded=true&hideClose=true`
-  // In production, only return the URL if we've confirmed AIUI files exist
-  if (import.meta.env.PROD && aiuiAvailable.value === true) return `/aiui/?embedded=true&hideClose=true&v=${Date.now()}`
+  if (envUrl) return `${envUrl}?embedded=true`
+  if (import.meta.env.PROD) return '/aiui/?embedded=true'
   return ''
 })
 
-/** Check if AIUI is actually deployed by fetching its index.html */
-async function checkAiuiAvailable() {
-  if (import.meta.env.VITE_AIUI_URL) {
-    aiuiAvailable.value = true
-    return
-  }
-  if (!import.meta.env.PROD) {
-    aiuiAvailable.value = false
-    return
-  }
-  try {
-    const res = await fetch('/aiui/', { method: 'HEAD' })
-    // If we get HTML back (200), AIUI is deployed. If 404/403, it's not.
-    aiuiAvailable.value = res.ok
-  } catch {
-    aiuiAvailable.value = false
-  }
-}
-
 function closeChat() {
   if (window.history.length > 1) {
     router.back()
@@ -111,13 +101,12 @@ function onAiuiMessage(event: MessageEvent) {
   } catch { return }
   // Listen for ready messages from AIUI iframe
   if (event.data?.type === 'ready') {
-    // AIUI connected - could use for future features
+    aiuiConnected.value = true
   }
 }
 
-onMounted(async () => {
+onMounted(() => {
   window.addEventListener('message', onAiuiMessage)
-  await checkAiuiAvailable()
   if (aiuiUrl.value) {
     broker = new ContextBroker(aiuiFrame, aiuiUrl.value)
     broker.start()