diff --git a/apps/macos/Sources/Clawdis/Resources/WebChat/ChatPanel.js b/apps/macos/Sources/Clawdis/Resources/WebChat/ChatPanel.js
index 03f1fd95f..2aec93b12 100644
--- a/apps/macos/Sources/Clawdis/Resources/WebChat/ChatPanel.js
+++ b/apps/macos/Sources/Clawdis/Resources/WebChat/ChatPanel.js
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ let ChatPanel = class ChatPanel extends LitElement {
         this.agentInterface.enableModelSelector = false;
         this.agentInterface.enableThinkingSelector = true;
         this.agentInterface.showThemeToggle = false;
+        // In embedded mode, bypass API key prompts; native transport handles auth.
+        this.agentInterface.onApiKeyRequired = async () => true;
         this.agentInterface.onApiKeyRequired = config?.onApiKeyRequired;
         this.agentInterface.onBeforeSend = config?.onBeforeSend;
         this.agentInterface.onCostClick = config?.onCostClick;
diff --git a/apps/macos/Sources/Clawdis/Resources/WebChat/bootstrap.js b/apps/macos/Sources/Clawdis/Resources/WebChat/bootstrap.js
index 84de07a55..d2d59a5ea 100644
--- a/apps/macos/Sources/Clawdis/Resources/WebChat/bootstrap.js
+++ b/apps/macos/Sources/Clawdis/Resources/WebChat/bootstrap.js
@@ -109,6 +109,14 @@ const startChat = async () => {
   );
   setAppStorage(storage);
 
+  // Prepopulate a dummy API key so the UI does not block sends in embedded mode.
+  const defaultProvider = "anthropic";
+  try {
+    await providerKeysStore.set(defaultProvider, "embedded");
+  } catch (err) {
+    logStatus(`storage warn: could not seed provider key: ${err}`);
+  }
+
   const agent = new Agent({
     initialState: {
       systemPrompt: "You are Clawd (primary session).",
diff --git a/apps/macos/Sources/Clawdis/Resources/WebChat/webchat.bundle.js b/apps/macos/Sources/Clawdis/Resources/WebChat/webchat.bundle.js
index 57d52c1e6..ee27c396e 100644
--- a/apps/macos/Sources/Clawdis/Resources/WebChat/webchat.bundle.js
+++ b/apps/macos/Sources/Clawdis/Resources/WebChat/webchat.bundle.js
@@ -195306,6 +195306,7 @@ var init_ChatPanel = __esmMin((() => {
 			this.agentInterface.enableModelSelector = false;
 			this.agentInterface.enableThinkingSelector = true;
 			this.agentInterface.showThemeToggle = false;
+			this.agentInterface.onApiKeyRequired = async () => true;
 			this.agentInterface.onApiKeyRequired = config?.onApiKeyRequired;
 			this.agentInterface.onBeforeSend = config?.onBeforeSend;
 			this.agentInterface.onCostClick = config?.onCostClick;
@@ -195921,6 +195922,12 @@ const startChat = async () => {
 	}
 	const storage = new AppStorage$1(settingsStore, providerKeysStore, sessionsStore, customProvidersStore, backend);
 	setAppStorage$1(storage);
+	const defaultProvider = "anthropic";
+	try {
+		await providerKeysStore.set(defaultProvider, "embedded");
+	} catch (err) {
+		logStatus(`storage warn: could not seed provider key: ${err}`);
+	}
 	const agent = new Agent$1({
 		initialState: {
 			systemPrompt: "You are Clawd (primary session).",