diff --git a/packages/backend/src/index.ts b/packages/backend/src/index.ts
index 61dc158..63a37a7 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/index.ts
@@ -33,11 +33,13 @@ const withGlobalAuthed = <T extends BunRequest>(handler: RouteHandler<T>) =>
 const main = async () => {
     const server = Bun.serve({
         port: Number(PORT),
+        idleTimeout: 60, // 1 minute for AI chat responses
         routes: {
             "/": withGlobal(() => new Response(`title: tnirps\ndev-mode: ${DEV}\nport: ${PORT}`)),
             "/health": withGlobal(() => new Response("OK")),
 
             "/ai/chat": withGlobalAuthed(withAuth(routes.aiChat)),
+            "/ai/models": withGlobalAuthed(withAuth(routes.aiModels)),
 
             // routes that modify state require withCSRF middleware
             "/auth/register": withGlobal(routes.authRegister),
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/routes/ai/models.ts b/packages/backend/src/routes/ai/models.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9c1e067
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend/src/routes/ai/models.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import type { AuthedRequest } from "../../auth/middleware";
+import { getCachedFreeModels } from "./opencode";
+
+// GET /ai/models - returns cached free models
+export default function aiModels(_req: AuthedRequest) {
+    const models = getCachedFreeModels();
+    return Response.json(models);
+}
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/routes/index.ts b/packages/backend/src/routes/index.ts
index b2144b3..edebc36 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/routes/index.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/routes/index.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import aiChat from "./ai/chat";
+import aiModels from "./ai/models";
 import authLogin from "./auth/login";
 import authLogout from "./auth/logout";
 import authMe from "./auth/me";
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ import userUploadAvatar from "./user/upload-avatar";
 
 export const routes = {
     aiChat,
+    aiModels,
 
     authRegister,
     authLogin,
diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/lib/query/hooks/chat.ts b/packages/frontend/src/lib/query/hooks/chat.ts
index 78f19bc..4bb162c 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/src/lib/query/hooks/chat.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/lib/query/hooks/chat.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { ChatRequest, ChatResponse } from "@sprint/shared";
+import type { ChatRequest, ChatResponse, ModelsResponse } from "@sprint/shared";
 import { useMutation } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { apiClient } from "@/lib/server";
 
@@ -13,3 +13,15 @@ export function useChatMutation() {
     },
   });
 }
+
+export function useModels() {
+  return useMutation<ModelsResponse, Error>({
+    mutationKey: ["ai", "models"],
+    mutationFn: async () => {
+      const { data, error } = await apiClient.aiModels();
+      if (error) throw new Error(error);
+      if (!data) throw new Error("failed to get models");
+      return data as ModelsResponse;
+    },
+  });
+}
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/api-schemas.ts b/packages/shared/src/api-schemas.ts
index 18b4042..6c37e6f 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/api-schemas.ts
+++ b/packages/shared/src/api-schemas.ts
@@ -683,3 +683,11 @@ export const ChatResponseSchema = z.object({
 });
 
 export type ChatResponse = z.infer<typeof ChatResponseSchema>;
+
+export const ModelsResponseSchema = z.array(
+    z.object({
+        name: z.string(),
+        id: z.string(),
+    }),
+);
+export type ModelsResponse = z.infer<typeof ModelsResponseSchema>;
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/contract.ts b/packages/shared/src/contract.ts
index 05f3efa..9794f4c 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/contract.ts
+++ b/packages/shared/src/contract.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import {
     IssuesTypeCountQuerySchema,
     IssueUpdateRequestSchema,
     LoginRequestSchema,
+    ModelsResponseSchema,
     OrgAddMemberRequestSchema,
     OrganisationMemberRecordSchema,
     OrganisationMemberResponseSchema,
@@ -696,6 +697,15 @@ export const apiContract = c.router({
             404: ApiErrorSchema,
         },
     },
+    aiModels: {
+        method: "GET",
+        path: "/ai/models",
+        responses: {
+            200: ModelsResponseSchema,
+            400: ApiErrorSchema,
+            404: ApiErrorSchema,
+        },
+    },
 });
 
 export type ApiContract = typeof apiContract;
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/index.ts b/packages/shared/src/index.ts
index 78d0824..8a756dc 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/shared/src/index.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ export type {
     IssuesTypeCountQuery,
     IssueUpdateRequest,
     LoginRequest,
+    ModelsResponse,
     OrgAddMemberRequest,
     OrganisationMemberRecordType,
     OrganisationMemberResponse,
@@ -95,6 +96,7 @@ export {
     IssuesTypeCountQuerySchema,
     IssueUpdateRequestSchema,
     LoginRequestSchema,
+    ModelsResponseSchema,
     OrgAddMemberRequestSchema,
     OrganisationMemberRecordSchema,
     OrganisationMemberResponseSchema,