diff --git a/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/ai-persona-llm-selector.gjs b/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/ai-persona-llm-selector.gjs
index 2fc16ed0..aa50ae60 100644
--- a/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/ai-persona-llm-selector.gjs
+++ b/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/ai-persona-llm-selector.gjs
@@ -148,21 +148,24 @@ export default class AiPersonaLlmSelector extends Component {
     this.setAllowLLMSelector();
 
     if (this.hasLlmSelector) {
-      let llm = this.keyValueStore.getItem(LLM_SELECTOR_KEY);
+      let llmId = this.keyValueStore.getItem(LLM_SELECTOR_KEY);
+      if (llmId) {
+        llmId = parseInt(llmId, 10);
+      }
 
       const llmOption =
-        this.llmOptions.find((innerLlmOption) => innerLlmOption.id === llm) ||
+        this.llmOptions.find((innerLlmOption) => innerLlmOption.id === llmId) ||
         this.llmOptions[0];
 
       if (llmOption) {
-        llm = llmOption.id;
+        llmId = llmOption.id;
       } else {
-        llm = "";
+        llmId = "";
       }
 
-      if (llm) {
+      if (llmId) {
         next(() => {
-          this.currentLlm = llm;
+          this.currentLlm = llmId;
         });
       }
     }
diff --git a/spec/system/ai_bot/homepage_spec.rb b/spec/system/ai_bot/homepage_spec.rb
index 635ed24d..671b79c7 100644
--- a/spec/system/ai_bot/homepage_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/system/ai_bot/homepage_spec.rb
@@ -254,13 +254,13 @@ RSpec.describe "AI Bot - Homepage", type: :system do
         it "Allows choosing persona and LLM" do
           ai_pm_homepage.visit
 
-          ai_pm_homepage.persona_selector.expand
-          ai_pm_homepage.persona_selector.select_row_by_name(persona.name)
-          ai_pm_homepage.persona_selector.collapse
-
           ai_pm_homepage.llm_selector.expand
           ai_pm_homepage.llm_selector.select_row_by_name(claude_2_dup.display_name)
           ai_pm_homepage.llm_selector.collapse
+
+          # confirm memory works for llm selection
+          ai_pm_homepage.visit
+          expect(ai_pm_homepage.llm_selector).to have_selected_name(claude_2_dup.display_name)
         end
 
         it "renders back to forum link" do