diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/parameters/components/ModelPicker.tsx b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/parameters/components/ModelPicker.tsx
index fc08047e27..709d0c94df 100644
--- a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/parameters/components/ModelPicker.tsx
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/parameters/components/ModelPicker.tsx
@@ -28,10 +28,13 @@ import { setActiveTab } from 'features/ui/store/uiSlice';
 import { filesize } from 'filesize';
 import { memo, useCallback, useMemo, useRef } from 'react';
 import { Trans, useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
-import { PiCaretDownBold } from 'react-icons/pi';
+import { PiCaretDownBold, PiStarFill } from 'react-icons/pi';
 import type { AnyModelConfig, BaseModelType } from 'services/api/types';
 
-const getOptionId = (modelConfig: AnyModelConfig) => modelConfig.key;
+// Type for models with starred field
+type StarredModelConfig = AnyModelConfig & { starred?: boolean };
+
+const getOptionId = <T extends AnyModelConfig>(modelConfig: T & { starred?: boolean }) => modelConfig.key;
 
 const ModelManagerLink = memo((props: ButtonProps) => {
   const onClickGoToModelManager = useStore($onClickGoToModelManager);
@@ -143,41 +146,30 @@ export const ModelPicker = typedMemo(
     initialGroupStates?: Record<string, boolean>;
   }) => {
     const { t } = useTranslation();
-    const options = useMemo<T[] | Group<T>[]>(() => {
+    const options = useMemo<(T & { starred?: boolean })[] | Group<T & { starred?: boolean }>[]>(() => {
       if (!grouped) {
-        // Handle related models for non-grouped view
-        if (relatedModelKeys.length > 0) {
-          const relatedModels: T[] = [];
-          const otherModels: T[] = [];
-
-          for (const modelConfig of modelConfigs) {
-            if (relatedModelKeys.includes(modelConfig.key)) {
-              relatedModels.push(modelConfig);
-            } else {
-              otherModels.push(modelConfig);
-            }
-          }
-
-          return [...relatedModels, ...otherModels];
-        }
-        return modelConfigs;
+        // Add starred field to model options and sort them
+        const modelsWithStarred = modelConfigs.map(model => ({
+          ...model,
+          starred: relatedModelKeys.includes(model.key)
+        }));
+        
+        // Sort so starred models come first
+        return modelsWithStarred.sort((a, b) => {
+          if (a.starred && !b.starred) return -1;
+          if (!a.starred && b.starred) return 1;
+          return 0;
+        });
       }
 
       // When all groups are disabled, we show all models
-      const groups: Record<string, Group<T>> = {};
-      const relatedModels: T[] = [];
+      const groups: Record<string, Group<T & { starred?: boolean }>> = {};
 
       for (const modelConfig of modelConfigs) {
-        // Check if this model is related and separate it
-        if (relatedModelKeys.length > 0 && relatedModelKeys.includes(modelConfig.key)) {
-          relatedModels.push(modelConfig);
-          continue;
-        }
-
         const groupId = getGroupIDFromModelConfig(modelConfig);
         let group = groups[groupId];
         if (!group) {
-          group = buildGroup<T>({
+          group = buildGroup<T & { starred?: boolean }>({
             id: modelConfig.base,
             color: `${getGroupColorSchemeFromModelConfig(modelConfig)}.300`,
             shortName: getGroupShortNameFromModelConfig(modelConfig),
@@ -188,29 +180,27 @@ export const ModelPicker = typedMemo(
           groups[groupId] = group;
         }
         if (group) {
-          group.options.push(modelConfig);
+          // Add starred field to the model
+          const modelWithStarred = {
+            ...modelConfig,
+            starred: relatedModelKeys.includes(modelConfig.key)
+          };
+          group.options.push(modelWithStarred);
         }
       }
 
-      const _options: Group<T>[] = [];
+      const _options: Group<T & { starred?: boolean }>[] = [];
 
-      // Add related models group first if there are any
-      if (relatedModels.length > 0) {
-        const relatedGroup = buildGroup<T>({
-          id: 'related',
-          color: 'accent.300',
-          shortName: t('modelManager.showOnlyRelatedModels'),
-          name: t('modelManager.relatedModels'),
-          getOptionCountString: (count) => t('common.model_withCount', { count }),
-          options: relatedModels,
-        });
-        _options.push(relatedGroup);
-      }
-
-      // Add other groups in the original order
+      // Add groups in the original order
       for (const groupId of ['api', 'flux', 'cogview4', 'sdxl', 'sd-3', 'sd-2', 'sd-1']) {
         const group = groups[groupId];
         if (group) {
+          // Sort options within each group so starred ones come first
+          group.options.sort((a, b) => {
+            if (a.starred && !b.starred) return -1;
+            if (!a.starred && b.starred) return 1;
+            return 0;
+          });
           _options.push(group);
           delete groups[groupId];
         }
@@ -220,7 +210,7 @@ export const ModelPicker = typedMemo(
       return _options;
     }, [grouped, modelConfigs, relatedModelKeys, t]);
     const popover = useDisclosure(false);
-    const pickerRef = useRef<PickerContextState<T>>(null);
+    const pickerRef = useRef<PickerContextState<T & { starred?: boolean }>>(null);
 
     const onClose = useCallback(() => {
       popover.close();
@@ -228,9 +218,11 @@ export const ModelPicker = typedMemo(
     }, [popover]);
 
     const onSelect = useCallback(
-      (model: T) => {
+      (model: T & { starred?: boolean }) => {
         onClose();
-        onChange(model);
+        // Remove the starred field before passing to onChange
+        const { starred, ...modelWithoutStarred } = model;
+        onChange(modelWithoutStarred as T);
       },
       [onChange, onClose]
     );
@@ -245,14 +237,6 @@ export const ModelPicker = typedMemo(
       return undefined;
     }, [allowEmpty, isInvalid, selectedModelConfig]);
 
-    // Create a component wrapper that includes related model styling
-    const RelatedModelPickerOptionComponent = useCallback(
-      ({ option, ...rest }: { option: T } & BoxProps) => (
-        <PickerOptionComponent option={option} isRelated={relatedModelKeys.includes(option.key)} {...rest} />
-      ),
-      [relatedModelKeys]
-    );
-
     return (
       <Popover
         isOpen={popover.isOpen}
@@ -279,14 +263,14 @@ export const ModelPicker = typedMemo(
           <PopoverContent p={0} w={400} h={400}>
             <PopoverArrow />
             <PopoverBody p={0} w="full" h="full">
-              <Picker<T>
+              <Picker<T & { starred?: boolean }>
                 handleRef={pickerRef}
                 optionsOrGroups={options}
-                getOptionId={getOptionId}
+                getOptionId={getOptionId<T>}
                 onSelect={onSelect}
-                selectedOption={selectedModelConfig}
-                isMatch={isMatch}
-                OptionComponent={RelatedModelPickerOptionComponent}
+                selectedOption={selectedModelConfig ? { ...selectedModelConfig, starred: relatedModelKeys.includes(selectedModelConfig.key) } : undefined}
+                isMatch={isMatch<T>}
+                OptionComponent={PickerOptionComponent<T>}
                 noOptionsFallback={<NoOptionsFallback noOptionsText={noOptionsText} />}
                 noMatchesFallback={t('modelManager.noMatchingModels')}
                 NextToSearchBar={<NavigateToModelManagerButton />}
@@ -338,19 +322,20 @@ const optionNameSx: SystemStyleObject = {
 };
 
 const PickerOptionComponent = typedMemo(
-  ({ option, isRelated = false, ...rest }: { option: AnyModelConfig; isRelated?: boolean } & BoxProps) => {
-    const { $compactView } = usePickerContext<AnyModelConfig>();
+  <T extends AnyModelConfig>({ option, ...rest }: { option: T & { starred?: boolean } } & BoxProps) => {
+    const { $compactView } = usePickerContext<T & { starred?: boolean }>();
     const compactView = useStore($compactView);
 
-    const displayName = isRelated ? `* ${option.name}` : option.name;
-
     return (
       <Flex {...rest} sx={optionSx} data-is-compact={compactView}>
         {!compactView && option.cover_image && <ModelImage image_url={option.cover_image} />}
         <Flex flexDir="column" gap={1} flex={1}>
           <Flex gap={2} alignItems="center">
+            {option.starred && (
+              <PiStarFill color="yellow" size={16} />
+            )}
             <Text sx={optionNameSx} data-is-compact={compactView}>
-              {displayName}
+              {option.name}
             </Text>
             <Spacer />
             {option.file_size > 0 && (
@@ -378,7 +363,7 @@ const BASE_KEYWORDS: { [key in BaseModelType]?: string[] } = {
   'sd-3': ['sd3', 'sd3.0', 'sd3.5', 'sd-3'],
 };
 
-const isMatch = (model: AnyModelConfig, searchTerm: string) => {
+const isMatch = <T extends AnyModelConfig>(model: T & { starred?: boolean }, searchTerm: string) => {
   const regex = getRegex(searchTerm);
   const bases = BASE_KEYWORDS[model.base] ?? [model.base];
   const testString =