diff --git a/docker/env/web.example.env b/docker/env/web.example.env
index b7ae2c98..877afb94 100644
--- a/docker/env/web.example.env
+++ b/docker/env/web.example.env
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ NUXT_PUBLIC_SENTRY_DSN=
 NUXT_PUBLIC_LINK_TO_MORE_INFO_ABOUT_PRODUCT=https://oxynote.io
 NUXT_PUBLIC_TERMS_OF_SERVICE_URL=
 NUXT_PUBLIC_PRIVACY_POLICY_URL=
-NUXT_PUBLIC_EXPERIMENTAL_FEATURES=
 
 # in-app documentation links
 NUXT_PUBLIC_POSTGRESQL_READ_ONLY_USER_SETUP_GUIDE_URL=https://tableplus.com/blog/2018/04/postgresql-how-to-create-read-only-user.html
diff --git a/web/app/components/AppSidebar.nuxt.test.ts b/web/app/components/AppSidebar.nuxt.test.ts
index b30b8010..30b3336a 100644
--- a/web/app/components/AppSidebar.nuxt.test.ts
+++ b/web/app/components/AppSidebar.nuxt.test.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
 	mockAuthEndpoint,
 	mountUnderSidebarProvider,
 	seedAuthOrganization,
+	seedCapabilities,
 	settleMutations,
 	stubViewportMatches,
 	t,
@@ -356,7 +357,8 @@ describe("<AppSidebar>", { concurrent: false }, () => {
 		it("hides the github integration on a deployment without it", async ({
 			expect,
 		}) => {
-			stubQueries({ gitHub: { connected: false, configured: false } })
+			stubQueries({})
+			seedCapabilities({ github: false })
 
 			const wrapper = await mountSidebar()
 			await settleMutations()
@@ -382,7 +384,8 @@ describe("<AppSidebar>", { concurrent: false }, () => {
 		it("hides the slack integration on a deployment without it", async ({
 			expect,
 		}) => {
-			stubQueries({ slack: { connected: false, configured: false } })
+			stubQueries({})
+			seedCapabilities({ slack: false })
 
 			const wrapper = await mountSidebar()
 			await settleMutations()
diff --git a/web/app/components/DocumentHeader.nuxt.test.ts b/web/app/components/DocumentHeader.nuxt.test.ts
index b7b280f4..f6f84009 100644
--- a/web/app/components/DocumentHeader.nuxt.test.ts
+++ b/web/app/components/DocumentHeader.nuxt.test.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import {
 	findButtonByText,
 	menuItem,
 	mountUnderSidebarProvider,
-	seedAuthOrganization,
+	seedCapabilities,
 	settleMutations,
 	t,
 } from "./test-helpers"
@@ -367,15 +367,28 @@ describe("<DocumentHeader>", { concurrent: false }, () => {
 		expect(created).toHaveLength(0)
 	})
 
-	it("hides the assistant button while the feature is off", async ({
+	it("hides the assistant button on a deployment without the assistant", async ({
 		expect,
 	}) => {
 		mainOnly()
-		seedAuthOrganization({ id: "org-without-the-feature" })
+		seedCapabilities({ aiAssistant: { status: AssistantStatus.Inactive } })
 
 		const wrapper = await mountHeader()
 
-		expect(wrapper.text()).not.toContain(t("editor.ai-chat.title"))
+		expect(wrapper.text()).not.toContain(t("editor.navbar.open-ai-assistant"))
+	})
+
+	it("offers the assistant button when the assistant runs", async ({
+		expect,
+	}) => {
+		mainOnly()
+		seedCapabilities({
+			aiAssistant: { status: AssistantStatus.ActiveButWeak, model: "small" },
+		})
+
+		const wrapper = await mountHeader()
+
+		expect(wrapper.text()).toContain(t("editor.navbar.open-ai-assistant"))
 	})
 
 	it("publishes the header height so the page can offset content", async ({
diff --git a/web/app/components/DocumentHeader.vue b/web/app/components/DocumentHeader.vue
index 1037a792..4cb81e43 100644
--- a/web/app/components/DocumentHeader.vue
+++ b/web/app/components/DocumentHeader.vue
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 <script lang="ts" setup>
 import { cn } from "~/lib/utils"
 import type { DocumentBreadcrumb } from "./sidebar"
-import { ExperimentalFeature } from "~/composables/useExperimentalFeatures"
 import { showToastMessage } from "./toast"
 
 const props = defineProps<{
@@ -15,10 +14,7 @@ const emit = defineEmits<{
 
 const { isEditable, toggleIsEditable } = useEditorMeta()
 const editorStore = useEditorStore()
-const { isExperimentalFeatureEnabled } = useExperimentalFeatures()
-const aiAssistantEnabled = isExperimentalFeatureEnabled(
-	ExperimentalFeature.AIAssistant,
-)
+const { isAssistantEnabled } = useCapabilitiesAPI()
 const { useFetchDocumentBranchesByDocId } = useDocumentAPI()
 const fetchBranches = useFetchDocumentBranchesByDocId(
 	() => editorStore.activeDocumentId,
@@ -360,7 +356,7 @@ function activateBranch(branch: "default" | "draft") {
 							</ShadcnUiDropdownMenuContent>
 						</ShadcnUiDropdownMenu>
 						<div class="mx-2 h-5.5 w-px bg-border" />
-						<ShadcnUiTooltip v-if="aiAssistantEnabled" :delay-duration="600">
+						<ShadcnUiTooltip v-if="isAssistantEnabled" :delay-duration="600">
 							<ShadcnUiTooltipTrigger as-child>
 								<ShadcnUiButton
 									variant="ghost"
diff --git a/web/app/components/editor/hooks/HookMenuContent.nuxt.test.ts b/web/app/components/editor/hooks/HookMenuContent.nuxt.test.ts
index 83a960a1..d1fc96ed 100644
--- a/web/app/components/editor/hooks/HookMenuContent.nuxt.test.ts
+++ b/web/app/components/editor/hooks/HookMenuContent.nuxt.test.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import {
 } from "~/composables/api/test-helpers"
 import {
 	clearTeleportedOverlays,
+	seedCapabilities,
 	t,
 	WAIT_FOR_OPTIONS,
 } from "~/components/test-helpers"
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ function urlWatcher(overrides: Partial<DocumentHook> = {}) {
 }
 
 function mockGitHub(configured: boolean) {
+	seedCapabilities({ github: configured })
 	mockEndpoint("GET", "/api/github", () => ({
 		connected: false,
 		configured: configured,
diff --git a/web/app/components/settings/AppsSection.nuxt.test.ts b/web/app/components/settings/AppsSection.nuxt.test.ts
index e3be47ba..54ace7c7 100644
--- a/web/app/components/settings/AppsSection.nuxt.test.ts
+++ b/web/app/components/settings/AppsSection.nuxt.test.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,12 @@ import {
 	seedQueryData,
 } from "~/composables/api/test-helpers"
 import AppsSection from "./AppsSection.vue"
-import { findButtonByText, settleMutations, t } from "../test-helpers"
+import {
+	findButtonByText,
+	seedCapabilities,
+	settleMutations,
+	t,
+} from "../test-helpers"
 
 vi.mock("vue-sonner", () => ({
 	toast: { custom: vi.fn(), dismiss: vi.fn() },
@@ -74,7 +79,8 @@ describe("<AppsSection>", { concurrent: false }, () => {
 	})
 
 	it("hides github on a deployment without it", async ({ expect }) => {
-		seedApps({ gitHub: { connected: false, configured: false } })
+		seedApps({})
+		seedCapabilities({ github: false })
 
 		const wrapper = await mountSection()
 
@@ -82,7 +88,8 @@ describe("<AppsSection>", { concurrent: false }, () => {
 	})
 
 	it("hides slack on a deployment without it", async ({ expect }) => {
-		seedApps({ slack: { connected: false, configured: false } })
+		seedApps({})
+		seedCapabilities({ slack: false })
 
 		const wrapper = await mountSection()
 
@@ -251,7 +258,8 @@ describe("<AppsSection>", { concurrent: false }, () => {
 	})
 
 	it("separates the two rows only when both are shown", async ({ expect }) => {
-		seedApps({ slack: { connected: false, configured: false } })
+		seedApps({})
+		seedCapabilities({ slack: false })
 
 		const wrapper = await mountSection()
 
diff --git a/web/app/components/test-helpers.ts b/web/app/components/test-helpers.ts
index b70cbcaa..ce9c765f 100644
--- a/web/app/components/test-helpers.ts
+++ b/web/app/components/test-helpers.ts
@@ -68,6 +68,20 @@ export function seedAuthAccounts(providerIds: string[]) {
 	})
 }
 
+// every capability defaults to enabled here, matching what the composable
+// reports before its request resolves, so each test names only the
+// services it is actually gating on
+export function seedCapabilities(capabilities: Partial<Capabilities> = {}) {
+	seedQueryData(["capabilities"], {
+		github: true,
+		slack: true,
+		changeDetection: true,
+		search: true,
+		aiAssistant: { status: AssistantStatus.Active, model: "test-model" },
+		...capabilities,
+	})
+}
+
 // reka-ui tooltips inject a provider context that the app installs once,
 // at page level (app/pages/[[organizationSlug]]/[[documentSlug]].vue), so
 // a component rendering a tooltip needs one around it to mount at all
diff --git a/web/app/composables/api/useCapabilitiesAPI.nuxt.test.ts b/web/app/composables/api/useCapabilitiesAPI.nuxt.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..daae707a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/app/composables/api/useCapabilitiesAPI.nuxt.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,164 @@
+import { setResponseStatus } from "h3"
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, it } from "vitest"
+import {
+	clearQueryCache,
+	disposeMockEndpoints,
+	mockEndpoint,
+	runInApp,
+} from "./test-helpers"
+import useCapabilitiesAPI from "./useCapabilitiesAPI"
+
+function makeCapabilitiesAPI() {
+	return runInApp(() => useCapabilitiesAPI())
+}
+
+function stubCapabilities(overrides: Partial<Capabilities> = {}): Capabilities {
+	return {
+		github: true,
+		slack: true,
+		changeDetection: true,
+		search: true,
+		aiAssistant: { status: AssistantStatus.Active, model: "claude-opus-5" },
+		...overrides,
+	}
+}
+
+// the composable is created once per test and its query loaded eagerly;
+// refresh() joins that in-flight load rather than forcing a second request
+describe("useCapabilitiesAPI", { concurrent: false }, () => {
+	// the tests share the app-wide query cache and the test-time endpoint
+	// registry, so they cannot interleave
+	beforeEach(clearQueryCache)
+
+	afterEach(disposeMockEndpoints)
+
+	describe("fetchCapabilities", () => {
+		it("fetches the deployment's capabilities", async ({ expect }) => {
+			const capabilities = stubCapabilities()
+			const calls = mockEndpoint("GET", "/api/capabilities", () => capabilities)
+			const api = makeCapabilitiesAPI()
+
+			const result = await api.fetchCapabilities.refresh()
+
+			expect(result.data).toEqual(capabilities)
+			expect(calls).toHaveLength(1)
+		})
+	})
+
+	describe("service flags", () => {
+		it("maps each flag to its own field", async ({ expect }) => {
+			mockEndpoint("GET", "/api/capabilities", () =>
+				stubCapabilities({
+					github: true,
+					slack: false,
+					changeDetection: true,
+					search: false,
+				}),
+			)
+			const api = makeCapabilitiesAPI()
+
+			await api.fetchCapabilities.refresh()
+
+			expect(api.isGithubEnabled.value).toBe(true)
+			expect(api.isSlackEnabled.value).toBe(false)
+			expect(api.isChangeDetectionEnabled.value).toBe(true)
+			expect(api.isSearchEnabled.value).toBe(false)
+		})
+
+		it("reports every service enabled before the request resolves", ({
+			expect,
+		}) => {
+			const api = makeCapabilitiesAPI()
+
+			expect(api.isGithubEnabled.value).toBe(true)
+			expect(api.isSlackEnabled.value).toBe(true)
+			expect(api.isChangeDetectionEnabled.value).toBe(true)
+			expect(api.isSearchEnabled.value).toBe(true)
+			expect(api.isAssistantEnabled.value).toBe(true)
+		})
+
+		it("reports every service enabled when the request fails", async ({
+			expect,
+		}) => {
+			mockEndpoint("GET", "/api/capabilities", (_call, event) => {
+				setResponseStatus(event, 500)
+
+				return { error: "boom" }
+			})
+			const api = makeCapabilitiesAPI()
+
+			await api.fetchCapabilities.refresh()
+
+			expect(api.fetchCapabilities.error.value).not.toBeNull()
+			expect(api.isGithubEnabled.value).toBe(true)
+			expect(api.isSlackEnabled.value).toBe(true)
+			expect(api.isChangeDetectionEnabled.value).toBe(true)
+			expect(api.isSearchEnabled.value).toBe(true)
+			expect(api.isAssistantEnabled.value).toBe(true)
+		})
+	})
+
+	describe("isAssistantEnabled", () => {
+		const cc: Record<string, { status: AssistantStatus; enabled: boolean }> = {
+			"runs a full-strength model": {
+				status: AssistantStatus.Active,
+				enabled: true,
+			},
+			"runs a mid-tier model with limitations": {
+				status: AssistantStatus.ActiveButWeak,
+				enabled: true,
+			},
+			"is disabled because the model is too weak": {
+				status: AssistantStatus.InactiveTooWeak,
+				enabled: false,
+			},
+			"is disabled because no provider is configured": {
+				status: AssistantStatus.Inactive,
+				enabled: false,
+			},
+		}
+
+		Object.entries(cc).forEach(([name, c]) => {
+			it(`reports ${c.enabled ? "enabled" : "disabled"} when the assistant ${name}`, async ({
+				expect,
+			}) => {
+				mockEndpoint("GET", "/api/capabilities", () =>
+					stubCapabilities({
+						aiAssistant: { status: c.status, model: "some-model" },
+					}),
+				)
+				const api = makeCapabilitiesAPI()
+
+				await api.fetchCapabilities.refresh()
+
+				expect(api.isAssistantEnabled.value).toBe(c.enabled)
+			})
+		})
+	})
+
+	describe("assistantStatus / assistantModel", () => {
+		it("passes the status and configured model through", async ({ expect }) => {
+			mockEndpoint("GET", "/api/capabilities", () =>
+				stubCapabilities({
+					aiAssistant: {
+						status: AssistantStatus.ActiveButWeak,
+						model: "gpt-4o-mini",
+					},
+				}),
+			)
+			const api = makeCapabilitiesAPI()
+
+			await api.fetchCapabilities.refresh()
+
+			expect(api.assistantStatus.value).toBe(AssistantStatus.ActiveButWeak)
+			expect(api.assistantModel.value).toBe("gpt-4o-mini")
+		})
+
+		it("reports no status and an empty model while unknown", ({ expect }) => {
+			const api = makeCapabilitiesAPI()
+
+			expect(api.assistantStatus.value).toBeNull()
+			expect(api.assistantModel.value).toBe("")
+		})
+	})
+})
diff --git a/web/app/composables/api/useCapabilitiesAPI.ts b/web/app/composables/api/useCapabilitiesAPI.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3c3bfd8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/app/composables/api/useCapabilitiesAPI.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+const CAPABILITIES_QUERY_KEYS = {
+	capabilities: ["capabilities"] as const,
+}
+
+export default function () {
+	const { $coreAPIClient } = useNuxtApp()
+
+	const fetchCapabilities = useQuery<Capabilities>({
+		key: CAPABILITIES_QUERY_KEYS.capabilities,
+		query: async () => {
+			return await $coreAPIClient<Capabilities>(`/api/capabilities`, {
+				method: "GET",
+			})
+		},
+		refetchOnMount: false,
+		refetchOnWindowFocus: false,
+		refetchOnReconnect: false,
+		staleTime: Infinity,
+	})
+
+	function enabled(pick: (capabilities: Capabilities) => boolean) {
+		return computed(() => {
+			const capabilities = fetchCapabilities.data.value
+
+			return capabilities ? pick(capabilities) : true
+		})
+	}
+
+	const isGithubEnabled = enabled((c) => c.github)
+	const isSlackEnabled = enabled((c) => c.slack)
+	const isChangeDetectionEnabled = enabled((c) => c.changeDetection)
+	const isSearchEnabled = enabled((c) => c.search)
+
+	const assistantStatus = computed(
+		() => fetchCapabilities.data.value?.aiAssistant.status ?? null,
+	)
+	const assistantModel = computed(
+		() => fetchCapabilities.data.value?.aiAssistant.model ?? "",
+	)
+	const isAssistantEnabled = enabled(
+		(c) =>
+			c.aiAssistant.status === AssistantStatus.Active ||
+			c.aiAssistant.status === AssistantStatus.ActiveButWeak,
+	)
+
+	return {
+		fetchCapabilities,
+		isGithubEnabled,
+		isSlackEnabled,
+		isChangeDetectionEnabled,
+		isSearchEnabled,
+		isAssistantEnabled,
+		assistantStatus,
+		assistantModel,
+	}
+}
diff --git a/web/app/composables/api/useGitHubAPI.nuxt.test.ts b/web/app/composables/api/useGitHubAPI.nuxt.test.ts
index 8fa3b1bf..26acb254 100644
--- a/web/app/composables/api/useGitHubAPI.nuxt.test.ts
+++ b/web/app/composables/api/useGitHubAPI.nuxt.test.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { flushPromises } from "@vue/test-utils"
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, it } from "vitest"
 import {
 	clearQueryCache,
@@ -37,24 +38,40 @@ describe("useGitHubAPI", { concurrent: false }, () => {
 			expect(result.data).toEqual({ connected: true, configured: true })
 			expect(statusCalls).toHaveLength(1)
 		})
+
+		// a component only ever reads this query; the explicit refresh()
+		// below is reserved for the repository queries, which are
+		// unreachable while GitHub is disabled
+		it("makes no request on a deployment without the GitHub App", async ({
+			expect,
+		}) => {
+			seedQueryData(["capabilities"], { github: false })
+			const statusCalls = mockEndpoint("GET", "/api/github", () => ({
+				connected: true,
+				configured: true,
+			}))
+			const api = makeGitHubAPI()
+
+			await flushPromises()
+
+			expect(statusCalls).toHaveLength(0)
+			expect(api.fetchGitHubConnectionStatus.data.value).toBeUndefined()
+		})
 	})
 
 	describe("gitHubConfigured", () => {
-		it("reports configured while the status is unknown", ({ expect }) => {
+		it("reports configured while the capabilities are unknown", ({
+			expect,
+		}) => {
 			const api = makeGitHubAPI()
 
 			expect(api.gitHubConfigured.value).toBe(true)
 		})
 
-		it("reports unconfigured once the status says so", async ({ expect }) => {
-			mockEndpoint("GET", "/api/github", () => ({
-				connected: false,
-				configured: false,
-			}))
+		it("reports unconfigured once the capabilities say so", ({ expect }) => {
+			seedQueryData(["capabilities"], { github: false })
 			const api = makeGitHubAPI()
 
-			await api.fetchGitHubConnectionStatus.refresh()
-
 			expect(api.gitHubConfigured.value).toBe(false)
 		})
 	})
diff --git a/web/app/composables/api/useGitHubAPI.ts b/web/app/composables/api/useGitHubAPI.ts
index 5cc2dbbe..35c8bed5 100644
--- a/web/app/composables/api/useGitHubAPI.ts
+++ b/web/app/composables/api/useGitHubAPI.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ const GITHUB_QUERY_KEYS = {
 export default function () {
 	const { $coreAPIClient } = useNuxtApp()
 	const queryCache = useQueryCache()
+	const { isGithubEnabled } = useCapabilitiesAPI()
+
+	// whether the server has the GitHub App integration configured at all.
+	const gitHubConfigured = isGithubEnabled
 
 	const fetchGitHubConnectionStatus = useQuery<GitHubConnectionStatus>({
 		key: GITHUB_QUERY_KEYS.connected,
@@ -26,6 +30,7 @@ export default function () {
 				method: "GET",
 			})
 		},
+		enabled: () => isGithubEnabled.value,
 		refetchOnMount: false,
 		refetchOnWindowFocus: false,
 		refetchOnReconnect: false,
@@ -33,13 +38,6 @@ export default function () {
 		autoRefetch: true,
 	})
 
-	// whether the server has the GitHub App integration configured at all.
-	// Treats "unknown" (still loading) as configured so GitHub UI doesn't
-	// flicker away on deployments that do have it.
-	const gitHubConfigured = computed(
-		() => fetchGitHubConnectionStatus.data.value?.configured !== false,
-	)
-
 	async function fetchGitHubInstallURL(): Promise<GitHubInstallResponse> {
 		// we don't want to use useQuery here as installs are
 		// typically one-off and we don't want to cache them
@@ -110,6 +108,7 @@ export default function () {
 				},
 			)
 		},
+		enabled: () => isGithubEnabled.value,
 		refetchOnMount: false,
 		refetchOnWindowFocus: false,
 		refetchOnReconnect: false,
@@ -138,7 +137,9 @@ export default function () {
 				)
 			},
 			enabled: () =>
-				toValue(repoNameRef) !== null && toValue(repoNameRef) !== undefined,
+				isGithubEnabled.value &&
+				toValue(repoNameRef) !== null &&
+				toValue(repoNameRef) !== undefined,
 			refetchOnMount: false,
 			refetchOnWindowFocus: false,
 			refetchOnReconnect: false,
@@ -179,7 +180,9 @@ export default function () {
 				})
 			},
 			enabled: () =>
-				toValue(repoNameRef) !== null && toValue(repoNameRef) !== undefined,
+				isGithubEnabled.value &&
+				toValue(repoNameRef) !== null &&
+				toValue(repoNameRef) !== undefined,
 			refetchOnMount: false,
 			refetchOnWindowFocus: false,
 			refetchOnReconnect: false,
diff --git a/web/app/composables/api/useSlackAPI.nuxt.test.ts b/web/app/composables/api/useSlackAPI.nuxt.test.ts
index 0aa56065..7b53a4a1 100644
--- a/web/app/composables/api/useSlackAPI.nuxt.test.ts
+++ b/web/app/composables/api/useSlackAPI.nuxt.test.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { flushPromises } from "@vue/test-utils"
 import type { FetchError } from "ofetch"
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, it } from "vitest"
 import {
@@ -41,24 +42,37 @@ describe("useSlackAPI", { concurrent: false }, () => {
 			expect(result.data).toEqual({ connected: true, configured: true })
 			expect(statusCalls).toHaveLength(1)
 		})
+
+		it("makes no request on a deployment without the Slack App", async ({
+			expect,
+		}) => {
+			seedQueryData(["capabilities"], { slack: false })
+			const statusCalls = mockEndpoint("GET", "/api/slack", () => ({
+				connected: true,
+				configured: true,
+			}))
+			const api = makeSlackAPI()
+
+			await flushPromises()
+
+			expect(statusCalls).toHaveLength(0)
+			expect(api.fetchSlackConnectionStatus.data.value).toBeUndefined()
+		})
 	})
 
 	describe("slackConfigured", () => {
-		it("reports configured while the status is unknown", ({ expect }) => {
+		it("reports configured while the capabilities are unknown", ({
+			expect,
+		}) => {
 			const api = makeSlackAPI()
 
 			expect(api.slackConfigured.value).toBe(true)
 		})
 
-		it("reports unconfigured once the status says so", async ({ expect }) => {
-			mockEndpoint("GET", "/api/slack", () => ({
-				connected: false,
-				configured: false,
-			}))
+		it("reports unconfigured once the capabilities say so", ({ expect }) => {
+			seedQueryData(["capabilities"], { slack: false })
 			const api = makeSlackAPI()
 
-			await api.fetchSlackConnectionStatus.refresh()
-
 			expect(api.slackConfigured.value).toBe(false)
 		})
 	})
diff --git a/web/app/composables/api/useSlackAPI.ts b/web/app/composables/api/useSlackAPI.ts
index 67446e99..ad0dd2ee 100644
--- a/web/app/composables/api/useSlackAPI.ts
+++ b/web/app/composables/api/useSlackAPI.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ const SLACK_QUERY_KEYS = {
 export default function () {
 	const { $coreAPIClient } = useNuxtApp()
 	const queryCache = useQueryCache()
+	const { isSlackEnabled } = useCapabilitiesAPI()
+
+	// whether the server has the Slack App integration configured at all.
+	const slackConfigured = isSlackEnabled
 
 	const fetchSlackConnectionStatus = useQuery<SlackConnectionStatus>({
 		key: SLACK_QUERY_KEYS.connected,
@@ -17,6 +21,7 @@ export default function () {
 				method: "GET",
 			})
 		},
+		enabled: () => isSlackEnabled.value,
 		refetchOnMount: false,
 		refetchOnWindowFocus: false,
 		refetchOnReconnect: false,
@@ -24,13 +29,6 @@ export default function () {
 		autoRefetch: true,
 	})
 
-	// whether the server has the Slack App integration configured at all.
-	// Treats "unknown" (still loading) as configured so Slack UI doesn't
-	// flicker away on deployments that do have it.
-	const slackConfigured = computed(
-		() => fetchSlackConnectionStatus.data.value?.configured !== false,
-	)
-
 	async function fetchSlackInstallURL(): Promise<SlackInstallResponse> {
 		// we don't want to use useQuery here as installs are
 		// typically one-off and we don't want to cache them
@@ -118,6 +116,7 @@ export default function () {
 				throw error
 			}
 		},
+		enabled: () => isSlackEnabled.value,
 		refetchOnMount: false,
 		refetchOnWindowFocus: false,
 		refetchOnReconnect: false,
diff --git a/web/app/composables/index.ts b/web/app/composables/index.ts
index f5a1d155..027932f7 100644
--- a/web/app/composables/index.ts
+++ b/web/app/composables/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // Re-exporting allows the content of these files to be auto-imported
 // elsewhere.
 export * from "./api/useAuthAPI"
+export * from "./api/useCapabilitiesAPI"
 export * from "./api/useMCPAPI"
 export * from "./api/useDocumentAPI"
 export * from "./api/useDocumentHookAPI"
diff --git a/web/app/composables/useExperimentalFeatures.nuxt.test.ts b/web/app/composables/useExperimentalFeatures.nuxt.test.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 2f8ed228..00000000
--- a/web/app/composables/useExperimentalFeatures.nuxt.test.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,90 +0,0 @@
-import { mockNuxtImport } from "@nuxt/test-utils/runtime"
-import { beforeEach, describe, it, vi } from "vitest"
-import useExperimentalFeatures, {
-	ExperimentalFeature,
-} from "./useExperimentalFeatures"
-
-const { useAuthSessionMock } = vi.hoisted(() => {
-	// the default implementation keeps the app bootstrap alive: the
-	// websocket plugin refreshes the session query during nuxt init
-	return {
-		useAuthSessionMock: vi.fn((): any => ({
-			fetchAuthSession: {
-				refresh: () => Promise.resolve({ data: undefined }),
-			},
-			fetchOrganization: {
-				refresh: () => Promise.resolve({ data: undefined }),
-				data: { value: undefined },
-			},
-		})),
-	}
-})
-
-mockNuxtImport("useAuthSession", () => useAuthSessionMock)
-
-function arrange(opts: { orgId?: string; features: string }) {
-	useAuthSessionMock.mockReturnValue({
-		fetchOrganization: {
-			data: { value: opts.orgId ? { data: { id: opts.orgId } } : undefined },
-		},
-	})
-
-	// the runtime config object is mutable at runtime; each test sets the
-	// value it asserts against
-	useRuntimeConfig().public.experimentalFeatures = opts.features
-}
-
-// the tests arrange a shared module-level mock (mockNuxtImport singleton)
-// and the shared runtime config, so they cannot interleave
-describe("useExperimentalFeatures", { concurrent: false }, () => {
-	// restoreMocks does not touch hand-made vi.fn() singletons in vitest 4
-	// — reset the module-level mock explicitly
-	beforeEach(() => {
-		useAuthSessionMock.mockReset()
-	})
-
-	it("enables a feature for a listed organization", ({ expect }) => {
-		arrange({ orgId: "org2", features: "ai-assistant:org1, org2" })
-		const { isExperimentalFeatureEnabled } = useExperimentalFeatures()
-
-		expect(
-			isExperimentalFeatureEnabled(ExperimentalFeature.AIAssistant).value,
-		).toBe(true)
-	})
-
-	it("disables a feature for an unlisted organization", ({ expect }) => {
-		arrange({ orgId: "org3", features: "ai-assistant:org1,org2" })
-		const { isExperimentalFeatureEnabled } = useExperimentalFeatures()
-
-		expect(
-			isExperimentalFeatureEnabled(ExperimentalFeature.AIAssistant).value,
-		).toBe(false)
-	})
-
-	it("disables features without an active organization", ({ expect }) => {
-		arrange({ features: "ai-assistant:org1" })
-		const { isExperimentalFeatureEnabled } = useExperimentalFeatures()
-
-		expect(
-			isExperimentalFeatureEnabled(ExperimentalFeature.AIAssistant).value,
-		).toBe(false)
-	})
-
-	it("disables a feature that is not configured", ({ expect }) => {
-		arrange({ orgId: "org1", features: "other-feature:org1" })
-		const { isExperimentalFeatureEnabled } = useExperimentalFeatures()
-
-		expect(
-			isExperimentalFeatureEnabled(ExperimentalFeature.AIAssistant).value,
-		).toBe(false)
-	})
-
-	it("disables a feature configured without organizations", ({ expect }) => {
-		arrange({ orgId: "org1", features: "ai-assistant" })
-		const { isExperimentalFeatureEnabled } = useExperimentalFeatures()
-
-		expect(
-			isExperimentalFeatureEnabled(ExperimentalFeature.AIAssistant).value,
-		).toBe(false)
-	})
-})
diff --git a/web/app/composables/useExperimentalFeatures.ts b/web/app/composables/useExperimentalFeatures.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 64c6ccee..00000000
--- a/web/app/composables/useExperimentalFeatures.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,40 +0,0 @@
-export enum ExperimentalFeature {
-	AIAssistant = "ai-assistant",
-}
-
-export default function () {
-	const config = useRuntimeConfig()
-	const { fetchOrganization } = useAuthSession()
-
-	function isExperimentalFeatureEnabled(featureName: ExperimentalFeature) {
-		return computed(() => {
-			if (import.meta.dev) {
-				// NOCOV: dev-only shortcut; the vitest nuxt environment is a
-				// non-dev build. In development, all experimental features are
-				// enabled for easier testing.
-				return true
-			}
-
-			const organizationId = fetchOrganization.data.value?.data?.id
-			if (!organizationId) {
-				return false
-			}
-
-			const featureConfigs = config.public.experimentalFeatures.split(";")
-
-			for (const featureConfig of featureConfigs) {
-				const [name, orgs] = featureConfig.split(":")
-				if (name === featureName) {
-					const orgList = orgs?.split(",").map((org) => org.trim()) ?? []
-					return orgList.includes(organizationId)
-				}
-			}
-
-			return false
-		})
-	}
-
-	return {
-		isExperimentalFeatureEnabled,
-	}
-}
diff --git a/web/app/pages/[[organizationSlug]]/[[documentSlug]].vue b/web/app/pages/[[organizationSlug]]/[[documentSlug]].vue
index 93f69e09..b3cce79c 100644
--- a/web/app/pages/[[organizationSlug]]/[[documentSlug]].vue
+++ b/web/app/pages/[[organizationSlug]]/[[documentSlug]].vue
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import {
 } from "~/plugins/03.api-fetch"
 import { showToastMessage } from "~/components/toast"
 import type { Editor } from "@tiptap/core"
-import { ExperimentalFeature } from "~/composables/useExperimentalFeatures"
 
 const DOC_CREATION_MIN_SPINNER_TIME_MS = 500
 
@@ -31,6 +30,11 @@ definePageMeta({
 			return redirectToLogin(to.fullPath, true, nuxtApp)
 		}
 
+		// resolved before the page renders so capability-gated markup is
+		// already correct server-side and nothing appears then vanishes on
+		// hydration
+		await useCapabilitiesAPI().fetchCapabilities.refresh()
+
 		if (!to.params.documentSlug || typeof to.params.documentSlug !== "string") {
 			const docTree = await fetchDocumentTree.refresh()
 			if (!docTree.data?.length) {
@@ -108,7 +112,7 @@ const {
 const { fetchOrganization } = useAuthSession()
 const { t } = useI18n({ useScope: "global" })
 const { setEditable } = useEditorMeta()
-const { isExperimentalFeatureEnabled } = useExperimentalFeatures()
+const { isAssistantEnabled } = useCapabilitiesAPI()
 const wsState = useWebSocketStateStore()
 let unsubWsDocMetadataChange: (() => void) | null | undefined = null
 let lastClearedLinkNodeHighlight: string | null = null
@@ -139,9 +143,6 @@ const pendingDocDeletion = ref<{
 	name: string
 } | null>(null)
 const notificationSidebarOpen = ref(false)
-const experimentalFeatures = {
-	aiAssistant: isExperimentalFeatureEnabled(ExperimentalFeature.AIAssistant),
-}
 const contentEditorRef = shallowRef<Editor | null>(null)
 const nameEditorRef = shallowRef<Editor | null>(null)
 const editorStore = useEditorStore()
@@ -615,7 +616,7 @@ function clearLinkHighlightNodeOnce() {
 					</div>
 				</EditorIconPickerProvider>
 			</main>
-			<AIChatSidebar v-if="experimentalFeatures.aiAssistant.value" />
+			<AIChatSidebar v-if="isAssistantEnabled" />
 		</ShadcnUiTooltipProvider>
 	</ShadcnUiSidebarProvider>
 </template>
diff --git a/web/app/utils/api/capabilities.ts b/web/app/utils/api/capabilities.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..27d97781
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/app/utils/api/capabilities.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+// AssistantStatus specifies the assistant's availability, decided by
+// core at boot from the strength of the configured model.
+export enum AssistantStatus {
+	Active = "active",
+	ActiveButWeak = "active-but-weak",
+	InactiveTooWeak = "inactive-too-weak",
+	Inactive = "inactive",
+}
+
+export interface AssistantCapability {
+	status: AssistantStatus
+	model?: string
+}
+
+export interface Capabilities {
+	github: boolean
+	slack: boolean
+	aiAssistant: AssistantCapability
+	changeDetection: boolean
+	search: boolean
+}
diff --git a/web/app/utils/index.ts b/web/app/utils/index.ts
index a22398ca..e424af14 100644
--- a/web/app/utils/index.ts
+++ b/web/app/utils/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // Re-exporting allows the content of these files to be auto-imported
 // elsewhere.
 export * from "./api/auth"
+export * from "./api/capabilities"
 export * from "./api/mcp"
 export * from "./api/document"
 export * from "./api/comment"
diff --git a/web/index.d.ts b/web/index.d.ts
index ef994838..9abd5846 100644
--- a/web/index.d.ts
+++ b/web/index.d.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ declare module "nuxt/schema" {
 		coreAPIBaseWsURL: string
 		termsOfServiceURL: string
 		privacyPolicyURL: string
-		experimentalFeatures: string // example: feature1:org1,org2;feature2:org3
 		postgresqlReadOnlyUserSetupGuideURL: string
 		mysqlReadOnlyUserSetupGuideURL: string
 		mariadbReadOnlyUserSetupGuideURL: string
diff --git a/web/nuxt.config.ts b/web/nuxt.config.ts
index b3b5a9ce..9da452b5 100644
--- a/web/nuxt.config.ts
+++ b/web/nuxt.config.ts
@@ -139,7 +139,6 @@ export default defineNuxtConfig({
 			coreAPIBaseWsURL: "",
 			termsOfServiceURL: "",
 			privacyPolicyURL: "",
-			experimentalFeatures: "",
 			postgresqlReadOnlyUserSetupGuideURL: "",
 			mysqlReadOnlyUserSetupGuideURL: "",
 			mariadbReadOnlyUserSetupGuideURL: "",