diff --git a/client/src/components/SidePanel/Agents/__tests__/Instructions.spec.tsx b/client/src/components/SidePanel/Agents/__tests__/Instructions.spec.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b2ff3fab9b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/components/SidePanel/Agents/__tests__/Instructions.spec.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import { ToastProvider } from '@librechat/client';
+import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event';
+import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { FormProvider, useForm } from 'react-hook-form';
+import type { AgentForm } from '~/common';
+import Instructions from '../Instructions';
+
+jest.mock('~/hooks', () => ({
+  useLocalize: () => (key: string) => key,
+}));
+
+function InstructionsHarness() {
+  const methods = useForm<AgentForm>({ defaultValues: { instructions: '' } });
+  return (
+    <ToastProvider>
+      <FormProvider {...methods}>
+        <Instructions />
+      </FormProvider>
+    </ToastProvider>
+  );
+}
+
+describe('Agent Instructions', () => {
+  it('offers special-variable insertion by default', async () => {
+    const user = userEvent.setup();
+    render(<InstructionsHarness />);
+
+    await user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'com_ui_variables' }));
+    expect(
+      await screen.findByRole('menuitem', { name: 'com_ui_special_var_current_date' }),
+    ).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/client/src/components/SidePanel/Schedules/ScheduleDialog.tsx b/client/src/components/SidePanel/Schedules/ScheduleDialog.tsx
index 16d1356e18..4a5fc8289a 100644
--- a/client/src/components/SidePanel/Schedules/ScheduleDialog.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/SidePanel/Schedules/ScheduleDialog.tsx
@@ -418,6 +418,7 @@ export default function ScheduleDialog({
                     required={true}
                     invalid={errors.prompt != null}
                     describedBy="schedule-prompt-message"
+                    showVariables={false}
                     portal={false}
                   />
                   <FieldMessage id="schedule-prompt-message" message={errors.prompt?.message} />
diff --git a/client/src/components/SidePanel/Schedules/__tests__/ScheduleDialog.spec.tsx b/client/src/components/SidePanel/Schedules/__tests__/ScheduleDialog.spec.tsx
index 1facc9e110..fd4bf0cc32 100644
--- a/client/src/components/SidePanel/Schedules/__tests__/ScheduleDialog.spec.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/SidePanel/Schedules/__tests__/ScheduleDialog.spec.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { createElement } from 'react';
 import { ToastProvider } from '@librechat/client';
 import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event';
-import { render, screen, within } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { render, screen, waitFor, within } from '@testing-library/react';
 import { QueryClient, QueryClientProvider } from '@tanstack/react-query';
 import type { ReactNode } from 'react';
 import ScheduleDialog from '../ScheduleDialog';
@@ -97,13 +97,54 @@ describe('ScheduleDialog', () => {
     expect(screen.getByPlaceholderText('com_ui_schedule_prompt_placeholder')).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
-  it('offers the special-variable menu on the prompt field', async () => {
+  it('does not offer special-variable insertion in either prompt editor', async () => {
     const user = userEvent.setup();
     renderDialog();
 
-    await user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'com_ui_variables' }));
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'com_ui_variables' })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+
+    await user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'com_ui_expand_editor' }));
+    const expandedDialog = screen.getAllByRole('dialog').at(-1);
+    expect(expandedDialog).toBeDefined();
     expect(
-      await screen.findByRole('menuitem', { name: 'com_ui_special_var_current_date' }),
-    ).toBeInTheDocument();
+      within(expandedDialog as HTMLElement).queryByRole('button', { name: 'com_ui_variables' }),
+    ).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it('keeps the expanded prompt editor available and synchronized', async () => {
+    const user = userEvent.setup();
+    renderDialog();
+
+    const prompt = screen.getByPlaceholderText('com_ui_schedule_prompt_placeholder');
+    await user.type(prompt, 'Initial prompt');
+    await user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'com_ui_expand_editor' }));
+
+    const expandedDialog = screen.getAllByRole('dialog').at(-1);
+    expect(expandedDialog).toBeDefined();
+    const expandedPrompt = within(expandedDialog as HTMLElement).getByRole('textbox', {
+      name: 'com_ui_prompt',
+    });
+    expect(expandedPrompt).toHaveValue('Initial prompt');
+
+    await user.type(expandedPrompt, ' with details');
+    expect(prompt).toHaveValue('Initial prompt with details');
+  });
+
+  it('preserves prompt validation and accessibility relationships', async () => {
+    const user = userEvent.setup();
+    renderDialog();
+
+    const prompt = screen.getByPlaceholderText('com_ui_schedule_prompt_placeholder');
+    expect(prompt).toHaveAccessibleName('com_ui_prompt');
+    expect(prompt).toHaveAttribute('aria-required', 'true');
+    expect(prompt).toHaveAttribute('aria-describedby', 'schedule-prompt-message');
+    expect(prompt).toHaveAttribute('aria-invalid', 'false');
+
+    await user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'com_ui_create' }));
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(prompt).toHaveAttribute('aria-invalid', 'true'));
+    expect(document.getElementById('schedule-prompt-message')).toHaveTextContent(
+      'com_ui_field_required',
+    );
   });
 });
diff --git a/client/src/components/Variables/Editor.tsx b/client/src/components/Variables/Editor.tsx
index 27b5820bcb..0d9dddbfbd 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Variables/Editor.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/Variables/Editor.tsx
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ interface VariableEditorProps {
   className?: string;
   labelClassName?: string;
   containerClassName?: string;
+  /** Whether to expose special-variable insertion controls. Defaults to true. */
+  showVariables?: boolean;
   /**
    * Ariakit popovers portal to the body by default, which puts them outside a Radix
    * dialog's focus trap. Pass `false` from inside a dialog, and give that dialog
@@ -73,6 +75,7 @@ export default function VariableEditor({
   className,
   labelClassName,
   containerClassName,
+  showVariables = true,
   portal = true,
 }: VariableEditorProps) {
   const menuId = useId();
@@ -102,27 +105,29 @@ export default function VariableEditor({
           {label}
         </Label>
         <div className="flex items-center gap-0.5">
-          <DropdownPopup
-            portal={portal}
-            mountByState={true}
-            unmountOnHide={true}
-            preserveTabOrder={true}
-            isOpen={isMenuOpen}
-            setIsOpen={setIsMenuOpen}
-            trigger={
-              <Menu.MenuButton
-                id={`${id}-variables-menu-button`}
-                aria-label={localize('com_ui_variables')}
-                title={localize('com_ui_variables')}
-                className="inline-flex h-7 w-7 items-center justify-center rounded-lg text-text-secondary transition-colors hover:bg-surface-secondary hover:text-text-primary focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring-primary"
-              >
-                <PlusCircle className="h-4 w-4" strokeWidth={1.75} aria-hidden={true} />
-              </Menu.MenuButton>
-            }
-            items={variableItems}
-            menuId={menuId}
-            className="pointer-events-auto z-30"
-          />
+          {showVariables && (
+            <DropdownPopup
+              portal={portal}
+              mountByState={true}
+              unmountOnHide={true}
+              preserveTabOrder={true}
+              isOpen={isMenuOpen}
+              setIsOpen={setIsMenuOpen}
+              trigger={
+                <Menu.MenuButton
+                  id={`${id}-variables-menu-button`}
+                  aria-label={localize('com_ui_variables')}
+                  title={localize('com_ui_variables')}
+                  className="inline-flex h-7 w-7 items-center justify-center rounded-lg text-text-secondary transition-colors hover:bg-surface-secondary hover:text-text-primary focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring-primary"
+                >
+                  <PlusCircle className="h-4 w-4" strokeWidth={1.75} aria-hidden={true} />
+                </Menu.MenuButton>
+              }
+              items={variableItems}
+              menuId={menuId}
+              className="pointer-events-auto z-30"
+            />
+          )}
           <TooltipAnchor
             description={localize('com_ui_expand_editor')}
             render={
@@ -169,29 +174,33 @@ export default function VariableEditor({
             placeholder={placeholder}
             aria-label={label}
           />
-          <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
-            <DropdownPopup
-              portal={portal}
-              mountByState={true}
-              unmountOnHide={true}
-              preserveTabOrder={true}
-              isOpen={isDialogMenuOpen}
-              setIsOpen={setIsDialogMenuOpen}
-              trigger={
-                <Menu.MenuButton
-                  id={`${id}-variables-menu-button-dialog`}
-                  render={
-                    <Button type="button" variant="outline" className="gap-1.5">
-                      <PlusCircle className="h-4 w-4" strokeWidth={1.75} aria-hidden={true} />
-                      {localize('com_ui_variables')}
-                    </Button>
-                  }
-                />
-              }
-              items={variableItems}
-              menuId={dialogMenuId}
-              className="pointer-events-auto z-[200]"
-            />
+          <div
+            className={cn('flex items-center', showVariables ? 'justify-between' : 'justify-end')}
+          >
+            {showVariables && (
+              <DropdownPopup
+                portal={portal}
+                mountByState={true}
+                unmountOnHide={true}
+                preserveTabOrder={true}
+                isOpen={isDialogMenuOpen}
+                setIsOpen={setIsDialogMenuOpen}
+                trigger={
+                  <Menu.MenuButton
+                    id={`${id}-variables-menu-button-dialog`}
+                    render={
+                      <Button type="button" variant="outline" className="gap-1.5">
+                        <PlusCircle className="h-4 w-4" strokeWidth={1.75} aria-hidden={true} />
+                        {localize('com_ui_variables')}
+                      </Button>
+                    }
+                  />
+                }
+                items={variableItems}
+                menuId={dialogMenuId}
+                className="pointer-events-auto z-[200]"
+              />
+            )}
             <OGDialogClose asChild>
               <Button type="button">{localize('com_ui_done')}</Button>
             </OGDialogClose>