diff --git a/public/index.html b/public/index.html
index 3ad57900d..441b23750 100644
--- a/public/index.html
+++ b/public/index.html
@@ -5362,6 +5362,9 @@
                                                 <option id="import_tags" data-i18n="Import Tags">
                                                     Import Tags
                                                 </option>
+                                                <option id="set_as_assistant" data-i18n="Set / Unset as Welcome Page Assistant">
+                                                    Set / Unset as Welcome Page Assistant
+                                                </option>
                                                 <!--<option id="dupe_button">
                                                         Duplicate
                                                     </option>
diff --git a/public/script.js b/public/script.js
index 7a2f8a988..04f70b8c1 100644
--- a/public/script.js
+++ b/public/script.js
@@ -530,6 +530,7 @@ export const event_types = {
     CONNECTION_PROFILE_UPDATED: 'connection_profile_updated',
     TOOL_CALLS_PERFORMED: 'tool_calls_performed',
     TOOL_CALLS_RENDERED: 'tool_calls_rendered',
+    CHARACTER_MANAGEMENT_DROPDOWN: 'charManagementDropdown',
 };
 
 export const eventSource = new EventEmitter([event_types.APP_READY]);
@@ -12141,7 +12142,7 @@ jQuery(async function () {
                 );
                 break;*/
             default:
-                await eventSource.emit('charManagementDropdown', target);
+                await eventSource.emit(event_types.CHARACTER_MANAGEMENT_DROPDOWN, target);
         }
         $('#char-management-dropdown').prop('selectedIndex', 0);
     });
diff --git a/public/scripts/extensions/gallery/index.js b/public/scripts/extensions/gallery/index.js
index 3e0375b04..5ad8044da 100644
--- a/public/scripts/extensions/gallery/index.js
+++ b/public/scripts/extensions/gallery/index.js
@@ -710,7 +710,7 @@ async function listGalleryCommand(args) {
         delete context.extensionSettings.gallery.folders[avatar];
         context.saveSettingsDebounced();
     });
-    eventSource.on('charManagementDropdown', (selectedOptionId) => {
+    eventSource.on(event_types.CHARACTER_MANAGEMENT_DROPDOWN, (selectedOptionId) => {
         if (selectedOptionId === 'show_char_gallery') {
             showCharGallery();
         }
diff --git a/public/scripts/personas.js b/public/scripts/personas.js
index 1aeefa0b9..dca41078e 100644
--- a/public/scripts/personas.js
+++ b/public/scripts/personas.js
@@ -1970,7 +1970,7 @@ export async function initPersonas() {
 
     $('#char_connections_button').on('click', showCharConnections);
 
-    eventSource.on('charManagementDropdown', (target) => {
+    eventSource.on(event_types.CHARACTER_MANAGEMENT_DROPDOWN, (target) => {
         if (target === 'convert_to_persona') {
             convertCharacterToPersona();
         }
diff --git a/public/scripts/templates/welcomePrompt.html b/public/scripts/templates/welcomePrompt.html
index 453734b5b..d29f5ab91 100644
--- a/public/scripts/templates/welcomePrompt.html
+++ b/public/scripts/templates/welcomePrompt.html
@@ -1,7 +1,3 @@
-<strong data-i18n="If you're connected to an API, try asking me something!">
-    If you're connected to an API, try asking me something!
-</strong>
-
 <div class="flex-container">
     <button class="menu_button menu_button_icon drawer-opener inline-flex" data-target="sys-settings-button">
         <i class="fa-solid fa-plug"></i>
diff --git a/public/scripts/welcome-screen.js b/public/scripts/welcome-screen.js
index 3d43fa893..912323a8f 100644
--- a/public/scripts/welcome-screen.js
+++ b/public/scripts/welcome-screen.js
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import {
+    addOneMessage,
     characters,
+    chat,
     displayVersion,
     doNewChat,
     event_types,
@@ -12,9 +14,12 @@ import {
     neutralCharacterName,
     newAssistantChat,
     openCharacterChat,
+    printCharactersDebounced,
     selectCharacterById,
     sendSystemMessage,
+    system_avatar,
     system_message_types,
+    this_chid,
 } from '../script.js';
 import { is_group_generating } from './group-chats.js';
 import { t } from './i18n.js';
@@ -47,9 +52,29 @@ export async function openWelcomeScreen() {
     }
 
     await sendWelcomePanel();
+    sendAssistantMessage();
     sendSystemMessage(system_message_types.WELCOME_PROMPT);
 }
 
+function sendAssistantMessage() {
+    const currentAssistantAvatar = getPermanentAssistantAvatar();
+    const character = characters.find(x => x.avatar === currentAssistantAvatar);
+    const name = character ? character.name : neutralCharacterName;
+    const avatar = character ? getThumbnailUrl('avatar', character.avatar) : system_avatar;
+
+    const message = {
+        name: name,
+        force_avatar: avatar,
+        mes: t`If you're connected to an API, try asking me something!`,
+        is_system: false,
+        is_user: false,
+        extra: {},
+    };
+
+    chat.push(message);
+    addOneMessage(message);
+}
+
 async function sendWelcomePanel() {
     try {
         const chatElement = document.getElementById('chat');
@@ -207,6 +232,15 @@ async function createPermanentAssistant() {
     const formData = new FormData();
     formData.append('ch_name', neutralCharacterName);
     formData.append('file_name', defaultAssistantAvatar.replace('.png', ''));
+    formData.append('creator_notes', t`Automatically created character. Feel free to edit.`);
+
+    try {
+        const avatarResponse = await fetch(system_avatar);
+        const avatarBlob = await avatarResponse.blob();
+        formData.append('avatar', avatarBlob, defaultAssistantAvatar);
+    } catch (error) {
+        console.warn('Error fetching system avatar. Fallback image will be used.', error);
+    }
 
     const headers = getRequestHeaders();
     delete headers['Content-Type'];
@@ -241,4 +275,40 @@ export function initWelcomeScreen() {
     for (const event of events) {
         eventSource.makeFirst(event, openWelcomeScreen);
     }
+
+    eventSource.on(event_types.CHARACTER_MANAGEMENT_DROPDOWN, (target) =>{
+        if (target !== 'set_as_assistant') {
+            return;
+        }
+        if (this_chid === undefined) {
+            return;
+        }
+        /** @type {import('./char-data.js').v1CharData} */
+        const character = characters[this_chid];
+        if (!character) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        const currentAssistantAvatar = getPermanentAssistantAvatar();
+        if (currentAssistantAvatar === character.avatar) {
+            if (character.avatar === defaultAssistantAvatar) {
+                toastr.info(t`${character.name} is a system assistant. Choose another character.`);
+                return;
+            }
+
+            toastr.info(t`${character.name} is no longer your assistant.`);
+            accountStorage.removeItem(assistantAvatarKey);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        accountStorage.setItem(assistantAvatarKey, character.avatar);
+        printCharactersDebounced();
+        toastr.success(t`Set ${character.name} as your assistant.`);
+    });
+
+    eventSource.on(event_types.CHARACTER_RENAMED, (oldAvatar, newAvatar) => {
+        if (oldAvatar === getPermanentAssistantAvatar()) {
+            accountStorage.setItem(assistantAvatarKey, newAvatar);
+        }
+    });
 }