diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 03c6fd3..8773115 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -69,3 +69,7 @@ ai_docs/
 
 # Generated credentials for the instance
 web/.config
+
+# JavaScript dependencies
+node_modules/
+web/node_modules/
diff --git a/web/public/assets/js/app/__tests__/chat-log-tabs.test.js b/web/public/assets/js/app/__tests__/chat-log-tabs.test.js
index 6c6d33b..e9d0c17 100644
--- a/web/public/assets/js/app/__tests__/chat-log-tabs.test.js
+++ b/web/public/assets/js/app/__tests__/chat-log-tabs.test.js
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ function fixtureNodes() {
 function fixtureMessages() {
   return [
     { id: 'recent-default', rx_time: NOW - 5, channel: 0, channel_name: ' MediumFast ' },
+    { id: 'primary-preset', rx_time: NOW - 8, channel: 0, modem_preset: ' ShortFast ' },
+    { id: 'env-default', rx_time: NOW - 12, channel: 0 },
     { id: 'recent-alt', rx_time: NOW - 10, channel_index: '1', channel_name: ' BerlinMesh ' },
     { id: 'stale', rx_time: NOW - WINDOW - 5, channel: 2 },
     { id: 'encrypted', rx_time: NOW - 20, channel: 3, encrypted: true },
@@ -55,6 +57,7 @@ function buildModel(overrides = {}) {
     messages: fixtureMessages(),
     nowSeconds: NOW,
     windowSeconds: WINDOW,
+    primaryChannelFallbackLabel: '#EnvDefault',
     ...overrides
   });
 }
@@ -72,23 +75,39 @@ test('buildChatTabModel returns sorted nodes and channel buckets', () => {
     ['recent-node', 'iso-node', 'encrypted']
   );
 
-  assert.equal(model.channels.length, 3);
-  const [fallbackChannel, namedPrimaryChannel, secondaryChannel] = model.channels;
+  assert.equal(model.channels.length, 5);
+  assert.deepEqual(model.channels.map(channel => channel.label), [
+    'EnvDefault',
+    'Fallback',
+    'MediumFast',
+    'ShortFast',
+    'BerlinMesh'
+  ]);
 
+  const channelByLabel = Object.fromEntries(model.channels.map(channel => [channel.label, channel]));
+
+  const envChannel = channelByLabel.EnvDefault;
+  assert.equal(envChannel.index, 0);
+  assert.equal(envChannel.id, 'channel-0-envdefault');
+  assert.deepEqual(envChannel.entries.map(entry => entry.message.id), ['env-default']);
+
+  const fallbackChannel = channelByLabel.Fallback;
   assert.equal(fallbackChannel.index, 0);
-  assert.equal(fallbackChannel.label, 'Fallback');
   assert.equal(fallbackChannel.id, 'channel-0-fallback');
-  assert.equal(fallbackChannel.entries.length, 1);
   assert.deepEqual(fallbackChannel.entries.map(entry => entry.message.id), ['no-index']);
 
+  const namedPrimaryChannel = channelByLabel.MediumFast;
   assert.equal(namedPrimaryChannel.index, 0);
-  assert.equal(namedPrimaryChannel.label, 'MediumFast');
   assert.equal(namedPrimaryChannel.id, 'channel-0-mediumfast');
-  assert.equal(namedPrimaryChannel.entries.length, 1);
   assert.deepEqual(namedPrimaryChannel.entries.map(entry => entry.message.id), ['recent-default']);
 
+  const presetChannel = channelByLabel.ShortFast;
+  assert.equal(presetChannel.index, 0);
+  assert.equal(presetChannel.id, 'channel-0-shortfast');
+  assert.deepEqual(presetChannel.entries.map(entry => entry.message.id), ['primary-preset']);
+
+  const secondaryChannel = channelByLabel.BerlinMesh;
   assert.equal(secondaryChannel.index, 1);
-  assert.equal(secondaryChannel.label, 'BerlinMesh');
   assert.equal(secondaryChannel.id, 'channel-1');
   assert.equal(secondaryChannel.entries.length, 2);
   assert.deepEqual(secondaryChannel.entries.map(entry => entry.message.id), ['iso-ts', 'recent-alt']);
@@ -101,6 +120,19 @@ test('buildChatTabModel always includes channel zero bucket', () => {
   assert.equal(model.channels[0].entries.length, 0);
 });
 
+test('buildChatTabModel falls back to numeric label when no metadata provided', () => {
+  const model = buildChatTabModel({
+    nodes: [],
+    messages: [{ id: 'plain', rx_time: NOW - 5, channel: 0 }],
+    nowSeconds: NOW,
+    windowSeconds: WINDOW,
+    primaryChannelFallbackLabel: ''
+  });
+  assert.equal(model.channels.length, 1);
+  assert.equal(model.channels[0].label, '0');
+  assert.equal(model.channels[0].id, 'channel-0');
+});
+
 test('normaliseChannelIndex handles numeric and textual input', () => {
   assert.equal(normaliseChannelIndex(2.9), 2);
   assert.equal(normaliseChannelIndex(' 7 '), 7);
diff --git a/web/public/assets/js/app/chat-log-tabs.js b/web/public/assets/js/app/chat-log-tabs.js
index 4b39dac..5f18870 100644
--- a/web/public/assets/js/app/chat-log-tabs.js
+++ b/web/public/assets/js/app/chat-log-tabs.js
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
+import { extractModemMetadata } from './node-modem-metadata.js';
+
 /**
  * Highest channel index that should be represented within the tab view.
  * @type {number}
@@ -54,7 +56,8 @@ export const CHAT_LOG_ENTRY_TYPES = Object.freeze({
  *   messages?: Array<Object>,
  *   nowSeconds: number,
  *   windowSeconds: number,
- *   maxChannelIndex?: number
+ *   maxChannelIndex?: number,
+ *   primaryChannelFallbackLabel?: string|null
  * }} params Aggregation inputs.
  * @returns {{
  *   logEntries: Array<{ ts: number, type: string, nodeId?: string, nodeNum?: number }>,
@@ -69,11 +72,13 @@ export function buildChatTabModel({
   messages = [],
   nowSeconds,
   windowSeconds,
-  maxChannelIndex = MAX_CHANNEL_INDEX
+  maxChannelIndex = MAX_CHANNEL_INDEX,
+  primaryChannelFallbackLabel = null
 }) {
   const cutoff = (Number.isFinite(nowSeconds) ? nowSeconds : 0) - (Number.isFinite(windowSeconds) ? windowSeconds : 0);
   const logEntries = [];
   const channelBuckets = new Map();
+  const primaryChannelEnvLabel = normalisePrimaryChannelEnvLabel(primaryChannelFallbackLabel);
 
   for (const node of nodes || []) {
     if (!node) continue;
@@ -142,22 +147,32 @@ export function buildChatTabModel({
       message.channel_name ?? message.channelName ?? message.channel_display ?? message.channelDisplay
     );
     const safeIndex = channelIndex != null && channelIndex >= 0 ? channelIndex : 0;
-    const bucketKey = buildChannelBucketKey(safeIndex, channelName);
+    const modemPreset = safeIndex === 0 ? extractModemMetadata(message).modemPreset : null;
+    const labelInfo = resolveChannelLabel({
+      index: safeIndex,
+      channelName,
+      modemPreset,
+      envFallbackLabel: primaryChannelEnvLabel
+    });
+    const bucketKey = buildChannelBucketKey(safeIndex, safeIndex === 0 && labelInfo.label !== '0' ? labelInfo.label : null);
     let bucket = channelBuckets.get(bucketKey);
     if (!bucket) {
       bucket = {
         key: bucketKey,
         id: buildChannelTabId(bucketKey),
         index: safeIndex,
-        label: channelName || String(safeIndex),
+        label: labelInfo.label,
         entries: [],
-        hasExplicitName: Boolean(channelName),
+        labelPriority: labelInfo.priority,
         isPrimaryFallback: bucketKey === '0'
       };
       channelBuckets.set(bucketKey, bucket);
-    } else if (channelName && !bucket.hasExplicitName) {
-      bucket.label = channelName;
-      bucket.hasExplicitName = true;
+    } else {
+      const existingPriority = bucket.labelPriority ?? CHANNEL_LABEL_PRIORITY.INDEX;
+      if ((labelInfo.priority ?? CHANNEL_LABEL_PRIORITY.INDEX) > existingPriority) {
+        bucket.label = labelInfo.label;
+        bucket.labelPriority = labelInfo.priority;
+      }
     }
 
     bucket.entries.push({ ts, message });
@@ -180,7 +195,7 @@ export function buildChatTabModel({
       index: 0,
       label: '0',
       entries: [],
-      hasExplicitName: false,
+      labelPriority: CHANNEL_LABEL_PRIORITY.INDEX,
       isPrimaryFallback: true
     });
   }
@@ -307,10 +322,13 @@ export function normaliseChannelName(value) {
   return null;
 }
 
-function buildChannelBucketKey(index, channelName) {
+function buildChannelBucketKey(index, primaryChannelLabel) {
   const safeIndex = Number.isFinite(index) ? Math.max(0, Math.trunc(index)) : 0;
-  if (safeIndex === 0 && channelName) {
-    return `0::${channelName.toLowerCase()}`;
+  if (safeIndex === 0 && primaryChannelLabel) {
+    const trimmed = primaryChannelLabel.trim();
+    if (trimmed.length > 0 && trimmed !== '0') {
+      return `0::${trimmed.toLowerCase()}`;
+    }
   }
   return String(safeIndex);
 }
@@ -353,6 +371,42 @@ function hashChannelKey(value) {
   return hash.toString(36);
 }
 
+const CHANNEL_LABEL_PRIORITY = Object.freeze({
+  INDEX: 0,
+  ENV: 1,
+  MODEM: 2,
+  NAME: 3
+});
+
+function resolveChannelLabel({ index, channelName, modemPreset, envFallbackLabel }) {
+  const safeIndex = Number.isFinite(index) ? Math.max(0, Math.trunc(index)) : 0;
+  if (safeIndex === 0) {
+    if (channelName) {
+      return { label: channelName, priority: CHANNEL_LABEL_PRIORITY.NAME };
+    }
+    if (modemPreset) {
+      return { label: modemPreset, priority: CHANNEL_LABEL_PRIORITY.MODEM };
+    }
+    if (envFallbackLabel) {
+      return { label: envFallbackLabel, priority: CHANNEL_LABEL_PRIORITY.ENV };
+    }
+    return { label: '0', priority: CHANNEL_LABEL_PRIORITY.INDEX };
+  }
+  if (channelName) {
+    return { label: channelName, priority: CHANNEL_LABEL_PRIORITY.NAME };
+  }
+  return { label: String(safeIndex), priority: CHANNEL_LABEL_PRIORITY.INDEX };
+}
+
+function normalisePrimaryChannelEnvLabel(value) {
+  const trimmed = normaliseChannelName(value);
+  if (!trimmed) {
+    return null;
+  }
+  const withoutHash = trimmed.replace(/^#+/, '').trim();
+  return withoutHash.length > 0 ? withoutHash : null;
+}
+
 export const __test__ = {
   resolveTimestampSeconds,
   normaliseChannelIndex,
diff --git a/web/public/assets/js/app/main.js b/web/public/assets/js/app/main.js
index 09580fc..bf76d82 100644
--- a/web/public/assets/js/app/main.js
+++ b/web/public/assets/js/app/main.js
@@ -2727,7 +2727,8 @@ let messagesById = new Map();
       messages,
       nowSeconds,
       windowSeconds: CHAT_RECENT_WINDOW_SECONDS,
-      maxChannelIndex: MAX_CHANNEL_INDEX
+      maxChannelIndex: MAX_CHANNEL_INDEX,
+      primaryChannelFallbackLabel: config.channel
     });
 
     const enrichedLogEntries = attachNodeContextToLogEntries(logEntries);