diff --git a/app/MindWork AI Studio/Assistants/Builder/AssistantBuilder.razor b/app/MindWork AI Studio/Assistants/Builder/AssistantBuilder.razor
index 4259acaf..c2951401 100644
--- a/app/MindWork AI Studio/Assistants/Builder/AssistantBuilder.razor	
+++ b/app/MindWork AI Studio/Assistants/Builder/AssistantBuilder.razor	
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ else
                   </MudExpansionPanel>
               </MudExpansionPanels>
 
-              <MudStepper @bind-ActiveIndex="@this.stepperIndex" CompletedStepColor="Color.Primary" CurrentStepColor="Color.Primary" ErrorStepColor="Color.Error" NonLinear="@false" ShowResetButton="@false" Class="mb-3">
+              <MudStepperWithoutActions @bind-ActiveIndex="@this.stepperIndex" Class="mb-3">
                   <ChildContent>
                       <MudStep Title="@T("Validate plugin")" Completed="@this.PluginCheckCompleted" HasError="@this.IsInstallStepFailed(BuilderInstallStep.CHECK_PLUGIN)">
                           <MudStack Spacing="2" Class="mt-2">
@@ -249,9 +249,7 @@ else
                           </MudStack>
                       </MudStep>
                   </ChildContent>
-                  <ActionContent Context="_">
-                  </ActionContent>
-              </MudStepper>
+              </MudStepperWithoutActions>
           </MudStack>
         : null;
 
diff --git a/app/MindWork AI Studio/Assistants/VisualBriefing/VisualBriefingBuildProgress.razor b/app/MindWork AI Studio/Assistants/VisualBriefing/VisualBriefingBuildProgress.razor
index e70133b9..c8843743 100644
--- a/app/MindWork AI Studio/Assistants/VisualBriefing/VisualBriefingBuildProgress.razor	
+++ b/app/MindWork AI Studio/Assistants/VisualBriefing/VisualBriefingBuildProgress.razor	
@@ -1,14 +1,8 @@
 @inherits MSGComponentBase
 
-<MudExpansionPanels Class="mb-4 visual-briefing-build-progress" Elevation="0">
+<MudExpansionPanels Class="mb-4" Elevation="0">
     <MudExpansionPanel Text="@this.BuildProgressTitle" Expanded="@(this.Build?.Status is not VisualBriefingBuildStatus.COMPLETED)">
-        <MudStepper ActiveIndex="@this.BuildStepperIndex"
-                    CompletedStepColor="Color.Primary"
-                    CurrentStepColor="Color.Primary"
-                    ErrorStepColor="Color.Error"
-                    NonLinear="@false"
-                    OnPreviewInteraction="@PreventBuildStepperInteractionAsync"
-                    ShowResetButton="@false">
+        <MudStepperWithoutActions ActiveIndex="@this.BuildStepperIndex" ReadOnly="@true">
             <ChildContent>
                 @for (var index = 0; index < STAGE_GROUPS.Length; index++)
                 {
@@ -43,9 +37,6 @@
                     </MudStep>
                 }
             </ChildContent>
-            @* The build runs on its own. Overriding the actions with empty content keeps MudBlazor from
-               rendering its Previous, Next, Skip, and Complete buttons, which have nothing to do here. *@
-            <ActionContent></ActionContent>
-        </MudStepper>
+        </MudStepperWithoutActions>
     </MudExpansionPanel>
 </MudExpansionPanels>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/MindWork AI Studio/Assistants/VisualBriefing/VisualBriefingBuildProgress.razor.cs b/app/MindWork AI Studio/Assistants/VisualBriefing/VisualBriefingBuildProgress.razor.cs
index c99e0148..f3bbcee3 100644
--- a/app/MindWork AI Studio/Assistants/VisualBriefing/VisualBriefingBuildProgress.razor.cs	
+++ b/app/MindWork AI Studio/Assistants/VisualBriefing/VisualBriefingBuildProgress.razor.cs	
@@ -164,17 +164,6 @@ public partial class VisualBriefingBuildProgress : MSGComponentBase
         }
     }
 
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Keeps the status stepper informational while allowing actions inside the active step.
-    /// </summary>
-    /// <param name="args">The interaction to cancel.</param>
-    /// <returns>A completed task.</returns>
-    private static Task PreventBuildStepperInteractionAsync(StepperInteractionEventArgs args)
-    {
-        args.Cancel = true;
-        return Task.CompletedTask;
-    }
-
     /// <summary>
     /// Gets a persistent stage status, defaulting to not started.
     /// </summary>
diff --git a/app/MindWork AI Studio/Components/MudStepperWithoutActions.razor b/app/MindWork AI Studio/Components/MudStepperWithoutActions.razor
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..15a208cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/MindWork AI Studio/Components/MudStepperWithoutActions.razor	
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+<MudStepper ActiveIndex="@this.ActiveIndex"
+            ActiveIndexChanged="@this.ActiveIndexChanged"
+            CompletedStepColor="Color.Primary"
+            CurrentStepColor="Color.Primary"
+            ErrorStepColor="Color.Error"
+            NonLinear="@false"
+            ShowResetButton="@false"
+            OnPreviewInteraction="@this.PreviewInteractionAsync"
+            Class="@this.Classname">
+    <ChildContent>
+        @this.ChildContent
+    </ChildContent>
+    @* Empty on purpose: this is what keeps MudBlazor from rendering its Previous, Next, Skip, and
+       Complete buttons. The surrounding action bar still renders and is hidden through app.css. *@
+    <ActionContent Context="_">
+    </ActionContent>
+</MudStepper>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/MindWork AI Studio/Components/MudStepperWithoutActions.razor.cs b/app/MindWork AI Studio/Components/MudStepperWithoutActions.razor.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..43af7363
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/MindWork AI Studio/Components/MudStepperWithoutActions.razor.cs	
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components;
+
+namespace AIStudio.Components;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// A stepper that leaves the step navigation to the application instead of the user.
+/// </summary>
+/// <remarks>
+/// MudBlazor renders Previous, Next, Skip, and Complete buttons by default. AI Studio drives its
+/// steppers from application state — a running build, or an install flow that advances when each
+/// step succeeds — so those buttons have nothing to do and would only look broken when clicked.
+/// This component removes them once instead of once per assistant, and carries the shared step
+/// colors so the steppers stay visually consistent.
+/// </remarks>
+public partial class MudStepperWithoutActions : ComponentBase
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets or sets the step the stepper points at.
+    /// </summary>
+    [Parameter]
+    public int ActiveIndex { get; set; }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets or sets the callback raised when the active step changed.
+    /// </summary>
+    [Parameter]
+    public EventCallback<int> ActiveIndexChanged { get; set; }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets or sets whether the user must not change the active step.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>
+    /// Set this when the displayed process runs on its own. The step headers stay visible, but
+    /// clicking them no longer moves the stepper away from the step the application selected.
+    /// </remarks>
+    [Parameter]
+    public bool ReadOnly { get; set; }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets or sets additional CSS classes for the stepper.
+    /// </summary>
+    [Parameter]
+    public string Class { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets or sets the steps to render.
+    /// </summary>
+    [Parameter]
+    public RenderFragment? ChildContent { get; set; }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// The marker class that lets app.css hide the action bar MudBlazor renders around the actions.
+    /// </summary>
+    private const string MARKER_CLASS = "mud-stepper-without-actions";
+
+    private string Classname => string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(this.Class) ? MARKER_CLASS : $"{MARKER_CLASS} {this.Class}";
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Blocks step changes that the user triggered while the stepper is read-only.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="args">The interaction to inspect.</param>
+    /// <returns>A completed task.</returns>
+    private Task PreviewInteractionAsync(StepperInteractionEventArgs args)
+    {
+        if (this.ReadOnly)
+            args.Cancel = true;
+
+        return Task.CompletedTask;
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/MindWork AI Studio/wwwroot/app.css b/app/MindWork AI Studio/wwwroot/app.css
index b32f9146..38c18147 100644
--- a/app/MindWork AI Studio/wwwroot/app.css	
+++ b/app/MindWork AI Studio/wwwroot/app.css	
@@ -103,10 +103,9 @@
     display: initial !important;
 }
 
-/* The visual briefing build stepper only reports progress, so its actions are overridden with empty
-   content. MudBlazor still renders the surrounding action bar, which would leave an empty padded row.
-   Scoped on purpose: the Assistant Builder uses an interactive stepper that needs its buttons. */
-.visual-briefing-build-progress .mud-stepper-actions {
+/* MudStepperWithoutActions overrides the stepper actions with empty content. MudBlazor still renders
+   the action bar around them, which would leave an empty padded row below the last step. */
+.mud-stepper-without-actions .mud-stepper-actions {
     display: none;
 }