diff --git a/apps/portal/src/pages/SubmitRun.stories.tsx b/apps/portal/src/pages/SubmitRun.stories.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3653eb5b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/portal/src/pages/SubmitRun.stories.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation.
+// Licensed under the MIT License.
+
+import { useEffect, type ReactNode } from "react";
+import type { Meta, StoryObj } from "@storybook/react-vite";
+import { http, HttpResponse } from "msw";
+import { expect, userEvent } from "storybook/test";
+
+import { useProjectContext } from "@/contexts/ProjectContext";
+import type { CodingAgent, ProfileWithVersion } from "@/types";
+import { SubmitRun } from "./SubmitRun";
+
+const agent: CodingAgent = {
+  _id: "coder-acp-copilot",
+  name: "GitHub Copilot CLI",
+  supportedModels: ["gpt-5.6-sol"],
+  defaultModel: "gpt-5.6-sol",
+  available: true,
+  versions: [{
+    agentVersion: "1.0.0",
+    workerVersion: "1.0.0",
+    components: {},
+    gitCommit: "abc123",
+    buildTime: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
+    imageTag: "demo",
+    queueName: "queue-coder-acp-copilot",
+    status: "active",
+    createdAt: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
+  }],
+  createdAt: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
+};
+
+const profiles: ProfileWithVersion[] = ["Baseline", "Variation One", "Variation Two"].map((name, index) => ({
+  _id: `profile-${index + 1}`,
+  name,
+  latestVersion: 1,
+  createdAt: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
+  version: {
+    _id: `version-${index + 1}`,
+    profileId: `profile-${index + 1}`,
+    version: 1,
+    workerType: agent._id,
+    model: "gpt-5.6-sol",
+    createdAt: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
+  },
+}));
+
+function WithDemoProject({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
+  const { selectedProjectId, setSelectedProjectId } = useProjectContext();
+  useEffect(() => setSelectedProjectId("demo-project"), [setSelectedProjectId]);
+  return selectedProjectId === "demo-project" ? children : null;
+}
+
+const meta = {
+  component: SubmitRun,
+  decorators: [(Story) => <WithDemoProject><Story /></WithDemoProject>],
+  parameters: {
+    msw: { handlers: [
+      http.get("*/api/v1/agents", () => HttpResponse.json([agent])),
+      http.get("*/api/v1/profiles", () => HttpResponse.json(profiles)),
+      http.get("*/api/v1/profiles/:profileId/versions", ({ params }) =>
+        HttpResponse.json(profiles.filter((profile) => profile._id === params.profileId).map((profile) => profile.version))),
+      http.get("*/api/v1/models", () => HttpResponse.json([{ modelId: "gpt-5.6-sol" }])),
+      http.get("*/api/v1/mcp/servers", () => HttpResponse.json([])),
+      http.get("*/api/v1/requests", () => HttpResponse.json({ data: [] })),
+      http.get("*/api/v1/version", () => HttpResponse.json({ commit: "demo", buildTime: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z" })),
+    ] },
+  },
+} satisfies Meta<typeof SubmitRun>;
+
+export default meta;
+type Story = StoryObj<typeof meta>;
+
+export const SearchVariations: Story = {
+  play: async ({ canvas }) => {
+    await userEvent.click(await canvas.findByPlaceholderText("Search existing profiles…"));
+    await userEvent.click(canvas.getByText("Baseline", { selector: "li p" }));
+    await userEvent.click(canvas.getByRole("button", { name: /Add after Baseline/ }));
+
+    const variationPicker = canvas.getByPlaceholderText("Variation One");
+    await userEvent.type(variationPicker, "Variation Two");
+    await userEvent.click(canvas.getByText("Variation Two", { selector: "li p" }));
+
+    await expect(canvas.getByPlaceholderText("Variation Two")).toBeVisible();
+  },
+};
diff --git a/apps/portal/src/pages/SubmitRun.tsx b/apps/portal/src/pages/SubmitRun.tsx
index 54beb26ed..fe679fa20 100644
--- a/apps/portal/src/pages/SubmitRun.tsx
+++ b/apps/portal/src/pages/SubmitRun.tsx
@@ -1610,32 +1610,22 @@ export function SubmitRun() {
                     <div className="flex items-end gap-2">
                       <div className="flex-1 space-y-1">
                         <Label className="text-xs">Variation #{index + 1}</Label>
-                        <Select
-                          value={draft.profileId || undefined}
-                          onValueChange={(value) => {
+                        <ProfilePicker
+                          profiles={availableProfiles}
+                          selectedProfileId={draft.profileId || null}
+                          placeholder={selectedVariationProfile
+                            ? `${selectedVariationProfile.name}${selectedVariationIsUnavailable ? " (unavailable)" : ""}`
+                            : "Search profiles…"}
+                          workerNameById={agentNameById}
+                          onSelect={(value) => {
+                            if (!value) return;
                             const selectedProfile = profileList.find((p) => p._id === value);
                             updateVariationDraft(index, {
                               profileId: value,
                               profileVersion: selectedProfile?.latestVersion,
                             });
                           }}
-                        >
-                          <SelectTrigger>
-                            <SelectValue placeholder="Select profile" />
-                          </SelectTrigger>
-                          <SelectContent>
-                            {selectedVariationIsUnavailable && selectedVariationProfile && (
-                              <SelectItem value={selectedVariationProfile._id} disabled>
-                                {selectedVariationProfile.name} (unavailable)
-                              </SelectItem>
-                            )}
-                            {availableProfiles.map((p) => (
-                              <SelectItem key={p._id} value={p._id}>
-                                {p.name}
-                              </SelectItem>
-                            ))}
-                          </SelectContent>
-                        </Select>
+                        />
                         {!draft.profileId && hasAvailableProfiles && (
                           <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">Select a profile for this variation.</p>
                         )}
diff --git a/docs/architecture/app-design.md b/docs/architecture/app-design.md
index f1a243262..45547d070 100644
--- a/docs/architecture/app-design.md
+++ b/docs/architecture/app-design.md
@@ -470,6 +470,11 @@ Profile fan-out mode is also supported for comparative runs:
 3. Each expanded request resolves configuration from its variation profile; unpinned specs resolve to `latestVersion`
 4. Expanded requests persist `profileId` and `profileVersionId` on each `RequestDocument` for indexing and traceability
 
+On the Portal submit form, base and variation profiles use the same searchable
+picker. Variation choices exclude the base and profiles already used by another
+variation; changing a variation updates its selected version to that profile's
+latest version.
+
 ## Runs List Query API
 
 `GET /api/v1/requests` powers the Portal **Runs** list and `scope run list`. All