diff --git a/frontend/e2e/config.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/config.spec.ts
index b7b0eebdd9..e47b071db6 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/config.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/config.spec.ts
@@ -57,6 +57,57 @@ const RESPONSIVE_VIEWPORTS = [
   { name: "desktop", width: 1280, height: 800 },
 ] as const;
 
+const TARGET_PICKER_CHOICES = [
+  {
+    targetType: "AzureMLChatTarget",
+    displayName: "Azure Machine Learning chat",
+    description: "A prompt target for Azure Machine Learning chat endpoints.",
+    authModes: ["api_key", "identity"],
+  },
+  {
+    targetType: "OpenAIChatTarget",
+    displayName: "OpenAI chat",
+    description: "Facilitates multimodal (image and text) input and text output generation.",
+    authModes: ["api_key", "identity"],
+  },
+  {
+    targetType: "OpenAICompletionTarget",
+    displayName: "OpenAI text completion",
+    description: "A prompt target for OpenAI completion endpoints.",
+    authModes: ["api_key", "identity"],
+  },
+  {
+    targetType: "OpenAIImageTarget",
+    displayName: "OpenAI image",
+    description: "A target for image generation or editing using OpenAI's image models.",
+    authModes: ["api_key", "identity"],
+  },
+  {
+    targetType: "OpenAIResponseTarget",
+    displayName: "OpenAI Responses API",
+    description: "Enables communication with endpoints that support the OpenAI Response API.",
+    authModes: ["api_key", "identity"],
+  },
+  {
+    targetType: "OpenAITTSTarget",
+    displayName: "OpenAI text to speech",
+    description: "A prompt target for OpenAI Text-to-Speech (TTS) endpoints.",
+    authModes: ["api_key", "identity"],
+  },
+  {
+    targetType: "OpenAIVideoTarget",
+    displayName: "OpenAI video",
+    description: "OpenAI Video Target using the OpenAI SDK for video generation.",
+    authModes: ["api_key", "identity"],
+  },
+  {
+    targetType: "RoundRobinTarget",
+    displayName: "Weighted round robin",
+    description: "A prompt target that distributes requests across multiple inner targets using weighted round-robin selection.",
+    authModes: ["api_key"],
+  },
+] as const;
+
 async function routeResponsiveTargetData(
   page: Page,
   targets: FlatTarget[]
@@ -109,6 +160,19 @@ async function goToConfig(page: Page) {
   await expect(page.getByText("Target Configuration")).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
 }
 
+async function selectTargetType(
+  page: Page,
+  dialog: Locator,
+  targetType: string
+): Promise<void> {
+  const picker = dialog.getByRole("combobox", { name: "Target Type" });
+  await expect(picker).toBeEnabled();
+  await picker.click();
+  await page.getByRole("option", {
+    name: new RegExp(`Implementation: ${targetType}`),
+  }).click();
+}
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Tests
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -208,6 +272,66 @@ test.describe("Target Configuration Page", () => {
 });
 
 test.describe("Create Target Dialog", () => {
+  test("should make all target choices distinguishable and keyboard navigable", async ({
+    page,
+  }) => {
+    await page.setViewportSize({ width: 390, height: 844 });
+    await page.route(/\/api\/targets\/catalog(?:\?.*)?$/, async (route) => {
+      await route.fulfill({
+        status: 200,
+        contentType: "application/json",
+        body: JSON.stringify({
+          items: TARGET_PICKER_CHOICES.map((choice) => ({
+            target_type: choice.targetType,
+            parameters: [],
+            supported_auth_modes: choice.authModes,
+            description: choice.description,
+          })),
+        }),
+      });
+    });
+    await page.route(/\/api\/targets(?:\?.*)?$/, async (route) => {
+      await route.fulfill(mockTargetsList([]));
+    });
+
+    await goToConfig(page);
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: /new target/i }).click();
+
+    const dialog = page.getByRole("dialog");
+    const picker = dialog.getByRole("combobox", { name: "Target Type" });
+    await expect(picker).toBeEnabled();
+    await picker.focus();
+    await page.keyboard.press("Enter");
+
+    const listbox = page.getByRole("listbox");
+    await expect(listbox).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(listbox.getByRole("option")).toHaveCount(8);
+    for (const choice of TARGET_PICKER_CHOICES) {
+      const option = listbox.getByRole("option", {
+        name: new RegExp(`Implementation: ${choice.targetType}`),
+      });
+      await expect(option).toContainText(choice.displayName);
+      await expect(option).toContainText(choice.targetType);
+      await expect(option).toContainText(choice.description);
+    }
+
+    const listboxWidths = await listbox.evaluate((element) => ({
+      clientWidth: element.clientWidth,
+      scrollWidth: element.scrollWidth,
+    }));
+    expect(listboxWidths.scrollWidth).toBeLessThanOrEqual(listboxWidths.clientWidth);
+
+    await page.keyboard.press("End");
+    await page.keyboard.press("Enter");
+    await expect(picker).toContainText("Weighted round robin");
+    const selectedDetails = dialog.getByRole("region", {
+      name: "Selected target details",
+    });
+    await expect(selectedDetails).toContainText("RoundRobinTarget");
+    await expect(selectedDetails).toContainText("weighted round-robin selection");
+    await expect(selectedDetails).toContainText("Supported authentication: API key");
+  });
+
   test("should create a target through the dialog", async ({ page }) => {
     let createdTarget: FlatTarget | null = null;
 
@@ -242,11 +366,16 @@ test.describe("Create Target Dialog", () => {
     const dialog = page.locator('[role="dialog"]');
 
     // Select target type
-    await dialog.locator("select").selectOption("OpenAIChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType(page, dialog, "OpenAIChatTarget");
 
     // Fill endpoint
     await dialog.getByPlaceholder("https://your-resource.openai.azure.com/").fill("https://my-endpoint.openai.azure.com/");
 
+    // The picker must keep showing the selection once focus moves to another field
+    await expect(dialog.getByRole("combobox", { name: "Target Type" })).toContainText(
+      "OpenAI chat"
+    );
+
     // Fill model name
     await dialog.getByPlaceholder("e.g. gpt-4o, my-deployment").fill("gpt-4o-test");
 
@@ -280,7 +409,11 @@ test.describe("Create Target Dialog", () => {
 
     // Clear endpoint, select type — button should still be disabled
     await page.locator('[role="dialog"]').getByPlaceholder("https://your-resource.openai.azure.com/").fill("");
-    await page.locator('[role="dialog"]').locator("select").selectOption("OpenAIChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType(
+      page,
+      page.locator('[role="dialog"]'),
+      "OpenAIChatTarget"
+    );
     await expect(createBtn).toBeDisabled();
 
     // Fill both — button should be enabled
@@ -339,9 +472,9 @@ test.describe("Responsive Target Configuration", () => {
       if (viewport.name === "desktop") {
         expect(dialogBox.width).toBeLessThanOrEqual(640);
       }
-      await dialog.locator("select").first().selectOption("RoundRobinTarget");
+      await selectTargetType(page, dialog, "RoundRobinTarget");
 
-      const addTargetSelect = dialog.locator("select").nth(1);
+      const addTargetSelect = dialog.locator("select");
       await addTargetSelect.selectOption(LONG_REGISTRY_NAME_A);
       await addTargetSelect.selectOption(LONG_REGISTRY_NAME_B);
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/Config/CreateTargetDialog.styles.ts b/frontend/src/components/Config/CreateTargetDialog.styles.ts
index 677c1d9b74..dcceac2d81 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/Config/CreateTargetDialog.styles.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/Config/CreateTargetDialog.styles.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,58 @@ export const useCreateTargetDialogStyles = makeStyles({
       maxWidth: '100%',
     },
   },
+  targetTypeListbox: {
+    maxHeight: 'min(28rem, 60vh)',
+    overflowY: 'auto',
+  },
+  targetTypeOption: {
+    display: 'flex',
+    flexDirection: 'column',
+    width: '100%',
+    minWidth: 0,
+    gap: tokens.spacingVerticalXXS,
+    whiteSpace: 'normal',
+  },
+  targetTypeOptionHeader: {
+    display: 'flex',
+    alignItems: 'baseline',
+    justifyContent: 'space-between',
+    flexWrap: 'wrap',
+    minWidth: 0,
+    gap: `${tokens.spacingVerticalXXS} ${tokens.spacingHorizontalS}`,
+  },
+  targetTypeIdentifier: {
+    maxWidth: '100%',
+    padding: `0 ${tokens.spacingHorizontalXS}`,
+    overflowWrap: 'anywhere',
+    color: tokens.colorNeutralForeground3,
+    backgroundColor: tokens.colorNeutralBackground3,
+    borderRadius: tokens.borderRadiusSmall,
+    fontFamily: tokens.fontFamilyMonospace,
+    fontSize: tokens.fontSizeBase200,
+  },
+  targetTypeDescription: {
+    display: 'block',
+    minWidth: 0,
+    color: tokens.colorNeutralForeground2,
+    overflowWrap: 'anywhere',
+    whiteSpace: 'normal',
+  },
+  targetTypeAuth: {
+    display: 'block',
+    color: tokens.colorNeutralForeground3,
+    whiteSpace: 'normal',
+  },
+  selectedTargetDetails: {
+    display: 'flex',
+    flexDirection: 'column',
+    minWidth: 0,
+    gap: tokens.spacingVerticalXS,
+    padding: `${tokens.spacingVerticalS} ${tokens.spacingHorizontalS}`,
+    backgroundColor: tokens.colorNeutralBackground2,
+    border: `${tokens.strokeWidthThin} solid ${tokens.colorNeutralStroke2}`,
+    borderRadius: tokens.borderRadiusMedium,
+  },
   warningMessage: {
     width: '100%',
   },
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/Config/CreateTargetDialog.test.tsx b/frontend/src/components/Config/CreateTargetDialog.test.tsx
index 70fa3ffb3d..cb452f0fd0 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/Config/CreateTargetDialog.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/Config/CreateTargetDialog.test.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
-import { render, screen, waitFor, fireEvent } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { render, screen, waitFor, fireEvent, within } from "@testing-library/react";
 import userEvent from "@testing-library/user-event";
 import { FluentProvider, webLightTheme } from "@fluentui/react-components";
 import { makeTarget } from "@/test-utils/targetFixtures";
+import type { TargetCatalogResponse } from "@/types";
 import CreateTargetDialog from "./CreateTargetDialog";
 import { parseWeight, MAX_WEIGHT } from "./weightValidation";
 import { targetsApi } from "@/services/api";
@@ -16,31 +17,112 @@ jest.mock("@/services/api", () => ({
 
 const mockedTargetsApi = targetsApi as jest.Mocked<typeof targetsApi>;
 
-// Representative target catalog covering the types the dialog renders. Mirrors
-// the shape returned by GET /targets/catalog.
-const TARGET_CATALOG = {
+const TARGET_CATALOG: TargetCatalogResponse = {
   items: [
-    { target_type: "OpenAIChatTarget", parameters: [], supported_auth_modes: ["api_key", "identity"] },
-    { target_type: "OpenAIResponseTarget", parameters: [], supported_auth_modes: ["api_key", "identity"] },
-    { target_type: "AzureMLChatTarget", parameters: [], supported_auth_modes: ["api_key", "identity"] },
-    { target_type: "RoundRobinTarget", parameters: [], supported_auth_modes: ["api_key"] },
+    {
+      target_type: "AzureMLChatTarget",
+      parameters: [],
+      supported_auth_modes: ["api_key", "identity"],
+      description: "A prompt target for Azure Machine Learning chat endpoints.",
+    },
+    {
+      target_type: "OpenAIChatTarget",
+      parameters: [],
+      supported_auth_modes: ["api_key", "identity"],
+      description: "Facilitates multimodal (image and text) input and text output generation.",
+    },
+    {
+      target_type: "OpenAICompletionTarget",
+      parameters: [],
+      supported_auth_modes: ["api_key", "identity"],
+      description: "A prompt target for OpenAI completion endpoints.",
+    },
+    {
+      target_type: "OpenAIImageTarget",
+      parameters: [],
+      supported_auth_modes: ["api_key", "identity"],
+      description: "A target for image generation or editing using OpenAI's image models.",
+    },
+    {
+      target_type: "OpenAIResponseTarget",
+      parameters: [],
+      supported_auth_modes: ["api_key", "identity"],
+      description: "Enables communication with endpoints that support the OpenAI Response API.",
+    },
+    {
+      target_type: "OpenAITTSTarget",
+      parameters: [],
+      supported_auth_modes: ["api_key", "identity"],
+      description: "A prompt target for OpenAI Text-to-Speech (TTS) endpoints.",
+    },
+    {
+      target_type: "OpenAIVideoTarget",
+      parameters: [],
+      supported_auth_modes: ["api_key", "identity"],
+      description: "OpenAI Video Target using the OpenAI SDK for video generation.",
+    },
+    {
+      target_type: "RoundRobinTarget",
+      parameters: [],
+      supported_auth_modes: ["api_key"],
+      description: "A prompt target that distributes requests across multiple inner targets using weighted round-robin selection.",
+    },
   ],
 };
 
+const TARGET_DISPLAY_NAMES: Record<string, string> = {
+  AzureMLChatTarget: "Azure Machine Learning chat",
+  OpenAIChatTarget: "OpenAI chat",
+  OpenAICompletionTarget: "OpenAI text completion",
+  OpenAIImageTarget: "OpenAI image",
+  OpenAIResponseTarget: "OpenAI Responses API",
+  OpenAITTSTarget: "OpenAI text to speech",
+  OpenAIVideoTarget: "OpenAI video",
+  RoundRobinTarget: "Weighted round robin",
+};
+
 const TestWrapper: React.FC<{ children: React.ReactNode }> = ({
   children,
 }) => <FluentProvider theme={webLightTheme}>{children}</FluentProvider>;
 
-/**
- * Helper to select a target type from the native select element.
- * Uses selectOptions from userEvent which works with native select.
- */
-async function selectTargetType(
-  user: ReturnType<typeof userEvent.setup>,
-  value: string
-) {
-  const select = screen.getByRole("combobox");
-  await user.selectOptions(select, value);
+// Fluent's Dropdown renders its listbox in a portal guarded by a focus
+// modalizer. Under jsdom the popover only toggles via a direct click event,
+// and the `aria-hidden` the modalizer puts on the dialog while the listbox is
+// open is never restored once it closes, which would hide the rest of the form
+// from role-based queries. Both behaviors are jsdom artifacts — real pointer
+// and keyboard interaction is covered by e2e/config.spec.ts.
+async function openTargetTypePicker(): Promise<HTMLElement> {
+  const picker = screen.getByRole("combobox", { name: /target type/i });
+  await waitFor(() => {
+    expect(picker).toBeEnabled();
+  });
+  fireEvent.click(picker);
+  await screen.findByRole("listbox");
+  return picker;
+}
+
+function restoreDialogAccessibility(): void {
+  const dialog = document.querySelector('[role="dialog"]');
+  if (!dialog) return;
+  const hiddenAncestors = document.querySelectorAll('[aria-hidden="true"]');
+  for (const element of Array.from(hiddenAncestors)) {
+    if (element === dialog || element.contains(dialog)) {
+      element.removeAttribute("aria-hidden");
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+async function selectTargetType(value: string): Promise<void> {
+  await openTargetTypePicker();
+  fireEvent.click(
+    screen.getByRole("option", {
+      name: new RegExp(`Implementation: ${value}`),
+    }),
+  );
+  await waitFor(() => {
+    expect(screen.queryByRole("listbox")).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+  restoreDialogAccessibility();
 }
 
 describe("parseWeight", () => {
@@ -118,9 +200,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
 
   beforeEach(() => {
     jest.clearAllMocks();
-    mockedTargetsApi.listTargetCatalog.mockResolvedValue(
-      TARGET_CATALOG as unknown as Awaited<ReturnType<typeof mockedTargetsApi.listTargetCatalog>>,
-    );
+    mockedTargetsApi.listTargetCatalog.mockResolvedValue(TARGET_CATALOG);
     mockedTargetsApi.listTargets.mockResolvedValue({
       items: [],
       pagination: { limit: 200, has_more: false, next_cursor: null, prev_cursor: null },
@@ -139,6 +219,106 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
     expect(screen.getByText("Cancel")).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
+  it("should show friendly names, catalog descriptions, implementation identifiers, and auth for all target types", async () => {
+    render(
+      <TestWrapper>
+        <CreateTargetDialog {...defaultProps} />
+      </TestWrapper>
+    );
+
+    await openTargetTypePicker();
+
+    const options = screen.getAllByRole("option");
+    expect(options).toHaveLength(8);
+    for (const entry of TARGET_CATALOG.items) {
+      const option = screen.getByRole("option", {
+        name: new RegExp(`Implementation: ${entry.target_type}`),
+      });
+      expect(within(option).getByText(TARGET_DISPLAY_NAMES[entry.target_type])).toBeInTheDocument();
+      expect(within(option).getByText(entry.target_type)).toBeInTheDocument();
+      expect(within(option).getByText(entry.description ?? "")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    }
+
+    expect(within(screen.getByRole("option", {
+      name: /Implementation: OpenAIChatTarget/,
+    })).getByText(/API key or Microsoft Entra ID/)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(within(screen.getByRole("option", {
+      name: /Implementation: RoundRobinTarget/,
+    })).getByText("Supported authentication: API key")).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it("should keep guidance for the selected target visible after the list closes", async () => {
+    render(
+      <TestWrapper>
+        <CreateTargetDialog {...defaultProps} />
+      </TestWrapper>
+    );
+
+    await selectTargetType("RoundRobinTarget");
+
+    expect(screen.getByRole("combobox", { name: /target type/i })).toHaveTextContent(
+      "Weighted round robin",
+    );
+    const selectedDetails = screen.getByRole("region", { name: /selected target details/i });
+    expect(selectedDetails).toHaveTextContent("RoundRobinTarget");
+    expect(selectedDetails).toHaveTextContent("weighted round-robin selection");
+    expect(selectedDetails).toHaveTextContent("Supported authentication: API key");
+  });
+
+  it("should keep the selected target displayed after focus moves to another field", async () => {
+    const user = userEvent.setup();
+
+    render(
+      <TestWrapper>
+        <CreateTargetDialog {...defaultProps} />
+      </TestWrapper>
+    );
+
+    await selectTargetType("OpenAIChatTarget");
+
+    await user.click(
+      screen.getByPlaceholderText("https://your-resource.openai.azure.com/"),
+    );
+    await user.keyboard("https://api.openai.com");
+    restoreDialogAccessibility();
+
+    const picker = screen.getByRole("combobox", { name: /target type/i });
+    expect(picker).toHaveTextContent("OpenAI chat");
+    expect(picker).not.toHaveTextContent("Select a target type");
+  });
+
+  it("should disable target selection while catalog details are loading", () => {
+    mockedTargetsApi.listTargetCatalog.mockReturnValue(
+      new Promise<TargetCatalogResponse>(() => {}),
+    );
+
+    render(
+      <TestWrapper>
+        <CreateTargetDialog {...defaultProps} />
+      </TestWrapper>
+    );
+
+    expect(screen.getByText("Loading target details...")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByRole("combobox", { name: /target type/i })).toBeDisabled();
+  });
+
+  it("should keep all target types selectable and explain when catalog details fail to load", async () => {
+    mockedTargetsApi.listTargetCatalog.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("catalog unavailable"));
+
+    render(
+      <TestWrapper>
+        <CreateTargetDialog {...defaultProps} />
+      </TestWrapper>
+    );
+
+    expect(await screen.findByText(/Target details could not be loaded/)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    await openTargetTypePicker();
+    expect(screen.getAllByRole("option")).toHaveLength(8);
+    expect(screen.getByRole("option", {
+      name: /Azure Machine Learning chat.*Implementation: AzureMLChatTarget/,
+    })).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
   it("should not render when closed", () => {
     render(
       <TestWrapper>
@@ -161,7 +341,6 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
   });
 
   it("should hide the Authentication field until a target type is selected", async () => {
-    const user = userEvent.setup();
 
     render(
       <TestWrapper>
@@ -178,7 +357,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
     ).toBeInTheDocument();
 
     // Selecting an identity-capable type should reveal the Authentication field.
-    await selectTargetType(user, "OpenAIChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("OpenAIChatTarget");
     expect(
       screen.getByRole("radio", { name: /Identity-based/ })
     ).toBeInTheDocument();
@@ -214,7 +393,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
     );
 
     // Select target type
-    await selectTargetType(user, "OpenAIChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("OpenAIChatTarget");
 
     // Fill the endpoint & model names
     const endpointInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText(
@@ -255,7 +434,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
     );
 
     // Select target type
-    await selectTargetType(user, "OpenAIChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("OpenAIChatTarget");
 
     // Fill endpoint & model names
     const endpointInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText(
@@ -303,7 +482,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
       </TestWrapper>
     );
 
-    await selectTargetType(user, "OpenAIChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("OpenAIChatTarget");
 
     const endpointInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText(
       "https://your-resource.openai.azure.com/"
@@ -341,7 +520,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
     );
 
     // Select target type
-    await selectTargetType(user, "OpenAIChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("OpenAIChatTarget");
 
     // Fill endpoint
     const endpointInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText(
@@ -371,7 +550,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
     );
 
     // Select target type
-    await selectTargetType(user, "OpenAIChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("OpenAIChatTarget");
 
     // Fill endpoint — use fireEvent.change because userEvent.type truncates
     // URLs containing periods in FluentUI Input under jsdom.
@@ -431,7 +610,6 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
   });
 
   it("should show field validation errors when submitting form without endpoint", async () => {
-    const user = userEvent.setup();
 
     render(
       <TestWrapper>
@@ -440,7 +618,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
     );
 
     // Select target type but leave endpoint empty
-    await selectTargetType(user, "OpenAIChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("OpenAIChatTarget");
 
     // Submit via form (bypass disabled button by submitting the form directly)
     const form = screen.getByText("Create New Target").closest("form") ??
@@ -464,7 +642,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
       </TestWrapper>
     );
 
-    await selectTargetType(user, "OpenAIChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("OpenAIChatTarget");
 
     const endpointInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText(
       "https://your-resource.openai.azure.com/"
@@ -493,7 +671,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
     );
 
     // Select AzureMLChatTarget type
-    await selectTargetType(user, "AzureMLChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("AzureMLChatTarget");
 
     // Fill endpoint
     const endpointInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText(
@@ -527,7 +705,6 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
   });
 
   it("should show AzureML fields and hide OpenAI fields when AzureMLChatTarget selected", async () => {
-    const user = userEvent.setup();
 
     render(
       <TestWrapper>
@@ -535,7 +712,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
       </TestWrapper>
     );
 
-    await selectTargetType(user, "AzureMLChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("AzureMLChatTarget");
 
     // AzureML-specific fields should be visible
     expect(screen.getByText("Max New Tokens")).toBeInTheDocument();
@@ -561,7 +738,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
       </TestWrapper>
     );
 
-    await selectTargetType(user, "AzureMLChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("AzureMLChatTarget");
 
     // Fill endpoint — use fireEvent.change because userEvent.type truncates
     // URLs containing periods in FluentUI Input under jsdom.
@@ -641,7 +818,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
       </TestWrapper>
     );
 
-    await selectTargetType(user, "OpenAIChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("OpenAIChatTarget");
 
     const endpointInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText(
       "https://your-resource.openai.azure.com/"
@@ -695,7 +872,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
       </TestWrapper>
     );
 
-    await selectTargetType(user, "OpenAIChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("OpenAIChatTarget");
 
     const endpointInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText(
       "https://your-resource.openai.azure.com/"
@@ -732,7 +909,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
       </TestWrapper>
     );
 
-    await selectTargetType(user, "OpenAIChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("OpenAIChatTarget");
 
     const endpointInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText(
       "https://your-resource.openai.azure.com/"
@@ -757,7 +934,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
       </TestWrapper>
     );
 
-    await selectTargetType(user, "OpenAIChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("OpenAIChatTarget");
 
     const endpointInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText(
       "https://your-resource.openai.azure.com/"
@@ -784,7 +961,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
       </TestWrapper>
     );
 
-    await selectTargetType(user, "OpenAIChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("OpenAIChatTarget");
 
     const endpointInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText(
       "https://your-resource.openai.azure.com/"
@@ -812,7 +989,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
       </TestWrapper>
     );
 
-    await selectTargetType(user, "AzureMLChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("AzureMLChatTarget");
 
     const endpointInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText(
       "https://your-model.region.inference.ml.azure.com/score"
@@ -841,7 +1018,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
       </TestWrapper>
     );
 
-    await selectTargetType(user, "AzureMLChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("AzureMLChatTarget");
 
     const endpointInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText(
       "https://your-model.region.inference.ml.azure.com/score"
@@ -870,7 +1047,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
       </TestWrapper>
     );
 
-    await selectTargetType(user, "AzureMLChatTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("AzureMLChatTarget");
 
     const endpointInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText(
       "https://your-model.region.inference.ml.azure.com/score"
@@ -892,7 +1069,6 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
   });
 
   it("should show target picker when RoundRobinTarget is selected", async () => {
-    const user = userEvent.setup();
 
     render(
       <TestWrapper>
@@ -916,7 +1092,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
       </TestWrapper>
     );
 
-    await selectTargetType(user, "RoundRobinTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("RoundRobinTarget");
 
     // Endpoint field should NOT be visible for RoundRobin
     expect(
@@ -928,7 +1104,6 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
   });
 
   it("should disable Create button when fewer than 2 inner targets are selected for RoundRobin", async () => {
-    const user = userEvent.setup();
 
     render(
       <TestWrapper>
@@ -945,7 +1120,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
       </TestWrapper>
     );
 
-    await selectTargetType(user, "RoundRobinTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("RoundRobinTarget");
 
     const createButton = screen.getByText("Create Target").closest("button");
     expect(createButton).toBeDisabled();
@@ -980,7 +1155,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
       </TestWrapper>
     );
 
-    await selectTargetType(user, "RoundRobinTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("RoundRobinTarget");
     const select = screen.getByText("Select a target to add...").closest("select");
     expect(select).not.toBeNull();
     if (!select) {
@@ -1042,7 +1217,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
       </TestWrapper>
     );
 
-    await selectTargetType(user, "RoundRobinTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("RoundRobinTarget");
 
     // Before selecting anything: all three are eligible.
     const select = screen.getByText("Select a target to add...").closest("select")!;
@@ -1094,7 +1269,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
       </TestWrapper>
     );
 
-    await selectTargetType(user, "RoundRobinTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("RoundRobinTarget");
     const select = screen.getByText("Select a target to add...").closest("select")!;
     await user.selectOptions(select, "foundry_a");
 
@@ -1146,7 +1321,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
       </TestWrapper>
     );
 
-    await selectTargetType(user, "RoundRobinTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("RoundRobinTarget");
     const select = screen.getByText("Select a target to add...").closest("select")!;
     await user.selectOptions(select, "a");
     await user.selectOptions(select, "b");
@@ -1196,7 +1371,7 @@ describe("CreateTargetDialog", () => {
         />
       </TestWrapper>
     );
-    await selectTargetType(user, "RoundRobinTarget");
+    await selectTargetType("RoundRobinTarget");
     const select = screen.getByText("Select a target to add...").closest("select")!;
     await user.selectOptions(select, "a");
     await user.selectOptions(select, "b");
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/Config/CreateTargetDialog.tsx b/frontend/src/components/Config/CreateTargetDialog.tsx
index 59869c9d86..6fa4afd62c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/Config/CreateTargetDialog.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/Config/CreateTargetDialog.tsx
@@ -7,12 +7,15 @@ import {
   DialogContent,
   DialogActions,
   Button,
+  Dropdown,
   Input,
   Label,
   Link,
+  Option,
   Radio,
   RadioGroup,
   Select,
+  Spinner,
   Switch,
   Text,
   tokens,
@@ -61,7 +64,39 @@ const TARGET_FORM_SHAPES: Record<string, TargetFormShape> = {
 
 const RENDERABLE_TARGET_TYPES = Object.keys(TARGET_FORM_SHAPES)
 
+const TARGET_DISPLAY_NAMES: Record<string, string> = {
+  AzureMLChatTarget: 'Azure Machine Learning chat',
+  OpenAIChatTarget: 'OpenAI chat',
+  OpenAICompletionTarget: 'OpenAI text completion',
+  OpenAIImageTarget: 'OpenAI image',
+  OpenAIResponseTarget: 'OpenAI Responses API',
+  OpenAITTSTarget: 'OpenAI text to speech',
+  OpenAIVideoTarget: 'OpenAI video',
+  RoundRobinTarget: 'Weighted round robin',
+}
+
+const FALLBACK_TARGET_CATALOG_ENTRIES: TargetCatalogEntry[] = RENDERABLE_TARGET_TYPES.map((targetType) => ({
+  target_type: targetType,
+  parameters: [],
+  supported_auth_modes: [],
+  description: null,
+}))
+
 type AuthMode = 'api_key' | 'identity'
+type CatalogStatus = 'loading' | 'loaded' | 'error'
+
+function getTargetDisplayName(targetType: string): string {
+  return TARGET_DISPLAY_NAMES[targetType] ?? targetType
+}
+
+function getAuthDescription(authModes: TargetCatalogEntry['supported_auth_modes']): string | null {
+  if (authModes.length === 0) return null
+
+  const labels = authModes.map((mode) => (
+    mode === 'identity' ? 'Microsoft Entra ID' : 'API key'
+  ))
+  return `Supported authentication: ${labels.join(' or ')}`
+}
 
 /**
  * Fallback for whether a target type supports identity-based auth when the
@@ -189,11 +224,25 @@ export default function CreateTargetDialog({ open, onClose, onCreated, existingT
   // --- Catalog state ---
   // Available target types + their auth facts, fetched from the backend registry.
   const [catalogEntries, setCatalogEntries] = useState<TargetCatalogEntry[]>([])
+  const [catalogStatus, setCatalogStatus] = useState<CatalogStatus>('loading')
   const catalogByType = useMemo(
     () => new Map(catalogEntries.map((entry) => [entry.target_type, entry])),
     [catalogEntries],
   )
 
+  // Reset the catalog back to its loading state whenever the dialog is opened,
+  // so a stale error/entries from a previous session isn't shown while the
+  // refetch is in flight. Adjusted during render (rather than in the effect
+  // below) to avoid a cascading render.
+  const [seenOpen, setSeenOpen] = useState(open)
+  if (open !== seenOpen) {
+    setSeenOpen(open)
+    if (open) {
+      setCatalogEntries([])
+      setCatalogStatus('loading')
+    }
+  }
+
   // Fetch the target catalog once when the dialog opens. The backend is the
   // authority on which types exist and which auth modes they support.
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -201,29 +250,40 @@ export default function CreateTargetDialog({ open, onClose, onCreated, existingT
     let cancelled = false
     targetsApi.listTargetCatalog()
       .then((res) => {
-        if (!cancelled) setCatalogEntries(res.items)
+        if (!cancelled) {
+          setCatalogEntries(res.items)
+          setCatalogStatus('loaded')
+        }
       })
       .catch(() => {
-        // Ignore fetch errors — fall back to the locally-known renderable types.
+        if (!cancelled) {
+          setCatalogEntries([])
+          setCatalogStatus('error')
+        }
       })
     return () => { cancelled = true }
   }, [open])
 
-  // The types offered in the dropdown: catalog types the dialog can render,
-  // preserving catalog order. Fall back to the locally-known types when the
-  // catalog hasn't loaded (or the fetch failed) so the form stays usable.
-  const targetTypeOptions = useMemo(() => {
-    const fromCatalog = catalogEntries
-      .map((entry) => entry.target_type)
-      .filter((type) => type in TARGET_FORM_SHAPES)
-    return fromCatalog.length > 0 ? fromCatalog : RENDERABLE_TARGET_TYPES
+  const catalogTargetTypeOptions = useMemo(() => {
+    return catalogEntries.filter((entry) => entry.target_type in TARGET_FORM_SHAPES)
   }, [catalogEntries])
+  const catalogMetadataAvailable = catalogTargetTypeOptions.length > 0
+  const catalogUnavailable = catalogStatus !== 'loading' && !catalogMetadataAvailable
+  const targetTypeOptions = catalogStatus === 'loading'
+    ? []
+    : catalogMetadataAvailable
+      ? catalogTargetTypeOptions
+      : FALLBACK_TARGET_CATALOG_ENTRIES
 
   const formShape = TARGET_FORM_SHAPES[targetType]
   const isRoundRobin = formShape === 'roundrobin'
   const isAzureML = formShape === 'azureml'
   const isOpenAi = formShape === 'openai'
   const catalogEntry = catalogByType.get(targetType)
+  const selectedTargetDisplayName = getTargetDisplayName(targetType)
+  const selectedTargetAuthDescription = catalogEntry
+    ? getAuthDescription(catalogEntry.supported_auth_modes)
+    : null
   const supportsIdentity = catalogEntry
     ? catalogEntry.supported_auth_modes.includes('identity')
     : defaultSupportsIdentity(formShape)
@@ -447,18 +507,39 @@ export default function CreateTargetDialog({ open, onClose, onCreated, existingT
                 </MessageBar>
               )}
 
+              {catalogStatus === 'loading' && (
+                <Spinner size="tiny" label="Loading target details..." labelPosition="after" />
+              )}
+
+              {catalogUnavailable && (
+                <MessageBar intent="warning">
+                  <MessageBarBody>
+                    Target details could not be loaded. You can still select a supported target type,
+                    but its catalog description and authentication options are unavailable.
+                  </MessageBarBody>
+                </MessageBar>
+              )}
+
               <Field
                 className={styles.formField}
                 label="Target Type"
+                hint="Each option shows what the target does, its implementation class, and how it authenticates."
                 required
                 validationMessage={fieldErrors.targetType}
                 validationState={fieldErrors.targetType ? 'error' : 'none'}
               >
-                <Select
+                <Dropdown
+                  aria-label="Target Type"
                   className={styles.fullWidthSelect}
-                  value={targetType}
-                  onChange={(_, data) => {
-                    const next = data.value
+                  disabled={catalogStatus === 'loading'}
+                  listbox={{ className: styles.targetTypeListbox }}
+                  placeholder={catalogStatus === 'loading' ? 'Loading target types...' : 'Select a target type'}
+                  positioning={{ matchTargetSize: 'width' }}
+                  selectedOptions={targetType ? [targetType] : []}
+                  value={targetType ? selectedTargetDisplayName : ''}
+                  onOptionSelect={(_, data) => {
+                    const next = data.optionValue
+                    if (!next) return
                     setTargetType(next)
                     const nextEntry = catalogByType.get(next)
                     const nextSupportsIdentity = nextEntry
@@ -469,13 +550,72 @@ export default function CreateTargetDialog({ open, onClose, onCreated, existingT
                     }
                   }}
                 >
-                  <option value="">Select a target type</option>
-                  {targetTypeOptions.map((type) => (
-                    <option key={type} value={type}>{type}</option>
-                  ))}
-                </Select>
+                  {targetTypeOptions.map((entry) => {
+                    const displayName = getTargetDisplayName(entry.target_type)
+                    const authDescription = getAuthDescription(entry.supported_auth_modes)
+                    const accessibleDescription = [
+                      displayName,
+                      entry.description,
+                      `Implementation: ${entry.target_type}`,
+                      authDescription,
+                    ].filter((value): value is string => Boolean(value)).join('. ')
+
+                    return (
+                      <Option
+                        aria-label={accessibleDescription}
+                        key={entry.target_type}
+                        text={displayName}
+                        value={entry.target_type}
+                      >
+                        <div className={styles.targetTypeOption}>
+                          <div className={styles.targetTypeOptionHeader}>
+                            <Text weight="semibold">{displayName}</Text>
+                            <code className={styles.targetTypeIdentifier}>{entry.target_type}</code>
+                          </div>
+                          {entry.description && (
+                            <Text size={200} className={styles.targetTypeDescription}>
+                              {entry.description}
+                            </Text>
+                          )}
+                          {authDescription && (
+                            <Text size={200} className={styles.targetTypeAuth}>
+                              {authDescription}
+                            </Text>
+                          )}
+                        </div>
+                      </Option>
+                    )
+                  })}
+                </Dropdown>
               </Field>
 
+              {targetType && (
+                <section
+                  aria-label="Selected target details"
+                  aria-live="polite"
+                  className={styles.selectedTargetDetails}
+                >
+                  <div className={styles.targetTypeOptionHeader}>
+                    <Text weight="semibold">{selectedTargetDisplayName}</Text>
+                    <code className={styles.targetTypeIdentifier}>{targetType}</code>
+                  </div>
+                  {catalogEntry?.description ? (
+                    <Text size={200} className={styles.targetTypeDescription}>
+                      {catalogEntry.description}
+                    </Text>
+                  ) : (
+                    <Text size={200} className={styles.targetTypeDescription}>
+                      Catalog details are unavailable for this target.
+                    </Text>
+                  )}
+                  {selectedTargetAuthDescription && (
+                    <Text size={200} className={styles.targetTypeAuth}>
+                      {selectedTargetAuthDescription}
+                    </Text>
+                  )}
+                </section>
+              )}
+
               {/* === RoundRobinTarget form: select existing targets === */}
               {isRoundRobin && (
                 <>