diff --git a/app/globals.css b/app/globals.css
index 9d24ede..c530d90 100644
--- a/app/globals.css
+++ b/app/globals.css
@@ -127,4 +127,19 @@
   html {
     @apply font-sans;
   }
+}
+
+@keyframes shimmer {
+  0% {
+    transform: translateX(-100%);
+  }
+  100% {
+    transform: translateX(100%);
+  }
+}
+
+@layer utilities {
+  .animate-shimmer {
+    animation: shimmer 1.5s ease-in-out infinite;
+  }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/components/canvas/canvas-toolbar.tsx b/components/canvas/canvas-toolbar.tsx
index c602328..661e536 100644
--- a/components/canvas/canvas-toolbar.tsx
+++ b/components/canvas/canvas-toolbar.tsx
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ const nodeTemplates = [
     label: "Prompt",
     width: 320,
     height: 140,
-    defaultData: { content: "", model: "" },
+    defaultData: { prompt: "", model: "" },
   },
   {
     type: "note",
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ export default function CanvasToolbar({ canvasId }: CanvasToolbarProps) {
       positionY: 100 + offset,
       width,
       height,
-      data,
+      data: { ...data, canvasId },
     });
   };
 
diff --git a/components/canvas/canvas.tsx b/components/canvas/canvas.tsx
index 9b70758..b007018 100644
--- a/components/canvas/canvas.tsx
+++ b/components/canvas/canvas.tsx
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ function CanvasInner({ canvasId }: CanvasInnerProps) {
         positionY: position.y,
         width: defaults.width,
         height: defaults.height,
-        data: defaults.data,
+        data: { ...defaults.data, canvasId },
       });
     },
     [screenToFlowPosition, createNode, canvasId],
diff --git a/components/canvas/nodes/ai-image-node.tsx b/components/canvas/nodes/ai-image-node.tsx
index 301fc8e..6c5abf5 100644
--- a/components/canvas/nodes/ai-image-node.tsx
+++ b/components/canvas/nodes/ai-image-node.tsx
@@ -1,78 +1,209 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { Handle, Position, type NodeProps, type Node } from "@xyflow/react";
+import { useCallback, useState } from "react";
+import { Handle, Position, useReactFlow, type NodeProps, type Node } from "@xyflow/react";
+import { useAction } from "convex/react";
+import { api } from "@/convex/_generated/api";
+import type { Id } from "@/convex/_generated/dataModel";
 import BaseNodeWrapper from "./base-node-wrapper";
+import { DEFAULT_MODEL_ID, getModel } from "@/lib/ai-models";
+import {
+  Loader2,
+  AlertCircle,
+  RefreshCw,
+  ImageIcon,
+} from "lucide-react";
 
 type AiImageNodeData = {
+  storageId?: string;
   url?: string;
   prompt?: string;
   model?: string;
+  modelTier?: string;
+  generatedAt?: number;
+  canvasId?: string;
   _status?: string;
   _statusMessage?: string;
 };
 
 export type AiImageNode = Node<AiImageNodeData, "ai-image">;
 
+type NodeStatus =
+  | "idle"
+  | "analyzing"
+  | "clarifying"
+  | "executing"
+  | "done"
+  | "error";
+
 export default function AiImageNode({
+  id,
   data,
   selected,
 }: NodeProps<AiImageNode>) {
-  const status = data._status ?? "idle";
+  const nodeData = data as AiImageNodeData;
+  const { getEdges, getNode } = useReactFlow();
+
+  const [isGenerating, setIsGenerating] = useState(false);
+  const [localError, setLocalError] = useState<string | null>(null);
+
+  const generateImage = useAction(api.ai.generateImage);
+
+  const status = (nodeData._status ?? "idle") as NodeStatus;
+  const errorMessage = nodeData._statusMessage;
+
+  const isLoading =
+    status === "executing" ||
+    status === "analyzing" ||
+    status === "clarifying" ||
+    isGenerating;
+
+  const handleRegenerate = useCallback(async () => {
+    if (isLoading) return;
+    setLocalError(null);
+    setIsGenerating(true);
+
+    try {
+      const canvasId = nodeData.canvasId as Id<"canvases">;
+      if (!canvasId) throw new Error("Missing canvasId");
+
+      const prompt = nodeData.prompt;
+      if (!prompt) throw new Error("No prompt — use Generate from a Prompt node");
+
+      const edges = getEdges();
+      const incomingEdges = edges.filter((e) => e.target === id);
+      let referenceStorageId: Id<"_storage"> | undefined;
+      for (const edge of incomingEdges) {
+        const src = getNode(edge.source);
+        if (src?.type === "image") {
+          const srcData = src.data as { storageId?: string };
+          if (srcData.storageId) {
+            referenceStorageId = srcData.storageId as Id<"_storage">;
+            break;
+          }
+        }
+      }
+
+      await generateImage({
+        canvasId,
+        nodeId: id as Id<"nodes">,
+        prompt,
+        referenceStorageId,
+        model: nodeData.model ?? DEFAULT_MODEL_ID,
+      });
+    } catch (err) {
+      setLocalError(err instanceof Error ? err.message : "Generation failed");
+    } finally {
+      setIsGenerating(false);
+    }
+  }, [isLoading, nodeData, id, getEdges, getNode, generateImage]);
+
+  const modelName =
+    getModel(nodeData.model ?? DEFAULT_MODEL_ID)?.name ?? "AI";
 
   return (
-    <BaseNodeWrapper
-      selected={selected}
-      status={status}
-      statusMessage={data._statusMessage}
-    >
-      <div className="p-2">
-        <div className="text-xs font-medium text-emerald-500 mb-1">
-          🤖 KI-Bild
-        </div>
+    <BaseNodeWrapper selected={selected} className="w-[320px] overflow-hidden">
+      <Handle
+        type="target"
+        position={Position.Left}
+        id="prompt-in"
+        className="!h-3 !w-3 !bg-violet-500 !border-2 !border-background"
+      />
 
-        {status === "executing" && (
-          <div className="flex h-36 w-56 items-center justify-center rounded-lg bg-muted">
-            <div className="h-6 w-6 animate-spin rounded-full border-2 border-primary border-t-transparent" />
+      <div className="border-b border-border px-3 py-2">
+        <div className="text-xs font-medium text-emerald-600 dark:text-emerald-400">
+          🖼️ AI Image
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
+      <div className="relative h-[320px] overflow-hidden bg-muted">
+        {status === "idle" && !nodeData.url && (
+          <div className="absolute inset-0 flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-3 text-muted-foreground">
+            <ImageIcon className="h-10 w-10 opacity-30" />
+            <p className="px-6 text-center text-xs opacity-60">
+              Connect a Prompt node and click Generate
+            </p>
           </div>
         )}
 
-        {status === "done" && data.url && (
+        {isLoading && (
+          <div className="absolute inset-0 z-10 flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-3 bg-muted">
+            <div className="absolute inset-0 overflow-hidden">
+              <div className="animate-shimmer absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-r from-transparent via-white/10 to-transparent" />
+            </div>
+            <Loader2 className="relative z-10 h-8 w-8 animate-spin text-violet-500" />
+            <p className="relative z-10 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+              {status === "analyzing" && "Analyzing…"}
+              {status === "clarifying" && "Clarifying…"}
+              {(status === "executing" || isGenerating) && "Generating…"}
+            </p>
+            <p className="relative z-10 text-[10px] text-muted-foreground/60">
+              {modelName}
+            </p>
+          </div>
+        )}
+
+        {status === "error" && !isLoading && (
+          <div className="absolute inset-0 z-10 flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-3 bg-muted">
+            <AlertCircle className="h-8 w-8 text-destructive" />
+            <p className="px-4 text-center text-xs font-medium text-destructive">
+              Generation failed
+            </p>
+            <p className="px-6 text-center text-[10px] text-muted-foreground">
+              {errorMessage ?? localError ?? "Unknown error"} — Credits not
+              charged
+            </p>
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              onClick={() => void handleRegenerate()}
+              className="nodrag mt-1 flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-md border border-border bg-background px-3 py-1.5 text-xs font-medium transition-colors hover:bg-accent"
+            >
+              <RefreshCw className="h-3 w-3" />
+              Try again
+            </button>
+          </div>
+        )}
+
+        {nodeData.url && !isLoading && (
+          // eslint-disable-next-line @next/next/no-img-element
           <img
-            src={data.url}
-            alt={data.prompt ?? "KI-generiertes Bild"}
-            className="rounded-lg object-cover max-w-[260px]"
+            src={nodeData.url}
+            alt={nodeData.prompt ?? "AI generated image"}
+            className="absolute inset-0 h-full w-full object-contain"
             draggable={false}
           />
         )}
 
-        {status === "error" && (
-          <div className="flex h-36 w-56 items-center justify-center rounded-lg bg-red-50 dark:bg-red-950/20 text-sm text-red-600">
-            {data._statusMessage ?? "Fehler bei der Generierung"}
+        {status === "done" && nodeData.url && !isLoading && (
+          <div className="absolute inset-0 z-20 flex items-end justify-end p-2 opacity-0 transition-opacity hover:opacity-100">
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              onClick={() => void handleRegenerate()}
+              className="nodrag flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-md border border-border bg-background/90 px-2.5 py-1.5 text-xs font-medium backdrop-blur-sm transition-colors hover:bg-background"
+            >
+              <RefreshCw className="h-3 w-3" />
+              Regenerate
+            </button>
           </div>
         )}
-
-        {status === "idle" && (
-          <div className="flex h-36 w-56 items-center justify-center rounded-lg border-2 border-dashed text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-            Prompt verbinden
-          </div>
-        )}
-
-        {data.prompt && status === "done" && (
-          <p className="mt-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground truncate max-w-[260px]">
-            {data.prompt}
-          </p>
-        )}
       </div>
 
-      <Handle
-        type="target"
-        position={Position.Left}
-        className="!h-3 !w-3 !bg-emerald-500 !border-2 !border-background"
-      />
+      {nodeData.prompt && (
+        <div className="border-t border-border px-3 py-2">
+          <p className="line-clamp-2 text-[10px] text-muted-foreground">
+            {nodeData.prompt}
+          </p>
+          <p className="mt-0.5 text-[10px] text-muted-foreground/60">
+            {modelName}
+          </p>
+        </div>
+      )}
+
       <Handle
         type="source"
         position={Position.Right}
-        className="!h-3 !w-3 !bg-primary !border-2 !border-background"
+        id="image-out"
+        className="!h-3 !w-3 !bg-violet-500 !border-2 !border-background"
       />
     </BaseNodeWrapper>
   );
diff --git a/components/canvas/nodes/prompt-node.tsx b/components/canvas/nodes/prompt-node.tsx
index bceb846..579de0a 100644
--- a/components/canvas/nodes/prompt-node.tsx
+++ b/components/canvas/nodes/prompt-node.tsx
@@ -1,16 +1,19 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { useState, useCallback, useEffect } from "react";
-import { Handle, Position, type NodeProps, type Node } from "@xyflow/react";
-import { useMutation } from "convex/react";
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { Handle, Position, useReactFlow, type NodeProps, type Node } from "@xyflow/react";
+import { useMutation, useAction } from "convex/react";
 import { api } from "@/convex/_generated/api";
 import type { Id } from "@/convex/_generated/dataModel";
-import { useDebouncedCallback } from "@/hooks/use-debounced-callback";
 import BaseNodeWrapper from "./base-node-wrapper";
+import { useDebouncedCallback } from "@/hooks/use-debounced-callback";
+import { DEFAULT_MODEL_ID } from "@/lib/ai-models";
+import { Sparkles, Loader2 } from "lucide-react";
 
 type PromptNodeData = {
   prompt?: string;
   model?: string;
+  canvasId?: string;
   _status?: string;
   _statusMessage?: string;
 };
@@ -22,82 +25,166 @@ export default function PromptNode({
   data,
   selected,
 }: NodeProps<PromptNode>) {
-  const updateData = useMutation(api.nodes.updateData);
-  const [prompt, setPrompt] = useState(data.prompt ?? "");
-  const [isEditing, setIsEditing] = useState(false);
+  const nodeData = data as PromptNodeData;
+  const { getEdges, getNode } = useReactFlow();
+
+  const [prompt, setPrompt] = useState(nodeData.prompt ?? "");
+  const [isGenerating, setIsGenerating] = useState(false);
+  const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!isEditing) {
-      setPrompt(data.prompt ?? "");
-    }
-  }, [data.prompt, isEditing]);
+    setPrompt(nodeData.prompt ?? "");
+  }, [nodeData.prompt]);
 
-  const savePrompt = useDebouncedCallback(
-    (newPrompt: string) => {
-      updateData({
-        nodeId: id as Id<"nodes">,
+  const dataRef = useRef(data);
+  dataRef.current = data;
+
+  const updateData = useMutation(api.nodes.updateData);
+  const createNode = useMutation(api.nodes.create);
+  const generateImage = useAction(api.ai.generateImage);
+
+  const debouncedSave = useDebouncedCallback((value: string) => {
+    const raw = dataRef.current as Record<string, unknown>;
+    const { _status, _statusMessage, ...rest } = raw;
+    void _status;
+    void _statusMessage;
+    updateData({
+      nodeId: id as Id<"nodes">,
+      data: { ...rest, prompt: value },
+    });
+  }, 500);
+
+  const handlePromptChange = useCallback(
+    (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLTextAreaElement>) => {
+      const value = e.target.value;
+      setPrompt(value);
+      debouncedSave(value);
+    },
+    [debouncedSave]
+  );
+
+  const handleGenerate = useCallback(async () => {
+    if (!prompt.trim() || isGenerating) return;
+    setError(null);
+    setIsGenerating(true);
+
+    try {
+      const canvasId = nodeData.canvasId as Id<"canvases">;
+      if (!canvasId) throw new Error("Missing canvasId on node");
+
+      const edges = getEdges();
+      const incomingEdges = edges.filter((e) => e.target === id);
+      let referenceStorageId: Id<"_storage"> | undefined;
+
+      for (const edge of incomingEdges) {
+        const sourceNode = getNode(edge.source);
+        if (sourceNode?.type === "image") {
+          const srcData = sourceNode.data as { storageId?: string };
+          if (srcData.storageId) {
+            referenceStorageId = srcData.storageId as Id<"_storage">;
+            break;
+          }
+        }
+      }
+
+      const currentNode = getNode(id);
+      const offsetX = (currentNode?.measured?.width ?? 280) + 32;
+      const posX = (currentNode?.position?.x ?? 0) + offsetX;
+      const posY = currentNode?.position?.y ?? 0;
+
+      const aiNodeId = await createNode({
+        canvasId,
+        type: "ai-image",
+        positionX: posX,
+        positionY: posY,
+        width: 320,
+        height: 320,
         data: {
-          ...data,
-          prompt: newPrompt,
-          _status: undefined,
-          _statusMessage: undefined,
+          prompt,
+          model: DEFAULT_MODEL_ID,
+          modelTier: "standard",
+          canvasId,
         },
       });
-    },
-    500,
-  );
 
-  const handleChange = useCallback(
-    (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLTextAreaElement>) => {
-      const newPrompt = e.target.value;
-      setPrompt(newPrompt);
-      savePrompt(newPrompt);
-    },
-    [savePrompt],
-  );
+      await generateImage({
+        canvasId,
+        nodeId: aiNodeId,
+        prompt,
+        referenceStorageId,
+        model: DEFAULT_MODEL_ID,
+      });
+    } catch (err) {
+      setError(err instanceof Error ? err.message : "Generation failed");
+    } finally {
+      setIsGenerating(false);
+    }
+  }, [
+    prompt,
+    isGenerating,
+    nodeData.canvasId,
+    id,
+    getEdges,
+    getNode,
+    createNode,
+    generateImage,
+  ]);
 
   return (
     <BaseNodeWrapper
       selected={selected}
-      status={data._status}
-      className="border-purple-500/30"
+      status={nodeData._status}
+      statusMessage={nodeData._statusMessage}
+      className="min-w-[240px] border-violet-500/30"
     >
-      <div className="w-72 p-3">
-        <div className="text-xs font-medium text-purple-500 mb-1">
+      <Handle
+        type="target"
+        position={Position.Left}
+        id="image-in"
+        className="!h-3 !w-3 !bg-violet-500 !border-2 !border-background"
+      />
+
+      <div className="flex flex-col gap-2 p-3">
+        <div className="text-xs font-medium text-violet-600 dark:text-violet-400">
           ✨ Prompt
         </div>
-        {isEditing ? (
-          <textarea
-            value={prompt}
-            onChange={handleChange}
-            onBlur={() => setIsEditing(false)}
-            autoFocus
-            className="nodrag nowheel w-full resize-none rounded-md border-0 bg-transparent p-0 text-sm outline-none focus:ring-0 min-h-[3rem]"
-            placeholder="Prompt eingeben…"
-            rows={4}
-          />
-        ) : (
-          <div
-            onDoubleClick={() => setIsEditing(true)}
-            className="min-h-[2rem] cursor-text text-sm whitespace-pre-wrap"
-          >
-            {prompt || (
-              <span className="text-muted-foreground">
-                Doppelklick zum Bearbeiten
-              </span>
-            )}
-          </div>
-        )}
-        {data.model && (
-          <div className="mt-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-            Modell: {data.model}
-          </div>
+        <textarea
+          value={prompt}
+          onChange={handlePromptChange}
+          placeholder="Describe what you want to generate…"
+          rows={4}
+          className="nodrag nowheel w-full resize-none rounded-md border border-border bg-background px-3 py-2 text-sm placeholder:text-muted-foreground focus:outline-none focus:ring-1 focus:ring-violet-500"
+        />
+
+        {error && (
+          <p className="text-xs text-destructive">{error}</p>
         )}
+
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          onClick={() => void handleGenerate()}
+          disabled={!prompt.trim() || isGenerating}
+          className="nodrag flex items-center justify-center gap-2 rounded-md bg-violet-600 px-3 py-2 text-sm font-medium text-white transition-colors hover:bg-violet-700 disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:opacity-50"
+        >
+          {isGenerating ? (
+            <>
+              <Loader2 className="h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />
+              Generating…
+            </>
+          ) : (
+            <>
+              <Sparkles className="h-4 w-4" />
+              Generate Image
+            </>
+          )}
+        </button>
       </div>
+
       <Handle
         type="source"
         position={Position.Right}
-        className="!h-3 !w-3 !bg-purple-500 !border-2 !border-background"
+        id="prompt-out"
+        className="!h-3 !w-3 !bg-violet-500 !border-2 !border-background"
       />
     </BaseNodeWrapper>
   );
diff --git a/convex/_generated/api.d.ts b/convex/_generated/api.d.ts
index 4aed78d..b3458fa 100644
--- a/convex/_generated/api.d.ts
+++ b/convex/_generated/api.d.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
  * @module
  */
 
+import type * as ai from "../ai.js";
 import type * as auth from "../auth.js";
 import type * as canvases from "../canvases.js";
 import type * as credits from "../credits.js";
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ import type * as edges from "../edges.js";
 import type * as helpers from "../helpers.js";
 import type * as http from "../http.js";
 import type * as nodes from "../nodes.js";
+import type * as openrouter from "../openrouter.js";
 import type * as storage from "../storage.js";
 
 import type {
@@ -24,6 +26,7 @@ import type {
 } from "convex/server";
 
 declare const fullApi: ApiFromModules<{
+  ai: typeof ai;
   auth: typeof auth;
   canvases: typeof canvases;
   credits: typeof credits;
@@ -31,6 +34,7 @@ declare const fullApi: ApiFromModules<{
   helpers: typeof helpers;
   http: typeof http;
   nodes: typeof nodes;
+  openrouter: typeof openrouter;
   storage: typeof storage;
 }>;
 
diff --git a/convex/ai.ts b/convex/ai.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..561cd25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/convex/ai.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+import { v } from "convex/values";
+import { action } from "./_generated/server";
+import { api } from "./_generated/api";
+import {
+  generateImageViaOpenRouter,
+  DEFAULT_IMAGE_MODEL,
+  IMAGE_MODELS,
+} from "./openrouter";
+
+export const generateImage = action({
+  args: {
+    canvasId: v.id("canvases"),
+    nodeId: v.id("nodes"),
+    prompt: v.string(),
+    referenceStorageId: v.optional(v.id("_storage")),
+    model: v.optional(v.string()),
+  },
+  handler: async (ctx, args) => {
+    const apiKey = process.env.OPENROUTER_API_KEY;
+    if (!apiKey) {
+      throw new Error("OPENROUTER_API_KEY is not set");
+    }
+
+    const modelId = args.model ?? DEFAULT_IMAGE_MODEL;
+    const modelConfig = IMAGE_MODELS[modelId];
+    if (!modelConfig) {
+      throw new Error(`Unknown model: ${modelId}`);
+    }
+
+    if (!(await ctx.runQuery(api.auth.getCurrentUser, {}))) {
+      throw new Error("User not found");
+    }
+
+    const reservationId = await ctx.runMutation(api.credits.reserve, {
+      estimatedCost: modelConfig.estimatedCostPerImage,
+      description: `Bildgenerierung — ${modelConfig.name}`,
+      model: modelId,
+      nodeId: args.nodeId,
+      canvasId: args.canvasId,
+    });
+
+    await ctx.runMutation(api.nodes.updateStatus, {
+      nodeId: args.nodeId,
+      status: "executing",
+    });
+
+    try {
+      let referenceImageUrl: string | undefined;
+      if (args.referenceStorageId) {
+        referenceImageUrl =
+          (await ctx.storage.getUrl(args.referenceStorageId)) ?? undefined;
+      }
+
+      const result = await generateImageViaOpenRouter(apiKey, {
+        prompt: args.prompt,
+        referenceImageUrl,
+        model: modelId,
+      });
+
+      const binaryString = atob(result.imageBase64);
+      const bytes = new Uint8Array(binaryString.length);
+      for (let i = 0; i < binaryString.length; i++) {
+        bytes[i] = binaryString.charCodeAt(i);
+      }
+
+      const blob = new Blob([bytes], { type: result.mimeType });
+      const storageId = await ctx.storage.store(blob);
+
+      const existing = await ctx.runQuery(api.nodes.get, { nodeId: args.nodeId });
+      if (!existing) throw new Error("Node not found");
+      const prev = (existing.data ?? {}) as Record<string, unknown>;
+
+      await ctx.runMutation(api.nodes.updateData, {
+        nodeId: args.nodeId,
+        data: {
+          ...prev,
+          storageId,
+          prompt: args.prompt,
+          model: modelId,
+          modelTier: modelConfig.tier,
+          generatedAt: Date.now(),
+        },
+      });
+
+      await ctx.runMutation(api.nodes.updateStatus, {
+        nodeId: args.nodeId,
+        status: "done",
+      });
+
+      await ctx.runMutation(api.credits.commit, {
+        transactionId: reservationId,
+        actualCost: modelConfig.estimatedCostPerImage,
+      });
+    } catch (error) {
+      await ctx.runMutation(api.credits.release, {
+        transactionId: reservationId,
+      });
+
+      await ctx.runMutation(api.nodes.updateStatus, {
+        nodeId: args.nodeId,
+        status: "error",
+        statusMessage:
+          error instanceof Error ? error.message : "Generation failed",
+      });
+
+      throw error;
+    }
+  },
+});
diff --git a/convex/nodes.ts b/convex/nodes.ts
index da100fe..58009bc 100644
--- a/convex/nodes.ts
+++ b/convex/nodes.ts
@@ -270,7 +270,15 @@ export const updateStatus = mutation({
     if (!node) throw new Error("Node not found");
 
     await getCanvasOrThrow(ctx, node.canvasId, user.userId);
-    await ctx.db.patch(nodeId, { status, statusMessage });
+    const patch: { status: typeof status; statusMessage?: string } = {
+      status,
+    };
+    if (statusMessage !== undefined) {
+      patch.statusMessage = statusMessage;
+    } else if (status === "done" || status === "executing" || status === "idle") {
+      patch.statusMessage = undefined;
+    }
+    await ctx.db.patch(nodeId, patch);
   },
 });
 
diff --git a/convex/openrouter.ts b/convex/openrouter.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1917f42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/convex/openrouter.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+export const OPENROUTER_BASE_URL = "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1";
+
+export interface OpenRouterModel {
+  id: string;
+  name: string;
+  tier: "budget" | "standard" | "premium";
+  estimatedCostPerImage: number; // in Euro-Cent (for credit reservation)
+}
+
+// Phase 1: Gemini 2.5 Flash Image only.
+// Add more models here in Phase 2 when the model selector UI is built.
+export const IMAGE_MODELS: Record<string, OpenRouterModel> = {
+  "google/gemini-2.5-flash-image": {
+    id: "google/gemini-2.5-flash-image",
+    name: "Gemini 2.5 Flash",
+    tier: "standard",
+    estimatedCostPerImage: 4, // ~€0.04 in Euro-Cent
+  },
+};
+
+export const DEFAULT_IMAGE_MODEL = "google/gemini-2.5-flash-image";
+
+export interface GenerateImageParams {
+  prompt: string;
+  referenceImageUrl?: string; // optional image-to-image input
+  model?: string;
+}
+
+export interface OpenRouterImageResponse {
+  imageBase64: string; // base64-encoded PNG/JPEG
+  mimeType: string;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Calls the OpenRouter API to generate an image.
+ * Uses the chat/completions endpoint with a vision-capable model that returns
+ * an inline image in the response (base64).
+ *
+ * Must be called from a Convex Action (has access to fetch + env vars).
+ */
+export async function generateImageViaOpenRouter(
+  apiKey: string,
+  params: GenerateImageParams
+): Promise<OpenRouterImageResponse> {
+  const modelId = params.model ?? DEFAULT_IMAGE_MODEL;
+
+  // Build message content — text prompt, optionally with a reference image
+  const userContent: object[] = [];
+
+  if (params.referenceImageUrl) {
+    userContent.push({
+      type: "image_url",
+      image_url: { url: params.referenceImageUrl },
+    });
+  }
+
+  userContent.push({
+    type: "text",
+    text: params.prompt,
+  });
+
+  const body = {
+    model: modelId,
+    modalities: ["image", "text"],
+    messages: [
+      {
+        role: "user",
+        content: userContent,
+      },
+    ],
+  };
+
+  const response = await fetch(`${OPENROUTER_BASE_URL}/chat/completions`, {
+    method: "POST",
+    headers: {
+      Authorization: `Bearer ${apiKey}`,
+      "Content-Type": "application/json",
+      "HTTP-Referer": "https://app.lemonspace.io",
+      "X-Title": "LemonSpace",
+    },
+    body: JSON.stringify(body),
+  });
+
+  if (!response.ok) {
+    const errorText = await response.text();
+    throw new Error(`OpenRouter API error ${response.status}: ${errorText}`);
+  }
+
+  const data = await response.json();
+
+  // OpenRouter returns generated images in message.images (separate from content)
+  const images = data?.choices?.[0]?.message?.images;
+
+  if (!images || images.length === 0) {
+    throw new Error("No image found in OpenRouter response");
+  }
+
+  const imageUrl = images[0]?.image_url?.url;
+  if (!imageUrl) {
+    throw new Error("Image block missing image_url.url");
+  }
+
+  // The URL is a data URI: "data:image/png;base64,<data>"
+  const dataUri: string = imageUrl;
+  const [meta, base64Data] = dataUri.split(",");
+  const mimeType = meta.replace("data:", "").replace(";base64", "");
+
+  return {
+    imageBase64: base64Data,
+    mimeType: mimeType || "image/png",
+  };
+}
diff --git a/lib/ai-models.ts b/lib/ai-models.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5ab5033
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/ai-models.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+// Client-side model definitions for the UI.
+// Mirrors the backend config in convex/openrouter.ts — keep in sync.
+
+export interface AiModel {
+  id: string;
+  name: string;
+  tier: "budget" | "standard" | "premium";
+  description: string;
+  estimatedCost: string; // human-readable, e.g. "~€0.04"
+  minTier: "free" | "starter" | "pro" | "business"; // minimum subscription tier
+}
+
+export const IMAGE_MODELS: AiModel[] = [
+  {
+    id: "google/gemini-2.5-flash-image",
+    name: "Gemini 2.5 Flash",
+    tier: "standard",
+    description: "Fast, high-quality generation",
+    estimatedCost: "~€0.04",
+    minTier: "free",
+  },
+  // Phase 2 — uncomment when model selector UI is ready:
+  // {
+  //   id: "black-forest-labs/flux.2-klein-4b",
+  //   name: "FLUX.2 Klein",
+  //   tier: "budget",
+  //   description: "Photorealism, fastest Flux",
+  //   estimatedCost: "~€0.02",
+  //   minTier: "free",
+  // },
+  // {
+  //   id: "openai/gpt-5-image",
+  //   name: "GPT-5 Image",
+  //   tier: "premium",
+  //   description: "Best instruction following, text in image",
+  //   estimatedCost: "~€0.15",
+  //   minTier: "starter",
+  // },
+];
+
+export const DEFAULT_MODEL_ID = "google/gemini-2.5-flash-image";
+
+export function getModel(id: string): AiModel | undefined {
+  return IMAGE_MODELS.find((m) => m.id === id);
+}