diff --git a/solara/lab/components/chat.py b/solara/lab/components/chat.py
index cd9ecba58..1f64813c5 100644
--- a/solara/lab/components/chat.py
+++ b/solara/lab/components/chat.py
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ def ChatBox(
 def ChatInput(
     send_callback: Optional[Callable[[str], None]] = None,
     disabled: bool = False,
+    disabled_input: bool = False,
+    disabled_send: bool = False,
     style: Optional[Union[str, Dict[str, str]]] = None,
     autofocus: bool = False,
     input_text_style: Optional[Union[str, Dict[str, str]]] = None,
@@ -57,8 +59,9 @@ def ChatInput(
     # Arguments
 
     * `send_callback`: A callback function for when the user presses enter or clicks the send button taking the message as an argument.
-    * `disabled`: Whether the input should be disabled. Useful for disabling sending further messages while a chatbot is replying,
-        among other things.
+    * `disabled`: disable both input and send.
+    * `disabled_input`: Whether the input should be disabled. Useful for disabling messages while a chatbot is replying.
+    * `disabled_send`: Whether the send button should be disabled. Useful for disabling sending further messages while a chatbot is replying.
     * `style`: CSS styles to apply to the `solara.Row` containing the input field and submit button. Either a string or a dictionary.
     * `autofocus`: Determines if a component is to be autofocused or not (Default is False). Autofocus will occur during page load and only one component per page can have autofocus active.
     * `input_text_style`: CSS styles to apply to the `InputText` part of the component. Either a string or a dictionary.
@@ -88,13 +91,13 @@ def send(*ignore_args):
             hide_details=True,
             autofocus=autofocus,
             style_="flex-grow: 1;" + input_text_style_flat,
-            disabled=disabled,
+            disabled=disabled or disabled_input,
             class_=" ".join(input_text_classes),
         )
 
         use_change(message_input, send, update_events=["keyup.enter"])
 
-        button = solara.v.Btn(color="primary", icon=True, children=[solara.v.Icon(children=["mdi-send"])], disabled=message == "")
+        button = solara.v.Btn(color="primary", icon=True, children=[solara.v.Icon(children=["mdi-send"])], disabled=message == "" or disabled or disabled_send)
 
         use_change(button, send, update_events=["click"])
 
diff --git a/solara/website/pages/documentation/examples/ai/chatbot.py b/solara/website/pages/documentation/examples/ai/chatbot.py
index f22a7287f..c09bb33f2 100644
--- a/solara/website/pages/documentation/examples/ai/chatbot.py
+++ b/solara/website/pages/documentation/examples/ai/chatbot.py
@@ -108,4 +108,6 @@ def Page():
         if promt_ai.pending:
             solara.Text("I'm thinking...", style={"font-size": "1rem", "padding-left": "20px"})
             solara.ProgressLinear()
-        solara.lab.ChatInput(send_callback=promt_ai, disabled=promt_ai.pending)
+        # if we don't call .key(..) with a unique key, the ChatInput component will be re-created
+        # and we'll lose what we typed.
+        solara.lab.ChatInput(send_callback=promt_ai, disabled_send=promt_ai.pending, autofocus=True).key("input")