diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/common/commands.ts b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/common/commands.ts
index d5e9a6a3011..daa94b7370a 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/common/commands.ts
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/common/commands.ts
@@ -323,6 +323,7 @@ export type PackagingCommands = {
 
 export type ModelEditorCommands = {
   "codeQL.openModelEditor": () => Promise<void>;
+  "codeQL.openModelEditorFromModelingPanel": () => Promise<void>;
   "codeQLModelEditor.jumpToUsageLocation": (
     method: Method,
     usage: Usage,
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/common/interface-types.ts b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/common/interface-types.ts
index b5444eb0cbb..0c3f412ec7d 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/common/interface-types.ts
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/common/interface-types.ts
@@ -610,10 +610,15 @@ interface RevealInEditorMessage {
   method: Method;
 }
 
+interface StartModelingMessage {
+  t: "startModeling";
+}
+
 export type FromMethodModelingMessage =
   | CommonFromViewMessages
   | SetModeledMethodMessage
-  | RevealInEditorMessage;
+  | RevealInEditorMessage
+  | StartModelingMessage;
 
 interface SetMethodMessage {
   t: "setMethod";
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/common/vscode/abstract-webview-view-provider.ts b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/common/vscode/abstract-webview-view-provider.ts
index 05bcab3082a..83b07d974cb 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/common/vscode/abstract-webview-view-provider.ts
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/common/vscode/abstract-webview-view-provider.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ export abstract class AbstractWebviewViewProvider<
   private disposables: Disposable[] = [];
 
   constructor(
-    private readonly app: App,
+    protected readonly app: App,
     private readonly webviewKind: WebviewKind,
   ) {}
 
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/model-editor/method-modeling/method-modeling-view-provider.ts b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/model-editor/method-modeling/method-modeling-view-provider.ts
index 8b04153d601..7ce2376795f 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/model-editor/method-modeling/method-modeling-view-provider.ts
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/model-editor/method-modeling/method-modeling-view-provider.ts
@@ -92,6 +92,12 @@ export class MethodModelingViewProvider extends AbstractWebviewViewProvider<
         await this.revealInModelEditor(msg.method);
 
         break;
+
+      case "startModeling":
+        await this.app.commands.execute(
+          "codeQL.openModelEditorFromModelingPanel",
+        );
+        break;
       default:
         assertNever(msg);
     }
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/model-editor/model-editor-module.ts b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/model-editor/model-editor-module.ts
index bb4ee6bb86a..c5645de2cad 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/model-editor/model-editor-module.ts
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/model-editor/model-editor-module.ts
@@ -73,115 +73,9 @@ export class ModelEditorModule extends DisposableObject {
 
   public getCommands(): ModelEditorCommands {
     return {
-      "codeQL.openModelEditor": async () => {
-        const db = this.databaseManager.currentDatabaseItem;
-        if (!db) {
-          void showAndLogErrorMessage(this.app.logger, "No database selected");
-          return;
-        }
-
-        const language = db.language;
-        if (
-          !SUPPORTED_LANGUAGES.includes(language) ||
-          !isQueryLanguage(language)
-        ) {
-          void showAndLogErrorMessage(
-            this.app.logger,
-            `The CodeQL Model Editor is not supported for ${language} databases.`,
-          );
-          return;
-        }
-
-        return withProgress(
-          async (progress) => {
-            const maxStep = 4;
-
-            if (!(await this.cliServer.cliConstraints.supportsQlpacksKind())) {
-              void showAndLogErrorMessage(
-                this.app.logger,
-                `This feature requires CodeQL CLI version ${CliVersionConstraint.CLI_VERSION_WITH_QLPACKS_KIND.format()} or later.`,
-              );
-              return;
-            }
-
-            if (
-              !(await this.cliServer.cliConstraints.supportsResolveExtensions())
-            ) {
-              void showAndLogErrorMessage(
-                this.app.logger,
-                `This feature requires CodeQL CLI version ${CliVersionConstraint.CLI_VERSION_WITH_RESOLVE_EXTENSIONS.format()} or later.`,
-              );
-              return;
-            }
-
-            const modelFile = await pickExtensionPack(
-              this.cliServer,
-              db,
-              this.app.logger,
-              progress,
-              maxStep,
-            );
-            if (!modelFile) {
-              return;
-            }
-
-            progress({
-              message: "Installing dependencies...",
-              step: 3,
-              maxStep,
-            });
-
-            // Create new temporary directory for query files and pack dependencies
-            const { path: queryDir, cleanup: cleanupQueryDir } = await dir({
-              unsafeCleanup: true,
-            });
-
-            const success = await setUpPack(this.cliServer, queryDir, language);
-            if (!success) {
-              await cleanupQueryDir();
-              return;
-            }
-
-            progress({
-              message: "Opening editor...",
-              step: 4,
-              maxStep,
-            });
-
-            const view = new ModelEditorView(
-              this.app,
-              this.modelingStore,
-              this.editorViewTracker,
-              this.databaseManager,
-              this.cliServer,
-              this.queryRunner,
-              this.queryStorageDir,
-              queryDir,
-              db,
-              modelFile,
-              Mode.Application,
-            );
-
-            this.modelingStore.onDbClosed(async (dbUri) => {
-              if (dbUri === db.databaseUri.toString()) {
-                await cleanupQueryDir();
-              }
-            });
-
-            this.push(view);
-            this.push({
-              dispose(): void {
-                void cleanupQueryDir();
-              },
-            });
-
-            await view.openView();
-          },
-          {
-            title: "Opening CodeQL Model Editor",
-          },
-        );
-      },
+      "codeQL.openModelEditor": this.openModelEditor.bind(this),
+      "codeQL.openModelEditorFromModelingPanel":
+        this.openModelEditor.bind(this),
       "codeQLModelEditor.jumpToUsageLocation": async (
         method: Method,
         usage: Usage,
@@ -213,4 +107,116 @@ export class ModelEditorModule extends DisposableObject {
     await this.methodModelingPanel.setMethod(method);
     await showResolvableLocation(usage.url, databaseItem, this.app.logger);
   }
+
+  private async openModelEditor(): Promise<void> {
+    {
+      const db = this.databaseManager.currentDatabaseItem;
+      if (!db) {
+        void showAndLogErrorMessage(this.app.logger, "No database selected");
+        return;
+      }
+
+      const language = db.language;
+      if (
+        !SUPPORTED_LANGUAGES.includes(language) ||
+        !isQueryLanguage(language)
+      ) {
+        void showAndLogErrorMessage(
+          this.app.logger,
+          `The CodeQL Model Editor is not supported for ${language} databases.`,
+        );
+        return;
+      }
+
+      return withProgress(
+        async (progress) => {
+          const maxStep = 4;
+
+          if (!(await this.cliServer.cliConstraints.supportsQlpacksKind())) {
+            void showAndLogErrorMessage(
+              this.app.logger,
+              `This feature requires CodeQL CLI version ${CliVersionConstraint.CLI_VERSION_WITH_QLPACKS_KIND.format()} or later.`,
+            );
+            return;
+          }
+
+          if (
+            !(await this.cliServer.cliConstraints.supportsResolveExtensions())
+          ) {
+            void showAndLogErrorMessage(
+              this.app.logger,
+              `This feature requires CodeQL CLI version ${CliVersionConstraint.CLI_VERSION_WITH_RESOLVE_EXTENSIONS.format()} or later.`,
+            );
+            return;
+          }
+
+          const modelFile = await pickExtensionPack(
+            this.cliServer,
+            db,
+            this.app.logger,
+            progress,
+            maxStep,
+          );
+          if (!modelFile) {
+            return;
+          }
+
+          progress({
+            message: "Installing dependencies...",
+            step: 3,
+            maxStep,
+          });
+
+          // Create new temporary directory for query files and pack dependencies
+          const { path: queryDir, cleanup: cleanupQueryDir } = await dir({
+            unsafeCleanup: true,
+          });
+
+          const success = await setUpPack(this.cliServer, queryDir, language);
+          if (!success) {
+            await cleanupQueryDir();
+            return;
+          }
+
+          progress({
+            message: "Opening editor...",
+            step: 4,
+            maxStep,
+          });
+
+          const view = new ModelEditorView(
+            this.app,
+            this.modelingStore,
+            this.editorViewTracker,
+            this.databaseManager,
+            this.cliServer,
+            this.queryRunner,
+            this.queryStorageDir,
+            queryDir,
+            db,
+            modelFile,
+            Mode.Application,
+          );
+
+          this.modelingStore.onDbClosed(async (dbUri) => {
+            if (dbUri === db.databaseUri.toString()) {
+              await cleanupQueryDir();
+            }
+          });
+
+          this.push(view);
+          this.push({
+            dispose(): void {
+              void cleanupQueryDir();
+            },
+          });
+
+          await view.openView();
+        },
+        {
+          title: "Opening CodeQL Model Editor",
+        },
+      );
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/stories/common/ResponsiveContainer.stories.tsx b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/stories/common/ResponsiveContainer.stories.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5639d147b97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/stories/common/ResponsiveContainer.stories.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import * as React from "react";
+
+import { Meta, StoryFn } from "@storybook/react";
+
+import { ResponsiveContainer as ResponsiveContainerComponent } from "../../view/common/ResponsiveContainer";
+
+export default {
+  title: "Responsive Container",
+  component: ResponsiveContainerComponent,
+} as Meta<typeof ResponsiveContainerComponent>;
+
+const Template: StoryFn<typeof ResponsiveContainerComponent> = (args) => (
+  <ResponsiveContainerComponent>
+    <span>Hello</span>
+  </ResponsiveContainerComponent>
+);
+
+export const ResponsiveContainer = Template.bind({});
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/stories/method-modeling/NoMethodSelected.stories.tsx b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/stories/method-modeling/NoMethodSelected.stories.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4881702035c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/stories/method-modeling/NoMethodSelected.stories.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import * as React from "react";
+
+import { Meta, StoryFn } from "@storybook/react";
+
+import { NoMethodSelected as NoMethodSelectedComponent } from "../../view/method-modeling/NoMethodSelected";
+
+export default {
+  title: "Method Modeling/No Method Selected",
+  component: NoMethodSelectedComponent,
+} as Meta<typeof NoMethodSelectedComponent>;
+
+const Template: StoryFn<typeof NoMethodSelectedComponent> = () => (
+  <NoMethodSelectedComponent />
+);
+
+export const NoMethodSelected = Template.bind({});
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/stories/method-modeling/NotInModelingMode.stories.tsx b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/stories/method-modeling/NotInModelingMode.stories.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..654bbdb129b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/stories/method-modeling/NotInModelingMode.stories.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import * as React from "react";
+
+import { Meta, StoryFn } from "@storybook/react";
+
+import { NotInModelingMode as NotInModelingModeComponent } from "../../view/method-modeling/NotInModelingMode";
+
+export default {
+  title: "Method Modeling/Not In Modeling Mode",
+  component: NotInModelingModeComponent,
+} as Meta<typeof NotInModelingModeComponent>;
+
+const Template: StoryFn<typeof NotInModelingModeComponent> = () => (
+  <NotInModelingModeComponent />
+);
+
+export const NotInModelingMode = Template.bind({});
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/common/ResponsiveContainer.tsx b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/common/ResponsiveContainer.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5c73f582ecc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/common/ResponsiveContainer.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import { styled } from "styled-components";
+
+export const ResponsiveContainer = styled.div`
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  align-items: flex-start;
+  justify-content: flex-start;
+  height: 100vh;
+
+  @media (min-height: 300px) {
+    align-items: center;
+    justify-content: center;
+    text-align: center;
+  }
+`;
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/method-modeling/NoMethodSelected.tsx b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/method-modeling/NoMethodSelected.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bd4866d59ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/method-modeling/NoMethodSelected.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import * as React from "react";
+import { ResponsiveContainer } from "../common/ResponsiveContainer";
+
+export const NoMethodSelected = () => {
+  return (
+    <ResponsiveContainer>Select an API or method to model</ResponsiveContainer>
+  );
+};
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/method-modeling/NotInModelingMode.tsx b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/method-modeling/NotInModelingMode.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fa120c8a15a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/method-modeling/NotInModelingMode.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import * as React from "react";
+import { useCallback } from "react";
+import { vscode } from "../vscode-api";
+import { styled } from "styled-components";
+import TextButton from "../common/TextButton";
+import { ResponsiveContainer } from "../common/ResponsiveContainer";
+
+const Button = styled(TextButton)`
+  margin-top: 0.2rem;
+`;
+
+export const NotInModelingMode = () => {
+  const handleClick = useCallback(() => {
+    vscode.postMessage({
+      t: "startModeling",
+    });
+  }, []);
+
+  return (
+    <ResponsiveContainer>
+      <span>Not in modeling mode</span>
+      <Button onClick={handleClick}>Start modeling</Button>
+    </ResponsiveContainer>
+  );
+};