diff --git a/shiny/ui/_chat.py b/shiny/ui/_chat.py
index b4024f4f3..5a0ded26d 100644
--- a/shiny/ui/_chat.py
+++ b/shiny/ui/_chat.py
@@ -1434,6 +1434,14 @@ def chat_ui(
 
     id = resolve_id(id)
 
+    icon_attr = None
+    if icon_assistant is not None:
+        icon_attr = str(icon_assistant)
+
+    icon_deps = None
+    if isinstance(icon_assistant, (Tag, TagList)):
+        icon_deps = icon_assistant.get_dependencies()
+
     message_tags: list[Tag] = []
     if messages is None:
         messages = []
@@ -1462,13 +1470,10 @@ def chat_ui(
                 tag_name,
                 ui["dependencies"],
                 content=ui["html"],
+                icon=icon_attr,
             )
         )
 
-    html_deps = None
-    if isinstance(icon_assistant, (Tag, TagList)):
-        html_deps = icon_assistant.get_dependencies()
-
     res = Tag(
         "shiny-chat-container",
         Tag("shiny-chat-messages", *message_tags),
@@ -1478,7 +1483,7 @@ def chat_ui(
             placeholder=placeholder,
         ),
         chat_deps(),
-        html_deps,
+        icon_deps,
         {
             "style": css(
                 width=as_css_unit(width),
@@ -1488,7 +1493,9 @@ def chat_ui(
         id=id,
         placeholder=placeholder,
         fill=fill,
-        icon_assistant=str(icon_assistant) if icon_assistant is not None else None,
+        # Also include icon on the parent so that when messages are dynamically added,
+        # we know the default icon has changed
+        icon_assistant=icon_attr,
         **kwargs,
     )
 
diff --git a/tests/playwright/shiny/components/chat/icon/app.py b/tests/playwright/shiny/components/chat/icon/app.py
index 035b8a539..4908fff2d 100644
--- a/tests/playwright/shiny/components/chat/icon/app.py
+++ b/tests/playwright/shiny/components/chat/icon/app.py
@@ -31,19 +31,14 @@ async def handle_user_input_default(user_input: str):
         await chat_default.append_message(f"You said: {user_input}")
 
     # Animal Bot ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-    chat_animal = ui.Chat(
-        id="chat_animal",
-        messages=[
-            {
-                "content": "Hello! I'm Animal Bot. How can I help you today?",
-                "role": "assistant",
-            },
-        ],
-    )
+    chat_animal = ui.Chat(id="chat_animal")
 
     with ui.div():
         ui.h2("Animal Bot")
-        chat_animal.ui(icon_assistant=faicons.icon_svg("otter").add_class("icon-otter"))
+        chat_animal.ui(
+            messages=["Hello! I'm Animal Bot. How can I help you today?"],
+            icon_assistant=faicons.icon_svg("otter").add_class("icon-otter"),
+        )
         ui.input_select("animal", "Animal", choices=["Otter", "Hippo", "Frog", "Dove"])
 
     @chat_animal.on_user_submit
@@ -68,42 +63,30 @@ async def handle_user_input_otter(user_input: str):
     </svg>
     """
 
-    chat_svg = ui.Chat(
-        id="chat_svg",
-        messages=[
-            {
-                "content": "Hello! I'm SVG Bot. How can I help you today?",
-                "role": "assistant",
-            },
-        ],
-    )
+    chat_svg = ui.Chat(id="chat_svg")
 
     with ui.div():
         ui.h2("SVG Bot")
-        chat_svg.ui(icon_assistant=ui.HTML(bs_icon_info_circle_fill))
+        chat_svg.ui(
+            messages=["Hello! I'm SVG Bot. How can I help you today?"],
+            icon_assistant=ui.HTML(bs_icon_info_circle_fill),
+        )
 
     @chat_svg.on_user_submit
     async def handle_user_input_svg(user_input: str):
         await chat_svg.append_message(f"You said: {user_input}")
 
     # Image Bot -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-    chat_image = ui.Chat(
-        id="chat_image",
-        messages=[
-            {
-                "content": "Hello! I'm Image Bot. How can I help you today?",
-                "role": "assistant",
-            },
-        ],
-    )
+    chat_image = ui.Chat(id="chat_image")
 
     with ui.div():
         ui.h2("Image Bot")
         chat_image.ui(
+            messages=["Hello! I'm Image Bot. How can I help you today?"],
             icon_assistant=ui.img(
                 src="img/grace-hopper.jpg",
                 class_="icon-image grace-hopper",
-            )
+            ),
         )
         ui.input_select("image", "Image", choices=["Grace Hopper", "Shiny"])