diff --git a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/TopLevelViewModel.cs b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/TopLevelViewModel.cs
index dabfdca3f6..6d78d95180 100644
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/TopLevelViewModel.cs
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/TopLevelViewModel.cs
@@ -63,9 +63,13 @@ public sealed partial class TopLevelViewModel : ObservableObject, IListItem
                                                         {
                                                             return item as IContextItem;
                                                         }
+                                                        else if (item is CommandContextItemViewModel commandItem)
+                                                        {
+                                                            return commandItem.Model.Unsafe;
+                                                        }
                                                         else
                                                         {
-                                                            return ((CommandContextItemViewModel)item).Model.Unsafe;
+                                                            return null;
                                                         }
                                                     }).ToArray();
 
diff --git a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Converters/ContextItemTemplateSelector.cs b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Converters/ContextItemTemplateSelector.cs
index d2af6ca6d6..aec50163db 100644
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Converters/ContextItemTemplateSelector.cs
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Converters/ContextItemTemplateSelector.cs
@@ -33,9 +33,14 @@ internal sealed partial class ContextItemTemplateSelector : DataTemplateSelector
                 li.AllowFocusOnInteraction = false;
                 dataTemplate = Separator;
             }
+            else if (item is CommandContextItemViewModel commandItem)
+            {
+                dataTemplate = commandItem.IsCritical ? Critical : Default;
+            }
             else
             {
-                dataTemplate = ((CommandContextItemViewModel)item).IsCritical ? Critical : Default;
+                // Fallback for unknown types
+                dataTemplate = Default;
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/rd.xml b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/rd.xml
index f8dc5641af..3a0f03917f 100644
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/rd.xml
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/rd.xml
@@ -2,6 +2,22 @@
 	<Application>
 		<Assembly Name="Microsoft.WinUI">
 			<Type Name="Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Controls.FontIconSource" Dynamic="Required All" />
+			<Type Name="Microsoft.UI.Xaml.DataTemplate" Dynamic="Required All" />
+			<Type Name="Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Controls.DataTemplateSelector" Dynamic="Required All" />
+			<Type Name="Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Controls.ListViewItem" Dynamic="Required All" />
+		</Assembly>
+		
+		<!-- Add ViewModel types for AOT compatibility -->
+		<Assembly Name="Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.ViewModels">
+			<Type Name="Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.ViewModels.CommandContextItemViewModel" Dynamic="Required All" />
+			<Type Name="Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.ViewModels.SeparatorContextItemViewModel" Dynamic="Required All" />
+			<Type Name="Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.ViewModels.IContextItemViewModel" Dynamic="Required All" />
+			<Type Name="Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.ViewModels.CommandItemViewModel" Dynamic="Required All" />
+		</Assembly>
+		
+		<!-- Add UI types for AOT compatibility -->
+		<Assembly Name="Microsoft.CmdPal.UI">
+			<Type Name="Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ContextItemTemplateSelector" Dynamic="Required All" />
 		</Assembly>
 	</Application>
 </Directives>