diff --git a/surfsense_web/atoms/tabs/tabs.atom.ts b/surfsense_web/atoms/tabs/tabs.atom.ts
index 7ba115a95..bb747f032 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/atoms/tabs/tabs.atom.ts
+++ b/surfsense_web/atoms/tabs/tabs.atom.ts
@@ -128,6 +128,21 @@ export const updateChatTabTitleAtom = atom(
 	(get, set, { chatId, title }: { chatId: number; title: string }) => {
 		const state = get(tabsStateAtom);
 		const tabId = makeChatTabId(chatId);
+		const hasExactTab = state.tabs.some((t) => t.id === tabId);
+
+		// During lazy thread creation, title updates can arrive before "chat-new"
+		// is swapped to chat-{id}. In that case, promote the active "chat-new" tab.
+		if (!hasExactTab && state.activeTabId === "chat-new") {
+			set(tabsStateAtom, {
+				...state,
+				activeTabId: tabId,
+				tabs: state.tabs.map((t) =>
+					t.id === "chat-new" ? { ...t, id: tabId, chatId, title } : t
+				),
+			});
+			return;
+		}
+
 		set(tabsStateAtom, {
 			...state,
 			tabs: state.tabs.map((t) => (t.id === tabId ? { ...t, title } : t)),
@@ -213,6 +228,34 @@ export const closeTabAtom = atom(null, (get, set, tabId: string) => {
 	return remaining.find((t) => t.id === newActiveId) ?? null;
 });
 
+/** Remove a chat tab by chat ID (used when a chat is deleted). */
+export const removeChatTabAtom = atom(null, (get, set, chatId: number) => {
+	const state = get(tabsStateAtom);
+	const tabId = makeChatTabId(chatId);
+	const idx = state.tabs.findIndex((t) => t.id === tabId);
+	if (idx === -1) return null;
+
+	const remaining = state.tabs.filter((t) => t.id !== tabId);
+
+	// Always keep at least one tab available.
+	if (remaining.length === 0) {
+		set(tabsStateAtom, {
+			tabs: [INITIAL_CHAT_TAB],
+			activeTabId: "chat-new",
+		});
+		return INITIAL_CHAT_TAB;
+	}
+
+	let newActiveId = state.activeTabId;
+	if (state.activeTabId === tabId) {
+		const newIdx = Math.min(idx, remaining.length - 1);
+		newActiveId = remaining[newIdx].id;
+	}
+
+	set(tabsStateAtom, { tabs: remaining, activeTabId: newActiveId });
+	return remaining.find((t) => t.id === newActiveId) ?? null;
+});
+
 /** Reset tabs when switching search spaces. */
 export const resetTabsAtom = atom(null, (_get, set) => {
 	set(tabsStateAtom, { ...initialState });
diff --git a/surfsense_web/components/layout/providers/LayoutDataProvider.tsx b/surfsense_web/components/layout/providers/LayoutDataProvider.tsx
index 57a0f89cf..f611c1861 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/components/layout/providers/LayoutDataProvider.tsx
+++ b/surfsense_web/components/layout/providers/LayoutDataProvider.tsx
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import {
 	teamDialogAtom,
 	userSettingsDialogAtom,
 } from "@/atoms/settings/settings-dialog.atoms";
-import { resetTabsAtom, syncChatTabAtom, type Tab } from "@/atoms/tabs/tabs.atom";
+import { removeChatTabAtom, resetTabsAtom, syncChatTabAtom, type Tab } from "@/atoms/tabs/tabs.atom";
 import { currentUserAtom } from "@/atoms/user/user-query.atoms";
 import { MorePagesDialog } from "@/components/settings/more-pages-dialog";
 import { SearchSpaceSettingsDialog } from "@/components/settings/search-space-settings-dialog";
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ export function LayoutDataProvider({ searchSpaceId, children }: LayoutDataProvid
 	const resetCurrentThread = useSetAtom(resetCurrentThreadAtom);
 	const syncChatTab = useSetAtom(syncChatTabAtom);
 	const resetTabs = useSetAtom(resetTabsAtom);
+	const removeChatTab = useSetAtom(removeChatTabAtom);
 
 	// State for handling new chat navigation when router is out of sync
 	const [pendingNewChat, setPendingNewChat] = useState(false);
@@ -325,7 +326,8 @@ export function LayoutDataProvider({ searchSpaceId, children }: LayoutDataProvid
 		const thread = threadsData?.threads?.find((t) => t.id === chatId);
 		syncChatTab({
 			chatId,
-			title: thread?.title || (chatId ? `Chat ${chatId}` : "New Chat"),
+			// Avoid overwriting live SSE-updated tab titles with fallback values.
+			title: chatId ? (thread?.title ?? undefined) : "New Chat",
 			chatUrl,
 		});
 	}, [currentChatId, searchSpaceId, threadsData?.threads, syncChatTab]);
@@ -637,6 +639,7 @@ export function LayoutDataProvider({ searchSpaceId, children }: LayoutDataProvid
 		setIsDeletingChat(true);
 		try {
 			await deleteThread(chatToDelete.id);
+			removeChatTab(chatToDelete.id);
 			queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["threads", searchSpaceId] });
 			if (currentChatId === chatToDelete.id) {
 				resetCurrentThread();
@@ -664,6 +667,7 @@ export function LayoutDataProvider({ searchSpaceId, children }: LayoutDataProvid
 		currentThreadState.id,
 		params?.chat_id,
 		router,
+		removeChatTab,
 	]);
 
 	// Rename handler
diff --git a/surfsense_web/components/layout/ui/sidebar/AllPrivateChatsSidebar.tsx b/surfsense_web/components/layout/ui/sidebar/AllPrivateChatsSidebar.tsx
index b00f701c4..4a359859a 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/components/layout/ui/sidebar/AllPrivateChatsSidebar.tsx
+++ b/surfsense_web/components/layout/ui/sidebar/AllPrivateChatsSidebar.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 "use client";
 
 import { useQuery, useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+import { useSetAtom } from "jotai";
 import { format } from "date-fns";
 import {
 	ArchiveIcon,
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ import { Tooltip, TooltipContent, TooltipTrigger } from "@/components/ui/tooltip
 import { useDebouncedValue } from "@/hooks/use-debounced-value";
 import { useLongPress } from "@/hooks/use-long-press";
 import { useIsMobile } from "@/hooks/use-mobile";
+import { removeChatTabAtom } from "@/atoms/tabs/tabs.atom";
 import {
 	deleteThread,
 	fetchThreads,
@@ -70,6 +72,7 @@ export function AllPrivateChatsSidebarContent({
 	const params = useParams();
 	const queryClient = useQueryClient();
 	const isMobile = useIsMobile();
+	const removeChatTab = useSetAtom(removeChatTabAtom);
 
 	const currentChatId = Array.isArray(params.chat_id)
 		? Number(params.chat_id[0])
@@ -158,6 +161,7 @@ export function AllPrivateChatsSidebarContent({
 			setDeletingThreadId(threadId);
 			try {
 				await deleteThread(threadId);
+				removeChatTab(threadId);
 				toast.success(t("chat_deleted") || "Chat deleted successfully");
 				queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["all-threads", searchSpaceId] });
 				queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["search-threads", searchSpaceId] });
@@ -176,7 +180,7 @@ export function AllPrivateChatsSidebarContent({
 				setDeletingThreadId(null);
 			}
 		},
-		[queryClient, searchSpaceId, t, currentChatId, router, onOpenChange]
+		[queryClient, searchSpaceId, t, currentChatId, router, onOpenChange, removeChatTab]
 	);
 
 	const handleToggleArchive = useCallback(
diff --git a/surfsense_web/components/layout/ui/sidebar/AllSharedChatsSidebar.tsx b/surfsense_web/components/layout/ui/sidebar/AllSharedChatsSidebar.tsx
index d8289d1e9..6e7828116 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/components/layout/ui/sidebar/AllSharedChatsSidebar.tsx
+++ b/surfsense_web/components/layout/ui/sidebar/AllSharedChatsSidebar.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 "use client";
 
 import { useQuery, useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+import { useSetAtom } from "jotai";
 import { format } from "date-fns";
 import {
 	ArchiveIcon,
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ import { Tooltip, TooltipContent, TooltipTrigger } from "@/components/ui/tooltip
 import { useDebouncedValue } from "@/hooks/use-debounced-value";
 import { useLongPress } from "@/hooks/use-long-press";
 import { useIsMobile } from "@/hooks/use-mobile";
+import { removeChatTabAtom } from "@/atoms/tabs/tabs.atom";
 import {
 	deleteThread,
 	fetchThreads,
@@ -70,6 +72,7 @@ export function AllSharedChatsSidebarContent({
 	const params = useParams();
 	const queryClient = useQueryClient();
 	const isMobile = useIsMobile();
+	const removeChatTab = useSetAtom(removeChatTabAtom);
 
 	const currentChatId = Array.isArray(params.chat_id)
 		? Number(params.chat_id[0])
@@ -158,6 +161,7 @@ export function AllSharedChatsSidebarContent({
 			setDeletingThreadId(threadId);
 			try {
 				await deleteThread(threadId);
+				removeChatTab(threadId);
 				toast.success(t("chat_deleted") || "Chat deleted successfully");
 				queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["all-threads", searchSpaceId] });
 				queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["search-threads", searchSpaceId] });
@@ -176,7 +180,7 @@ export function AllSharedChatsSidebarContent({
 				setDeletingThreadId(null);
 			}
 		},
-		[queryClient, searchSpaceId, t, currentChatId, router, onOpenChange]
+		[queryClient, searchSpaceId, t, currentChatId, router, onOpenChange, removeChatTab]
 	);
 
 	const handleToggleArchive = useCallback(