diff --git a/surfsense_web/app/dashboard/[search_space_id]/editor/[documentId]/page.tsx b/surfsense_web/app/dashboard/[search_space_id]/editor/[documentId]/page.tsx
index 8fc2fb825..235420fcb 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/app/dashboard/[search_space_id]/editor/[documentId]/page.tsx
+++ b/surfsense_web/app/dashboard/[search_space_id]/editor/[documentId]/page.tsx
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ export default function EditorPage() {
 		if (hasUnsavedChanges) {
 			setShowUnsavedDialog(true);
 		} else {
-			router.push(`/dashboard/${searchSpaceId}/researcher`);
+			router.push(`/dashboard/${searchSpaceId}/new-chat`);
 		}
 	};
 
@@ -333,12 +333,12 @@ export default function EditorPage() {
 		setGlobalHasUnsavedChanges(false);
 		setHasUnsavedChanges(false);
 
-		// If there's a pending navigation (from sidebar), use that; otherwise go back to researcher
+		// If there's a pending navigation (from sidebar), use that; otherwise go back to chat
 		if (pendingNavigation) {
 			router.push(pendingNavigation);
 			setPendingNavigation(null);
 		} else {
-			router.push(`/dashboard/${searchSpaceId}/researcher`);
+			router.push(`/dashboard/${searchSpaceId}/new-chat`);
 		}
 	};
 
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ export default function EditorPage() {
 						</CardHeader>
 						<CardContent>
 							<Button
-								onClick={() => router.push(`/dashboard/${searchSpaceId}/researcher`)}
+								onClick={() => router.push(`/dashboard/${searchSpaceId}/new-chat`)}
 								variant="outline"
 								className="gap-2"
 							>
diff --git a/surfsense_web/app/dashboard/[search_space_id]/new-chat/[[...chat_id]]/page.tsx b/surfsense_web/app/dashboard/[search_space_id]/new-chat/[[...chat_id]]/page.tsx
index a7fc23802..4a344ec36 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/app/dashboard/[search_space_id]/new-chat/[[...chat_id]]/page.tsx
+++ b/surfsense_web/app/dashboard/[search_space_id]/new-chat/[[...chat_id]]/page.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import {
 	useExternalStoreRuntime,
 } from "@assistant-ui/react";
 import { useAtomValue, useSetAtom } from "jotai";
-import { useParams, useRouter } from "next/navigation";
+import { useParams } from "next/navigation";
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { toast } from "sonner";
 import {
@@ -126,7 +126,6 @@ interface ThinkingStepData {
 
 export default function NewChatPage() {
 	const params = useParams();
-	const router = useRouter();
 	const [isInitializing, setIsInitializing] = useState(true);
 	const [threadId, setThreadId] = useState<number | null>(null);
 	const [messages, setMessages] = useState<ThreadMessageLike[]>([]);
@@ -168,6 +167,7 @@ export default function NewChatPage() {
 	}, [params.chat_id]);
 
 	// Initialize thread and load messages
+	// For new chats (no urlChatId), we use lazy creation - thread is created on first message
 	const initializeThread = useCallback(async () => {
 		setIsInitializing(true);
 
@@ -206,22 +206,20 @@ export default function NewChatPage() {
 						setMessageDocumentsMap(restoredDocsMap);
 					}
 				}
-			} else {
-				// Create new thread
-				const newThread = await createThread(searchSpaceId, "New Chat");
-				setThreadId(newThread.id);
-				router.replace(`/dashboard/${searchSpaceId}/new-chat/${newThread.id}`);
 			}
+			// For new chats (urlChatId === 0), don't create thread yet
+			// Thread will be created lazily when user sends first message
+			// This improves UX (instant load) and avoids orphan threads
 		} catch (error) {
 			console.error("[NewChatPage] Failed to initialize thread:", error);
 			// Keep threadId as null - don't use Date.now() as it creates an invalid ID
 			// that will cause 404 errors on subsequent API calls
 			setThreadId(null);
-			toast.error("Failed to initialize chat. Please try again.");
+			toast.error("Failed to load chat. Please try again.");
 		} finally {
 			setIsInitializing(false);
 		}
-	}, [urlChatId, searchSpaceId, router, setMessageDocumentsMap]);
+	}, [urlChatId, setMessageDocumentsMap]);
 
 	// Initialize on mount
 	useEffect(() => {
@@ -240,8 +238,6 @@ export default function NewChatPage() {
 	// Handle new message from user
 	const onNew = useCallback(
 		async (message: AppendMessage) => {
-			if (!threadId) return;
-
 			// Extract user query text from content parts
 			let userQuery = "";
 			for (const part of message.content) {
@@ -273,6 +269,27 @@ export default function NewChatPage() {
 				return;
 			}
 
+			// Lazy thread creation: create thread on first message if it doesn't exist
+			let currentThreadId = threadId;
+			if (!currentThreadId) {
+				try {
+					const newThread = await createThread(searchSpaceId, "New Chat");
+					currentThreadId = newThread.id;
+					setThreadId(currentThreadId);
+					// Update URL silently using browser API (not router.replace) to avoid
+					// interrupting the ongoing fetch/streaming with React navigation
+					window.history.replaceState(
+						null,
+						"",
+						`/dashboard/${searchSpaceId}/new-chat/${currentThreadId}`
+					);
+				} catch (error) {
+					console.error("[NewChatPage] Failed to create thread:", error);
+					toast.error("Failed to start chat. Please try again.");
+					return;
+				}
+			}
+
 			// Add user message to state
 			const userMsgId = `msg-user-${Date.now()}`;
 			const userMessage: ThreadMessageLike = {
@@ -311,7 +328,7 @@ export default function NewChatPage() {
 							},
 						]
 					: message.content;
-			appendMessage(threadId, {
+			appendMessage(currentThreadId, {
 				role: "user",
 				content: persistContent,
 			}).catch((err) => console.error("Failed to persist user message:", err));
@@ -468,7 +485,7 @@ export default function NewChatPage() {
 						Authorization: `Bearer ${token}`,
 					},
 					body: JSON.stringify({
-						chat_id: threadId,
+						chat_id: currentThreadId,
 						user_query: userQuery.trim(),
 						search_space_id: searchSpaceId,
 						messages: messageHistory,
@@ -601,7 +618,7 @@ export default function NewChatPage() {
 				// Persist assistant message (with thinking steps for restoration on refresh)
 				const finalContent = buildContentForPersistence();
 				if (contentParts.length > 0) {
-					appendMessage(threadId, {
+					appendMessage(currentThreadId, {
 						role: "assistant",
 						content: finalContent,
 					}).catch((err) => console.error("Failed to persist assistant message:", err));
@@ -678,7 +695,7 @@ export default function NewChatPage() {
 		},
 	});
 
-	// Show loading state
+	// Show loading state only when loading an existing thread
 	if (isInitializing) {
 		return (
 			<div className="flex h-[calc(100vh-64px)] items-center justify-center">
@@ -687,11 +704,12 @@ export default function NewChatPage() {
 		);
 	}
 
-	// Show error state if thread initialization failed
-	if (!threadId) {
+	// Show error state only if we tried to load an existing thread but failed
+	// For new chats (urlChatId === 0), threadId being null is expected (lazy creation)
+	if (!threadId && urlChatId > 0) {
 		return (
 			<div className="flex h-[calc(100vh-64px)] flex-col items-center justify-center gap-4">
-				<div className="text-destructive">Failed to initialize chat</div>
+				<div className="text-destructive">Failed to load chat</div>
 				<button
 					type="button"
 					onClick={() => {
diff --git a/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/thread.tsx b/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/thread.tsx
index 191d60338..7f6cedabc 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/thread.tsx
+++ b/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/thread.tsx
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ const getTimeBasedGreeting = (userEmail?: string): string => {
 		: null;
 
 	// Array of greeting variations for each time period
-	const morningGreetings = ["Good morning", "Rise and shine", "Morning", "Hey there"];
+	const morningGreetings = ["Good morning", "Fresh start today", "Morning", "Hey there"];
 
 	const afternoonGreetings = ["Good afternoon", "Afternoon", "Hey there", "Hi there"];
 
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ const getTimeBasedGreeting = (userEmail?: string): string => {
 
 	const nightGreetings = ["Good night", "Evening", "Hey there", "Winding down"];
 
-	const lateNightGreetings = ["Still up", "Night owl mode", "The night is young", "Hi there"];
+	const lateNightGreetings = ["Still up", "Night owl mode", "Up past bedtime", "Hi there"];
 
 	// Select a random greeting based on time
 	let greeting: string;
@@ -995,7 +995,7 @@ const UserMessage: FC = () => {
 		>
 			<UserMessageAttachments />
 
-			<div className="aui-user-message-content-wrapper relative col-start-2 min-w-0">
+			<div className="aui-user-message-content-wrapper col-start-2 min-w-0">
 				{/* Display mentioned documents as chips */}
 				{mentionedDocs && mentionedDocs.length > 0 && (
 					<div className="flex flex-wrap gap-1.5 mb-2 justify-end">
@@ -1011,11 +1011,14 @@ const UserMessage: FC = () => {
 						))}
 					</div>
 				)}
-				<div className="aui-user-message-content wrap-break-word rounded-2xl bg-muted px-4 py-2.5 text-foreground">
-					<MessagePrimitive.Parts />
-				</div>
-				<div className="aui-user-action-bar-wrapper -translate-x-full -translate-y-full absolute top-full left-0 pr-2">
-					<UserActionBar />
+				{/* Message bubble with action bar positioned relative to it */}
+				<div className="relative">
+					<div className="aui-user-message-content wrap-break-word rounded-2xl bg-muted px-4 py-2.5 text-foreground">
+						<MessagePrimitive.Parts />
+					</div>
+					<div className="aui-user-action-bar-wrapper absolute top-1/2 right-full -translate-y-1/2 pr-1">
+						<UserActionBar />
+					</div>
 				</div>
 			</div>
 
diff --git a/surfsense_web/components/dashboard-breadcrumb.tsx b/surfsense_web/components/dashboard-breadcrumb.tsx
index df1021762..619e13fc5 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/components/dashboard-breadcrumb.tsx
+++ b/surfsense_web/components/dashboard-breadcrumb.tsx
@@ -165,14 +165,11 @@ export function DashboardBreadcrumb() {
 					}
 
 					// Handle new-chat sub-sections (thread IDs)
+					// Don't show thread ID in breadcrumb - users identify chats by content, not by ID
 					if (section === "new-chat") {
 						breadcrumbs.push({
 							label: t("chat") || "Chat",
-							href: `/dashboard/${segments[1]}/new-chat`,
 						});
-						if (subSection) {
-							breadcrumbs.push({ label: `Thread ${subSection}` });
-						}
 						return breadcrumbs;
 					}
 
diff --git a/surfsense_web/components/new-chat/model-selector.tsx b/surfsense_web/components/new-chat/model-selector.tsx
index 5dcf3bafa..4268d998c 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/components/new-chat/model-selector.tsx
+++ b/surfsense_web/components/new-chat/model-selector.tsx
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ export function ModelSelector({ onEdit, onAddNew, className }: ModelSelectorProp
 					role="combobox"
 					aria-expanded={open}
 					className={cn(
-						"h-9 gap-2 px-3 rounded-xl border border-border/30 bg-background/50 backdrop-blur-sm",
+						"h-9 gap-2 px-3 rounded-xl border border-border/80 bg-background/50 backdrop-blur-sm",
 						"hover:bg-muted/80 hover:border-border/30 transition-all duration-200",
 						"text-sm font-medium text-foreground",
 						"focus-visible:ring-0 focus-visible:ring-offset-0",