diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/actions/scenario_actions.ts b/apps/rowboat/app/actions/scenario_actions.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index ded679dc..00000000
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/actions/scenario_actions.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,53 +0,0 @@
-'use server';
-import { ObjectId } from "mongodb";
-import { scenariosCollection } from "../lib/mongodb";
-import { z } from 'zod';
-import { WithStringId } from "../lib/types/types";
-import { Scenario } from "../lib/types/testing_types";
-import { projectAuthCheck } from "./project_actions";
-
-export async function getScenarios(projectId: string): Promise<WithStringId<z.infer<typeof Scenario>>[]> {
-    await projectAuthCheck(projectId);
-
-    const scenarios = await scenariosCollection.find({ projectId }).toArray();
-    return scenarios.map(s => ({ ...s, _id: s._id.toString() }));
-}
-
-export async function createScenario(projectId: string, name: string, description: string): Promise<string> {
-    await projectAuthCheck(projectId);
-
-    const now = new Date().toISOString();
-    const result = await scenariosCollection.insertOne({
-        projectId,
-        name,
-        description,
-        context: '',  // Always empty string
-        lastUpdatedAt: now,
-        createdAt: now,
-    });
-    return result.insertedId.toString();
-}
-
-export async function updateScenario(projectId: string, scenarioId: string, name: string, description: string) {
-    await projectAuthCheck(projectId);
-
-    await scenariosCollection.updateOne({
-        "_id": new ObjectId(scenarioId),
-        "projectId": projectId,
-    }, {
-        $set: {
-            name,
-            description,
-            lastUpdatedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
-        }
-    });
-}
-
-export async function deleteScenario(projectId: string, scenarioId: string) {
-    await projectAuthCheck(projectId);
-
-    await scenariosCollection.deleteOne({
-        "_id": new ObjectId(scenarioId),
-        "projectId": projectId,
-    });
-}
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/actions/simulation_actions.ts b/apps/rowboat/app/actions/simulation_actions.ts
index 2b1e939d..afdd3153 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/actions/simulation_actions.ts
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/actions/simulation_actions.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ export async function createScenario(projectId: string, name: string, descriptio
         name,
         description,
         context: '',
+        criteria: '',
         lastUpdatedAt: now,
         createdAt: now,
     });
@@ -56,7 +57,12 @@ export async function createScenario(projectId: string, name: string, descriptio
 export async function updateScenario(
     projectId: string,
     scenarioId: string,
-    updates: { name?: string; description?: string; context?: string }
+    updates: { 
+        name?: string; 
+        description?: string; 
+        context?: string;
+        criteria?: string;
+    }
 ): Promise<void> {
     await projectAuthCheck(projectId);
 
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/app.tsx b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/app.tsx
index 12014b86..d7b9528a 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/app.tsx
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/app.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import { PlaygroundChat } from "../../../lib/types/types";
 import { Workflow } from "../../../lib/types/workflow_types";
 import { SimulationData } from "../../../lib/types/testing_types";
 import { SimulationScenarioData } from "../../../lib/types/testing_types";
-import { SimulateScenarioOption, SimulateURLOption } from "./simulation-options";
 import { Chat } from "./chat";
 import { useSearchParams, useRouter } from "next/navigation";
 import { ActionButton, Pane } from "../workflow/pane";
@@ -36,7 +35,6 @@ export function App({
     const initialChatId = useMemo(() => searchParams.get('chatId'), [searchParams]);
     const [existingChatId, setExistingChatId] = useState<string | null>(initialChatId);
     const [loadingChat, setLoadingChat] = useState<boolean>(false);
-    const [viewSimulationMenu, setViewSimulationMenu] = useState<boolean>(false);
     const [counter, setCounter] = useState<number>(0);
     const [chat, setChat] = useState<z.infer<typeof PlaygroundChat>>({
         projectId,
@@ -48,7 +46,7 @@ export function App({
 
     const beginSimulation = useCallback((data: z.infer<typeof SimulationData>) => {
         setExistingChatId(null);
-        setViewSimulationMenu(false);
+        setLoadingChat(true);
         setCounter(counter + 1);
         setChat({
             projectId,
@@ -88,7 +86,7 @@ export function App({
 
     function handleNewChatButtonClick() {
         setExistingChatId(null);
-        setViewSimulationMenu(false);
+        setLoadingChat(true);
         setCounter(counter + 1);
         setChat({
             projectId,
@@ -100,7 +98,7 @@ export function App({
     }
 
     return (
-        <Pane title={viewSimulationMenu ? <SimulateLabel /> : "Chat"} actions={[
+        <Pane title="Chat" actions={[
             <ActionButton
                 key="new-chat"
                 icon={<MessageSquarePlusIcon size={16} />}
@@ -117,10 +115,10 @@ export function App({
             </ActionButton>,
         ]}>
             <div className="h-full overflow-auto">
-                {!viewSimulationMenu && loadingChat && <div className="flex justify-center items-center h-full">
+                {loadingChat && <div className="flex justify-center items-center h-full">
                     <Spinner />
                 </div>}
-                {!viewSimulationMenu && !loadingChat && <Chat
+                {!loadingChat && <Chat
                     key={existingChatId || 'chat-' + counter}
                     chat={chat}
                     initialChatId={existingChatId || null}
@@ -128,7 +126,6 @@ export function App({
                     workflow={workflow}
                     messageSubscriber={messageSubscriber}
                 />}
-                {viewSimulationMenu && <SimulateScenarioOption beginSimulation={beginSimulation} projectId={projectId} />}
             </div>
         </Pane>
     );
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/scenario-list.tsx b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/scenario-list.tsx
deleted file mode 100644
index ccc2fcba..00000000
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/scenario-list.tsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,245 +0,0 @@
-'use client';
-
-import { Button, Dropdown, DropdownItem, DropdownMenu, DropdownTrigger, Input, Spinner, Textarea } from "@nextui-org/react";
-import { useState, useEffect } from "react";
-import { getScenarios, createScenario, updateScenario, deleteScenario } from "../../../actions/scenario_actions";
-import { WithStringId } from "../../../lib/types/types";
-import { Scenario } from "../../../lib/types/testing_types";
-import { z } from "zod";
-import { EditableField } from "../../../lib/components/editable-field";
-import { EllipsisVerticalIcon, PlayIcon, PlusIcon } from "lucide-react";
-
-export function AddScenarioForm({
-    onAdd,
-}: {
-    onAdd: (name: string, description: string) => Promise<void>;
-}) {
-    const [name, setName] = useState("");
-    const [description, setDescription] = useState("");
-    const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
-    const [saving, setSaving] = useState(false);
-
-    const handleAdd = async () => {
-        if (!name.trim() || !description.trim()) {
-            setError("Name and description are required");
-            return;
-        }
-
-        try {
-            setSaving(true);
-            await onAdd(name.trim(), description.trim());
-            setName("");
-            setDescription("");
-            setError(null);
-        } catch (e) {
-            setError(e instanceof Error ? e.message : "Invalid input");
-        } finally {
-            setSaving(false);
-        }
-    };
-
-    return <div className="flex flex-col gap-2 border rounded-lg p-4 shadow-sm">
-        <div className="font-semibold text-gray-500">Add scenario</div>
-        <Input
-            label="Scenario Name"
-            labelPlacement="outside"
-            value={name}
-            placeholder="Provide a name for the scenario"
-            size="sm"
-            variant="bordered"
-            onChange={(e) => setName(e.target.value)}
-            isInvalid={!!error}
-            required
-        />
-        <Textarea
-            label="Scenario Description"
-            labelPlacement="outside"
-            value={description}
-            placeholder="Describe the test scenario"
-            size="sm"
-            variant="bordered"
-            onChange={(e) => setDescription(e.target.value)}
-            isInvalid={!!error}
-            required
-        />
-        {error && <div className="text-red-500 text-sm">{error}</div>}
-        <Button
-            onClick={handleAdd}
-            isLoading={saving}
-            isDisabled={saving || !name.trim() || !description.trim()}
-            size="sm"
-            className="self-start"
-            variant="bordered"
-            startContent={
-                <PlusIcon size={16} />
-            }
-        >
-            Add scenario
-        </Button>
-    </div>
-}
-
-export function ScenarioList({
-    projectId,
-    onPlay,
-}: {
-    projectId: string;
-    onPlay: (scenario: z.infer<typeof Scenario>) => void;
-}) {
-    const [scenarios, setScenarios] = useState<WithStringId<z.infer<typeof Scenario> & {
-        tmp?: boolean;
-    }>[]>([]);
-    const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
-    const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);
-    const [saving, setSaving] = useState(false);
-    const [tmpScenarioId, setTmpScenarioId] = useState<number>(0);
-    const [showAddForm, setShowAddForm] = useState(false);
-
-    useEffect(() => {
-        getScenarios(projectId)
-            .then(setScenarios)
-            .finally(() => setLoading(false));
-    }, [projectId]);
-
-    async function handleAddScenario(name: string, description: string) {
-        try {
-            const tmpId = 'tmp-' + tmpScenarioId;
-            setTmpScenarioId(tmpScenarioId + 1);
-            setSaving(true);
-            setShowAddForm(false);
-            setScenarios([...scenarios, {
-                _id: tmpId,
-                name,
-                description,
-                context: '',
-                projectId,
-                createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
-                lastUpdatedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
-                tmp: true,
-            }]);
-            const id = await createScenario(projectId, name, description);
-            setScenarios([...scenarios, {
-                _id: id,
-                name,
-                description,
-                context: '',
-                projectId,
-                createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
-                lastUpdatedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
-                tmp: false,
-            }]);
-            setError(null);
-        } catch (e) {
-            setError(e instanceof Error ? e.message : "Invalid input");
-        } finally {
-            setSaving(false);
-        }
-    };
-
-    async function handleEditScenario(scenarioId: string, name: string, description: string) {
-        setSaving(true);
-        setScenarios(scenarios.map(scenario => 
-            scenario._id === scenarioId 
-                ? { ...scenario, name, description, context: scenario.context }
-                : scenario
-        ));
-        await updateScenario(projectId, scenarioId, name, description);
-        setSaving(false);
-    }
-
-    async function handleDeleteScenario(scenarioId: string) {
-        setSaving(true);
-        setScenarios(scenarios.filter(scenario => scenario._id !== scenarioId));
-        await deleteScenario(projectId, scenarioId);
-        setSaving(false);
-    }
-
-    return (
-        <div className="flex flex-col gap-4">
-            <div className="flex justify-between gap-2 items-center">
-                <div className="font-semibold text-gray-500">Scenarios</div>
-                {saving && <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
-                    <Spinner />
-                    <div className="text-sm text-gray-500">Saving...</div>
-                </div>}
-                {!showAddForm && <Button
-                    onClick={() => setShowAddForm(true)}
-                    size="sm"
-                    variant="bordered"
-                >
-                    Add scenario
-                </Button>}
-            </div>
-            {loading && <div className="flex justify-center items-center p-8 gap-2">
-                <Spinner size="sm" />
-                <div className="text-sm text-gray-500">Loading scenarios...</div>
-            </div>}
-
-            {showAddForm && <AddScenarioForm onAdd={handleAddScenario} />}
-
-            {!loading && scenarios.length === 0 && <div className="flex justify-center items-center p-8 gap-2">
-                <div className="text-sm text-gray-500">No scenarios added</div>
-            </div>}
-
-            {scenarios.length > 0 && <div className="flex flex-col gap-2">
-                {scenarios.map((scenario) => (
-                    <div key={scenario._id} className="flex flex-col gap-1 rounded-md shadow-sm border border-gray-300">
-                        <div className="flex justify-between items-start">
-                            <div className="grow font-semibold text-lg">
-                                <EditableField
-                                    key={'name'}
-                                    placeholder="Scenario Name"
-                                    value={scenario.name}
-                                    onChange={(value) => handleEditScenario(scenario._id, value, scenario.description)}
-                                    locked={scenario.tmp}
-                                />
-                            </div>
-                            <div className="shrink-0 flex items-center mr-2 bg-gray-100 p-1 rounded-b-md">
-                                <button
-                                    className="p-1 flex items-center gap-1 text-gray-500 hover:text-blue-500"
-                                    onClick={() => onPlay(scenario)}
-                                >
-                                    <PlayIcon size={16} />
-                                    <div className="text-sm font-semibold">Run</div>
-                                </button>
-                                <Dropdown>
-                                    <DropdownTrigger>
-                                        <button className="p-1 flex items-center gap-1 text-gray-500 hover:text-gray-700">
-                                            <EllipsisVerticalIcon size={16} />
-                                        </button>
-                                    </DropdownTrigger>
-                                    <DropdownMenu
-                                        disabledKeys={scenario.tmp ? ['delete'] : ['']}
-                                        onAction={(key) => {
-                                            if (key === 'delete') {
-                                                handleDeleteScenario(scenario._id);
-                                            }
-                                        }}
-                                    >
-                                        <DropdownItem
-                                            key="delete"
-                                            color="danger"
-                                        >
-                                            Delete
-                                        </DropdownItem>
-                                    </DropdownMenu>
-                                </Dropdown>
-                            </div>
-                        </div>
-                        <EditableField
-                            key={'description'}
-                            multiline
-                            markdown
-                            light
-                            placeholder="Scenario Description"
-                            value={scenario.description}
-                            onChange={(value) => handleEditScenario(scenario._id, scenario.name, value)}
-                            locked={scenario.tmp}
-                        />
-                    </div>
-                ))}
-            </div>}
-
-        </div>
-    );
-}
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/simulation-options.tsx b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/simulation-options.tsx
deleted file mode 100644
index 2ecedcec..00000000
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/simulation-options.tsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,108 +0,0 @@
-'use client';
-import { Input, Textarea } from "@nextui-org/react";
-import { FormStatusButton } from "../../../lib/components/FormStatusButton";
-import { SimulationData } from "../../../lib/types/testing_types";
-import { z } from "zod";
-import { scrapeWebpage } from "../../../actions/actions";
-import { ScenarioList } from "./scenario-list";
-
-export function SimulateURLOption({
-    projectId,
-    beginSimulation,
-}: {
-    projectId: string;
-    beginSimulation: (data: z.infer<typeof SimulationData>) => void;
-}) {
-    function handleUrlSimulationSubmit(formData: FormData) {
-        const url = formData.get('url') as string;
-        // fetch article content and title
-        scrapeWebpage(url).then((result) => {
-            beginSimulation({
-                articleUrl: url,
-                articleContent: result.content,
-                articleTitle: result.title,
-            });
-        });
-    }
-    return <form action={handleUrlSimulationSubmit} className="flex flex-col gap-2">
-        <div>Use a URL / article link:</div>
-        <input type="hidden" name="projectId" value={projectId} />
-        <Input
-            variant="bordered"
-            placeholder="https://acme.com/articles/product-detiails"
-            name="url"
-            required
-            endContent={<FormStatusButton
-                props={{
-                    type: "submit",
-                    endContent: <svg className="w-6 h-6" aria-hidden="true" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 24 24">
-                        <path stroke="currentColor" strokeLinecap="round" strokeLinejoin="round" strokeWidth="1" d="M19 12H5m14 0-4 4m4-4-4-4" />
-                    </svg>,
-                    children: "Go"
-                }}
-            />}
-        />
-    </form>;
-}
-
-export function SimulateScenarioOption({
-    projectId,
-    beginSimulation,
-}: {
-    projectId: string;
-    beginSimulation: (data: z.infer<typeof SimulationData>) => void;
-}) {
-    return (
-        <ScenarioList
-            projectId={projectId}
-            onPlay={(scenario) => beginSimulation({
-                scenario: scenario.description,
-                context: scenario.context,
-            })}
-        />
-    );
-}
-
-export function SimulateChatContextOption({
-    projectId,
-    beginSimulation,
-}: {
-    projectId: string;
-    beginSimulation: (data: z.infer<typeof SimulationData>) => void;
-}) {
-    function handleChatContextSimulationSubmit(formData: FormData) {
-        beginSimulation({
-            chatMessages: formData.get('context') as string,
-        });
-    }
-    return <form action={handleChatContextSimulationSubmit} className="flex flex-col gap-2">
-        <div>Use a previous chat context:</div>
-        <input type="hidden" name="projectId" value={projectId} />
-        <Textarea
-            variant="bordered"
-            minRows={3}
-            maxRows={10}
-            required
-            name="context"
-            placeholder={JSON.stringify([
-                {
-                    "role": "assistant",
-                    "content": "Hello! How can I help you today?"
-                },
-                {
-                    "role": "user",
-                    "content": "Hello! I need help with..."
-                }
-            ], null, 2)}
-            endContent={<FormStatusButton
-                props={{
-                    type: "submit",
-                    endContent: <svg className="w-6 h-6" aria-hidden="true" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 24 24">
-                        <path stroke="currentColor" strokeLinecap="round" strokeLinejoin="round" strokeWidth="1" d="M19 12H5m14 0-4 4m4-4-4-4" />
-                    </svg>,
-                    children: "Go"
-                }}
-            />}
-        />
-    </form>;
-}
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/simulation/app.tsx b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/simulation/app.tsx
index 0196e59d..b8e7d8ac 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/simulation/app.tsx
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/simulation/app.tsx
@@ -214,8 +214,10 @@ export default function SimulationApp() {
       );
       setActiveRun(newRun);
 
-      // Check for the NEXT_PUBLIC_ prefixed env variable
-      if (process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_MOCK_SIMULATION_RESULTS === 'true') {
+      // Safely check for mock simulation flag
+      const shouldMock = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_MOCK_SIMULATION_RESULTS === 'true';
+      
+      if (shouldMock) {
         console.log('Using mock simulation...');  // Debug log
         
         // First update run to 'running' status
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/simulation/components/ScenarioComponents.tsx b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/simulation/components/ScenarioComponents.tsx
index ebdd5080..75ee547a 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/simulation/components/ScenarioComponents.tsx
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/simulation/components/ScenarioComponents.tsx
@@ -20,16 +20,26 @@ export function ScenarioViewer({ scenario, onSave, onClose }: ScenarioViewerProp
   const [criteria, setCriteria] = useState(scenario.criteria || '');
   const [context, setContext] = useState(scenario.context || '');
 
-  // Save changes whenever any field changes
+  // Replace the existing useEffect with this debounced version
   useEffect(() => {
-    onSave({
-      ...scenario,
-      name,
-      description,
-      criteria,
-      context,
-    });
-  }, [name, description, criteria, context]);
+    const timeoutId = setTimeout(() => {
+      // Only save if any value has actually changed
+      if (name !== scenario.name ||
+          description !== scenario.description ||
+          criteria !== scenario.criteria ||
+          context !== scenario.context) {
+        onSave({
+          ...scenario,
+          name,
+          description,
+          criteria,
+          context,
+        });
+      }
+    }, 500); // 500ms debounce
+
+    return () => clearTimeout(timeoutId);
+  }, [name, description, criteria, context, onSave, scenario]);
 
   return (
     <div>