diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/lib/agents.ts b/apps/rowboat/app/lib/agents.ts
index 60b2ae09..35d5ca8c 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/lib/agents.ts
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/lib/agents.ts
@@ -743,21 +743,20 @@ function ensureSystemMessage(logger: PrefixLogger, messages: z.infer<typeof Mess
     logger = logger.child(`ensureSystemMessage`);
 
     // ensure that a system message is set
-    if (messages.length > 0 && messages[0]?.role !== 'system') {
+    if (messages[0]?.role !== 'system') {
         messages.unshift({
             role: 'system',
-            content: 'You are a helpful assistant.',
+            content: '',
         });
         logger.log(`added system message: ${messages[0]?.content}`);
     }
 
     // ensure that system message isn't blank
-    if (messages.length > 0 && messages[0]?.role === 'system' && !messages[0].content) {
+    if (!messages[0].content) {
         const defaultContext = `You are a helpful assistant.
 
 Basic context:
-    - Today's date is ${new Date().toLocaleDateString()}
-    - Current time is ${new Date().toLocaleTimeString()}.`;
+    - The date-time right now is ${new Date().toISOString()}`;
         
         messages[0].content = defaultContext;
         logger.log(`updated system message with default context: ${messages[0].content}`);
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/lib/types/types.ts b/apps/rowboat/app/lib/types/types.ts
index dab9bdde..c03e9ffd 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/lib/types/types.ts
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/lib/types/types.ts
@@ -129,18 +129,6 @@ export const User = z.object({
     updatedAt: z.string().datetime(),
 });
 
-export const PlaygroundChat = z.object({
-    createdAt: z.string().datetime(),
-    projectId: z.string(),
-    title: z.string().optional(),
-    messages: z.array(Message),
-    simulated: z.boolean().default(false).optional(),
-    simulationScenario: z.string().optional(),
-    simulationComplete: z.boolean().default(false).optional(),
-    agenticState: z.unknown().optional(),
-    systemMessage: z.string().optional(),
-});
-
 export const Webpage = z.object({
     _id: z.string(),
     title: z.string(),
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/app.tsx b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/app.tsx
index bb7491a3..369cf980 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/app.tsx
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/app.tsx
@@ -1,25 +1,19 @@
 'use client';
 import { useState, useCallback, useRef } from "react";
 import { z } from "zod";
-import { MCPServer, Message, PlaygroundChat } from "@/app/lib/types/types";
-import { Workflow, WorkflowTool } from "@/app/lib/types/workflow_types";
+import { Message } from "@/app/lib/types/types";
+import { Workflow } from "@/app/lib/types/workflow_types";
 import { Chat } from "./components/chat";
 import { Panel } from "@/components/common/panel-common";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { Tooltip } from "@heroui/react";
-import { WithStringId } from "@/app/lib/types/types";
-import { CheckIcon, CopyIcon, PlusIcon, UserIcon, InfoIcon, BugIcon, BugOffIcon, CodeIcon } from "lucide-react";
-import { clsx } from "clsx";
-
-const defaultSystemMessage = '';
+import { CheckIcon, CopyIcon, PlusIcon, InfoIcon, BugIcon, BugOffIcon } from "lucide-react";
 
 export function App({
     hidden = false,
     projectId,
     workflow,
     messageSubscriber,
-    mcpServerUrls,
-    isInitialState = false,
     onPanelClick,
     triggerCopilotChat,
 }: {
@@ -27,40 +21,16 @@ export function App({
     projectId: string;
     workflow: z.infer<typeof Workflow>;
     messageSubscriber?: (messages: z.infer<typeof Message>[]) => void;
-    mcpServerUrls: Array<z.infer<typeof MCPServer>>;
-    isInitialState?: boolean;
     onPanelClick?: () => void;
     triggerCopilotChat?: (message: string) => void;
 }) {
     const [counter, setCounter] = useState<number>(0);
-    const [systemMessage, setSystemMessage] = useState<string>(defaultSystemMessage);
     const [showDebugMessages, setShowDebugMessages] = useState<boolean>(true);
-    const [chat, setChat] = useState<z.infer<typeof PlaygroundChat>>({
-        projectId,
-        createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
-        messages: [],
-        simulated: false,
-        systemMessage: defaultSystemMessage,
-    });
-    const [isProfileSelectorOpen, setIsProfileSelectorOpen] = useState(false);
     const [showCopySuccess, setShowCopySuccess] = useState(false);
     const getCopyContentRef = useRef<(() => string) | null>(null);
 
-    function handleSystemMessageChange(message: string) {
-        setSystemMessage(message);
-        setCounter(counter + 1);
-    }
-
     function handleNewChatButtonClick() {
         setCounter(counter + 1);
-        setChat({
-            projectId,
-            createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
-            messages: [],
-            simulated: false,
-            systemMessage: defaultSystemMessage,
-        });
-        setSystemMessage(defaultSystemMessage);
     }
 
     const handleCopyJson = useCallback(() => {
@@ -142,13 +112,9 @@ export function App({
                 <div className="h-full overflow-auto px-4 py-4">
                     <Chat
                         key={`chat-${counter}`}
-                        chat={chat}
                         projectId={projectId}
                         workflow={workflow}
                         messageSubscriber={messageSubscriber}
-                        systemMessage={systemMessage}
-                        onSystemMessageChange={handleSystemMessageChange}
-                        mcpServerUrls={mcpServerUrls}
                         onCopyClick={(fn) => { getCopyContentRef.current = fn; }}
                         showDebugMessages={showDebugMessages}
                         triggerCopilotChat={triggerCopilotChat}
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/components/chat.tsx b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/components/chat.tsx
index 473ef311..cd1de4aa 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/components/chat.tsx
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/components/chat.tsx
@@ -3,49 +3,39 @@ import { useEffect, useRef, useState, useCallback } from "react";
 import { getAssistantResponseStreamId } from "@/app/actions/actions";
 import { Messages } from "./messages";
 import z from "zod";
-import { MCPServer, Message, PlaygroundChat, ToolMessage } from "@/app/lib/types/types";
-import { Workflow, WorkflowTool } from "@/app/lib/types/workflow_types";
+import { Message, ToolMessage } from "@/app/lib/types/types";
+import { Workflow } from "@/app/lib/types/workflow_types";
 import { ComposeBoxPlayground } from "@/components/common/compose-box-playground";
 import { Button } from "@heroui/react";
-import { WithStringId } from "@/app/lib/types/types";
-import { ProfileContextBox } from "./profile-context-box";
 import { BillingUpgradeModal } from "@/components/common/billing-upgrade-modal";
 import { ChevronDownIcon } from "@heroicons/react/24/outline";
 import { FeedbackModal } from "./feedback-modal";
 import { FIX_WORKFLOW_PROMPT, FIX_WORKFLOW_PROMPT_WITH_FEEDBACK, EXPLAIN_WORKFLOW_PROMPT_ASSISTANT, EXPLAIN_WORKFLOW_PROMPT_TOOL, EXPLAIN_WORKFLOW_PROMPT_TRANSITION } from "../copilot-prompts";
 
 export function Chat({
-    chat,
     projectId,
     workflow,
     messageSubscriber,
-    systemMessage,
-    onSystemMessageChange,
-    mcpServerUrls,
     onCopyClick,
     showDebugMessages = true,
     showJsonMode = false,
     triggerCopilotChat,
 }: {
-    chat: z.infer<typeof PlaygroundChat>;
     projectId: string;
     workflow: z.infer<typeof Workflow>;
     messageSubscriber?: (messages: z.infer<typeof Message>[]) => void;
-    systemMessage: string;
-    onSystemMessageChange: (message: string) => void;
-    mcpServerUrls: Array<z.infer<typeof MCPServer>>;
     onCopyClick: (fn: () => string) => void;
     showDebugMessages?: boolean;
     showJsonMode?: boolean;
     triggerCopilotChat?: (message: string) => void;
 }) {
-    const [messages, setMessages] = useState<z.infer<typeof Message>[]>(chat.messages);
+    const [messages, setMessages] = useState<z.infer<typeof Message>[]>([]);
     const [loadingAssistantResponse, setLoadingAssistantResponse] = useState<boolean>(false);
     const [fetchResponseError, setFetchResponseError] = useState<string | null>(null);
     const [billingError, setBillingError] = useState<string | null>(null);
     const [lastAgenticRequest, setLastAgenticRequest] = useState<unknown | null>(null);
     const [lastAgenticResponse, setLastAgenticResponse] = useState<unknown | null>(null);
-    const [optimisticMessages, setOptimisticMessages] = useState<z.infer<typeof Message>[]>(chat.messages);
+    const [optimisticMessages, setOptimisticMessages] = useState<z.infer<typeof Message>[]>([]);
     const [isLastInteracted, setIsLastInteracted] = useState(false);
     const [showFeedbackModal, setShowFeedbackModal] = useState(false);
     const [pendingFixMessage, setPendingFixMessage] = useState<string | null>(null);
@@ -82,14 +72,11 @@ export function Chat({
 
     const getCopyContent = useCallback(() => {
         return JSON.stringify({
-            messages: [{
-                role: 'system',
-                content: systemMessage,
-            }, ...messages],
+            messages,
             lastRequest: lastAgenticRequest,
             lastResponse: lastAgenticResponse,
         }, null, 2);
-    }, [messages, systemMessage, lastAgenticRequest, lastAgenticResponse]);
+    }, [messages, lastAgenticRequest, lastAgenticResponse]);
 
     // Expose copy function to parent
     useEffect(() => {
@@ -206,13 +193,7 @@ export function Chat({
                 const response = await getAssistantResponseStreamId(
                     projectId,
                     workflow,
-                    [
-                        {
-                            role: 'system',
-                            content: systemMessage || '',
-                        },
-                        ...messages,
-                    ],
+                    messages,
                 );
                 if (ignore) {
                     return;
@@ -329,8 +310,6 @@ export function Chat({
         messages,
         projectId,
         workflow,
-        systemMessage,
-        mcpServerUrls,
         fetchResponseError,
     ]);
 
@@ -362,9 +341,6 @@ export function Chat({
                         toolCallResults={toolCallResults}
                         loadingAssistantResponse={loadingAssistantResponse}
                         workflow={workflow}
-                        systemMessage={systemMessage}
-                        onSystemMessageChange={onSystemMessageChange}
-                        showSystemMessage={false}
                         showDebugMessages={showDebugMessages}
                         showJsonMode={showJsonMode}
                         onFix={handleFix}
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/components/messages.tsx b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/components/messages.tsx
index bcbedef4..b0c576ae 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/components/messages.tsx
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/components/messages.tsx
@@ -212,7 +212,6 @@ function ToolCalls({
     messages,
     sender,
     workflow,
-    systemMessage,
     delta,
     onFix,
     onExplain,
@@ -226,7 +225,6 @@ function ToolCalls({
     messages: z.infer<typeof Message>[];
     sender: string | null | undefined;
     workflow: z.infer<typeof Workflow>;
-    systemMessage: string | undefined;
     delta: number;
     onFix?: (message: string, index: number) => void;
     onExplain?: (type: 'tool' | 'transition', message: string, index: number) => void;
@@ -672,9 +670,6 @@ export function Messages({
     toolCallResults,
     loadingAssistantResponse,
     workflow,
-    systemMessage,
-    onSystemMessageChange,
-    showSystemMessage,
     showDebugMessages = true,
     showJsonMode = false,
     onFix,
@@ -685,9 +680,6 @@ export function Messages({
     toolCallResults: Record<string, z.infer<typeof ToolMessage>>;
     loadingAssistantResponse: boolean;
     workflow: z.infer<typeof Workflow>;
-    systemMessage: string | undefined;
-    onSystemMessageChange: (message: string) => void;
-    showSystemMessage: boolean;
     showDebugMessages?: boolean;
     showJsonMode?: boolean;
     onFix?: (message: string, index: number) => void;
@@ -726,7 +718,6 @@ export function Messages({
                         messages={messages}
                         sender={message.agentName ?? ''}
                         workflow={workflow}
-                        systemMessage={systemMessage}
                         delta={latency}
                         onFix={onFix}
                         onExplain={onExplain}
@@ -792,15 +783,6 @@ export function Messages({
         return message.role === 'assistant' && (!('toolCalls' in message) || !Array.isArray(message.toolCalls) || !message.toolCalls.some(tc => tc.function.name.startsWith('transfer_to_')));
     };
 
-    if (showSystemMessage) {
-        return (
-            <ProfileContextBox
-                content={systemMessage || ''}
-                onChange={onSystemMessageChange}
-            />
-        );
-    }
-
     // Just render the messages, no scroll container or unread bubble
     return (
         <div className="max-w-7xl mx-auto px-2 sm:px-8 relative">
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/workflow/workflow_editor.tsx b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/workflow/workflow_editor.tsx
index 8beb38ec..5039c337 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/workflow/workflow_editor.tsx
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/workflow/workflow_editor.tsx
@@ -1158,8 +1158,6 @@ export function WorkflowEditor({
                             projectId={projectId}
                             workflow={state.present.workflow}
                             messageSubscriber={updateChatMessages}
-                            mcpServerUrls={mcpServerUrls}
-                            isInitialState={isInitialState}
                             onPanelClick={handlePlaygroundClick}
                             triggerCopilotChat={triggerCopilotChat}
                         />