diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/lib/agents.ts b/apps/rowboat/app/lib/agents.ts
index c46424d9..d4c3bb2e 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/lib/agents.ts
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/lib/agents.ts
@@ -739,8 +739,14 @@ function ensureSystemMessage(logger: PrefixLogger, messages: z.infer<typeof Mess
 
     // ensure that system message isn't blank
     if (messages.length > 0 && messages[0]?.role === 'system' && !messages[0].content) {
-        messages[0].content = 'You are a helpful assistant.';
-        logger.log(`updated system message: ${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()}.`;
+        
+        messages[0].content = defaultContext;
+        logger.log(`updated system message with default context: ${messages[0].content}`);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/components/messages.tsx b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/components/messages.tsx
index 4d9d4010..1cb751bc 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/components/messages.tsx
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/playground/components/messages.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 'use client';
 import { Spinner } from "@heroui/react";
-import { useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState, useCallback } from "react";
+import { useMemo, useState } from "react";
 import z from "zod";
 import { Workflow } from "@/app/lib/types/workflow_types";
 import { WorkflowTool } from "@/app/lib/types/workflow_types";
 import MarkdownContent from "@/app/lib/components/markdown-content";
-import { MessageSquareIcon, EllipsisIcon, CircleCheckIcon, ChevronRightIcon, ChevronDownIcon, ChevronUpIcon, XIcon, PlusIcon, CodeIcon, CheckCircleIcon, FileTextIcon } from "lucide-react";
+import { ChevronRightIcon, ChevronDownIcon, ChevronUpIcon, CodeIcon, CheckCircleIcon, FileTextIcon } from "lucide-react";
 import { TestProfile } from "@/app/lib/types/testing_types";
 import { ProfileContextBox } from "./profile-context-box";
 import { Message, ToolMessage, AssistantMessageWithToolCalls } from "@/app/lib/types/types";