diff --git a/apps/webclaw/src/screens/chat/chat-screen.tsx b/apps/webclaw/src/screens/chat/chat-screen.tsx
index 338ef79..6c4fac7 100644
--- a/apps/webclaw/src/screens/chat/chat-screen.tsx
+++ b/apps/webclaw/src/screens/chat/chat-screen.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react'
-import { useNavigate } from '@tanstack/react-router'
+import { Navigate, useNavigate } from '@tanstack/react-router'
 import { useQuery, useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query'
 
 import {
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ import { useChatSessions } from './hooks/use-chat-sessions'
 import { useChatStream } from './hooks/use-chat-stream'
 import { useChatPendingSend } from './hooks/use-chat-pending-send'
 import { useChatGenerationGuard } from './hooks/use-chat-generation-guard'
-import { useChatErrorState } from './hooks/use-chat-error-state'
+import { shouldRedirectToConnect } from './hooks/use-chat-error-state'
 import { useChatRedirect } from './hooks/use-chat-redirect'
 import type { AttachmentFile } from '@/components/attachment-button'
 import type { ChatComposerHelpers } from './components/chat-composer'
@@ -66,7 +66,6 @@ export function ChatScreen({
   const queryClient = useQueryClient()
   const [sending, setSending] = useState(false)
   const [creatingSession, setCreatingSession] = useState(false)
-  const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null)
   const [isRedirecting, setIsRedirecting] = useState(false)
   const { headerRef, composerRef, mainRef, pinGroupMinHeight, headerHeight } =
     useChatMeasurements()
@@ -144,7 +143,6 @@ export function ChatScreen({
   }, [gatewayStatusQuery])
   const isSidebarCollapsed = uiQuery.data.isSidebarCollapsed
   const handleActiveSessionDelete = useCallback(() => {
-    setError(null)
     setIsRedirecting(true)
     navigate({ to: '/new', replace: true })
   }, [navigate])
@@ -253,7 +251,6 @@ export function ChatScreen({
 
     setPendingGeneration(true)
     setSending(true)
-    setError(null)
     setWaitingForResponse(true)
     setPinToTop(true)
 
@@ -304,7 +301,6 @@ export function ChatScreen({
             },
           )
         }
-        setError(`Failed to send message. ${messageText}`)
         setPendingGeneration(false)
         setWaitingForResponse(false)
         setPinToTop(false)
@@ -383,7 +379,7 @@ export function ChatScreen({
               replace: true,
             })
           })
-          .catch((err: unknown) => {
+          .catch(() => {
             removeHistoryMessageByClientId(
               queryClient,
               'new',
@@ -392,9 +388,6 @@ export function ChatScreen({
               optimisticId,
             )
             helpers.setValue(body)
-            setError(
-              `Failed to create session. ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)}`,
-            )
             setPendingGeneration(false)
             setWaitingForResponse(false)
             setPinToTop(false)
@@ -460,6 +453,15 @@ export function ChatScreen({
   const showGatewayNotice =
     showGatewayDown &&
     gatewayStatusQuery.errorUpdatedAt > gatewayStatusMountRef.current
+  const redirectToConnect = shouldRedirectToConnect({
+    isRedirecting,
+    shouldRedirectToNew,
+    sessionsReady: sessionsQuery.isSuccess,
+    activeExists,
+    sessionsError,
+    historyError,
+    gatewayStatusError,
+  })
   const historyEmpty = !historyLoading && displayMessages.length === 0
   const gatewayNotice = useMemo(() => {
     if (!showGatewayNotice) return null
@@ -512,18 +514,6 @@ export function ChatScreen({
     },
   })
 
-  useChatErrorState({
-    error,
-    setError,
-    isRedirecting,
-    shouldRedirectToNew,
-    sessionsReady: sessionsQuery.isSuccess,
-    activeExists,
-    sessionsError,
-    historyError,
-    gatewayStatusError,
-  })
-
   useChatRedirect({
     activeFriendlyId,
     isNewChat,
@@ -567,6 +557,10 @@ export function ChatScreen({
     />
   )
 
+  if (redirectToConnect) {
+    return <Navigate to="/connect" replace />
+  }
+
   return (
     <div className="h-screen bg-surface text-primary-900">
       <div
diff --git a/apps/webclaw/src/screens/chat/hooks/use-chat-error-state.ts b/apps/webclaw/src/screens/chat/hooks/use-chat-error-state.ts
index df72e70..95e016a 100644
--- a/apps/webclaw/src/screens/chat/hooks/use-chat-error-state.ts
+++ b/apps/webclaw/src/screens/chat/hooks/use-chat-error-state.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,6 @@
-import { useEffect } from 'react'
-import { useNavigate } from '@tanstack/react-router'
-
 import { isMissingGatewayAuth } from '../utils'
 
 type UseChatErrorStateInput = {
-  error: string | null
-  setError: (value: string | null) => void
   isRedirecting: boolean
   shouldRedirectToNew: boolean
   sessionsReady: boolean
@@ -15,9 +10,7 @@ type UseChatErrorStateInput = {
   gatewayStatusError: string | null
 }
 
-export function useChatErrorState({
-  error,
-  setError,
+export function shouldRedirectToConnect({
   isRedirecting,
   shouldRedirectToNew,
   sessionsReady,
@@ -26,49 +19,9 @@ export function useChatErrorState({
   historyError,
   gatewayStatusError,
 }: UseChatErrorStateInput) {
-  const navigate = useNavigate()
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (isRedirecting) {
-      if (error) setError(null)
-      return
-    }
-    if (shouldRedirectToNew) {
-      if (error) setError(null)
-      return
-    }
-    if (sessionsReady && !activeExists) {
-      if (error) setError(null)
-      return
-    }
-    const messageText = sessionsError ?? historyError ?? gatewayStatusError
-    if (!messageText) {
-      if (error?.startsWith('Failed to load')) {
-        setError(null)
-      }
-      return
-    }
-    if (isMissingGatewayAuth(messageText)) {
-      navigate({ to: '/connect', replace: true })
-    }
-    const message = sessionsError
-      ? `Failed to load sessions. ${sessionsError}`
-      : historyError
-        ? `Failed to load history. ${historyError}`
-        : gatewayStatusError
-          ? `Gateway unavailable. ${gatewayStatusError}`
-          : null
-    if (message) setError(message)
-  }, [
-    activeExists,
-    error,
-    gatewayStatusError,
-    historyError,
-    isRedirecting,
-    navigate,
-    sessionsError,
-    sessionsReady,
-    setError,
-    shouldRedirectToNew,
-  ])
+  if (isRedirecting || shouldRedirectToNew) return false
+  if (sessionsReady && !activeExists) return false
+  const messageText = sessionsError ?? historyError ?? gatewayStatusError
+  if (!messageText) return false
+  return isMissingGatewayAuth(messageText)
 }
diff --git a/apps/webclaw/src/screens/chat/hooks/use-chat-idle-finish.ts b/apps/webclaw/src/screens/chat/hooks/use-chat-idle-finish.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 7c6f7df..0000000
--- a/apps/webclaw/src/screens/chat/hooks/use-chat-idle-finish.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,44 +0,0 @@
-import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react'
-
-import { textFromMessage } from '../utils'
-import { setPendingGeneration } from '../pending-send'
-import type { GatewayMessage } from '../types'
-
-type UseChatIdleFinishInput = {
-  historyMessages: Array<GatewayMessage>
-  streamStop: () => void
-  setWaitingForResponse: (value: boolean) => void
-}
-
-export function useChatIdleFinish({
-  historyMessages,
-  streamStop,
-  setWaitingForResponse,
-}: UseChatIdleFinishInput) {
-  const lastAssistantSignature = useRef('')
-  const streamIdleTimer = useRef<number | null>(null)
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (historyMessages.length === 0) return
-    const latestMessage = historyMessages[historyMessages.length - 1]
-    if (latestMessage.role !== 'assistant') return
-    const signature = `${historyMessages.length}:${textFromMessage(latestMessage).slice(-64)}`
-    if (signature !== lastAssistantSignature.current) {
-      lastAssistantSignature.current = signature
-      if (streamIdleTimer.current) {
-        window.clearTimeout(streamIdleTimer.current)
-      }
-      streamIdleTimer.current = window.setTimeout(() => {
-        streamStop()
-        setPendingGeneration(false)
-        setWaitingForResponse(false)
-      }, 12000)
-    }
-    return () => {
-      if (streamIdleTimer.current) {
-        window.clearTimeout(streamIdleTimer.current)
-        streamIdleTimer.current = null
-      }
-    }
-  }, [historyMessages, setWaitingForResponse, streamStop])
-}