diff --git a/packages/cli/src/tui/app.tsx b/packages/cli/src/tui/app.tsx
index 4d7d3b1..850d7ed 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/tui/app.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/tui/app.tsx
@@ -57,9 +57,26 @@ export function TuiApp({ gatewayUrl, conversationId, sessionCookie }: TuiAppProp
     if (key.ctrl && ch === 'c') {
       exit();
     }
-    // Ctrl+B: toggle sidebar
-    if (key.ctrl && ch === 'b') {
+    // Ctrl+L: toggle sidebar (refresh on open)
+    if (key.ctrl && ch === 'l') {
+      const willOpen = !appMode.sidebarOpen;
       appMode.toggleSidebar();
+      if (willOpen) {
+        void conversations.refresh();
+      }
+    }
+    // Ctrl+N: create new conversation and switch to it
+    if (key.ctrl && ch === 'n') {
+      void conversations.createConversation().then((conv) => {
+        if (conv) {
+          socket.switchConversation(conv.id);
+          appMode.setMode('chat');
+        }
+      });
+    }
+    // Ctrl+K: toggle search mode
+    if (key.ctrl && ch === 'k') {
+      appMode.setMode(appMode.mode === 'search' ? 'chat' : 'search');
     }
     // Page Up / Page Down: scroll message history (only in chat mode)
     if (appMode.mode === 'chat') {
@@ -82,14 +99,22 @@ export function TuiApp({ gatewayUrl, conversationId, sessionCookie }: TuiAppProp
         }
       }
     }
-    // Escape: return to chat from sidebar
-    if (key.escape && appMode.mode === 'sidebar') {
-      appMode.setMode('chat');
+    // Escape: return to chat from sidebar/search; in chat, scroll to bottom
+    if (key.escape) {
+      if (appMode.mode === 'sidebar' || appMode.mode === 'search') {
+        appMode.setMode('chat');
+      } else if (appMode.mode === 'chat') {
+        viewport.scrollToBottom();
+      }
     }
   });
 
   const inputPlaceholder =
-    appMode.mode !== 'chat' ? 'focus is on sidebar… press Esc to return' : undefined;
+    appMode.mode === 'sidebar'
+      ? 'focus is on sidebar… press Esc to return'
+      : appMode.mode === 'search'
+        ? 'search mode… press Esc to return'
+        : undefined;
 
   const messageArea = (
     <Box flexDirection="column" flexGrow={1}>
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/tui/components/bottom-bar.tsx b/packages/cli/src/tui/components/bottom-bar.tsx
index e9151a4..53c80fe 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/tui/components/bottom-bar.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/tui/components/bottom-bar.tsx
@@ -46,6 +46,11 @@ export function BottomBar({
 
   return (
     <Box flexDirection="column" paddingX={0} marginTop={0}>
+      {/* Line 0: keybinding hints */}
+      <Box>
+        <Text dimColor>^L sidebar · ^N new · ^K search · ^T thinking · PgUp/Dn scroll</Text>
+      </Box>
+
       {/* Line 1: blank  ·····  Gateway: Status */}
       <Box justifyContent="space-between">
         <Box />