diff --git a/packages/cli/src/cli.ts b/packages/cli/src/cli.ts
index b2b8954..339b936 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/cli.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/cli.ts
@@ -144,6 +144,23 @@ program
         }
       }
 
+      // Auto-create a conversation if none was specified
+      let conversationId = opts.conversation;
+      if (!conversationId) {
+        try {
+          const { createConversation } = await import('./tui/gateway-api.js');
+          const conv = await createConversation(opts.gateway, session.cookie, {
+            ...(projectId ? { projectId } : {}),
+          });
+          conversationId = conv.id;
+        } catch (err) {
+          console.error(
+            `Failed to create conversation: ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)}`,
+          );
+          process.exit(1);
+        }
+      }
+
       // Dynamic import to avoid loading React/Ink for other commands
       const { render } = await import('ink');
       const React = await import('react');
@@ -152,7 +169,7 @@ program
       render(
         React.createElement(TuiApp, {
           gatewayUrl: opts.gateway,
-          conversationId: opts.conversation,
+          conversationId,
           sessionCookie: session.cookie,
           initialModel: opts.model,
           initialProvider: opts.provider,
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/tui/app.tsx b/packages/cli/src/tui/app.tsx
index 66e3d73..c99b033 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/tui/app.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/tui/app.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, { useState, useCallback, useEffect, useMemo } from 'react';
+import React, { useState, useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef } from 'react';
 import { Box, useApp, useInput } from 'ink';
 import type { ParsedCommand } from '@mosaic/types';
 import { TopBar } from './components/top-bar.js';
@@ -73,6 +73,11 @@ export function TuiApp({
 
   const [sidebarSelectedIndex, setSidebarSelectedIndex] = useState(0);
 
+  // Controlled input state — held here so Ctrl+C can clear it
+  const [tuiInput, setTuiInput] = useState('');
+  // Ctrl+C double-press: first press with empty input shows hint; second exits
+  const ctrlCPendingExit = useRef(false);
+
   const handleLocalCommand = useCallback(
     (parsed: ParsedCommand) => {
       switch (parsed.command) {
@@ -97,6 +102,20 @@ export function TuiApp({
         case 'clear':
           socket.clearMessages();
           break;
+        case 'new':
+        case 'n':
+          void conversations
+            .createConversation()
+            .then((conv) => {
+              if (conv) {
+                socket.switchConversation(conv.id);
+                appMode.setMode('chat');
+              }
+            })
+            .catch(() => {
+              socket.addSystemMessage('Failed to create new conversation.');
+            });
+          break;
         case 'stop':
           // Currently no stop mechanism exposed — show feedback
           socket.addSystemMessage('Stop is not available for the current session.');
@@ -117,12 +136,12 @@ export function TuiApp({
 
   const handleGatewayCommand = useCallback(
     (parsed: ParsedCommand) => {
-      if (!socket.socketRef.current?.connected || !socket.conversationId) {
+      if (!socket.socketRef.current?.connected) {
         socket.addSystemMessage('Not connected to gateway. Command cannot be executed.');
         return;
       }
       socket.socketRef.current.emit('command:execute', {
-        conversationId: socket.conversationId,
+        conversationId: socket.conversationId ?? '',
         command: parsed.command,
         args: parsed.args ?? undefined,
       });
@@ -153,9 +172,21 @@ export function TuiApp({
   );
 
   useInput((ch, key) => {
+    // Ctrl+C: clear input → show hint → second empty press exits
     if (key.ctrl && ch === 'c') {
-      exit();
+      if (tuiInput) {
+        setTuiInput('');
+        ctrlCPendingExit.current = false;
+      } else if (ctrlCPendingExit.current) {
+        exit();
+      } else {
+        ctrlCPendingExit.current = true;
+        socket.addSystemMessage('Press Ctrl+C again to exit.');
+      }
+      return;
     }
+    // Any other key resets the pending-exit flag
+    ctrlCPendingExit.current = false;
     // Ctrl+L: toggle sidebar (refresh on open)
     if (key.ctrl && ch === 'l') {
       const willOpen = !appMode.sidebarOpen;
@@ -260,12 +291,15 @@ export function TuiApp({
       )}
 
       <InputBar
+        value={tuiInput}
+        onChange={setTuiInput}
         onSubmit={socket.sendMessage}
         onSystemMessage={socket.addSystemMessage}
         onLocalCommand={handleLocalCommand}
         onGatewayCommand={handleGatewayCommand}
         isStreaming={socket.isStreaming}
         connected={socket.connected}
+        focused={appMode.mode === 'chat'}
         placeholder={inputPlaceholder}
         allCommands={commandRegistry.getAll()}
       />
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/tui/commands/registry.ts b/packages/cli/src/tui/commands/registry.ts
index 79fbe7a..bbad4cf 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/tui/commands/registry.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/tui/commands/registry.ts
@@ -47,10 +47,18 @@ const LOCAL_COMMANDS: CommandDef[] = [
     available: true,
     scope: 'core',
   },
+  {
+    name: 'new',
+    description: 'Start a new conversation',
+    aliases: ['n'],
+    args: undefined,
+    execution: 'local',
+    available: true,
+    scope: 'core',
+  },
 ];
 
 const ALIASES: Record<string, string> = {
-  n: 'new',
   m: 'model',
   t: 'thinking',
   a: 'agent',
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/tui/components/input-bar.tsx b/packages/cli/src/tui/components/input-bar.tsx
index 15e72ba..457a400 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/tui/components/input-bar.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/tui/components/input-bar.tsx
@@ -1,33 +1,42 @@
-import React, { useState, useCallback } from 'react';
+import React, { useCallback } from 'react';
 import { Box, Text, useInput } from 'ink';
 import TextInput from 'ink-text-input';
 import type { ParsedCommand, CommandDef } from '@mosaic/types';
 import { parseSlashCommand, commandRegistry } from '../commands/index.js';
 import { CommandAutocomplete } from './command-autocomplete.js';
 import { useInputHistory } from '../hooks/use-input-history.js';
+import { useState } from 'react';
 
 export interface InputBarProps {
+  /** Controlled input value — caller owns the state */
+  value: string;
+  onChange: (val: string) => void;
   onSubmit: (value: string) => void;
   onSystemMessage?: (message: string) => void;
   onLocalCommand?: (parsed: ParsedCommand) => void;
   onGatewayCommand?: (parsed: ParsedCommand) => void;
   isStreaming: boolean;
   connected: boolean;
+  /** Whether this input bar is focused/active (default true). When false,
+   *  keyboard input is not captured — e.g. when the sidebar has focus. */
+  focused?: boolean;
   placeholder?: string;
   allCommands?: CommandDef[];
 }
 
 export function InputBar({
+  value: input,
+  onChange: setInput,
   onSubmit,
   onSystemMessage,
   onLocalCommand,
   onGatewayCommand,
   isStreaming,
   connected,
+  focused = true,
   placeholder: placeholderOverride,
   allCommands,
 }: InputBarProps) {
-  const [input, setInput] = useState('');
   const [showAutocomplete, setShowAutocomplete] = useState(false);
   const [autocompleteIndex, setAutocompleteIndex] = useState(0);
 
@@ -36,15 +45,18 @@ export function InputBar({
   // Determine which commands to show in autocomplete
   const availableCommands = allCommands ?? commandRegistry.getAll();
 
-  const handleChange = useCallback((value: string) => {
-    setInput(value);
-    if (value.startsWith('/')) {
-      setShowAutocomplete(true);
-      setAutocompleteIndex(0);
-    } else {
-      setShowAutocomplete(false);
-    }
-  }, []);
+  const handleChange = useCallback(
+    (value: string) => {
+      setInput(value);
+      if (value.startsWith('/')) {
+        setShowAutocomplete(true);
+        setAutocompleteIndex(0);
+      } else {
+        setShowAutocomplete(false);
+      }
+    },
+    [setInput],
+  );
 
   const handleSubmit = useCallback(
     (value: string) => {
@@ -59,8 +71,7 @@ export function InputBar({
       if (trimmed.startsWith('/')) {
         const parsed = parseSlashCommand(trimmed);
         if (!parsed) {
-          onSystemMessage?.(`Unknown command format: ${trimmed}`);
-          setInput('');
+          // Bare "/" or malformed — ignore silently (autocomplete handles discovery)
           return;
         }
         const def = commandRegistry.find(parsed.command);
@@ -93,6 +104,7 @@ export function InputBar({
       isStreaming,
       connected,
       addToHistory,
+      setInput,
     ],
   );
 
@@ -117,75 +129,67 @@ export function InputBar({
       return true;
     }
     return false;
-  }, [showAutocomplete, input, availableCommands, autocompleteIndex]);
+  }, [showAutocomplete, input, availableCommands, autocompleteIndex, setInput]);
 
-  useInput((ch, key) => {
-    // Escape: hide autocomplete
-    if (key.escape && showAutocomplete) {
-      setShowAutocomplete(false);
-      setAutocompleteIndex(0);
-      return;
-    }
+  useInput(
+    (_ch, key) => {
+      if (key.escape && showAutocomplete) {
+        setShowAutocomplete(false);
+        setAutocompleteIndex(0);
+        return;
+      }
 
-    // Tab: fill autocomplete selection
-    if (key.tab) {
-      fillAutocompleteSelection();
-      return;
-    }
+      // Tab: fill autocomplete selection
+      if (key.tab) {
+        fillAutocompleteSelection();
+        return;
+      }
 
-    // Up arrow
-    if (key.upArrow) {
-      if (showAutocomplete) {
-        // Navigate autocomplete list up
-        setAutocompleteIndex((prev) => Math.max(0, prev - 1));
-      } else {
-        // Navigate input history
-        const prev = navigateUp(input);
-        if (prev !== null) {
-          setInput(prev);
-          if (prev.startsWith('/')) {
-            setShowAutocomplete(true);
+      // Up arrow
+      if (key.upArrow) {
+        if (showAutocomplete) {
+          setAutocompleteIndex((prev) => Math.max(0, prev - 1));
+        } else {
+          const prev = navigateUp(input);
+          if (prev !== null) {
+            setInput(prev);
+            if (prev.startsWith('/')) setShowAutocomplete(true);
           }
         }
+        return;
       }
-      return;
-    }
 
-    // Down arrow
-    if (key.downArrow) {
-      if (showAutocomplete) {
-        // Navigate autocomplete list down — compute filtered length
-        const query = input.startsWith('/') ? input.slice(1) : input;
-        const filteredLen = availableCommands.filter(
-          (c) =>
-            !query ||
-            c.name.includes(query.toLowerCase()) ||
-            c.aliases.some((a) => a.includes(query.toLowerCase())) ||
-            c.description.toLowerCase().includes(query.toLowerCase()),
-        ).length;
-        const maxVisible = Math.min(filteredLen, 8);
-        setAutocompleteIndex((prev) => Math.min(prev + 1, maxVisible - 1));
-      } else {
-        // Navigate input history downward
-        const next = navigateDown();
-        if (next !== null) {
-          setInput(next);
-          if (next.startsWith('/')) {
-            setShowAutocomplete(true);
-          } else {
-            setShowAutocomplete(false);
+      // Down arrow
+      if (key.downArrow) {
+        if (showAutocomplete) {
+          const query = input.startsWith('/') ? input.slice(1) : input;
+          const filteredLen = availableCommands.filter(
+            (c) =>
+              !query ||
+              c.name.includes(query.toLowerCase()) ||
+              c.aliases.some((a) => a.includes(query.toLowerCase())) ||
+              c.description.toLowerCase().includes(query.toLowerCase()),
+          ).length;
+          const maxVisible = Math.min(filteredLen, 8);
+          setAutocompleteIndex((prev) => Math.min(prev + 1, maxVisible - 1));
+        } else {
+          const next = navigateDown();
+          if (next !== null) {
+            setInput(next);
+            setShowAutocomplete(next.startsWith('/'));
           }
         }
+        return;
       }
-      return;
-    }
 
-    // Return/Enter on autocomplete: fill selected command
-    if (key.return && showAutocomplete) {
-      fillAutocompleteSelection();
-      return;
-    }
-  });
+      // Return/Enter on autocomplete: fill selected command
+      if (key.return && showAutocomplete) {
+        fillAutocompleteSelection();
+        return;
+      }
+    },
+    { isActive: focused },
+  );
 
   const placeholder =
     placeholderOverride ??
@@ -213,6 +217,7 @@ export function InputBar({
           onChange={handleChange}
           onSubmit={handleSubmit}
           placeholder={placeholder}
+          focus={focused}
         />
       </Box>
     </Box>
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/tui/gateway-api.ts b/packages/cli/src/tui/gateway-api.ts
index 8c63bd7..f41913d 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/tui/gateway-api.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/tui/gateway-api.ts
@@ -110,6 +110,31 @@ async function handleResponse<T>(res: Response, errorPrefix: string): Promise<T>
   return (await res.json()) as T;
 }
 
+// ── Conversation types ──
+
+export interface ConversationInfo {
+  id: string;
+  title: string | null;
+  archived: boolean;
+  createdAt: string;
+  updatedAt: string;
+}
+
+// ── Conversation endpoints ──
+
+export async function createConversation(
+  gatewayUrl: string,
+  sessionCookie: string,
+  data: { title?: string; projectId?: string } = {},
+): Promise<ConversationInfo> {
+  const res = await fetch(`${gatewayUrl}/api/conversations`, {
+    method: 'POST',
+    headers: jsonHeaders(sessionCookie, gatewayUrl),
+    body: JSON.stringify(data),
+  });
+  return handleResponse<ConversationInfo>(res, 'Failed to create conversation');
+}
+
 // ── Provider / Model endpoints ──
 
 export async function fetchAvailableModels(
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/tui/hooks/use-socket.ts b/packages/cli/src/tui/hooks/use-socket.ts
index 1bc5600..08ca792 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/tui/hooks/use-socket.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/tui/hooks/use-socket.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ import type {
   SessionInfoPayload,
   ErrorPayload,
   CommandManifestPayload,
+  SlashCommandResultPayload,
+  SystemReloadPayload,
 } from '@mosaic/types';
 import { commandRegistry } from '../commands/index.js';
 
@@ -230,6 +232,27 @@ export function useSocket(opts: UseSocketOptions): UseSocketReturn {
       commandRegistry.updateManifest(data.manifest);
     });
 
+    socket.on('command:result', (data: SlashCommandResultPayload) => {
+      const prefix = data.success ? '' : 'Error: ';
+      const text = data.message ?? (data.success ? 'Done.' : 'Command failed.');
+      setMessages((msgs) => [
+        ...msgs,
+        { role: 'system', content: `${prefix}${text}`, timestamp: new Date() },
+      ]);
+    });
+
+    socket.on('system:reload', (data: SystemReloadPayload) => {
+      commandRegistry.updateManifest({
+        commands: data.commands,
+        skills: data.skills,
+        version: Date.now(),
+      });
+      setMessages((msgs) => [
+        ...msgs,
+        { role: 'system', content: data.message, timestamp: new Date() },
+      ]);
+    });
+
     return () => {
       socket.disconnect();
     };