diff --git a/pkg/lmcli/config.go b/pkg/lmcli/config.go
index f1949b1..e684f3f 100644
--- a/pkg/lmcli/config.go
+++ b/pkg/lmcli/config.go
@@ -15,8 +15,7 @@ type Config struct {
 		Temperature      *float32 `yaml:"temperature" default:"0.2"`
 		SystemPrompt     string   `yaml:"systemPrompt,omitempty"`
 		SystemPromptFile string   `yaml:"systemPromptFile,omitempty"`
-		// CLI only
-		Agent string `yaml:"-"`
+		Agent            string   `yaml:"agent"`
 	} `yaml:"defaults"`
 	Conversations *struct {
 		TitleGenerationModel *string `yaml:"titleGenerationModel" default:"gpt-3.5-turbo"`
diff --git a/pkg/tui/model/model.go b/pkg/tui/model/model.go
index 88c54cf..60645e7 100644
--- a/pkg/tui/model/model.go
+++ b/pkg/tui/model/model.go
@@ -37,6 +37,25 @@ func (m *AppModel) ClearConversation() {
 	m.RootMessages = []api.Message{}
 }
 
+func (m *AppModel) ApplySystemPrompt() {
+	var system string
+	agent := m.Ctx.GetAgent(m.Ctx.Config.Defaults.Agent)
+	if agent != nil && agent.SystemPrompt != "" {
+		system = agent.SystemPrompt
+	}
+	if system == "" {
+		system = m.Ctx.DefaultSystemPrompt()
+	}
+	if system != "" {
+		m.Messages = api.ApplySystemPrompt(m.Messages, system, false)
+	}
+}
+
+func (m *AppModel) NewConversation() {
+	m.ClearConversation()
+	m.ApplySystemPrompt()
+}
+
 func (m *AppModel) LoadConversations() (error, []LoadedConversation) {
 	messages, err := m.Ctx.Store.LatestConversationMessages()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/tui/tui.go b/pkg/tui/tui.go
index 16c4c6c..df1fec3 100644
--- a/pkg/tui/tui.go
+++ b/pkg/tui/tui.go
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ func initialModel(ctx *lmcli.Context, opts LaunchOptions) *Model {
 		Ctx:          ctx,
 		Conversation: opts.InitialConversation,
 	}
+	app.NewConversation()
 
 	m := Model{
 		App:        app,
diff --git a/pkg/tui/views/chat/chat.go b/pkg/tui/views/chat/chat.go
index 980289d..8a98f43 100644
--- a/pkg/tui/views/chat/chat.go
+++ b/pkg/tui/views/chat/chat.go
@@ -139,17 +139,6 @@ func Chat(app *model.AppModel) *Model {
 	m.replyCursor.SetChar(" ")
 	m.replyCursor.Focus()
 
-	system := app.Ctx.DefaultSystemPrompt()
-
-	agent := app.Ctx.GetAgent(app.Ctx.Config.Defaults.Agent)
-	if agent != nil && agent.SystemPrompt != "" {
-		system = agent.SystemPrompt
-	}
-
-	if system != "" {
-		m.App.Messages = api.ApplySystemPrompt(m.App.Messages, system, false)
-	}
-
 	m.input.Focus()
 	m.input.MaxHeight = 0
 	m.input.CharLimit = 0
diff --git a/pkg/tui/views/chat/input.go b/pkg/tui/views/chat/input.go
index 5d04008..f2f56ad 100644
--- a/pkg/tui/views/chat/input.go
+++ b/pkg/tui/views/chat/input.go
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ func (m *Model) handleInput(msg tea.KeyMsg) tea.Cmd {
 		m.updateContent()
 		return shared.KeyHandled(msg)
 	case "ctrl+n":
-		m.App.ClearConversation()
+		m.App.NewConversation()
 		m.rebuildMessageCache()
 		m.updateContent()
 		return shared.KeyHandled(msg)
diff --git a/pkg/tui/views/conversations/conversations.go b/pkg/tui/views/conversations/conversations.go
index 78c5836..60af450 100644
--- a/pkg/tui/views/conversations/conversations.go
+++ b/pkg/tui/views/conversations/conversations.go
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ func (m *Model) handleInput(msg tea.KeyMsg) tea.Cmd {
 		}
 		return shared.KeyHandled(msg)
 	case "n":
-		m.App.ClearConversation()
+		m.App.NewConversation()
 		return shared.ChangeView(shared.ViewChat)
 	case "d":
 		if !m.confirmPrompt.Focused() && len(m.App.Conversations) > 0 && m.cursor < len(m.App.Conversations) {