diff --git a/frontend/components/ui-header/app-header.tsx b/frontend/components/ui-header/app-header.tsx
index 737bcfc..70e64e7 100644
--- a/frontend/components/ui-header/app-header.tsx
+++ b/frontend/components/ui-header/app-header.tsx
@@ -22,14 +22,14 @@ export default function AppHeader() {
                 <Image
                     src="/mint-logo.png"
                     alt="Logo"
-                    width={56}
-                    height={50}
-                    className="h-14 w-auto object-contain pt-2 ml-2"
+                    width={52}
+                    height={46}
+                    className="h-14 w-auto object-contain ml-2"
                 />
             </div>
 
             {/* update, issues */}
-            <div className="flex h-full items-center pt-2 space-x-4">
+            <div className="flex h-full items-center space-x-4">
                 <Button
                     variant="link"
                     className="flex items-center space-x-1 px-3 py-2"
diff --git a/frontend/components/ui-header/settings-bar.tsx b/frontend/components/ui-header/settings-bar.tsx
index ca8ac76..0d79282 100644
--- a/frontend/components/ui-header/settings-bar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/components/ui-header/settings-bar.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 'use client';
 
-import { Menubar, MenubarMenu, MenubarTrigger } from '@/components/ui/menubar';
+import { Menubar } from '@/components/ui/menubar';
+import { Plus } from 'lucide-react';
 import { ProgressBar } from '@/components/ui/progressbar';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
 import { useGlobalContext } from '@/context/GlobalContext';
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ export default function SettingsBar() {
     const [leftTimerSeconds, setLeftTimerSeconds] = useState(0);
     const intervalRef = useRef<NodeJS.Timeout | null>(null);
     const [isResetDialogOpen, setIsResetDialogOpen] = useState(false);
+    const [isNewDialogOpen, setIsNewDialogOpen] = useState(false);
     const [isSessionModalOpen, setIsSessionModalOpen] = useState(false);
     const [sessionModalMode, setSessionModalMode] = useState<'save' | 'load'>(
         'save'
@@ -49,37 +51,19 @@ export default function SettingsBar() {
     const [fetchingFor, setFetchingFor] = useState<'save' | 'load' | null>(null);
     const [isSaving, setIsSaving] = useState(false);
     const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = useState(false);
+    const [isDirty, setIsDirty] = useState(false);
 
-    const [sessionId, setSessionId] = useState<number | null>(null);
-
+    // Track unsaved canvas changes
     useEffect(() => {
-        async function fetchOrCreateSession() {
-            try {
-                const res = await fetch('/api/sessions');
-                const sessions = await res.json();
-
-                if (sessions.length > 0) {
-                    setSessionId(sessions[0].id);
-                } else {
-                    const created = await fetch('/api/sessions', {
-                        method: 'POST',
-                        headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
-                        body: JSON.stringify('New Session'),
-                    });
-                    const session = await created.json();
-                    setSessionId(session.id);
-                }
-            } catch (err) {
-                console.error('Failed to fetch or create session', err);
-            }
-        }
-
-        fetchOrCreateSession();
+        const handler = () => setIsDirty(true);
+        window.addEventListener('canvas-changed', handler);
+        window.addEventListener('reactflow-edges-changed', handler);
+        return () => {
+            window.removeEventListener('canvas-changed', handler);
+            window.removeEventListener('reactflow-edges-changed', handler);
+        };
     }, []);
-    
-    // useEffect(() => {
-    //     console.log('dataStreaming:', dataStreaming);
-    // });
+
     // Timer effect - starts/stops based on dataStreaming state
     useEffect(() => {
         if (dataStreaming) {
@@ -171,6 +155,7 @@ export default function SettingsBar() {
             setIsSaving(true);
             try {
                 await handleSaveToExistingSession(activeSessionId);
+                setIsDirty(false);
                 notifications.success({ title: 'Session saved successfully' });
             } catch (error) {
                 notifications.error({
@@ -224,6 +209,27 @@ export default function SettingsBar() {
         }
     };
 
+    const handleNewClick = () => {
+        if (isSaving || isLoading || isFetchingSessions) {
+            return;
+        }
+        if (isDirty) {
+            setIsNewDialogOpen(true);
+        } else {
+            handleConfirmNew();
+        }
+    };
+
+    const handleConfirmNew = () => {
+        setActiveSessionId(null);
+        setIsDirty(false);
+        setDataStreaming(false);
+        setLeftTimerSeconds(0);
+        window.dispatchEvent(new Event('pipeline-reset'));
+        setIsNewDialogOpen(false);
+        notifications.success({ title: 'New session started' });
+    };
+
     const handleCreateAndSaveSession = async (sessionName: string) => {
         setIsSaving(true);
         try {
@@ -231,6 +237,7 @@ export default function SettingsBar() {
             const createdSession = await createSession(sessionName);
             await saveFrontendState(createdSession.id, state);
             setActiveSessionId(createdSession.id);
+            setIsDirty(false);
             setIsSessionModalOpen(false);
             notifications.success({ title: 'Session saved successfully' });
         } catch (error) {
@@ -278,16 +285,27 @@ export default function SettingsBar() {
 
     return (
         <div className="flex justify-between items-center p-4 bg-white border-b">
-            {/* Session ID, Tutorial */}
+            {/* Session ID, Tutorials */}
             <Menubar>
                 <span className="px-3 py-1 text-sm">
-                    Session {sessionId ?? 'ID'}
+                    Session {activeSessionId ?? 'ID'}
                 </span>
-                <MenubarMenu>
-                    <MenubarTrigger className="hover:cursor-pointer hover:underline">Tutorials</MenubarTrigger>
-                </MenubarMenu>
+                <button className="px-3 py-1 text-sm rounded-sm hover:bg-accent hover:text-accent-foreground hover:underline">
+                    Tutorials
+                </button>
             </Menubar>
 
+            {/* New session button */}
+            <Button
+                variant="outline"
+                onClick={handleNewClick}
+                disabled={isSaving || isLoading || isFetchingSessions}
+                className="ml-2 flex items-center gap-1"
+            >
+                <Plus size={14} />
+                New
+            </Button>
+
             {/* slider */}
             <div className="flex-1 mx-4">
                 <ProgressBar value={(leftTimerSeconds / 300) * 100} />
@@ -353,6 +371,23 @@ export default function SettingsBar() {
                 </Button>
             </div>
 
+            <Dialog open={isNewDialogOpen} onOpenChange={setIsNewDialogOpen}>
+                <DialogContent>
+                    <DialogHeader>
+                        <DialogTitle>Start a new session?</DialogTitle>
+                        <DialogDescription>
+                            Your current session is unsaved. Hitting confirm will clear the current pipeline. Any unsaved changes will be lost.
+                        </DialogDescription>
+                    </DialogHeader>
+                    <div className="flex justify-end gap-2 mt-4">
+                        <DialogClose asChild>
+                            <Button variant="outline">Cancel</Button>
+                        </DialogClose>
+                        <Button className="bg-red-500" onClick={handleConfirmNew}>Confirm</Button>
+                    </div>
+                </DialogContent>
+            </Dialog>
+
             <SessionModal
                 open={isSessionModalOpen}
                 mode={sessionModalMode}
diff --git a/frontend/components/ui-react-flow/react-flow-view.tsx b/frontend/components/ui-react-flow/react-flow-view.tsx
index 4d0b8fc..b273e92 100644
--- a/frontend/components/ui-react-flow/react-flow-view.tsx
+++ b/frontend/components/ui-react-flow/react-flow-view.tsx
@@ -158,7 +158,10 @@ const ReactFlowInterface = () => {
     );
 
     const onNodesChange: OnNodesChange = useCallback(
-        (changes) => setNodes((nds) => applyNodeChanges(changes, nds)),
+        (changes) => {
+            setNodes((nds) => applyNodeChanges(changes, nds));
+            window.dispatchEvent(new Event('canvas-changed'));
+        },
         [setNodes]
     );
 
diff --git a/frontend/components/ui-sessions/session-modal.tsx b/frontend/components/ui-sessions/session-modal.tsx
index cbda500..ddc6965 100644
--- a/frontend/components/ui-sessions/session-modal.tsx
+++ b/frontend/components/ui-sessions/session-modal.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 'use client';
 
 import { useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react';
-import { Check, ChevronsUpDown } from 'lucide-react';
+import { Check } from 'lucide-react';
 
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
 import {
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import {
     CommandItem,
     CommandList,
 } from '@/components/ui/command';
-import { Popover, PopoverContent, PopoverTrigger } from '@/components/ui/popover';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils';
 import { SessionSummary } from '@/lib/session-api';
 
@@ -49,7 +48,6 @@ export default function SessionModal({
     const [selectedSessionId, setSelectedSessionId] = useState<number | null>(
         null
     );
-    const [isSessionPickerOpen, setIsSessionPickerOpen] = useState(false);
     const [validationError, setValidationError] = useState<string | null>(null);
 
     useEffect(() => {
@@ -57,7 +55,6 @@ export default function SessionModal({
             setSessionName('');
             setSelectedSessionId(null);
             setValidationError(null);
-            setIsSessionPickerOpen(false);
         }
     }, [open, mode]);
 
@@ -129,58 +126,35 @@ export default function SessionModal({
                     </div>
                 ) : (
                     <div className="space-y-2">
-                        <Popover
-                            open={isSessionPickerOpen}
-                            onOpenChange={setIsSessionPickerOpen}
-                        >
-                            <PopoverTrigger asChild>
-                                <Button
-                                    variant="outline"
-                                    role="combobox"
-                                    aria-expanded={isSessionPickerOpen}
-                                    className="w-full justify-between"
-                                    disabled={isSubmitting || sessions.length === 0}
-                                >
-                                    {selectedSession
-                                        ? `${selectedSession.name} (ID ${selectedSession.id})`
-                                        : 'Select session'}
-                                    <ChevronsUpDown className="ml-2 h-4 w-4 shrink-0 opacity-50" />
-                                </Button>
-                            </PopoverTrigger>
-                            <PopoverContent className="w-[420px] p-0">
-                                <Command>
-                                    <CommandInput placeholder="Search by name or session ID..." />
-                                    <CommandList>
-                                        <CommandEmpty>No sessions found.</CommandEmpty>
-                                        <CommandGroup>
-                                            {sessions.map((session) => (
-                                                <CommandItem
-                                                    key={session.id}
-                                                    value={`${session.name} ${session.id}`}
-                                                    onSelect={() => {
-                                                        setSelectedSessionId(session.id);
-                                                        setIsSessionPickerOpen(false);
-                                                    }}
-                                                >
-                                                    <Check
-                                                        className={cn(
-                                                            'mr-2 h-4 w-4',
-                                                            selectedSessionId === session.id
-                                                                ? 'opacity-100'
-                                                                : 'opacity-0'
-                                                        )}
-                                                    />
-                                                    <span>{session.name}</span>
-                                                    <span className="ml-auto text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                                                        ID {session.id}
-                                                    </span>
-                                                </CommandItem>
-                                            ))}
-                                        </CommandGroup>
-                                    </CommandList>
-                                </Command>
-                            </PopoverContent>
-                        </Popover>
+                        <Command className="border rounded-md">
+                            <CommandInput placeholder="Search by name or session ID..." />
+                            <CommandList>
+                                <CommandEmpty>No sessions found.</CommandEmpty>
+                                <CommandGroup>
+                                    {sessions.map((session) => (
+                                        <CommandItem
+                                            key={session.id}
+                                            value={`${session.name} ${session.id}`}
+                                            onSelect={() => setSelectedSessionId(session.id)}
+                                            disabled={isSubmitting}
+                                        >
+                                            <Check
+                                                className={cn(
+                                                    'mr-2 h-4 w-4',
+                                                    selectedSessionId === session.id
+                                                        ? 'opacity-100'
+                                                        : 'opacity-0'
+                                                )}
+                                            />
+                                            <span>{session.name}</span>
+                                            <span className="ml-auto text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                                                ID {session.id}
+                                            </span>
+                                        </CommandItem>
+                                    ))}
+                                </CommandGroup>
+                            </CommandList>
+                        </Command>
                         {validationError ? (
                             <p className="text-sm text-red-600">{validationError}</p>
                         ) : null}