diff --git a/src/components/search/search-bar.tsx b/src/components/search/search-bar.tsx
index 4bf173b..2fd1cb5 100644
--- a/src/components/search/search-bar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/search/search-bar.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { useAppStore } from "@/stores/app-store"
 import { useGraphStore } from "@/stores/graph-store"
 import { useUserStore } from "@/stores/user-store"
 import { useModalStore } from "@/stores/modal-store"
-import { searchNodes } from "@/lib/graph-api"
+import { searchNodes, getLatestNodes } from "@/lib/graph-api"
 import { payL402 } from "@/lib/sphinx"
 import { isMocksEnabled, MOCK_NODES, MOCK_EDGES } from "@/lib/mock-data"
 
@@ -90,12 +90,25 @@ export function SearchBar() {
     [value, setSearchTerm, closeAllPanels, clearSelection, setGraphData, setLoading, refreshBalance, openModal]
   )
 
-  const handleClear = useCallback(() => {
+  const handleClear = useCallback(async () => {
     abortRef.current?.abort()
     setValue("")
     setSearchTerm("")
-    setGraphData([], [])
-  }, [setSearchTerm, setGraphData])
+    clearSelection()
+    setLoading(true)
+    try {
+      if (isMocksEnabled()) {
+        setGraphData(MOCK_NODES, MOCK_EDGES)
+      } else {
+        const result = await getLatestNodes()
+        setGraphData(result.nodes ?? [], result.edges ?? [])
+      }
+    } catch {
+      setGraphData([], []) // silent fallback
+    } finally {
+      setLoading(false)
+    }
+  }, [setSearchTerm, setGraphData, setLoading, clearSelection])
 
   return (
     <form onSubmit={handleSubmit} className="relative w-full max-w-xl group">
diff --git a/src/lib/__tests__/search-bar.test.tsx b/src/lib/__tests__/search-bar.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4bad18a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/__tests__/search-bar.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+/**
+ * Tests for SearchBar handleClear:
+ * - getLatestNodes called on clear
+ * - setGraphData called with resolved nodes/edges
+ * - setLoading(true) before fetch, setLoading(false) after
+ * - setSearchTerm("") and clearSelection() both called
+ * - mock mode: setGraphData called with MOCK_NODES/MOCK_EDGES
+ */
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from "vitest"
+import { render, screen, fireEvent, waitFor } from "@testing-library/react"
+import React from "react"
+
+// ── Mocks ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+const setGraphData = vi.fn()
+const setLoading = vi.fn()
+const clearSelection = vi.fn()
+
+vi.mock("@/stores/graph-store", () => ({
+  useGraphStore: (sel?: (s: unknown) => unknown) => {
+    const state = { setGraphData, setLoading, clearSelection }
+    return sel ? sel(state) : state
+  },
+}))
+
+const setSearchTerm = vi.fn()
+const closeAllPanels = vi.fn()
+
+vi.mock("@/stores/app-store", () => ({
+  useAppStore: (sel?: (s: unknown) => unknown) => {
+    const state = { setSearchTerm, closeAllPanels }
+    return sel ? sel(state) : state
+  },
+}))
+
+vi.mock("@/stores/user-store", () => ({
+  useUserStore: (sel?: (s: unknown) => unknown) => {
+    const state = { refreshBalance: vi.fn() }
+    return sel ? sel(state) : state
+  },
+}))
+
+vi.mock("@/stores/modal-store", () => ({
+  useModalStore: (sel?: (s: unknown) => unknown) => {
+    const state = { open: vi.fn() }
+    return sel ? sel(state) : state
+  },
+}))
+
+const mockGetLatestNodes = vi.fn()
+vi.mock("@/lib/graph-api", () => ({
+  searchNodes: vi.fn(),
+  getLatestNodes: (...args: unknown[]) => mockGetLatestNodes(...args),
+}))
+
+const { MOCK_NODES, MOCK_EDGES } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  MOCK_NODES: [{ ref_id: "mock-1", node_type: "Topic", properties: {} }] as unknown[],
+  MOCK_EDGES: [] as unknown[],
+}))
+
+let mocksEnabled = false
+
+vi.mock("@/lib/mock-data", () => ({
+  isMocksEnabled: () => mocksEnabled,
+  MOCK_NODES,
+  MOCK_EDGES,
+}))
+
+vi.mock("@/lib/input-limits", () => ({
+  MAX_LENGTHS: { SEARCH_QUERY: 200 },
+}))
+
+vi.mock("@/lib/sphinx", () => ({
+  payL402: vi.fn(),
+}))
+
+// ── Tests ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+import { SearchBar } from "@/components/search/search-bar"
+
+describe("SearchBar handleClear", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks()
+    mocksEnabled = false
+    mockGetLatestNodes.mockResolvedValue({ nodes: [{ ref_id: "n1" }], edges: [{ id: "e1" }] })
+  })
+
+  function renderWithValue(inputValue: string) {
+    const { rerender } = render(<SearchBar />)
+    const input = screen.getByPlaceholderText("Search the graph...")
+    fireEvent.change(input, { target: { value: inputValue } })
+    return { rerender }
+  }
+
+  it("calls getLatestNodes when clear is clicked", async () => {
+    renderWithValue("bitcoin")
+    const clearBtn = screen.getByRole("button")
+    fireEvent.click(clearBtn)
+    await waitFor(() => expect(mockGetLatestNodes).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1))
+  })
+
+  it("calls setGraphData with resolved nodes/edges", async () => {
+    renderWithValue("test")
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button"))
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(setGraphData).toHaveBeenCalledWith([{ ref_id: "n1" }], [{ id: "e1" }])
+    )
+  })
+
+  it("calls setLoading(true) before fetch and setLoading(false) after", async () => {
+    renderWithValue("test")
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button"))
+    await waitFor(() => expect(setLoading).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false))
+    const calls = setLoading.mock.calls.map((c) => c[0])
+    expect(calls[0]).toBe(true)
+    expect(calls[calls.length - 1]).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it("calls setSearchTerm('') and clearSelection()", async () => {
+    renderWithValue("test")
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button"))
+    await waitFor(() => expect(setLoading).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false))
+    expect(setSearchTerm).toHaveBeenCalledWith("")
+    expect(clearSelection).toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it("uses MOCK_NODES/MOCK_EDGES in mock mode", async () => {
+    mocksEnabled = true
+    renderWithValue("test")
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button"))
+    await waitFor(() => expect(setLoading).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false))
+    expect(mockGetLatestNodes).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(setGraphData).toHaveBeenCalledWith(MOCK_NODES, MOCK_EDGES)
+  })
+
+  it("falls back to empty arrays on fetch error", async () => {
+    mockGetLatestNodes.mockRejectedValue(new Error("network error"))
+    renderWithValue("test")
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button"))
+    await waitFor(() => expect(setLoading).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false))
+    expect(setGraphData).toHaveBeenCalledWith([], [])
+  })
+})