diff --git a/backend/danswer/server/query_and_chat/chat_backend.py b/backend/danswer/server/query_and_chat/chat_backend.py
index 86d4f7d9bb42..7d01f4781ccf 100644
--- a/backend/danswer/server/query_and_chat/chat_backend.py
+++ b/backend/danswer/server/query_and_chat/chat_backend.py
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ def seed_chat(
         )
 
     return ChatSeedResponse(
-        redirect_url=f"{WEB_DOMAIN}/chat?chatId={new_chat_session.id}"
+        redirect_url=f"{WEB_DOMAIN}/chat?chatId={new_chat_session.id}&seeded=true"
     )
 
 
diff --git a/web/src/app/chat/ChatPage.tsx b/web/src/app/chat/ChatPage.tsx
index 320c1d93fc10..4521ecaeece5 100644
--- a/web/src/app/chat/ChatPage.tsx
+++ b/web/src/app/chat/ChatPage.tsx
@@ -180,20 +180,27 @@ export function ChatPage({
       );
 
       const newMessageHistory = processRawChatHistory(chatSession.messages);
-      setMessageHistory(newMessageHistory);
+      // if the last message is an error, don't overwrite it
+      if (messageHistory[messageHistory.length - 1]?.type !== "error") {
+        setMessageHistory(newMessageHistory);
 
-      const latestMessageId =
-        newMessageHistory[newMessageHistory.length - 1]?.messageId;
-      setSelectedMessageForDocDisplay(
-        latestMessageId !== undefined ? latestMessageId : null
-      );
+        const latestMessageId =
+          newMessageHistory[newMessageHistory.length - 1]?.messageId;
+        setSelectedMessageForDocDisplay(
+          latestMessageId !== undefined ? latestMessageId : null
+        );
+      }
 
       setChatSessionSharedStatus(chatSession.shared_status);
 
       setIsFetchingChatMessages(false);
 
       // if this is a seeded chat, then kick off the AI message generation
-      if (newMessageHistory.length === 1 && !submitOnLoadPerformed.current) {
+      if (
+        newMessageHistory.length === 1 &&
+        !submitOnLoadPerformed.current &&
+        searchParams.get(SEARCH_PARAM_NAMES.SEEDED) === "true"
+      ) {
         submitOnLoadPerformed.current = true;
         const seededMessage = newMessageHistory[0].message;
         await onSubmit({
diff --git a/web/src/app/chat/searchParams.ts b/web/src/app/chat/searchParams.ts
index ad438e0126a4..ba67d26d62de 100644
--- a/web/src/app/chat/searchParams.ts
+++ b/web/src/app/chat/searchParams.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ export const SEARCH_PARAM_NAMES = {
   SUBMIT_ON_LOAD: "submit-on-load",
   // chat title
   TITLE: "title",
+  // for seeding chats
+  SEEDED: "seeded",
 };
 
 export function shouldSubmitOnLoad(searchParams: ReadonlyURLSearchParams) {