diff --git a/src/renderer/src/App.tsx b/src/renderer/src/App.tsx
index 2ce444ef6b..6341579cae 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/App.tsx
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import { AppSidebar } from './components/AppSidebar'
 import { Modals } from './components/Modals'
 import { ThemeProvider } from './contexts/ThemeContext'
 import { SidebarProvider } from '@/components/ui/sidebar'
-import { useModalStore } from './stores/modalStore'
 import { useUIStore } from './stores/uiStore'
 import {
   RightPanel,
@@ -32,13 +31,12 @@ function AppContent(): React.JSX.Element {
     createSession,
     selectSession,
     deleteSession,
+    clearCurrentSession,
     sendPrompt,
     cancelRequest,
     clearError,
   } = useApp()
 
-  const openModal = useModalStore((s) => s.openModal)
-
   // UI state
   const sidebarOpen = useUIStore((s) => s.sidebarOpen)
   const setSidebarOpen = useUIStore((s) => s.setSidebarOpen)
@@ -47,7 +45,7 @@ function AppContent(): React.JSX.Element {
   const [defaultAgentId, setDefaultAgentId] = useState('opencode')
 
   const handleNewSession = () => {
-    openModal('newSession')
+    clearCurrentSession()
   }
 
   const handleCreateSession = async (cwd: string) => {
@@ -55,6 +53,13 @@ function AppContent(): React.JSX.Element {
     await createSession(cwd, defaultAgentId)
   }
 
+  const handleSelectFolder = async () => {
+    const dir = await window.electronAPI.selectDirectory()
+    if (dir) {
+      await createSession(dir, defaultAgentId)
+    }
+  }
+
   const handleSelectSession = async (sessionId: string) => {
     // Select session (agent starts automatically via resumeSession)
     await selectSession(sessionId)
@@ -105,7 +110,6 @@ function AppContent(): React.JSX.Element {
             updates={sessionUpdates}
             isProcessing={isProcessing}
             hasSession={!!currentSession}
-            onNewSession={handleNewSession}
           />
 
           {/* Input */}
@@ -114,6 +118,8 @@ function AppContent(): React.JSX.Element {
             onCancel={cancelRequest}
             isProcessing={isProcessing}
             disabled={!currentSession}
+            workingDirectory={currentSession?.workingDirectory}
+            onSelectFolder={handleSelectFolder}
           />
         </main>
 
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/ChatView.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/ChatView.tsx
index 5e63ffae31..50a39f6b6f 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/ChatView.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/ChatView.tsx
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 import ReactMarkdown from 'react-markdown'
 import remarkGfm from 'remark-gfm'
 import type { StoredSessionUpdate } from '../../../shared/types'
-import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { Collapsible, CollapsibleContent, CollapsibleTrigger } from '@/components/ui/collapsible'
 import { ChevronDown } from 'lucide-react'
 import { ToolCallItem, type ToolCall } from './ToolCallItem'
@@ -16,10 +15,9 @@ interface ChatViewProps {
   updates: StoredSessionUpdate[]
   isProcessing: boolean
   hasSession: boolean
-  onNewSession?: () => void
 }
 
-export function ChatView({ updates, isProcessing, hasSession, onNewSession }: ChatViewProps) {
+export function ChatView({ updates, isProcessing, hasSession }: ChatViewProps) {
   const bottomRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
   const pendingPermission = usePermissionStore((s) => s.pendingRequest)
 
@@ -36,16 +34,11 @@ export function ChatView({ updates, isProcessing, hasSession, onNewSession }: Ch
       <div className="flex flex-1 items-center justify-center">
         <div className="text-center">
           <h1 className="mb-2 text-3xl font-bold">Multica</h1>
-          <p className="mb-4 text-muted-foreground">
+          <p className="text-muted-foreground">
             {hasSession
               ? 'Start a conversation with your coding agent'
-              : 'Create a session to start chatting'}
+              : 'Select a folder below to start'}
           </p>
-          {!hasSession && onNewSession && (
-            <Button onClick={onNewSession}>
-              New Session
-            </Button>
-          )}
         </div>
       </div>
     )
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/MessageInput.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/MessageInput.tsx
index 6312962ff5..9e5540c131 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/MessageInput.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/MessageInput.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  * Message input component
  */
 import { useState, useRef, useEffect } from 'react'
-import { ArrowUp, Square } from 'lucide-react'
+import { ArrowUp, Square, Folder } from 'lucide-react'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 
 interface MessageInputProps {
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ interface MessageInputProps {
   isProcessing: boolean
   disabled: boolean
   placeholder?: string
+  workingDirectory?: string | null
+  onSelectFolder: () => Promise<void>
 }
 
 export function MessageInput({
@@ -19,11 +21,18 @@ export function MessageInput({
   isProcessing,
   disabled,
   placeholder = 'Type a message...',
+  workingDirectory,
+  onSelectFolder,
 }: MessageInputProps) {
   const [value, setValue] = useState('')
   const [isComposing, setIsComposing] = useState(false)
   const textareaRef = useRef<HTMLTextAreaElement>(null)
 
+  // Get folder name from path
+  const folderName = workingDirectory
+    ? workingDirectory.split('/').filter(Boolean).pop() || workingDirectory
+    : null
+
   // Auto-resize textarea
   useEffect(() => {
     const textarea = textareaRef.current
@@ -55,11 +64,46 @@ export function MessageInput({
   }
 
   const canSubmit = !disabled && value.trim().length > 0
+  const hasFolder = !!workingDirectory
 
+  // Render folder selection mode when no folder is selected
+  if (!hasFolder) {
+    return (
+      <div className="p-4">
+        <div className="mx-auto max-w-3xl">
+          <div className="bg-secondary/50 hover:bg-secondary transition-colors duration-200 rounded-xl p-3 border border-border">
+            {/* Folder selection prompt */}
+            <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
+              <Folder className="h-5 w-5 text-muted-foreground flex-shrink-0" />
+              <span className="text-muted-foreground flex-1">Select a folder to start...</span>
+              <Button
+                variant="outline"
+                size="sm"
+                onClick={onSelectFolder}
+                className="flex-shrink-0"
+              >
+                Browse
+              </Button>
+            </div>
+
+            {/* Bottom toolbar */}
+            <div className="flex items-center justify-end pt-3 mt-3 border-t border-border/50">
+              <Button size="icon" disabled className="h-8 w-8 rounded-full">
+                <ArrowUp className="h-4 w-4" />
+              </Button>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    )
+  }
+
+  // Normal chat input mode
   return (
     <div className="p-4">
       <div className="mx-auto max-w-3xl">
-        <div className="bg-secondary/50 hover:bg-secondary focus-within:bg-secondary transition-colors duration-200 rounded-md p-2 border border-border">
+        <div className="bg-secondary/50 hover:bg-secondary focus-within:bg-secondary transition-colors duration-200 rounded-xl p-3 border border-border">
+          {/* Text input */}
           <textarea
             ref={textareaRef}
             value={value}
@@ -67,12 +111,24 @@ export function MessageInput({
             onKeyDown={handleKeyDown}
             onCompositionStart={() => setIsComposing(true)}
             onCompositionEnd={() => setIsComposing(false)}
-            placeholder={disabled ? 'Select or create a session first' : placeholder}
+            placeholder={placeholder}
             disabled={disabled}
             rows={1}
-            className="w-full resize-none bg-transparent px-2 py-1 text-foreground outline-none placeholder:text-muted-foreground disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:opacity-50"
+            className="w-full resize-none bg-transparent px-1 py-1 text-foreground outline-none placeholder:text-muted-foreground disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:opacity-50"
           />
-          <div className="flex justify-end pt-1">
+
+          {/* Bottom toolbar */}
+          <div className="flex items-center justify-between pt-2 mt-2 border-t border-border/50">
+            {/* Folder indicator */}
+            <button
+              onClick={onSelectFolder}
+              className="flex items-center gap-1.5 text-xs text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground transition-colors px-2 py-1 rounded-md hover:bg-background/50"
+            >
+              <Folder className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+              <span className="max-w-[150px] truncate">{folderName}</span>
+            </button>
+
+            {/* Send button */}
             <Button
               size="icon"
               onClick={isProcessing ? onCancel : handleSubmit}
@@ -87,9 +143,6 @@ export function MessageInput({
             </Button>
           </div>
         </div>
-        <div className="mt-1 text-center text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-          Enter to send, Shift+Enter for new line
-        </div>
       </div>
     </div>
   )
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/hooks/useApp.ts b/src/renderer/src/hooks/useApp.ts
index 459c63cdd2..8eeb8ca737 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/hooks/useApp.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/hooks/useApp.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ export interface AppActions {
   createSession: (cwd: string, agentId: string) => Promise<void>
   selectSession: (sessionId: string) => Promise<void>
   deleteSession: (sessionId: string) => Promise<void>
+  clearCurrentSession: () => void
 
   // Agent actions (per-session)
   sendPrompt: (content: string) => Promise<void>
@@ -224,6 +225,11 @@ export function useApp(): AppState & AppActions {
     }
   }, [currentSession, loadSessions, loadRunningStatus])
 
+  const clearCurrentSession = useCallback(() => {
+    setCurrentSession(null)
+    setSessionUpdates([])
+  }, [])
+
   const sendPrompt = useCallback(async (content: string) => {
     if (!currentSession) {
       setError('No active session')
@@ -282,6 +288,7 @@ export function useApp(): AppState & AppActions {
     createSession,
     selectSession,
     deleteSession,
+    clearCurrentSession,
     sendPrompt,
     cancelRequest,
     clearError,