diff --git a/client/src/components/Nav/NewChat.tsx b/client/src/components/Nav/NewChat.tsx
index fa2a8aa184..a876f4a810 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Nav/NewChat.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/Nav/NewChat.tsx
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
-import React from 'react';
+import { useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { useLocalize, useConversation } from '~/hooks';
 
 export default function NewChat() {
   const { newConversation } = useConversation();
+  const navigate = useNavigate();
   const localize = useLocalize();
 
   const clickHandler = () => {
-    // dispatch(setInputValue(''));
-    // dispatch(setQuery(''));
     newConversation();
+    navigate('/chat/new');
   };
 
   return (
diff --git a/client/src/routes/Chat.tsx b/client/src/routes/Chat.tsx
index eb39c987d9..d24ef3e085 100644
--- a/client/src/routes/Chat.tsx
+++ b/client/src/routes/Chat.tsx
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ export default function Chat() {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
 
   //disabled by default, we only enable it when messagesTree is null
-  const messagesQuery = useGetMessagesByConvoId(conversationId ?? '', { enabled: false });
+  const messagesQuery = useGetMessagesByConvoId(conversationId ?? '', { enabled: !messagesTree });
   const getConversationMutation = useGetConversationByIdMutation(conversationId ?? '');
   const { data: config } = useGetStartupConfig();
 
@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@ export default function Chat() {
       setShouldNavigate(false);
     }
     // conversationId (in url) should always follow conversation?.conversationId, unless conversation is null
-    else if (conversation?.conversationId !== conversationId) {
+    // messagesTree is null when user navigates, but not on page refresh, so we need to navigate in this case
+    else if (conversation?.conversationId !== conversationId && !messagesTree) {
       if (shouldNavigate) {
         navigate(`/chat/${conversation?.conversationId}`);
       } else {