diff --git a/frontend/components/navigation.tsx b/frontend/components/navigation.tsx
index 45150dfb..a8541d37 100644
--- a/frontend/components/navigation.tsx
+++ b/frontend/components/navigation.tsx
@@ -431,35 +431,22 @@ export function Navigation({
 
           <div className="flex-1 min-h-0 overflow-y-auto scrollbar-hide">
             <div className="space-y-1 flex flex-col">
-              {loadingNewConversation || isConversationsLoading ? (
-                <div className="text-[13px] text-muted-foreground p-2">
-                  Loading...
-                </div>
+              {/* Show skeleton loaders when loading and no conversations exist */}
+              {isConversationsLoading && conversations.length === 0 ? (
+
+                  [0,1].map((skeletonIndex) => (
+                    <div
+                      key={`conversation-skeleton-${skeletonIndex}`}
+                      className={cn("w-full px-3 h-11 rounded-lg animate-pulse", skeletonIndex === 0 ? "bg-accent/50" : "")}
+                    >
+                      <div className="h-3 bg-muted-foreground/20 rounded w-3/4 mt-3.5" />
+                    </div>
+                  ))
               ) : (
                 <>
-                  {/* Show placeholder conversation if it exists */}
-                  {placeholderConversation && (
-                    <button
-                      type="button"
-                      className="w-full px-3 rounded-lg bg-accent border border-dashed border-accent cursor-pointer group text-left h-[44px]"
-                      onClick={() => {
-                        // Don't load placeholder as a real conversation, just focus the input
-                        if (typeof window !== "undefined") {
-                          window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent("focusInput"));
-                        }
-                      }}
-                    >
-                      <div className="text-[13px] font-medium text-foreground truncate">
-                        {placeholderConversation.title}
-                      </div>
-                      <div className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                        Start typing to begin...
-                      </div>
-                    </button>
-                  )}
 
                   {/* Show regular conversations */}
-                  {conversations.length === 0 && !placeholderConversation ? (
+                  {conversations.length === 0 && !isConversationsLoading ? (
                     <div className="text-[13px] text-muted-foreground py-2 pl-3">
                       No conversations yet
                     </div>
@@ -469,7 +456,7 @@ export function Navigation({
                         key={conversation.response_id}
                         type="button"
                         className={`w-full px-3 h-11 rounded-lg group relative text-left ${
-                          loading
+                          loading || isConversationsLoading
                             ? "opacity-50 cursor-not-allowed"
                             : "hover:bg-accent cursor-pointer"
                         } ${
@@ -478,11 +465,11 @@ export function Navigation({
                             : ""
                         }`}
                         onClick={() => {
-                          if (loading) return;
+                          if (loading || isConversationsLoading) return;
                           loadConversation(conversation);
                           refreshConversations();
                         }}
-                        disabled={loading}
+                        disabled={loading || isConversationsLoading}
                       >
                         <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
                           <div className="flex-1 min-w-0">
@@ -493,7 +480,7 @@ export function Navigation({
                           <DropdownMenu>
                             <DropdownMenuTrigger
                               disabled={
-                                loading || deleteSessionMutation.isPending
+                                loading || isConversationsLoading || deleteSessionMutation.isPending
                               }
                               asChild
                             >
@@ -543,51 +530,6 @@ export function Navigation({
                 </>
               )}
             </div>
-
-            {/* Conversation Knowledge Section - appears right after last conversation
-            <div className="flex-shrink-0 mt-4">
-              <div className="flex items-center justify-between mb-3 mx-3">
-                <h3 className="text-xs font-medium text-muted-foreground">
-                  Conversation knowledge
-                </h3>
-                <button
-                  type="button"
-                  onClick={handleFilePickerClick}
-                  className="p-1 hover:bg-accent rounded"
-                  disabled={loading}
-                >
-                  <Plus className="h-4 w-4 text-muted-foreground" />
-                </button>
-              </div>
-              <input
-                ref={fileInputRef}
-                type="file"
-                onChange={handleFilePickerChange}
-                className="hidden"
-                accept=".pdf,.doc,.docx,.txt,.md,.rtf,.odt"
-              />
-              <div className="overflow-y-auto scrollbar-hide space-y-1">
-                {conversationDocs.length === 0 ? (
-                  <div className="text-[13px] text-muted-foreground py-2 px-3">
-                    No documents yet
-                  </div>
-                ) : (
-                  conversationDocs.map(doc => (
-                    <div
-                      key={`${doc.filename}-${doc.uploadTime.getTime()}`}
-                      className="w-full px-3 h-11 rounded-lg hover:bg-accent cursor-pointer group flex items-center"
-                    >
-                      <FileText className="h-4 w-4 mr-2 text-muted-foreground flex-shrink-0" />
-                      <div className="flex-1 min-w-0">
-                        <div className="text-sm text-foreground truncate">
-                          {doc.filename}
-                        </div>
-                      </div>
-                    </div>
-                  ))
-                )}
-              </div>
-            </div> */}
             <div className="flex-shrink-0 mt-4">
               <div className="flex items-center justify-between mb-3 mx-3">
                 <h3 className="text-xs font-medium text-muted-foreground">
@@ -595,7 +537,7 @@ export function Navigation({
                 </h3>
               </div>
               <div className="overflow-y-auto scrollbar-hide space-y-1">
-                {newConversationFiles?.length === 0 ? (
+                {(newConversationFiles?.length ?? 0) === 0 ? (
                   <div className="text-[13px] text-muted-foreground py-2 px-3">
                     No documents yet
                   </div>