diff --git a/internal/service/static/css/main.css b/internal/service/static/css/main.css
index 381ad4c..dfa70e2 100644
--- a/internal/service/static/css/main.css
+++ b/internal/service/static/css/main.css
@@ -999,6 +999,9 @@ body {
 }
 
 .conversations-panel__search {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: var(--s-1);
   padding: var(--s-1) var(--s1);
   border-bottom: 1px solid var(--color-border-light);
   flex-shrink: 0;
@@ -1006,7 +1009,7 @@ body {
 
 .conversations-search {
   display: block;
-  width: 100%;
+  flex: 1;
   height: var(--s2);
   padding: 0 var(--s-1);
   font-family: inherit;
@@ -1023,6 +1026,40 @@ body {
   outline-offset: 2px;
 }
 
+/* The new-conversation button pairs with the search input: the
+   same height, the same border, one icon. */
+.conversations-new {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  width: var(--s2);
+  height: var(--s2);
+  padding: 0;
+  font-family: inherit;
+  color: var(--color-text-muted);
+  background: transparent;
+  border: 1px solid var(--color-border-light);
+  border-radius: var(--radius);
+  cursor: pointer;
+}
+
+.conversations-new svg {
+  width: var(--icon-size);
+  height: var(--icon-size);
+}
+
+.conversations-new:focus-visible {
+  outline: 2px solid var(--color-primary);
+  outline-offset: 2px;
+}
+
+@media (hover: hover) {
+  .conversations-new:hover {
+    color: var(--color-text);
+    border-color: var(--color-text-muted);
+  }
+}
+
 .conversations-panel__list {
   flex: 1;
   overflow-y: auto;
diff --git a/internal/service/static/icons.svg b/internal/service/static/icons.svg
index c06351b..5929cb7 100644
--- a/internal/service/static/icons.svg
+++ b/internal/service/static/icons.svg
@@ -146,4 +146,8 @@
     <path d="M19 17V5a2 2 0 0 0-2-2H4"/>
     <path d="M8 21h12a2 2 0 0 0 2-2v-1a1 1 0 0 0-1-1H11a1 1 0 0 0-1 1v1a2 2 0 1 1-4 0V5a2 2 0 1 0-4 0v2a1 1 0 0 0 1 1h3"/>
   </symbol>
+  <symbol id="plus" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round">
+    <path d="M5 12h14"/>
+    <path d="M12 5v14"/>
+  </symbol>
 </svg>
diff --git a/internal/service/static/js/main.js b/internal/service/static/js/main.js
index 7068c9d..9553d9a 100644
--- a/internal/service/static/js/main.js
+++ b/internal/service/static/js/main.js
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ class Odidere {
         onSelectConversation: (id) => this.switchConversation(id),
         onRenameConversation: (id) => this.renameConversation(id),
         onDeleteConversation: (id) => this.deleteConversation(id),
+        onNewConversation: () => this.newConversation(),
         onPushToTalkStart: () => this.handlePushToTalkStart(),
         onPushToTalkEnd: () => this.handlePushToTalkEnd(),
         onTranscribeStart: () => this.handleTranscribeStart(),
@@ -700,16 +701,7 @@ class Odidere {
   async reset() {
     this.tts.stop();
     const id = this.conversationId;
-    // Clear the selection first, so the aborted run's cleanup does
-    // not open a new subscription to a conversation being deleted.
-    this.conversationId = null;
-    this.syncController?.abort();
-    this.runController?.abort();
-    if (this.currentRun) {
-      try {
-        await this.currentRun;
-      } catch {}
-    }
+    await this.detachConversation();
     if (id) {
       try {
         await this.api.deleteConversation(id);
@@ -742,6 +734,31 @@ class Odidere {
     this.updateSendEnabled();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * detachConversation unselects the conversation, aborts any open
+   * sync or inference stream, and waits for an in-flight run to
+   * finish its cleanup.
+   *
+   * It does not stop the run on the server; it only ends local
+   * stream delivery.
+   *
+   * conversationId is cleared before the aborts so that the ending
+   * streams do not persist the cache, open a new sync stream, or
+   * fetch approvals for the old conversation. Awaiting currentRun
+   * lets run's finally block clear busy and drafts before the caller
+   * clears local state or loads another conversation.
+   */
+  async detachConversation() {
+    this.conversationId = null;
+    this.syncController?.abort();
+    this.runController?.abort();
+    if (this.currentRun) {
+      try {
+        await this.currentRun;
+      } catch {}
+    }
+  }
+
   // ====================
   // CONVERSATIONS
   // ====================
@@ -873,23 +890,29 @@ class Odidere {
     }
     this.conversations = this.conversations.filter((c) => c.id !== id);
     if (id === this.conversationId) {
-      // The server-side delete cancels an ongoing inference. Detach
-      // the local streams before the state goes, so the aborted
-      // run's cleanup does not open a new subscription.
+      // The server-side delete cancels an ongoing inference.
       this.tts.stop();
-      this.conversationId = null;
-      this.syncController?.abort();
-      this.runController?.abort();
-      if (this.currentRun) {
-        try {
-          await this.currentRun;
-        } catch {}
-      }
+      await this.detachConversation();
       this.clearLocalConversation();
     }
     this.filterConversations(this.conversationQuery);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * newConversation closes the picker and clears the view for a
+   * new conversation. It sends no request: send() creates the
+   * conversation when the next message goes out, so an abandoned
+   * click leaves no empty conversation on the server. A run in
+   * flight on the old conversation keeps running there.
+   */
+  async newConversation() {
+    this.ui.closeConversations();
+    if (!this.conversationId) return;
+    this.tts.stop();
+    await this.detachConversation();
+    this.clearLocalConversation();
+  }
+
   // ====================
   // SYNC
   // ====================
diff --git a/internal/service/static/js/ui.js b/internal/service/static/js/ui.js
index 857c359..c1c0e61 100644
--- a/internal/service/static/js/ui.js
+++ b/internal/service/static/js/ui.js
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ export class UI {
     );
     this.$conversationsClose = document.getElementById('conversations-close');
     this.$conversationsSearch = document.getElementById('conversation-search');
+    this.$conversationNew = document.getElementById('conversation-new');
     this.$conversationsList = document.getElementById('conversation-list');
     this.$tplConversationItem = document.getElementById(
       'tpl-conversation-item',
@@ -1166,6 +1167,9 @@ export class UI {
     this.$conversationsSearch.addEventListener('input', () =>
       this.handlers.onConversationSearch(this.$conversationsSearch.value),
     );
+    this.$conversationNew.addEventListener('click', () =>
+      this.handlers.onNewConversation(),
+    );
     this.$conversationsList.addEventListener('click', (event) => {
       const $item = event.target.closest('[data-conversation-id]');
       if (!$item) return;
diff --git a/internal/service/templates/static/modal/conversations.gohtml b/internal/service/templates/static/modal/conversations.gohtml
index 963fc5a..7a11e7e 100644
--- a/internal/service/templates/static/modal/conversations.gohtml
+++ b/internal/service/templates/static/modal/conversations.gohtml
@@ -25,6 +25,14 @@
           aria-label="Search conversations"
           autocomplete="off"
         />
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          class="conversations-new"
+          id="conversation-new"
+          aria-label="New conversation"
+        >
+          <svg class="icon"><use href="/static/icons.svg#plus"></use></svg>
+        </button>
       </div>
 
       <div class="conversations-panel__list" id="conversation-list"></div>