diff --git a/pkg/app/app.go b/pkg/app/app.go
index 218f844a6..80ef4a95a 100644
--- a/pkg/app/app.go
+++ b/pkg/app/app.go
@@ -931,16 +931,31 @@ func (a *App) generateTitle(ctx context.Context, userMessages []string) {
 
 	if a.titleGen == nil {
 		slog.Debug("No title generator available, skipping title generation")
+		// Emit empty title event so the UI clears any title-generation spinner
+		select {
+		case a.events <- runtime.SessionTitle(a.session.ID, ""):
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+		}
 		return
 	}
 
 	title, err := a.titleGen.Generate(ctx, a.session.ID, userMessages)
 	if err != nil {
 		slog.Error("Failed to generate session title", "session_id", a.session.ID, "error", err)
+		// Emit empty title event so the UI clears any title-generation spinner
+		select {
+		case a.events <- runtime.SessionTitle(a.session.ID, ""):
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+		}
 		return
 	}
 
 	if title == "" {
+		// Emit empty title event so the UI clears any title-generation spinner
+		select {
+		case a.events <- runtime.SessionTitle(a.session.ID, ""):
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+		}
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -950,7 +965,10 @@ func (a *App) generateTitle(ctx context.Context, userMessages []string) {
 	}
 
 	// Emit the title event to update the UI
-	a.events <- runtime.SessionTitle(a.session.ID, title)
+	select {
+	case a.events <- runtime.SessionTitle(a.session.ID, title):
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+	}
 }
 
 // RegenerateSessionTitle triggers AI-based title regeneration for the current session.
diff --git a/pkg/tui/components/sidebar/sidebar.go b/pkg/tui/components/sidebar/sidebar.go
index 78a4babfa..4b035faaa 100644
--- a/pkg/tui/components/sidebar/sidebar.go
+++ b/pkg/tui/components/sidebar/sidebar.go
@@ -567,14 +567,16 @@ func (m *model) Update(msg tea.Msg) (layout.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 		cmd := m.startSpinner()
 		return m, cmd
 	case *runtime.SessionTitleEvent:
-		m.sessionTitle = msg.Title
-		// Mark title as generated (enables pencil icon)
-		m.titleGenerated = true
-		// Clear regenerating state now that we have a title
+		// Clear regenerating state now that title generation is done
 		if m.titleRegenerating {
 			m.titleRegenerating = false
 			m.stopSpinner()
 		}
+		// Only update title and mark as generated if a non-empty title was provided
+		if msg.Title != "" {
+			m.sessionTitle = msg.Title
+			m.titleGenerated = true
+		}
 		m.invalidateCache()
 		return m, nil
 	case *runtime.StreamStartedEvent:
@@ -620,6 +622,7 @@ func (m *model) Update(msg tea.Msg) (layout.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 		m.workingAgent = ""
 		m.toolsLoading = false
 		m.mcpInit = false
+		m.titleRegenerating = false
 		// Force-stop main spinner if it was active (state is now cleared)
 		if m.spinnerActive {
 			m.spinnerActive = false