diff --git a/frontend/src/App.tsx b/frontend/src/App.tsx
index 3e5aef1..bc4161e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.tsx
@@ -506,9 +506,7 @@ export function App() {
     onChannelCreate: handleCreateCrackedChannel,
   };
   const newMessageModalProps = {
-    contacts,
     undecryptedCount,
-    onSelectConversation: handleSelectConversationWithTargetReset,
     onCreateContact: handleCreateContact,
     onCreateChannel: handleCreateChannel,
     onCreateHashtagChannel: handleCreateHashtagChannel,
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/AppShell.tsx b/frontend/src/components/AppShell.tsx
index 9b50faf..84b6ed2 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/AppShell.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/AppShell.tsx
@@ -284,10 +284,6 @@ export function AppShell({
         {...newMessageModalProps}
         open={showNewMessage}
         onClose={onCloseNewMessage}
-        onSelectConversation={(conv) => {
-          newMessageModalProps.onSelectConversation(conv);
-          onCloseNewMessage();
-        }}
       />
 
       <SecurityWarningModal health={statusProps.health} />
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/NewMessageModal.tsx b/frontend/src/components/NewMessageModal.tsx
index 6fc8d49..d44b282 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/NewMessageModal.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/NewMessageModal.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 import { useState, useRef } from 'react';
 import { Dice5 } from 'lucide-react';
-import type { Contact, Conversation } from '../types';
-import { getContactDisplayName } from '../utils/pubkey';
 import {
   Dialog,
   DialogContent,
@@ -17,14 +15,12 @@ import { Checkbox } from './ui/checkbox';
 import { Button } from './ui/button';
 import { toast } from './ui/sonner';
 
-type Tab = 'existing' | 'new-contact' | 'new-room' | 'hashtag';
+type Tab = 'new-contact' | 'new-room' | 'hashtag';
 
 interface NewMessageModalProps {
   open: boolean;
-  contacts: Contact[];
   undecryptedCount: number;
   onClose: () => void;
-  onSelectConversation: (conversation: Conversation) => void;
   onCreateContact: (name: string, publicKey: string, tryHistorical: boolean) => Promise<void>;
   onCreateChannel: (name: string, key: string, tryHistorical: boolean) => Promise<void>;
   onCreateHashtagChannel: (name: string, tryHistorical: boolean) => Promise<void>;
@@ -32,15 +28,13 @@ interface NewMessageModalProps {
 
 export function NewMessageModal({
   open,
-  contacts,
   undecryptedCount,
   onClose,
-  onSelectConversation,
   onCreateContact,
   onCreateChannel,
   onCreateHashtagChannel,
 }: NewMessageModalProps) {
-  const [tab, setTab] = useState<Tab>('existing');
+  const [tab, setTab] = useState<Tab>('new-contact');
   const [name, setName] = useState('');
   const [contactKey, setContactKey] = useState('');
   const [roomKey, setRoomKey] = useState('');
@@ -136,7 +130,7 @@ export function NewMessageModal({
     }
   };
 
-  const showHistoricalOption = tab !== 'existing' && undecryptedCount > 0;
+  const showHistoricalOption = undecryptedCount > 0;
 
   return (
     <Dialog
@@ -152,7 +146,6 @@ export function NewMessageModal({
         <DialogHeader>
           <DialogTitle>New Conversation</DialogTitle>
           <DialogDescription className="sr-only">
-            {tab === 'existing' && 'Select an existing contact to start a conversation'}
             {tab === 'new-contact' && 'Add a new contact by entering their name and public key'}
             {tab === 'new-room' && 'Create a private room with a shared encryption key'}
             {tab === 'hashtag' && 'Join a public hashtag channel'}
@@ -167,53 +160,12 @@ export function NewMessageModal({
           }}
           className="w-full"
         >
-          <TabsList className="grid w-full grid-cols-4">
-            <TabsTrigger value="existing">Existing</TabsTrigger>
+          <TabsList className="grid w-full grid-cols-3">
             <TabsTrigger value="new-contact">Contact</TabsTrigger>
-            <TabsTrigger value="new-room">Room</TabsTrigger>
-            <TabsTrigger value="hashtag">Hashtag</TabsTrigger>
+            <TabsTrigger value="new-room">Private Channel</TabsTrigger>
+            <TabsTrigger value="hashtag">Hashtag Channel</TabsTrigger>
           </TabsList>
 
-          <TabsContent value="existing" className="mt-4">
-            <div className="max-h-[300px] overflow-y-auto rounded-md border">
-              {contacts.filter((contact) => contact.public_key.length === 64).length === 0 ? (
-                <div className="p-4 text-center text-muted-foreground">No contacts available</div>
-              ) : (
-                contacts
-                  .filter((contact) => contact.public_key.length === 64)
-                  .map((contact) => (
-                    <div
-                      key={contact.public_key}
-                      className="cursor-pointer px-4 py-2 hover:bg-accent focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring focus-visible:ring-inset"
-                      role="button"
-                      tabIndex={0}
-                      onKeyDown={(e) => {
-                        if (e.key === 'Enter' || e.key === ' ') {
-                          e.preventDefault();
-                          (e.currentTarget as HTMLElement).click();
-                        }
-                      }}
-                      onClick={() => {
-                        onSelectConversation({
-                          type: 'contact',
-                          id: contact.public_key,
-                          name: getContactDisplayName(
-                            contact.name,
-                            contact.public_key,
-                            contact.last_advert
-                          ),
-                        });
-                        resetForm();
-                        onClose();
-                      }}
-                    >
-                      {getContactDisplayName(contact.name, contact.public_key, contact.last_advert)}
-                    </div>
-                  ))
-              )}
-            </div>
-          </TabsContent>
-
           <TabsContent value="new-contact" className="mt-4 space-y-4">
             <div className="space-y-2">
               <Label htmlFor="contact-name">Name</Label>
@@ -353,11 +305,9 @@ export function NewMessageModal({
               {loading ? 'Creating...' : 'Create & Add Another'}
             </Button>
           )}
-          {tab !== 'existing' && (
-            <Button onClick={handleCreate} disabled={loading}>
-              {loading ? 'Creating...' : 'Create'}
-            </Button>
-          )}
+          <Button onClick={handleCreate} disabled={loading}>
+            {loading ? 'Creating...' : 'Create'}
+          </Button>
         </DialogFooter>
       </DialogContent>
     </Dialog>
diff --git a/frontend/src/test/newMessageModal.test.tsx b/frontend/src/test/newMessageModal.test.tsx
index ad242cf..7dc013a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/test/newMessageModal.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/test/newMessageModal.test.tsx
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event';
 import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from 'vitest';
 
 import { NewMessageModal } from '../components/NewMessageModal';
-import type { Contact } from '../types';
 import { toast } from '../components/ui/sonner';
 
 // Mock sonner (toast)
@@ -18,24 +17,6 @@ vi.mock('../components/ui/sonner', () => ({
   toast: { success: vi.fn(), error: vi.fn() },
 }));
 
-const mockContact: Contact = {
-  public_key: 'aa'.repeat(32),
-  name: 'Alice',
-  type: 1,
-  flags: 0,
-  direct_path: null,
-  direct_path_len: -1,
-  direct_path_hash_mode: 0,
-  last_advert: null,
-  lat: null,
-  lon: null,
-  last_seen: null,
-  on_radio: false,
-  last_contacted: null,
-  last_read_at: null,
-  first_seen: null,
-};
-
 const mockToast = toast as unknown as {
   success: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
   error: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
@@ -43,7 +24,6 @@ const mockToast = toast as unknown as {
 
 describe('NewMessageModal form reset', () => {
   const onClose = vi.fn();
-  const onSelectConversation = vi.fn();
   const onCreateContact = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
   const onCreateChannel = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
   const onCreateHashtagChannel = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
@@ -56,10 +36,8 @@ describe('NewMessageModal form reset', () => {
     return render(
       <NewMessageModal
         open={open}
-        contacts={[mockContact]}
         undecryptedCount={5}
         onClose={onClose}
-        onSelectConversation={onSelectConversation}
         onCreateContact={onCreateContact}
         onCreateChannel={onCreateChannel}
         onCreateHashtagChannel={onCreateHashtagChannel}
@@ -75,7 +53,7 @@ describe('NewMessageModal form reset', () => {
     it('clears name after successful Create', async () => {
       const user = userEvent.setup();
       const { unmount } = renderModal();
-      await switchToTab(user, 'Hashtag');
+      await switchToTab(user, 'Hashtag Channel');
 
       const input = screen.getByPlaceholderText('channel-name') as HTMLInputElement;
       await user.type(input, 'testchan');
@@ -91,14 +69,14 @@ describe('NewMessageModal form reset', () => {
 
       // Re-render to simulate reopening — state should be reset
       renderModal();
-      await switchToTab(user, 'Hashtag');
+      await switchToTab(user, 'Hashtag Channel');
       expect((screen.getByPlaceholderText('channel-name') as HTMLInputElement).value).toBe('');
     });
 
     it('clears name when Cancel is clicked', async () => {
       const user = userEvent.setup();
       renderModal();
-      await switchToTab(user, 'Hashtag');
+      await switchToTab(user, 'Hashtag Channel');
 
       const input = screen.getByPlaceholderText('channel-name') as HTMLInputElement;
       await user.type(input, 'mychannel');
@@ -131,7 +109,7 @@ describe('NewMessageModal form reset', () => {
     it('clears name and key after successful Create', async () => {
       const user = userEvent.setup();
       renderModal();
-      await switchToTab(user, 'Room');
+      await switchToTab(user, 'Private Channel');
 
       await user.type(screen.getByPlaceholderText('Room name'), 'MyRoom');
       await user.type(screen.getByPlaceholderText('Pre-shared key (hex)'), 'cc'.repeat(16));
@@ -148,7 +126,7 @@ describe('NewMessageModal form reset', () => {
       const user = userEvent.setup();
       onCreateChannel.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error('Bad key'));
       renderModal();
-      await switchToTab(user, 'Room');
+      await switchToTab(user, 'Private Channel');
 
       await user.type(screen.getByPlaceholderText('Room name'), 'MyRoom');
       await user.type(screen.getByPlaceholderText('Pre-shared key (hex)'), 'cc'.repeat(16));
@@ -172,8 +150,8 @@ describe('NewMessageModal form reset', () => {
       await user.type(screen.getByPlaceholderText('Contact name'), 'Bob');
       await user.type(screen.getByPlaceholderText('64-character hex public key'), 'deadbeef');
 
-      // Switch to Room tab — fields should reset
-      await switchToTab(user, 'Room');
+      // Switch to Private Channel tab — fields should reset
+      await switchToTab(user, 'Private Channel');
 
       expect((screen.getByPlaceholderText('Room name') as HTMLInputElement).value).toBe('');
       expect((screen.getByPlaceholderText('Pre-shared key (hex)') as HTMLInputElement).value).toBe(
@@ -184,12 +162,12 @@ describe('NewMessageModal form reset', () => {
     it('clears room fields when switching to hashtag tab', async () => {
       const user = userEvent.setup();
       renderModal();
-      await switchToTab(user, 'Room');
+      await switchToTab(user, 'Private Channel');
 
       await user.type(screen.getByPlaceholderText('Room name'), 'SecretRoom');
       await user.type(screen.getByPlaceholderText('Pre-shared key (hex)'), 'ff'.repeat(16));
 
-      await switchToTab(user, 'Hashtag');
+      await switchToTab(user, 'Hashtag Channel');
 
       expect((screen.getByPlaceholderText('channel-name') as HTMLInputElement).value).toBe('');
     });
@@ -199,7 +177,7 @@ describe('NewMessageModal form reset', () => {
     it('resets tryHistorical when switching tabs', async () => {
       const user = userEvent.setup();
       renderModal();
-      await switchToTab(user, 'Hashtag');
+      await switchToTab(user, 'Hashtag Channel');
 
       // Check the "Try decrypting" checkbox
       const checkbox = screen.getByRole('checkbox', { name: /Try decrypting/ });
@@ -210,7 +188,7 @@ describe('NewMessageModal form reset', () => {
 
       // Switch tab and come back
       await switchToTab(user, 'Contact');
-      await switchToTab(user, 'Hashtag');
+      await switchToTab(user, 'Hashtag Channel');
 
       // The streaming message should be gone (tryHistorical was reset)
       expect(screen.queryByText(/Messages will stream in/)).toBeNull();