diff --git a/webclient/package-lock.json b/webclient/package-lock.json
index 69ea87e..9b6ce06 100644
--- a/webclient/package-lock.json
+++ b/webclient/package-lock.json
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
         "marked": "^15.0.12",
         "pinia": "^3.0.2",
         "vue": "^3.5.13",
-        "vue-router": "^4.6.4",
         "vue-virtual-scroller": "^2.0.0-beta.8"
       },
       "devDependencies": {
@@ -3046,27 +3045,6 @@
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT"
     },
-    "node_modules/vue-router": {
-      "version": "4.6.4",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/vue-router/-/vue-router-4.6.4.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-Hz9q5sa33Yhduglwz6g9skT8OBPii+4bFn88w6J+J4MfEo4KRRpmiNG/hHHkdbRFlLBOqxN8y8gf2Fb0MTUgVg==",
-      "license": "MIT",
-      "dependencies": {
-        "@vue/devtools-api": "^6.6.4"
-      },
-      "funding": {
-        "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/posva"
-      },
-      "peerDependencies": {
-        "vue": "^3.5.0"
-      }
-    },
-    "node_modules/vue-router/node_modules/@vue/devtools-api": {
-      "version": "6.6.4",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@vue/devtools-api/-/devtools-api-6.6.4.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-sGhTPMuXqZ1rVOk32RylztWkfXTRhuS7vgAKv0zjqk8gbsHkJ7xfFf+jbySxt7tWObEJwyKaHMikV/WGDiQm8g==",
-      "license": "MIT"
-    },
     "node_modules/vue-virtual-scroller": {
       "version": "2.0.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/vue-virtual-scroller/-/vue-virtual-scroller-2.0.1.tgz",
diff --git a/webclient/package.json b/webclient/package.json
index 4dd4ee9..8c82494 100644
--- a/webclient/package.json
+++ b/webclient/package.json
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
     "marked": "^15.0.12",
     "pinia": "^3.0.2",
     "vue": "^3.5.13",
-    "vue-router": "^4.6.4",
     "vue-virtual-scroller": "^2.0.0-beta.8"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
diff --git a/webclient/src/App.vue b/webclient/src/App.vue
index 0dd5c28..bda513a 100644
--- a/webclient/src/App.vue
+++ b/webclient/src/App.vue
@@ -33,7 +33,19 @@
 
     <!-- Main content -->
     <div class="app-main">
-      <router-view @toggle-sidebar="toggleSidebar" @toggle-artifacts="toggleArtifacts" />
+      <Transition name="fade" mode="out-in">
+        <WelcomeScreen
+          v-if="showWelcome"
+          key="welcome"
+          @toggle-sidebar="toggleSidebar"
+        />
+        <ChatArea
+          v-else
+          key="chat"
+          @toggle-sidebar="toggleSidebar"
+          @toggle-artifacts="toggleArtifacts"
+        />
+      </Transition>
     </div>
 
     <ArtifactsPanel
@@ -50,7 +62,7 @@
 
 
 <script setup>
-import { ref, onMounted } from 'vue'
+import { ref, computed, onMounted } from 'vue'
 import { useSessionsStore } from '@/stores/sessions'
 import { useProfilesStore } from '@/stores/profiles'
 import { useChatStore } from '@/stores/chat'
@@ -61,6 +73,8 @@
 import SelectionToolbar from '@/components/ui/SelectionToolbar.vue'
 import ArtifactsPanel from '@/components/artifacts/ArtifactsPanel.vue'
 import LoginScreen from '@/components/ui/LoginScreen.vue'
+import WelcomeScreen from '@/components/ui/WelcomeScreen.vue'
+import ChatArea from '@/components/chat/ChatArea.vue'
 
 const sessionsStore = useSessionsStore()
 const profilesStore = useProfilesStore()
@@ -70,6 +84,10 @@
 const sidebarOpen = ref(false)
 const artifactsOpen = ref(false)
 
+const showWelcome = computed(
+  () => (sessionsStore.sessions.length === 0 || chatStore.currentId === null) && !sessionsStore.loading
+)
+
 function closeSidebar() {
   sidebarOpen.value = false
 }
@@ -92,32 +110,41 @@
 
 onMounted(async () => {
   // Check auth configuration first, before any protected API calls
-  console.log('[app] fetchStatus start')
   await authStore.fetchStatus()
-  console.log('[app] fetchStatus done, authConfigured=', authStore.authConfigured)
 
   // Resolve auth state
   try {
-    console.log('[app] fetchMe start')
     await authStore.fetchMe()
-    console.log('[app] fetchMe done, isAuthenticated=', authStore.isAuthenticated)
   } catch {
-    console.log('[app] fetchMe failed (unauthenticated)')
+    // unauthenticated — LoginScreen will show if auth is configured
   }
 
-  console.log('[app] should show login?', authStore.authConfigured, !authStore.isAuthenticated, !authStore.loading)
-
   // Load app data only if authenticated or auth is not configured
   if (!authStore.authConfigured || authStore.isAuthenticated) {
     try {
       await profilesStore.fetchProfiles()
       await sessionsStore.fetchSessions(profilesStore.selectedProfileId)
-    } catch (err) {
-      console.log('[app] data fetch error', err)
+    } catch {
+      // ignore
     }
   }
 })
 
+// Hash-based routing for session IDs
+window.addEventListener('hashchange', () => {
+  const hash = location.hash
+  const id = hash.slice(1)
+  if (id && id !== chatStore.currentId) {
+    chatStore.loadSession(id)
+  }
+})
+
+// Load session from initial hash on page load
+if (location.hash) {
+  const id = location.hash.slice(1)
+  if (id) chatStore.loadSession(id)
+}
+
 </script>
 
 <style scoped>
diff --git a/webclient/src/main.js b/webclient/src/main.js
index e58beed..850a878 100644
--- a/webclient/src/main.js
+++ b/webclient/src/main.js
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 import { createApp } from 'vue'
 import { createPinia } from 'pinia'
 import App from './App.vue'
-import { router } from './router'
 import './styles/main.scss'
 
 const app = createApp(App)
 app.use(createPinia())
-app.use(router)
 app.mount('#app')
diff --git a/webclient/src/router/index.js b/webclient/src/router/index.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 97d3220..0000000
--- a/webclient/src/router/index.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-import { createRouter, createWebHashHistory } from 'vue-router'
-import HomeView from '@/views/HomeView.vue'
-
-const routes = [
-  { path: '/:sessionId?', component: HomeView },
-]
-
-export const router = createRouter({
-  history: createWebHashHistory(),
-  routes,
-})
diff --git a/webclient/src/stores/chat.js b/webclient/src/stores/chat.js
index dfa6b37..4f07a4c 100644
--- a/webclient/src/stores/chat.js
+++ b/webclient/src/stores/chat.js
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
 
   async function loadSession(id) {
     if (currentId.value === id) return
-    console.log('[chat] loadSession start', id)
     _lastLoadId = id
     loading.value = true
     messages.value = []
@@ -49,12 +48,10 @@
 
     try {
       const session = await api.getSession(id)
-      console.log('[chat] loadSession got session', session?.session_id, 'messages count', session?.messages?.length)
       // Ignore stale responses — user may have switched to a different session while this loaded
       if (_lastLoadId !== id) return
       currentProfileId.value = session.profile_id ?? null
       messages.value = buildMessageList(session.messages ?? [])
-      console.log('[chat] loadSession built', messages.value.length, 'messages')
       await mergeFeedback(id)
       await fetchArtifacts(id)
       if (session.context_token_count) contextTokens.value = session.context_token_count
@@ -63,8 +60,7 @@
       // watch in ChatArea. Doing it last guarantees messages are populated before WS replay
       // starts, eliminating the race where WS replay arrives before REST and gets overwritten.
       currentId.value = id
-      location.hash = '#/' + id
-      console.log('[chat] loadSession done, currentId set to', id)
+      location.hash = id
     } catch (err) {
       console.error('[chat] loadSession failed', err)
     } finally {
@@ -81,7 +77,7 @@
     streamingMsg.value = null
     contextTokens.value = 0
     maxContextTokens.value = 0
-    location.hash = '#/'
+    location.hash = ''
   }
 
   // Force-reload session history from the server, bypassing the same-id guard.
@@ -433,7 +429,6 @@
   //
   // We group them into single AssistantMessage objects with tools[] + text.
   function buildMessageList(raw) {
-    console.log('[chat] buildMessageList raw length', raw.length)
     const result = []
     let i = 0
 
diff --git a/webclient/src/views/HomeView.vue b/webclient/src/views/HomeView.vue
index a55540c..f88fce3 100644
--- a/webclient/src/views/HomeView.vue
+++ b/webclient/src/views/HomeView.vue
@@ -15,14 +15,12 @@
 </template>
 
 <script setup>
-import { computed, watch } from 'vue'
-import { useRoute } from 'vue-router'
+import { computed } from 'vue'
 import { useSessionsStore } from '@/stores/sessions'
 import { useChatStore } from '@/stores/chat'
 import WelcomeScreen from '@/components/ui/WelcomeScreen.vue'
 import ChatArea from '@/components/chat/ChatArea.vue'
 
-const route = useRoute()
 const sessionsStore = useSessionsStore()
 const chatStore = useChatStore()
 
@@ -31,15 +29,4 @@
 const showWelcome = computed(
   () => (sessionsStore.sessions.length === 0 || chatStore.currentId === null) && !sessionsStore.loading
 )
-
-// Load session from URL route param (replaces the old raw hashchange handler)
-watch(
-  () => route.params.sessionId,
-  (id) => {
-    if (id && id !== chatStore.currentId) {
-      chatStore.loadSession(id)
-    }
-  },
-  { immediate: true }
-)
 </script>