diff --git a/web/chat/chat-message-list-container.react.js b/web/chat/chat-message-list-container.react.js
--- a/web/chat/chat-message-list-container.react.js
+++ b/web/chat/chat-message-list-container.react.js
@@ -52,6 +52,18 @@
       threadType: threadTypes.PRIVATE,
     }),
   );
+
+  const newThreadID = 'pending/new_thread';
+  const pendingNewThread = React.useRef({
+    ...createPendingThread({
+      viewerID,
+      threadType: threadTypes.PRIVATE,
+    }),
+    id: newThreadID,
+    uiName: 'New thread',
+    community: null,
+  });
+
   const existingThreadInfoFinderForCreatingThread = useExistingThreadInfoFinder(
     pendingPrivateThread.current,
   );
@@ -68,6 +80,10 @@
   const existingThreadInfoFinder = useExistingThreadInfoFinder(baseThreadInfo);
   const threadInfo = React.useMemo(() => {
     if (isChatCreation) {
+      if (userInfoInputArray.length === 0) {
+        return pendingNewThread.current;
+      }
+
       return existingThreadInfoFinderForCreatingThread({
         searching: true,
         userInfoInputArray,