diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/index.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/index.tsx
index 51f566f6f..39815e094 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/index.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/index.tsx
@@ -732,6 +732,8 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
           />
         )}
 
+        {sidebarOpen && !showSessionSections && <div className="min-h-0 flex-1" />}
+
         {multiProfile && sidebarOpen && (
           <div className="shrink-0 px-0.5 pb-1 pt-0.5">
             <ProfileRail />
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/profile-switcher.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/profile-switcher.tsx
index b40b13b84..6a4fb6fcf 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/profile-switcher.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/profile-switcher.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
-import { useEffect } from 'react'
+import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
 import { useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom'
 
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import {
   setShowAllProfiles
 } from '@/store/profile'
 
+import { CreateProfileDialog } from '../../profiles/create-profile-dialog'
 import { PROFILES_ROUTE } from '../../routes'
 
 // Arc-Spaces-style profile rail at the sidebar foot: a default↔all toggle pinned
@@ -30,6 +31,8 @@ export function ProfileRail() {
   const gatewayProfile = useStore($activeGatewayProfile)
   const navigate = useNavigate()
 
+  const [createOpen, setCreateOpen] = useState(false)
+
   const isAll = scope === ALL_PROFILES
   const activeKey = normalizeProfileKey(gatewayProfile)
   const defaultProfile = profiles.find(profile => profile.is_default)
@@ -70,9 +73,22 @@ export function ProfileRail() {
             onSelect={() => selectProfile(profile.name)}
           />
         ))}
+
+        <Tip label="New profile">
+          <button
+            aria-label="New profile"
+            className="grid size-5 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-[3px] text-(--ui-text-tertiary) opacity-55 transition hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) hover:text-foreground hover:opacity-100"
+            onClick={() => setCreateOpen(true)}
+            type="button"
+          >
+            <Codicon name="add" size="0.75rem" />
+          </button>
+        </Tip>
       </div>
 
       <ProfilePill active={false} glyph="ellipsis" label="Manage profiles…" onSelect={() => navigate(PROFILES_ROUTE)} />
+
+      <CreateProfileDialog onClose={() => setCreateOpen(false)} onCreated={refreshActiveProfile} open={createOpen} />
     </div>
   )
 }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/profiles/create-profile-dialog.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/profiles/create-profile-dialog.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1fc34725e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/profiles/create-profile-dialog.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
+
+import { ActionStatus } from '@/components/ui/action-status'
+import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
+import { Checkbox } from '@/components/ui/checkbox'
+import { Dialog, DialogContent, DialogDescription, DialogFooter, DialogHeader, DialogTitle } from '@/components/ui/dialog'
+import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input'
+import { Textarea } from '@/components/ui/textarea'
+import { createProfile, updateProfileSoul } from '@/hermes'
+import { AlertTriangle } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
+
+const PROFILE_NAME_RE = /^[a-z0-9][a-z0-9_-]{0,63}$/
+
+export const PROFILE_NAME_HINT =
+  'Lowercase letters, digits, hyphens, and underscores. Must start with a letter or digit.'
+
+export function isValidProfileName(name: string): boolean {
+  return PROFILE_NAME_RE.test(name.trim())
+}
+
+// Self-contained create flow (name + clone toggle + optional SOUL.md). Owns the
+// createProfile/updateProfileSoul calls so every caller just refreshes/selects
+// via onCreated. SOUL left blank keeps the cloned/blank persona untouched.
+export function CreateProfileDialog({
+  onClose,
+  onCreated,
+  open
+}: {
+  onClose: () => void
+  onCreated?: (name: string) => Promise<void> | void
+  open: boolean
+}) {
+  const [name, setName] = useState('')
+  const [cloneFromDefault, setCloneFromDefault] = useState(true)
+  const [soul, setSoul] = useState('')
+  const [status, setStatus] = useState<'done' | 'idle' | 'saving'>('idle')
+  const [error, setError] = useState<null | string>(null)
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!open) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    setName('')
+    setCloneFromDefault(true)
+    setSoul('')
+    setError(null)
+    setStatus('idle')
+  }, [open])
+
+  const trimmed = name.trim()
+  const invalid = trimmed !== '' && !isValidProfileName(trimmed)
+  const busy = status === 'saving' || status === 'done'
+
+  async function handleSubmit(event: React.FormEvent) {
+    event.preventDefault()
+
+    if (!trimmed || invalid) {
+      setError(invalid ? `Invalid name. ${PROFILE_NAME_HINT}` : 'Name is required.')
+
+      return
+    }
+
+    setStatus('saving')
+    setError(null)
+
+    try {
+      await createProfile({ name: trimmed, clone_from_default: cloneFromDefault })
+
+      if (soul.trim()) {
+        await updateProfileSoul(trimmed, soul)
+      }
+
+      await onCreated?.(trimmed)
+      setStatus('done')
+      window.setTimeout(onClose, 800)
+    } catch (err) {
+      setStatus('idle')
+      setError(err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Failed to create profile')
+    }
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <Dialog onOpenChange={value => !value && !busy && onClose()} open={open}>
+      <DialogContent className="max-w-md">
+        <DialogHeader>
+          <DialogTitle>New profile</DialogTitle>
+          <DialogDescription>
+            Profiles are independent Hermes environments: separate config, skills, and SOUL.md.
+          </DialogDescription>
+        </DialogHeader>
+
+        <form className="grid gap-4" onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
+          <div className="grid gap-1.5">
+            <label className="text-xs font-medium" htmlFor="new-profile-name">
+              Name
+            </label>
+            <Input
+              aria-invalid={invalid}
+              autoFocus
+              id="new-profile-name"
+              onChange={event => setName(event.target.value)}
+              placeholder="my-profile"
+              value={name}
+            />
+            <p className={cn('text-[0.66rem] leading-4', invalid ? 'text-destructive' : 'text-muted-foreground')}>
+              {PROFILE_NAME_HINT}
+            </p>
+          </div>
+
+          <label className="flex cursor-pointer select-none items-start gap-2.5 px-0.5 py-1">
+            <Checkbox
+              checked={cloneFromDefault}
+              className="mt-0.5 shrink-0"
+              onCheckedChange={checked => setCloneFromDefault(checked === true)}
+            />
+            <span className="grid gap-0.5 leading-snug">
+              <span className="text-sm font-medium">Clone from default</span>
+              <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                Copy config, skills, and SOUL.md from your default profile.
+              </span>
+            </span>
+          </label>
+
+          <div className="grid gap-1.5">
+            <label className="text-xs font-medium" htmlFor="new-profile-soul">
+              SOUL.md <span className="font-normal text-muted-foreground">— optional</span>
+            </label>
+            <Textarea
+              className="min-h-28 font-mono text-xs leading-5"
+              id="new-profile-soul"
+              onChange={event => setSoul(event.target.value)}
+              placeholder={`The system prompt / persona for this profile.\nLeave blank to keep the ${cloneFromDefault ? 'cloned' : 'empty'} default.`}
+              value={soul}
+            />
+          </div>
+
+          {error && (
+            <div className="flex items-start gap-2 rounded-md border border-destructive/30 bg-destructive/10 px-3 py-2 text-xs text-destructive">
+              <AlertTriangle className="mt-0.5 size-3.5 shrink-0" />
+              <span>{error}</span>
+            </div>
+          )}
+
+          <DialogFooter>
+            <Button disabled={busy} onClick={onClose} type="button" variant="ghost">
+              Cancel
+            </Button>
+            <Button disabled={busy || !trimmed || invalid} type="submit">
+              <ActionStatus busy="Creating…" done="Created" idle="Create profile" state={status} />
+            </Button>
+          </DialogFooter>
+        </form>
+      </DialogContent>
+    </Dialog>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/profiles/index.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/profiles/index.tsx
index d1ad9c7fd..35f907411 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/profiles/index.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/profiles/index.tsx
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@ import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 
 import { PageLoader } from '@/components/page-loader'
+import { ActionStatus } from '@/components/ui/action-status'
 import { Badge } from '@/components/ui/badge'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
-import { Checkbox } from '@/components/ui/checkbox'
 import { Codicon } from '@/components/ui/codicon'
 import {
   Dialog,
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ import {
   renameProfile,
   updateProfileSoul
 } from '@/hermes'
-import { AlertTriangle, Check, Loader2, Save, Users } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { AlertTriangle, Save, Users } from '@/lib/icons'
 import { profileColor } from '@/lib/profile-color'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { $activeProfile, switchProfile } from '@/store/profile'
@@ -42,13 +42,7 @@ import { useRefreshHotkey } from '../hooks/use-refresh-hotkey'
 import { OverlayMain, OverlaySidebar, OverlaySplitLayout } from '../overlays/overlay-split-layout'
 import { OverlayView } from '../overlays/overlay-view'
 
-const PROFILE_NAME_RE = /^[a-z0-9][a-z0-9_-]{0,63}$/
-
-const PROFILE_NAME_HINT = 'Lowercase letters, digits, hyphens, and underscores. Must start with a letter or digit.'
-
-function isValidProfileName(name: string): boolean {
-  return PROFILE_NAME_RE.test(name.trim())
-}
+import { CreateProfileDialog, isValidProfileName, PROFILE_NAME_HINT } from './create-profile-dialog'
 
 // Pick a free "<source>-copy" name for a duplicated profile, appending a numeric
 // suffix when the base is taken. Source is truncated to leave room for the
@@ -73,27 +67,6 @@ function uniqueCloneName(source: string, existing: Set<string>): string {
 
 // Three-state affordance shared by every save/create/rename/delete button:
 // spinner while pending, a check on success, then back to the idle icon+label.
-function ActionStatus({
-  state,
-  idle,
-  busy,
-  done,
-  idleIcon = null
-}: {
-  state: 'done' | 'idle' | 'saving'
-  idle: string
-  busy: string
-  done: string
-  idleIcon?: React.ReactNode
-}) {
-  return (
-    <>
-      {state === 'saving' ? <Loader2 className="size-4 animate-spin" /> : state === 'done' ? <Check /> : idleIcon}
-      {state === 'saving' ? busy : state === 'done' ? done : idle}
-    </>
-  )
-}
-
 interface ProfilesViewProps {
   onClose: () => void
 }
@@ -148,21 +121,6 @@ export function ProfilesView({ onClose }: ProfilesViewProps) {
     return profiles.find(p => p.name === selectedName) ?? profiles[0] ?? null
   }, [profiles, selectedName])
 
-  const handleCreate = useCallback(
-    async (name: string, cloneFromDefault: boolean) => {
-      const trimmed = name.trim()
-
-      if (!isValidProfileName(trimmed)) {
-        throw new Error(PROFILE_NAME_HINT)
-      }
-
-      await createProfile({ name: trimmed, clone_from_default: cloneFromDefault })
-      setSelectedName(trimmed)
-      await refresh()
-    },
-    [refresh]
-  )
-
   const handleRename = useCallback(
     async (from: string, to: string): Promise<void> => {
       const target = to.trim()
@@ -290,7 +248,10 @@ export function ProfilesView({ onClose }: ProfilesViewProps) {
 
       <CreateProfileDialog
         onClose={() => setCreateOpen(false)}
-        onCreate={async (name, cloneFromDefault) => handleCreate(name, cloneFromDefault)}
+        onCreated={async name => {
+          setSelectedName(name)
+          await refresh()
+        }}
         open={createOpen}
       />
 
@@ -642,120 +603,6 @@ function SoulEditor({ profileName }: { profileName: string }) {
   )
 }
 
-function CreateProfileDialog({
-  onClose,
-  onCreate,
-  open
-}: {
-  onClose: () => void
-  onCreate: (name: string, cloneFromDefault: boolean) => Promise<void>
-  open: boolean
-}) {
-  const [name, setName] = useState('')
-  const [cloneFromDefault, setCloneFromDefault] = useState(true)
-  const [status, setStatus] = useState<'done' | 'idle' | 'saving'>('idle')
-  const [error, setError] = useState<null | string>(null)
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!open) {
-      return
-    }
-
-    setName('')
-    setCloneFromDefault(true)
-    setError(null)
-    setStatus('idle')
-  }, [open])
-
-  const trimmed = name.trim()
-  const invalid = trimmed !== '' && !isValidProfileName(trimmed)
-  const busy = status === 'saving' || status === 'done'
-
-  async function handleSubmit(event: React.FormEvent) {
-    event.preventDefault()
-
-    if (!trimmed || invalid) {
-      setError(invalid ? `Invalid name. ${PROFILE_NAME_HINT}` : 'Name is required.')
-
-      return
-    }
-
-    setStatus('saving')
-    setError(null)
-
-    try {
-      await onCreate(trimmed, cloneFromDefault)
-      setStatus('done')
-      window.setTimeout(onClose, 800)
-    } catch (err) {
-      setStatus('idle')
-      setError(err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Failed to create profile')
-    }
-  }
-
-  return (
-    <Dialog onOpenChange={value => !value && !busy && onClose()} open={open}>
-      <DialogContent className="max-w-md">
-        <DialogHeader>
-          <DialogTitle>New profile</DialogTitle>
-          <DialogDescription>
-            Profiles are independent Hermes environments: separate config, skills, and SOUL.md.
-          </DialogDescription>
-        </DialogHeader>
-
-        <form className="grid gap-4" onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
-          <div className="grid gap-1.5">
-            <label className="text-xs font-medium" htmlFor="new-profile-name">
-              Name
-            </label>
-            <Input
-              aria-invalid={invalid}
-              autoFocus
-              id="new-profile-name"
-              onChange={event => setName(event.target.value)}
-              placeholder="my-profile"
-              value={name}
-            />
-            <p className={cn('text-[0.66rem] leading-4', invalid ? 'text-destructive' : 'text-muted-foreground')}>
-              {PROFILE_NAME_HINT}
-            </p>
-          </div>
-
-          <label className="flex cursor-pointer select-none items-start gap-2.5 px-0.5 py-1">
-            <Checkbox
-              checked={cloneFromDefault}
-              className="mt-0.5 shrink-0"
-              onCheckedChange={checked => setCloneFromDefault(checked === true)}
-            />
-            <span className="grid gap-0.5 leading-snug">
-              <span className="text-sm font-medium">Clone from default</span>
-              <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                Copy config, skills, and SOUL.md from your default profile.
-              </span>
-            </span>
-          </label>
-
-          {error && (
-            <div className="flex items-start gap-2 rounded-md border border-destructive/30 bg-destructive/10 px-3 py-2 text-xs text-destructive">
-              <AlertTriangle className="mt-0.5 size-3.5 shrink-0" />
-              <span>{error}</span>
-            </div>
-          )}
-
-          <DialogFooter>
-            <Button disabled={busy} onClick={onClose} type="button" variant="ghost">
-              Cancel
-            </Button>
-            <Button disabled={busy || !trimmed || invalid} type="submit">
-              <ActionStatus busy="Creating…" done="Created" idle="Create profile" state={status} />
-            </Button>
-          </DialogFooter>
-        </form>
-      </DialogContent>
-    </Dialog>
-  )
-}
-
 function RenameProfileDialog({
   currentName,
   onClose,
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/ui/action-status.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/components/ui/action-status.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a597fc546
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/ui/action-status.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import type { ReactNode } from 'react'
+
+import { Check, Loader2 } from '@/lib/icons'
+
+// idle → saving → done label+icon for action buttons (create / rename / delete…).
+export function ActionStatus({
+  state,
+  idle,
+  busy,
+  done,
+  idleIcon = null
+}: {
+  state: 'done' | 'idle' | 'saving'
+  idle: string
+  busy: string
+  done: string
+  idleIcon?: ReactNode
+}) {
+  return (
+    <>
+      {state === 'saving' ? <Loader2 className="size-4 animate-spin" /> : state === 'done' ? <Check /> : idleIcon}
+      {state === 'saving' ? busy : state === 'done' ? done : idle}
+    </>
+  )
+}