diff --git a/pkg/interface/webterm/Buffer.tsx b/pkg/interface/webterm/Buffer.tsx
index 8ef69e2e94..dca9d8d716 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/webterm/Buffer.tsx
+++ b/pkg/interface/webterm/Buffer.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import React from 'react';
 import { Box, Col } from '@tlon/indigo-react';
 import { makeTheme } from './lib/theme';
 import { showBlit, csi } from './lib/blit';
+import { DEFAULT_SESSION } from './constants';
 
 const termConfig: ITerminalOptions = {
   logLevel: 'warn',
@@ -146,7 +147,7 @@ export default function Buffer({ name, selected, dark }: BufferProps) {
   const session: Session = useTermState(s => s.sessions[name]);
 
   const initSession = useCallback(async (name: string, dark: boolean) => {
-    console.log('setting up', name);
+    console.log('setting up', name === DEFAULT_SESSION ? 'default' : name);
 
     //  set up xterm terminal
     //
@@ -234,7 +235,7 @@ export default function Buffer({ name, selected, dark }: BufferProps) {
     if (container.current) {
       container.current.style.backgroundColor = theme.background || '';
     }
-  }, [dark]);
+  }, [session, dark]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (session && selected && !session.term.isOpen) {
diff --git a/pkg/interface/webterm/Tab.tsx b/pkg/interface/webterm/Tab.tsx
index 0813292bde..2fac14813e 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/webterm/Tab.tsx
+++ b/pkg/interface/webterm/Tab.tsx
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ export const Tab = ( { session, name }: TabProps ) => {
   }, [session]);
 
   return (
-    <div className={'tab ' + (isSelected ? 'selected' : '')}>
-      <a className='session-name' onClick={onClick}>
+    <div className={'tab ' + (isSelected ? 'selected' : '')} onClick={onClick}>
+      <a className='session-name'>
         {session?.hasBell ? '🔔 ' : ''}
         {name === DEFAULT_SESSION ? 'default' : name}
         {' '}