diff --git a/app/store/database.go b/app/store/database.go
index 0f268c6fa..d95f235cf 100644
--- a/app/store/database.go
+++ b/app/store/database.go
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ func (db *database) getAllChats() ([]Chat, error) {
 			WHERE role = 'user'
 			GROUP BY chat_id
 		) first_msg ON c.id = first_msg.chat_id
-		LEFT JOIN messages m ON c.id = m.chat_id
+		LEFT JOIN messages m ON c.id = m.chat_id AND m.role = 'user'
 		GROUP BY c.id, c.title, c.created_at, first_msg.content
 		ORDER BY last_updated DESC
 	`
diff --git a/app/ui/ui.go b/app/ui/ui.go
index 0b32f917e..2ee1cc44c 100644
--- a/app/ui/ui.go
+++ b/app/ui/ui.go
@@ -1391,8 +1391,9 @@ func chatInfoFromChat(chat store.Chat) responses.ChatInfo {
 		if msg.Role == "user" && userExcerpt == "" {
 			userExcerpt = msg.Content
 		}
-		// update the updated at time
-		if msg.UpdatedAt.After(updatedAt) {
+		// update the updated at time based on user messages only
+		// this ensures conversations are sorted by last user message, not last response
+		if msg.Role == "user" && msg.UpdatedAt.After(updatedAt) {
 			updatedAt = msg.UpdatedAt
 		}
 	}