diff --git a/backend/main.py b/backend/main.py
index 289de40..f72aa85 100644
--- a/backend/main.py
+++ b/backend/main.py
@@ -29,10 +29,19 @@ ensure_sources_column(engine)
 app = FastAPI(title="LLM Desktop Backend", version="0.1.0" )
 
 
-def sanitize_generated_chat_title(title: str) -> str:
+def sanitize_chat_title(title: str) -> str:
     cleaned_title = html.unescape(title or "")
     cleaned_title = re.sub(r'<think(?:ing)?>.*?</think(?:ing)?>', '', cleaned_title, flags=re.DOTALL | re.IGNORECASE)
-    cleaned_title = re.sub(r'[*#]', '', cleaned_title)
+    cleaned_title = cleaned_title.strip()
+
+    previous_title = None
+    while cleaned_title and cleaned_title != previous_title:
+        previous_title = cleaned_title
+        cleaned_title = re.sub(r'^\s*#+\s*', '', cleaned_title)
+        cleaned_title = re.sub(r'^\s*\*{1,2}\s*', '', cleaned_title)
+        cleaned_title = re.sub(r'\s*\*{1,2}\s*$', '', cleaned_title)
+        cleaned_title = cleaned_title.strip()
+
     cleaned_title = re.sub(r'\s+', ' ', cleaned_title)
     return cleaned_title.strip()
 
@@ -248,7 +257,17 @@ async def startup_prepare_models_route():
 @app.get("/sessions", response_model=schemas.SessionsResponse)
 def get_sessions(db: Session = Depends(get_db)):
     sessions = db.query(models.ChatSession).order_by(models.ChatSession.created_at.desc()).all()
-    return {"sessions": sessions}
+    return {
+        "sessions": [
+            {
+                "id": session.id,
+                "session_id": session.session_id,
+                "name": sanitize_chat_title(session.name),
+                "created_at": session.created_at,
+            }
+            for session in sessions
+        ]
+    }
 
 @app.post("/sessions", response_model=schemas.ChatSession)
 def create_session(req: schemas.CreateSessionRequest, db: Session = Depends(get_db)):
@@ -361,7 +380,7 @@ async def generate_title(req: schemas.GenerateTitleRequest, db: Session = Depend
 
     print(f"Original title from LLM: {title}") # Debugging line to see the raw title
 
-    cleaned_title = sanitize_generated_chat_title(title)
+    cleaned_title = sanitize_chat_title(title)
 
     print(f"Cleaned title before saving: {cleaned_title}") # Debugging line to see the cleaned title
 
@@ -389,7 +408,7 @@ def rename_session(session_id: str, req: schemas.GenerateTitleResponse, db: Sess
     if not session:
         raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="Session not found")
 
-    session.name = req.title
+    session.name = sanitize_chat_title(req.title)
     db.commit()
     return {"ok": True}
 
diff --git a/src/App.jsx b/src/App.jsx
index 1c27d90..78592c5 100644
--- a/src/App.jsx
+++ b/src/App.jsx
@@ -19,12 +19,22 @@ import {
   supportsAudioInputCapture,
 } from './audioInput'
 
-function sanitizeGeneratedChatTitle(title) {
-  return (title || '')
+function sanitizeChatTitle(title) {
+  let cleanedTitle = String(title || '')
     .replace(/<think(?:ing)?>[\s\S]*?<\/think(?:ing)?>/gi, '')
-    .replace(/[*#]/g, '')
-    .replace(/\s+/g, ' ')
     .trim()
+
+  let previousTitle = null
+  while (cleanedTitle && cleanedTitle !== previousTitle) {
+    previousTitle = cleanedTitle
+    cleanedTitle = cleanedTitle
+      .replace(/^\s*#+\s*/, '')
+      .replace(/^\s*\*{1,2}\s*/, '')
+      .replace(/\s*\*{1,2}\s*$/, '')
+      .trim()
+  }
+
+  return cleanedTitle.replace(/\s+/g, ' ').trim()
 }
 
 function appendOllamaErrorHint(text, marker, block) {
@@ -1569,7 +1579,11 @@ async function regenerateFromIndex(index, overrideUserText = null) {
     fetch(`${backendApiUrl}/sessions`)
       .then(r => r.json())
       .then(data => {
-        const sessionsWithMessages = data.sessions.map(s => ({ ...s, messages: [] }));
+        const sessionsWithMessages = data.sessions.map(s => ({
+          ...s,
+          name: sanitizeChatTitle(s.name),
+          messages: [],
+        }));
         setChatSessions(sessionsWithMessages);
         if (sessionsWithMessages.length > 0) {
           setActiveSessionId(sessionsWithMessages[0].session_id);
@@ -2190,7 +2204,7 @@ async function sendMessage() {
       })
       .then(r => r.json())
       .then(data => {
-        const sanitizedTitle = sanitizeGeneratedChatTitle(data.title)
+        const sanitizedTitle = sanitizeChatTitle(data.title)
         setChatSessions(prevSessions =>
           prevSessions.map(session =>
             session.session_id === targetSessionId ? { ...session, name: sanitizedTitle } : session
@@ -2232,7 +2246,7 @@ async function createNewChat() {
       body: JSON.stringify({ session_id: newSessionId })
     });
     const newSession = await res.json();
-    const sessionWithMessages = { ...newSession, messages: [] };
+    const sessionWithMessages = { ...newSession, name: sanitizeChatTitle(newSession.name), messages: [] };
     setChatSessions(prevSessions => [sessionWithMessages, ...prevSessions]);
     setActiveSessionId(newSession.session_id);
     textareaRef.current?.focus();
@@ -2281,15 +2295,16 @@ async function createNewChat() {
   }
 
   function handleRename(sessionId, newName) {
+    const sanitizedName = sanitizeChatTitle(newName)
     fetch(`${backendApiUrl}/sessions/${sessionId}/rename`, {
       method: 'PUT',
       headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
-      body: JSON.stringify({ title: newName })
+      body: JSON.stringify({ title: sanitizedName })
     })
     .then(() => {
       setChatSessions(prevSessions =>
         prevSessions.map(session =>
-          session.session_id === sessionId ? { ...session, name: newName } : session
+          session.session_id === sessionId ? { ...session, name: sanitizedName } : session
         )
       );
       setEditingSessionId(null);