diff --git a/nostr/commit-signatures.jsonl b/nostr/commit-signatures.jsonl
index 494674f..9f7c09f 100644
--- a/nostr/commit-signatures.jsonl
+++ b/nostr/commit-signatures.jsonl
@@ -64,3 +64,4 @@
 {"kind":1640,"pubkey":"573634b648634cbad10f2451776089ea21090d9407f715e83c577b4611ae6edc","created_at":1771845583,"tags":[["author","Silberengel","silberengel7@protonmail.com"],["message","fix search and relay connections"]],"content":"Signed commit: fix search and relay connections","id":"24db15027960b244eb4c8664a3642c64684ebfef8c200250093dd047cd119e7d","sig":"561d15ae39b3bf7a5b8a67539a5cfa19d53cbaca9f904589ab7cb69e568ddf056d0d83ced4830cdfdc0b386f13c4bab930264a0f6144cbb833b187b5d452c4ae"}
 {"kind":1640,"pubkey":"573634b648634cbad10f2451776089ea21090d9407f715e83c577b4611ae6edc","created_at":1771847704,"tags":[["author","Silberengel","silberengel7@protonmail.com"],["message","bug-fixes"]],"content":"Signed commit: bug-fixes","id":"9566e4e2964d0a7b80cce1889092c4db333f89843b5d68906b3c3c568e4ba57d","sig":"8cf9166c630a8dc21bbc3dfaea4330c80c93bf7bc9e8d5d3be182fb11a3b96ea2e5969f452d3e2b309103b3e7fea8fc1aa6e5908d499d0696e9bfcd3859a8e32"}
 {"kind":1640,"pubkey":"573634b648634cbad10f2451776089ea21090d9407f715e83c577b4611ae6edc","created_at":1771849427,"tags":[["author","Silberengel","silberengel7@protonmail.com"],["message","bug-fixes"]],"content":"Signed commit: bug-fixes","id":"1d4e6ff4059b064d7cdd465d623a606cfcc5d0565681a34f6384463d40cc8c71","sig":"f5fe3547289e994ff1a3b191607e76d778d318ca4538e70253406867ecef214c1be437dca373f9a461c9cf2ca2978a581b54a9d323baeb2c91851e9cc6ffbfd6"}
+{"kind":1640,"pubkey":"573634b648634cbad10f2451776089ea21090d9407f715e83c577b4611ae6edc","created_at":1771850840,"tags":[["author","Silberengel","silberengel7@protonmail.com"],["message","rearrange repo pages"]],"content":"Signed commit: rearrange repo pages","id":"9f8b68f36189073807510a2dac268b466629ecbc6b8dca66ba809cbf3a36dab5","sig":"911debb546c23038bbf77a57bee089130c7cce3a51f2cfb385c3904ec39bc76b90dc9bef2e8e501824ecff13925523d802b6c916d07fef2718554f4f65e6f4d2"}
diff --git a/src/lib/components/RepoHeaderEnhanced.svelte b/src/lib/components/RepoHeaderEnhanced.svelte
index 0fbfe67..5c7c298 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/RepoHeaderEnhanced.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/RepoHeaderEnhanced.svelte
@@ -241,6 +241,20 @@
                   Create New Branch
                 </button>
               {/if}
+              {#if isMaintainer && currentBranch && currentBranch !== defaultBranch && onDeleteBranch}
+                <button 
+                  class="menu-item menu-item-danger" 
+                  onclick={() => { 
+                    if (currentBranch) {
+                      onDeleteBranch(currentBranch);
+                    }
+                    showMoreMenu = false; 
+                  }}
+                  title="Delete branch"
+                >
+                  Delete Branch
+                </button>
+              {/if}
               {#if onCopyEventId}
                 <button class="menu-item" onclick={() => { onCopyEventId(); showMoreMenu = false; }}>
                   Copy Event ID
@@ -357,13 +371,19 @@
       </div>
     {/if}
 
-    {#if currentBranch}
+    {#if branches.length === 0}
+      <div class="repo-branch">
+        <div class="branch-button" style="opacity: 0.6; cursor: not-allowed;">
+          <img src="/icons/git-branch.svg" alt="" class="icon" />
+          No branches
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    {:else if currentBranch}
       <div class="repo-branch">
         <button 
           class="branch-button"
           onclick={() => showBranchMenu = !showBranchMenu}
           aria-expanded={showBranchMenu}
-          disabled={branches.length === 0}
         >
           <img src="/icons/git-branch.svg" alt="" class="icon" />
           {currentBranch}
@@ -388,15 +408,6 @@
             {/each}
           </div>
         {/if}
-        {#if isMaintainer && currentBranch && currentBranch !== defaultBranch && onDeleteBranch}
-          <button 
-            class="delete-branch-button"
-            onclick={() => currentBranch && onDeleteBranch(currentBranch)}
-            title="Delete branch"
-          >
-            ×
-          </button>
-        {/if}
       </div>
     {/if}
   </div>
diff --git a/src/lib/services/git/file-manager.ts b/src/lib/services/git/file-manager.ts
index 5e0a33b..efa0c51 100644
--- a/src/lib/services/git/file-manager.ts
+++ b/src/lib/services/git/file-manager.ts
@@ -1765,15 +1765,12 @@ export class FileManager {
     npub: string,
     repoName: string,
     branchName: string,
-    fromBranch: string = 'main'
+    fromBranch?: string
   ): Promise<void> {
     // Security: Validate branch names to prevent path traversal
     if (!isValidBranchName(branchName)) {
       throw new Error(`Invalid branch name: ${branchName}`);
     }
-    if (!isValidBranchName(fromBranch)) {
-      throw new Error(`Invalid source branch name: ${fromBranch}`);
-    }
 
     const repoPath = this.getRepoPath(npub, repoName);
     
@@ -1870,8 +1867,16 @@ export class FileManager {
         await this.removeWorktree(repoPath, worktreePath);
       } else {
         // Repo has branches - use normal branch creation
+        // Validate fromBranch if provided
+        if (fromBranch && !isValidBranchName(fromBranch)) {
+          throw new Error(`Invalid source branch name: ${fromBranch}`);
+        }
+        
+        // Use default branch if fromBranch not provided
+        const sourceBranch = fromBranch || await this.getDefaultBranch(npub, repoName).catch(() => 'main');
+        
         // Use git worktree instead of cloning (much more efficient)
-        const workDir = await this.getWorktree(repoPath, fromBranch, npub, repoName);
+        const workDir = await this.getWorktree(repoPath, sourceBranch, npub, repoName);
         const workGit: SimpleGit = simpleGit(workDir);
 
         // Create and checkout new branch
diff --git a/src/routes/api/repos/[npub]/[repo]/branches/+server.ts b/src/routes/api/repos/[npub]/[repo]/branches/+server.ts
index afc3e64..2ae68c8 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/repos/[npub]/[repo]/branches/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/api/repos/[npub]/[repo]/branches/+server.ts
@@ -244,18 +244,30 @@ export const POST: RequestHandler = createRepoPostHandler(
       }
     }
 
-    // Get default branch if fromBranch not provided
-    // If repo has no branches, use 'master' as default
+    // Check if repo has any branches first
+    let hasBranches = false;
+    try {
+      const existingBranches = await fileManager.getBranches(context.npub, context.repo);
+      hasBranches = existingBranches.length > 0;
+    } catch (err) {
+      // If getBranches fails, assume no branches exist
+      logger.debug({ error: err, npub: context.npub, repo: context.repo }, 'Failed to get branches, assuming empty repo');
+      hasBranches = false;
+    }
+
+    // Get default branch if fromBranch not provided and repo has branches
+    // If repo has no branches, don't pass fromBranch (will use --orphan)
     let sourceBranch = fromBranch;
-    if (!sourceBranch) {
+    if (!sourceBranch && hasBranches) {
       try {
         sourceBranch = await fileManager.getDefaultBranch(context.npub, context.repo);
       } catch (err) {
-        // If getDefaultBranch fails (e.g., no branches exist), use 'master' as default
-        logger.debug({ error: err, npub: context.npub, repo: context.repo }, 'No default branch found, using master');
-        sourceBranch = 'master';
+        // If getDefaultBranch fails, use 'main' as default (only if branches exist)
+        logger.debug({ error: err, npub: context.npub, repo: context.repo }, 'No default branch found, using main');
+        sourceBranch = 'main';
       }
     }
+    // If repo has no branches, sourceBranch will be undefined/null, which createBranch will handle correctly
     
     await fileManager.createBranch(context.npub, context.repo, branchName, sourceBranch);
     return json({ success: true, message: 'Branch created successfully' });
diff --git a/src/routes/repos/[npub]/[repo]/+page.svelte b/src/routes/repos/[npub]/[repo]/+page.svelte
index 23746d4..f944517 100644
--- a/src/routes/repos/[npub]/[repo]/+page.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/repos/[npub]/[repo]/+page.svelte
@@ -2806,15 +2806,8 @@
             currentBranch = defaultBranch;
           }
         } else {
-          // No branches loaded yet or empty repo - set currentBranch from settings if not set
-          if (!currentBranch) {
-            try {
-              const settings = await settingsStore.getSettings();
-              currentBranch = settings.defaultBranch || 'master';
-            } catch {
-              currentBranch = 'master';
-            }
-          }
+          // No branches exist - set currentBranch to null to show "no branches" in header
+          currentBranch = null;
         }
       } else if (response.status === 404) {
         // Check if this is a "not cloned" error - API fallback might be available
@@ -3803,11 +3796,16 @@
     error = null;
 
     try {
-      // If no branches exist, use default branch from settings
-      let fromBranch = newBranchFrom || currentBranch;
-      if (!fromBranch && branches.length === 0) {
-        const settings = await settingsStore.getSettings();
-        fromBranch = settings.defaultBranch || 'master';
+      // If no branches exist, don't pass fromBranch (will use --orphan)
+      // Otherwise, use the selected branch or current branch
+      let fromBranch: string | undefined = newBranchFrom || currentBranch || undefined;
+      
+      // Only include fromBranch if repo has branches
+      const requestBody: { branchName: string; fromBranch?: string } = {
+        branchName: newBranchName
+      };
+      if (branches.length > 0 && fromBranch) {
+        requestBody.fromBranch = fromBranch;
       }
 
       const response = await fetch(`/api/repos/${npub}/${repo}/branches`, {
@@ -3816,10 +3814,7 @@
           'Content-Type': 'application/json',
           ...buildApiHeaders()
         },
-        body: JSON.stringify({
-          branchName: newBranchName,
-          fromBranch: fromBranch || 'master' // Final fallback
-        })
+        body: JSON.stringify(requestBody)
       });
 
       if (!response.ok) {