diff --git a/src/container.tsx b/src/container.tsx
index fd307fa..68e36c7 100644
--- a/src/container.tsx
+++ b/src/container.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import Preferences from "./views/preferences";
 import Journals from "./views/journals";
 import Documents from "./views/documents";
 import Editor from "./views/edit";
+import DocumentCreator from "./views/create";
 import { SearchProvider } from "./views/documents/SearchProvider";
 import {
   useJournalsLoader,
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@ import {
 } from "./hooks/useJournalsLoader";
 import { Alert } from "evergreen-ui";
 import { Routes, Route, Navigate } from "react-router-dom";
+import "react-day-picker/dist/style.css";
 
 export default observer(function Container() {
   const { journalsStore, loading, loadingErr } = useJournalsLoader();
@@ -42,7 +44,7 @@ export default observer(function Container() {
           <Route path="preferences" element={<Preferences />} />
           <Route path="documents" element={<SearchProvider />}>
             <Route index element={<Documents />} />
-            <Route path="edit/new" element={<Editor />} />
+            <Route path="edit/new" element={<DocumentCreator />} />
             <Route path="edit/:document" element={<Editor />} />
           </Route>
           <Route path="*" element={<Navigate to="documents" replace />} />
diff --git a/src/hooks/stores/journals.ts b/src/hooks/stores/journals.ts
index 95c47c7..6310acc 100644
--- a/src/hooks/stores/journals.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/stores/journals.ts
@@ -100,6 +100,27 @@ export class JournalsStore {
 
     this.saving = false;
   };
+
+  /**
+   * Determines the default journal to use when creating a new document.
+   *
+   * todo(test): When one or multiple journals are selected, returns the first
+   * todo(test): When no journals are selected, returns the first active journal
+   * todo(test): When archived journal selected, returns the selected (archived) journal
+   */
+  defaultJournal = (selectedJournals: string[]) => {
+    const selectedId = this.journals.find((j) =>
+      selectedJournals.includes(j.name),
+    )?.id;
+
+    if (selectedId) {
+      return selectedId;
+    } else {
+      // todo: defaulting to first journal, but could use logic such as the last selected
+      // journal, etc, once that is in place
+      return this.active[0].id;
+    }
+  };
 }
 
 export type IJournalStore = JournalsStore;
diff --git a/src/hooks/useJournalsLoader.ts b/src/hooks/useJournalsLoader.ts
index 9d0e1d4..5207340 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useJournalsLoader.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useJournalsLoader.ts
@@ -3,11 +3,8 @@ import { JournalsStore } from "./stores/journals";
 import { JournalResponse } from "../preload/client/journals";
 import useClient from "./useClient";
 
-export const JournalsStoreContext = React.createContext<JournalsStore>(
-  // This cast combines with the top-level container ensuring journals are loaded,
-  // so all downstream components that need journals (most of the app) can rely
-  // on them being preloaded and avoid the null checks
-  null as any,
+export const JournalsStoreContext = React.createContext<JournalsStore | null>(
+  null,
 );
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/views/create/index.tsx b/src/views/create/index.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8d294ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/views/create/index.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import React, { useContext, useEffect, useState } from "react";
+import { observer } from "mobx-react-lite";
+import { EditLoadingComponent } from "../edit/loading";
+import { useIsMounted } from "../../hooks/useIsMounted";
+import { JournalsStoreContext } from "../../hooks/useJournalsLoader";
+import { useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
+import { SearchStoreContext } from "../documents/SearchStore";
+import useClient from "../../hooks/useClient";
+
+// Creates a new document and immediately navigates to it
+function useCreateDocument() {
+  const journalsStore = useContext(JournalsStoreContext)!;
+
+  // NOTE: Could move this hook but, but it assumes searchStore is defined, and its setup
+  // in the root documents view. So better to keep it here for now.
+  const searchStore = useContext(SearchStoreContext)!;
+  const navigate = useNavigate();
+  const client = useClient();
+  const isMounted = useIsMounted();
+  const [error, setError] = useState<Error | null>(null);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    (async function () {
+      if (!isMounted) return;
+
+      try {
+        const document = await client.documents.save({
+          content: "",
+          journalId: journalsStore.defaultJournal(searchStore.selectedJournals),
+          tags: [], // todo: tagsStore.defaultTags;
+        });
+
+        if (!isMounted) return;
+
+        // Ensure the document is added to the search, so its available when user hits
+        // back (even when that doesn't make sense!)
+        searchStore.updateSearch(document, "create");
+        navigate(`/documents/edit/${document.id}`, { replace: true });
+      } catch (err) {
+        console.error("Error creating document", err);
+        if (!isMounted) return;
+        setError(err as Error);
+      }
+    })();
+  }, []);
+
+  return { error };
+}
+
+// Creates a new document and immediately navigates to it
+function DocumentCreator() {
+  const { error } = useCreateDocument();
+
+  return <EditLoadingComponent error={error} />;
+}
+
+export default observer(DocumentCreator);
diff --git a/src/views/documents/SearchProvider.tsx b/src/views/documents/SearchProvider.tsx
index 25eac3a..9a5cdd6 100644
--- a/src/views/documents/SearchProvider.tsx
+++ b/src/views/documents/SearchProvider.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ import { JournalsStoreContext } from "../../hooks/useJournalsLoader";
 import { SearchStore, SearchStoreContext } from "./SearchStore";
 import { LayoutDummy } from "../../layout";
 
-export function SearchProvider(props: any) {
+// Sets up document search and its context
+export function SearchProvider() {
   const jstore = useContext(JournalsStoreContext);
   const client = useClient();
   const [params, setParams] = useSearchParams();
diff --git a/src/views/documents/SearchStore.ts b/src/views/documents/SearchStore.ts
index 23c9db6..18a30ca 100644
--- a/src/views/documents/SearchStore.ts
+++ b/src/views/documents/SearchStore.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { createContext } from "react";
+import { createContext, useContext } from "react";
 import { IClient } from "../../hooks/useClient";
 import { observable, IObservableArray, computed, action } from "mobx";
 import { JournalsStore } from "../../hooks/stores/journals";
@@ -12,6 +12,20 @@ export interface SearchItem {
   journalId: string;
 }
 
+// Accepts any document satisfying the SearchItem interface, and copies properties
+// into an actual SearchItem; i.e. I dont want to stuff an EditableDocument or other smart
+// object into search results b/c may get weird.
+function toSearchItem(doc: SearchItem): SearchItem | null {
+  if (!doc.id) return null;
+
+  return {
+    id: doc.id,
+    createdAt: doc.createdAt,
+    title: doc.title,
+    journalId: doc.journalId,
+  };
+}
+
 interface SearchQuery {
   journals: string[];
   titles?: string[];
@@ -21,7 +35,12 @@ interface SearchQuery {
   limit?: number;
 }
 
-export const SearchStoreContext = createContext<SearchStore>(null as any);
+export const SearchStoreContext = createContext<SearchStore | null>(null);
+
+export function useSearchStore() {
+  const searchStore = useContext(SearchStoreContext);
+  return searchStore;
+}
 
 export class SearchStore {
   @observable docs: SearchItem[] = [];
@@ -111,13 +130,47 @@ export class SearchStore {
     return { journals, tags, titles, texts, before };
   };
 
+  /**
+   * If a document is present in search results, and is edited / deleted / etc,
+   * navigating back to the search without updating will result in stale results being shown.
+   * This method updates the search results with the latest document data, IF its present
+   * in the search results.
+   */
+  updateSearch = (
+    document: SearchItem,
+    operation: "edit" | "create" | "del" = "edit",
+  ) => {
+    const idx = this.docs.findIndex((d) => d.id === document.id);
+    const item = toSearchItem(document);
+    if (!item) return; // shrug
+
+    if (operation === "edit") {
+      if (idx === -1) return;
+      // NOTE: One weird case is, if the journal / tags change and don't match the search, it will
+      // still be in the results (on back) but wont on refresh. Kind of an edge case that's not
+      // a huge deal. See also create notes below
+      this.docs[idx] = item;
+    } else if (operation === "del") {
+      if (idx === -1) return;
+      this.docs.splice(idx, 1);
+    } else if (operation === "create") {
+      // NOTE: This assumes (usually correctly) that the created document's journal / tag will match
+      // the current search results; if not it will not be shown. Maybe its reasonable? More of a weird
+      // UX based on current design; its weird in others (e.g. Apple notes, when creating with a search filter)
+      this.search({ resetPagination: true });
+    }
+  };
+
   /**
    * Execute a search with the current tokens.
    *
    * @param resetPagination - By default execute a fresh search. When paginating,
    *  we don't want to reset the pagination state.
    */
-  search = async (limit = 100, resetPagination = true) => {
+  search = async (opts: { limit?: number; resetPagination?: boolean } = {}) => {
+    const limit = opts.limit || 100;
+    const resetPagination = opts.resetPagination || true;
+
     this.loading = true;
     this.error = null;
 
@@ -159,7 +212,7 @@ export class SearchStore {
     if (token) {
       this.setTokens(this.parser.mergeToken(this.tokens, token as SearchToken));
       this.setTokensUrl({ search: this.searchTokens }, { replace: true });
-      this.search(100, resetPagination);
+      this.search({ resetPagination });
     }
   };
 
@@ -167,7 +220,7 @@ export class SearchStore {
   removeToken = (token: string, resetPagination = true) => {
     this.setTokens(this.parser.removeToken(this.tokens.slice(), token)); // slice() from prior implementation
     this.setTokensUrl({ search: this.searchTokens }, { replace: true });
-    this.search(100, resetPagination);
+    this.search({ resetPagination });
   };
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/views/documents/Sidebar.tsx b/src/views/documents/Sidebar.tsx
index 056514d..7f93f04 100644
--- a/src/views/documents/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/src/views/documents/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import { Icons } from "../../components/icons";
  */
 export function JournalSelectionSidebar(props: SidebarProps) {
   const { isShown, setIsShown } = props;
-  const jstore = useContext(JournalsStoreContext);
+  const jstore = useContext(JournalsStoreContext)!;
   const searchStore = props.search;
 
   function search(journal: string) {
diff --git a/src/views/documents/index.tsx b/src/views/documents/index.tsx
index 96c8a8b..9c69bc5 100644
--- a/src/views/documents/index.tsx
+++ b/src/views/documents/index.tsx
@@ -3,14 +3,14 @@ import { observer } from "mobx-react-lite";
 import { Heading, Paragraph, Pane } from "evergreen-ui";
 
 import { JournalsStoreContext } from "../../hooks/useJournalsLoader";
-import { SearchStoreContext, SearchStore } from "./SearchStore";
+import { SearchStore, useSearchStore } from "./SearchStore";
 import { DocumentItem } from "./DocumentItem";
 import { useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
 import { Layout } from "./Layout";
 
 function DocumentsContainer() {
-  const journalsStore = useContext(JournalsStoreContext);
-  const searchStore = useContext(SearchStoreContext);
+  const journalsStore = useContext(JournalsStoreContext)!;
+  const searchStore = useSearchStore()!;
   const navigate = useNavigate();
 
   function edit(docId: string) {
diff --git a/src/views/edit/EditableDocument.ts b/src/views/edit/EditableDocument.ts
index eb0bbd0..1a557bd 100644
--- a/src/views/edit/EditableDocument.ts
+++ b/src/views/edit/EditableDocument.ts
@@ -7,14 +7,8 @@ import { Node as SlateNode } from "slate";
 import { SlateTransformer } from "./SlateTransformer";
 import { debounce } from "lodash";
 
-interface NewDocument {
-  journalId: string;
-  content: string;
-  title?: string;
-}
-
 function isExistingDocument(
-  doc: NewDocument | GetDocumentResponse,
+  doc: GetDocumentResponse,
 ): doc is GetDocumentResponse {
   return "id" in doc;
 }
@@ -26,9 +20,6 @@ export class EditableDocument {
   // active model properties:
   @observable saving: boolean = false;
   @observable savingError: Error | null = null;
-  @computed get isNew(): boolean {
-    return !this.id;
-  }
 
   // todo: Autorun this, or review how mobx-utils/ViewModel works
   @observable dirty: boolean = false;
@@ -55,7 +46,7 @@ export class EditableDocument {
   // The underlying document properties:
   @observable title?: string;
   @observable journalId: string;
-  @observable id?: string;
+  @observable id: string;
   @observable createdAt: string;
   @observable updatedAt: string; // read-only outside this class
   @observable tags: string[] = [];
@@ -69,26 +60,18 @@ export class EditableDocument {
 
   constructor(
     private client: IClient,
-    doc: NewDocument | GetDocumentResponse,
+    doc: GetDocumentResponse,
   ) {
     this.title = doc.title;
     this.journalId = doc.journalId;
     this.content = doc.content;
-
-    if (isExistingDocument(doc)) {
-      this.id = doc.id;
-      this.createdAt = doc.createdAt;
-      this.updatedAt = doc.updatedAt;
-      this.tags = doc.tags;
-      const content = doc.content;
-      const slateNodes = SlateTransformer.nodify(content);
-      this.slateContent = slateNodes;
-    } else {
-      this.createdAt = new Date().toISOString();
-      this.updatedAt = new Date().toISOString();
-      this.slateContent = SlateTransformer.createEmptyNodes();
-      this.tags = [];
-    }
+    this.id = doc.id;
+    this.createdAt = doc.createdAt;
+    this.updatedAt = doc.updatedAt;
+    this.tags = doc.tags;
+    const content = doc.content;
+    const slateNodes = SlateTransformer.nodify(content);
+    this.slateContent = slateNodes;
 
     // Auto-save
     // todo: performance -- investigate putting draft state into storage,
@@ -168,14 +151,7 @@ export class EditableDocument {
     }
   }, 1000);
 
-  @computed get canDelete() {
-    return !this.isNew && !this.saving;
-  }
-
   del = async () => {
-    // redundant id check to satisfy type checker
-    if (!this.canDelete || !this.id) return;
-
     // overload saving for deleting
     this.saving = true;
     await this.client.documents.del(this.id);
diff --git a/src/views/edit/index.tsx b/src/views/edit/index.tsx
index 489bcc0..02e49b7 100644
--- a/src/views/edit/index.tsx
+++ b/src/views/edit/index.tsx
@@ -1,43 +1,35 @@
 import React, { useContext, useState, useEffect } from "react";
 import { observer } from "mobx-react-lite";
 import Editor from "./editor";
-import {
-  Pane,
-  Button,
-  Popover,
-  Menu,
-  Position,
-  Tab,
-  Tablist,
-  TagInput,
-} from "evergreen-ui";
+import { Pane, Button, Popover, Menu, Position, TagInput } from "evergreen-ui";
 import { useEditableDocument } from "./useEditableDocument";
 import { EditableDocument } from "./EditableDocument";
 import { css } from "emotion";
 import { JournalResponse } from "../../preload/client/journals";
 import { EditLoadingComponent } from "./loading";
 import { DayPicker } from "react-day-picker";
-import "react-day-picker/dist/style.css";
 import { useIsMounted } from "../../hooks/useIsMounted";
 import { JournalsStoreContext } from "../../hooks/useJournalsLoader";
 import { useParams, useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
-import { SearchStoreContext } from "../documents/SearchStore";
+import { useSearchStore } from "../documents/SearchStore";
+import ReadOnlyTextEditor from "./editor/read-only-editor/ReadOnlyTextEditor";
+import { EditorMode } from "./EditorMode";
+import { TagTokenParser } from "../documents/search/parsers/tag";
+import { Icons } from "../../components/icons";
 
 // Loads document, with loading and error placeholders
 function DocumentLoadingContainer() {
-  const journalsStore = useContext(JournalsStoreContext);
-  const searchStore = useContext(SearchStoreContext);
+  const journalsStore = useContext(JournalsStoreContext)!;
   const { document: documentId } = useParams();
 
-  const { document, loadingError } = useEditableDocument(
-    searchStore,
-    journalsStore,
-    documentId,
-  );
+  // todo: handle missing or invalid documentId; loadingError may be fine for this, but
+  // haven't done any UX / design thinking around it.
+  const { document, loadingError } = useEditableDocument(documentId!);
 
   // Filter journals to non-archived ones, but must also add
   // the current document's journal if its archived
   const [journals, setJournals] = useState<any>();
+
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!document) return;
 
@@ -52,6 +44,7 @@ function DocumentLoadingContainer() {
     setJournals(journals);
   }, [document, loadingError]);
 
+  // todo: I don't hit this error when going back and forth to a deleted document, why doesn't this happen?
   if (loadingError) {
     return <EditLoadingComponent error={loadingError} />;
   }
@@ -68,11 +61,6 @@ interface DocumentEditProps {
   journals: JournalResponse[];
 }
 
-import ReadOnlyTextEditor from "./editor/read-only-editor/ReadOnlyTextEditor";
-import { EditorMode } from "./EditorMode";
-import { TagTokenParser } from "../documents/search/parsers/tag";
-import { Icons } from "../../components/icons";
-
 /**
  * This is the main document editing view, which houses the editor and some controls.
  */
@@ -80,6 +68,7 @@ const DocumentEditView = observer((props: DocumentEditProps) => {
   const { document, journals } = props;
   const isMounted = useIsMounted();
   const navigate = useNavigate();
+  const searchStore = useSearchStore()!;
   const [selectedViewMode, setSelectedViewMode] = React.useState<EditorMode>(
     EditorMode.Editor,
   );
@@ -195,14 +184,17 @@ const DocumentEditView = observer((props: DocumentEditProps) => {
         "Document is unsaved, exiting will discard document. Stop editing anyways?",
       )
     ) {
+      // This handles the edit case but hmm... if its new... it should be added to the search...
+      // but in what order? Well... if we aren't paginated... it should be at the top.
+      searchStore.updateSearch(document);
       navigate(-1);
     }
   }
 
   async function deleteDocument() {
-    if (!document.canDelete) return;
     if (confirm("Are you sure?")) {
       await document.del();
+      searchStore.updateSearch(document, "del");
       if (isMounted()) navigate(-1);
     }
   }
@@ -355,12 +347,7 @@ const DocumentEditView = observer((props: DocumentEditProps) => {
         >
           {document.saving ? "Saving" : document.dirty ? "Save" : "Saved"}
         </Button>
-        <Button
-          marginLeft={16}
-          onClick={deleteDocument}
-          disabled={!document.canDelete}
-          intent="danger"
-        >
+        <Button marginLeft={16} onClick={deleteDocument} intent="danger">
           <Icons.delete size={18} />
         </Button>
       </Pane>
diff --git a/src/views/edit/loading.tsx b/src/views/edit/loading.tsx
index ae64987..a3dab21 100644
--- a/src/views/edit/loading.tsx
+++ b/src/views/edit/loading.tsx
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { css } from "emotion";
 import { useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
 
 export interface LoadingComponentProps {
-  error?: Error;
+  error?: Error | null;
 }
 
 export const placeholderDate = new Date().toISOString().slice(0, 10);
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ export const EditLoadingComponent = observer((props: LoadingComponentProps) => {
               cursor: pointer;
             `}
           >
-            Unknown
+            Loading...
           </span>
         </div>
         <div
diff --git a/src/views/edit/useEditableDocument.ts b/src/views/edit/useEditableDocument.ts
index 8558068..e09cc8d 100644
--- a/src/views/edit/useEditableDocument.ts
+++ b/src/views/edit/useEditableDocument.ts
@@ -1,39 +1,11 @@
 import React from "react";
-import { JournalResponse } from "../../preload/client/journals";
 import useClient from "../../hooks/useClient";
 import { EditableDocument } from "./EditableDocument";
-import { SearchStore } from "../documents/SearchStore";
-import { JournalsStore } from "../../hooks/stores/journals";
-
-/**
- * Determines the default journal to use when creating a new document.
- *
- * todo(test): When one or multiple journals are selected, returns the first
- * todo(test): When no journals are selected, returns the first active journal
- * todo(test): When archived journal selected, returns the selected (archived) journal
- */
-function defaultJournal(selectedJournals: string[], jstore: JournalsStore) {
-  const selectedId = jstore.journals.find((j) =>
-    selectedJournals.includes(j.name),
-  )?.id;
-
-  if (selectedId) {
-    return selectedId;
-  } else {
-    // todo: defaulting to first journal, but could use logic such as the last selected
-    // journal, etc, once that is in place
-    return jstore.active[0].id;
-  }
-}
 
 /**
  * Load a new or existing document into a view model
  */
-export function useEditableDocument(
-  search: SearchStore,
-  jstore: JournalsStore,
-  documentId?: string,
-) {
+export function useEditableDocument(documentId: string) {
   const [document, setDocument] = React.useState<EditableDocument | null>(null);
   const [loadingError, setLoadingError] = React.useState<Error | null>(null);
   const client = useClient();
@@ -44,21 +16,21 @@ export function useEditableDocument(
     async function load() {
       setLoadingError(null);
 
+      if (!documentId) {
+        // Fail safe; this shuldn't happen. If scenarios come up where it could; maybe toast and navigate
+        // to documents list instead?
+        setLoadingError(
+          new Error(
+            "Called useEditableDocument without a documentId, unable to load document",
+          ),
+        );
+        return;
+      }
+
       try {
-        // if documentId -> This is an existing document
-        if (documentId) {
-          const doc = await client.documents.findById({ id: documentId });
-          if (!isEffectMounted) return;
-          setDocument(new EditableDocument(client, doc));
-        } else {
-          // new documents
-          setDocument(
-            new EditableDocument(client, {
-              content: "",
-              journalId: defaultJournal(search.selectedJournals, jstore),
-            }),
-          );
-        }
+        const doc = await client.documents.findById({ id: documentId });
+        if (!isEffectMounted) return;
+        setDocument(new EditableDocument(client, doc));
       } catch (err) {
         if (!isEffectMounted) return;
         setLoadingError(err as Error);
diff --git a/src/views/journals/index.tsx b/src/views/journals/index.tsx
index d26e4a1..03f96e7 100644
--- a/src/views/journals/index.tsx
+++ b/src/views/journals/index.tsx
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import { RouteProps } from "react-router-dom";
 // journal added after successful save
 // journals load and are displayed
 function Journals(props: RouteProps) {
-  const store = useContext(JournalsStoreContext);
+  const store = useContext(JournalsStoreContext)!;
   const [name, setName] = useState<string>("");
 
   function save() {
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ function Journals(props: RouteProps) {
  * UI and hook for toggling archive state on a journal
  */
 function JournalArchiveButton(props: { journal: JournalResponse }) {
-  const store = useContext(JournalsStoreContext);
+  const store = useContext(JournalsStoreContext)!;
 
   async function toggleArchive(journal: JournalResponse) {
     const isArchiving = !!journal.archivedAt;