diff --git a/src/components/EntryForm.tsx b/src/components/EntryForm.tsx
index d462de5..cb7159e 100644
--- a/src/components/EntryForm.tsx
+++ b/src/components/EntryForm.tsx
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ interface EntryFormProps {
 
 export function EntryForm({ date, entryId, isNewEntry = false, onSaved }: EntryFormProps) {
   const {
-    entry,
     text,
     mood,
     roughDay,
@@ -22,6 +21,7 @@ export function EntryForm({ date, entryId, isNewEntry = false, onSaved }: EntryF
     isLoading,
     isSaving,
     lastSaved,
+    isDirty,
     updateText,
     updateMood,
     updateRoughDay,
@@ -146,13 +146,13 @@ export function EntryForm({ date, entryId, isNewEntry = false, onSaved }: EntryF
               <Loader2 className="animate-spin" size={14} />
               Saving...
             </>
-          ) : lastSaved ? (
+          ) : lastSaved && !isDirty ? (
             <>
               <Check size={14} className="text-green-500" />
               Saved
             </>
-          ) : hasContent ? (
-            <span className="text-muted/50">Auto-saves as you type</span>
+          ) : isDirty ? (
+            <span className="text-amber-400">Unsaved changes</span>
           ) : null}
         </div>
       </div>
diff --git a/src/hooks/useEntry.ts b/src/hooks/useEntry.ts
index 0bee40f..b9d98b6 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useEntry.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useEntry.ts
@@ -1,15 +1,13 @@
 "use client";
 
 import { useState, useEffect, useCallback, useRef } from "react";
-import { useDebounce } from "./useDebounce";
 import type { EntryWithTags, CreateEntryRequest } from "@/lib/types";
 import { getLocalDate } from "@/lib/utils/date";
-import { AUTOSAVE_DELAY } from "@/lib/constants";
 
 interface UseEntryOptions {
   date?: string;
   entryId?: string;
-  isNewEntry?: boolean; // If true, start with blank form
+  isNewEntry?: boolean;
 }
 
 export function useEntry({ date, entryId, isNewEntry = false }: UseEntryOptions = {}) {
@@ -22,11 +20,10 @@ export function useEntry({ date, entryId, isNewEntry = false }: UseEntryOptions
   const [isSaving, setIsSaving] = useState(false);
   const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = useState(!isNewEntry);
   const [lastSaved, setLastSaved] = useState<Date | null>(null);
-  const pendingSaveRef = useRef(false);
-  const savingRef = useRef(false); // Prevent concurrent saves
-  const entryIdRef = useRef<string | null>(null); // Track entry ID across saves
+  const [isDirty, setIsDirty] = useState(false);
+  const entryIdRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
 
-  // Load entry (only if editing existing or viewing by date)
+  // Load entry (only if editing existing)
   useEffect(() => {
     if (isNewEntry) {
       setIsLoading(false);
@@ -63,23 +60,15 @@ export function useEntry({ date, entryId, isNewEntry = false }: UseEntryOptions
     loadEntry();
   }, [targetDate, entryId, isNewEntry]);
 
-  // Save function
+  // Save function - only called explicitly
   const save = useCallback(async () => {
     if (!text.trim()) return null;
 
-    // Prevent concurrent saves
-    if (savingRef.current) {
-      pendingSaveRef.current = true; // Mark that we need to save again
-      return null;
-    }
-
-    savingRef.current = true;
     setIsSaving(true);
-    pendingSaveRef.current = false;
 
     try {
       const body: CreateEntryRequest = {
-        id: entryIdRef.current || undefined, // Use ref to always have latest ID
+        id: entryIdRef.current || undefined,
         date: entry?.date || targetDate,
         text: text.trim(),
         mood,
@@ -96,120 +85,63 @@ export function useEntry({ date, entryId, isNewEntry = false }: UseEntryOptions
       if (res.ok) {
         const saved: EntryWithTags = await res.json();
         setEntry(saved);
-        entryIdRef.current = saved.id; // Update ref immediately
+        entryIdRef.current = saved.id;
         setLastSaved(new Date());
+        setIsDirty(false);
         return saved;
       }
     } catch (error) {
       console.error("Failed to save entry:", error);
     } finally {
-      savingRef.current = false;
       setIsSaving(false);
-
-      // If there were changes while saving, trigger another save
-      if (pendingSaveRef.current) {
-        pendingSaveRef.current = false;
-        // Use setTimeout to avoid immediate recursion
-        setTimeout(() => {
-          pendingSaveRef.current = true;
-          debouncedSave();
-        }, 100);
-      }
     }
     return null;
   }, [text, mood, roughDay, tagNames, entry?.date, targetDate]);
 
-  // Debounced save
-  const debouncedSave = useDebounce(() => {
-    if (pendingSaveRef.current) {
-      save();
+  // Update handlers - no autosave, just mark dirty
+  const updateText = useCallback((value: string) => {
+    setText(value);
+    setIsDirty(true);
+  }, []);
+
+  const updateMood = useCallback((value: number | null) => {
+    setMood(value);
+    setIsDirty(true);
+  }, []);
+
+  const updateRoughDay = useCallback((value: boolean) => {
+    setRoughDay(value);
+    setIsDirty(true);
+  }, []);
+
+  const addTag = useCallback((name: string) => {
+    const normalized = name.toLowerCase().trim();
+    if (normalized) {
+      setTagNames((prev) => {
+        if (prev.includes(normalized)) return prev;
+        return [...prev, normalized];
+      });
+      setIsDirty(true);
     }
-  }, AUTOSAVE_DELAY);
+  }, []);
 
-  // Mark pending and trigger debounced save
-  const markDirty = useCallback(() => {
-    pendingSaveRef.current = true;
-    debouncedSave();
-  }, [debouncedSave]);
-
-  // Update handlers that trigger autosave
-  const updateText = useCallback(
-    (value: string) => {
-      setText(value);
-      markDirty();
-    },
-    [markDirty]
-  );
-
-  const updateMood = useCallback(
-    (value: number | null) => {
-      setMood(value);
-      markDirty();
-    },
-    [markDirty]
-  );
-
-  const updateRoughDay = useCallback(
-    (value: boolean) => {
-      setRoughDay(value);
-      markDirty();
-    },
-    [markDirty]
-  );
-
-  const addTag = useCallback(
-    (name: string) => {
-      const normalized = name.toLowerCase().trim();
-      if (normalized && !tagNames.includes(normalized)) {
-        setTagNames((prev) => [...prev, normalized]);
-        markDirty();
-      }
-    },
-    [tagNames, markDirty]
-  );
-
-  const removeTag = useCallback(
-    (name: string) => {
-      setTagNames((prev) => prev.filter((t) => t !== name));
-      markDirty();
-    },
-    [markDirty]
-  );
+  const removeTag = useCallback((name: string) => {
+    setTagNames((prev) => prev.filter((t) => t !== name));
+    setIsDirty(true);
+  }, []);
 
   // Reset form for new entry
   const reset = useCallback(() => {
     setEntry(null);
-    entryIdRef.current = null; // Clear the ID ref
+    entryIdRef.current = null;
     setText("");
     setMood(null);
     setRoughDay(false);
     setTagNames([]);
     setLastSaved(null);
-    pendingSaveRef.current = false;
-    savingRef.current = false;
+    setIsDirty(false);
   }, []);
 
-  // Save on unmount if pending
-  useEffect(() => {
-    return () => {
-      if (pendingSaveRef.current && text.trim()) {
-        // Fire and forget
-        fetch("/api/entries", {
-          method: "POST",
-          headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
-          body: JSON.stringify({
-            id: entryIdRef.current || undefined,
-            date: entry?.date || targetDate,
-            text: text.trim(),
-            mood,
-            roughDay,
-            tagNames,
-          }),
-        }).catch(() => {});
-      }
-    };
-  }, [text, mood, roughDay, tagNames, entry?.date, targetDate]);
-
   return {
     entry,
     text,
@@ -219,6 +151,7 @@ export function useEntry({ date, entryId, isNewEntry = false }: UseEntryOptions
     isLoading,
     isSaving,
     lastSaved,
+    isDirty,
     updateText,
     updateMood,
     updateRoughDay,