diff --git a/apps/arc-web/app/lib/config.server.ts b/apps/arc-web/app/lib/config.server.ts
index 90ae81b3c..6cd50efda 100644
--- a/apps/arc-web/app/lib/config.server.ts
+++ b/apps/arc-web/app/lib/config.server.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ interface GitConfig {
   client_id: string | null;
 }
 
+interface FeatureFlags {
+  session_sandboxes: boolean;
+}
+
 interface WebConfig {
   url: string;
   auth: AuthConfig;
@@ -28,6 +32,7 @@ export interface AppConfig {
   web: WebConfig;
   api: ApiConfig;
   git: GitConfig;
+  feature_flags: FeatureFlags;
 }
 
 const AUTH_DEFAULTS: AuthConfig = {
@@ -51,6 +56,10 @@ const GIT_DEFAULTS: GitConfig = {
   client_id: null,
 };
 
+const FEATURE_FLAGS_DEFAULTS: FeatureFlags = {
+  session_sandboxes: false,
+};
+
 export const ARC_CONFIG_PATH = join(homedir(), ".arc", "server.toml");
 
 function loadAppConfig(): AppConfig {
@@ -67,6 +76,7 @@ function loadAppConfig(): AppConfig {
   const rawWebAuth = (rawWeb.auth ?? {}) as Partial<AuthConfig>;
   const rawApi = (raw.api ?? {}) as Partial<ApiConfig>;
   const rawGit = (raw.git ?? {}) as Partial<GitConfig>;
+  const rawFeatureFlags = (raw.feature_flags ?? {}) as Partial<FeatureFlags>;
 
   const demo = process.env.ARC_DEMO === "1";
 
@@ -82,6 +92,7 @@ function loadAppConfig(): AppConfig {
       ? { ...API_DEFAULTS, ...rawApi, authentication_strategy: "insecure_disabled" }
       : { ...API_DEFAULTS, ...rawApi },
     git: { ...GIT_DEFAULTS, ...rawGit },
+    feature_flags: { ...FEATURE_FLAGS_DEFAULTS, ...rawFeatureFlags },
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/arc-web/app/routes/start.tsx b/apps/arc-web/app/routes/start.tsx
index 02a0b3e65..7acd20c15 100644
--- a/apps/arc-web/app/routes/start.tsx
+++ b/apps/arc-web/app/routes/start.tsx
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ import {
   XMarkIcon,
 } from "@heroicons/react/24/outline";
 import { Link } from "react-router";
+import { timeAgo } from "../lib/time";
 import { apiJson } from "../api-client";
+import { getAppConfig } from "../lib/config.server";
 import type { PaginatedProjectList, PaginatedSessionGroupList } from "@qltysh/arc-api-client";
 import type { Route } from "./+types/start";
 
@@ -31,6 +33,7 @@ export function meta({}: Route.MetaArgs) {
 }
 
 export async function loader({ request }: Route.LoaderArgs) {
+  const { feature_flags } = getAppConfig();
   const [{ data: apiProjects }, { data: apiSessions }] = await Promise.all([
     apiJson<PaginatedProjectList>("/projects", { request }),
     apiJson<PaginatedSessionGroupList>("/sessions", { request }),
@@ -41,11 +44,10 @@ export async function loader({ request }: Route.LoaderArgs) {
     sessions: g.sessions.map((s) => ({
       id: s.id,
       title: s.title,
-      repo: s.repo,
-      time: s.time,
+      created_at: s.created_at,
     })),
   }));
-  return { projects, sessionGroups };
+  return { projects, sessionGroups, feature_flags };
 }
 
 const branches = [
@@ -62,7 +64,7 @@ function BranchIcon({ className }: { className?: string }) {
   );
 }
 
-function SessionSidebar({ groups }: { groups: { label: string; sessions: { id: string; title: string; repo: string; time: string }[] }[] }) {
+function SessionSidebar({ groups }: { groups: { label: string; sessions: { id: string; title: string; created_at: string }[] }[] }) {
   return (
     <aside className="w-64 shrink-0 border-r border-line flex flex-col h-[calc(100vh-4rem)]">
       <div className="p-3">
@@ -86,8 +88,7 @@ function SessionSidebar({ groups }: { groups: { label: string; sessions: { id: s
                   >
                     <span className="truncate text-sm">{session.title}</span>
                     <span className="flex items-center gap-1.5 mt-0.5">
-                      <span className="font-mono text-[11px] text-teal-500">{session.repo}</span>
-                      <span className="text-[11px] text-fg-muted">{session.time}</span>
+                      <span className="text-[11px] text-fg-muted">{timeAgo(session.created_at)}</span>
                     </span>
                   </Link>
                 </li>
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ function SessionSidebar({ groups }: { groups: { label: string; sessions: { id: s
 }
 
 export default function Start({ loaderData }: Route.ComponentProps) {
-  const { projects, sessionGroups } = loaderData;
+  const { projects, sessionGroups, feature_flags } = loaderData;
   const [prompt, setPrompt] = useState("");
   const [project, setProject] = useState(projects[0]);
   const [branch, setBranch] = useState(branches[0]);
@@ -160,20 +161,22 @@ export default function Start({ loaderData }: Route.ComponentProps) {
               />
 
               <div className="absolute bottom-3 inset-x-3 flex items-center justify-between">
-                <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
-                  <Picker
-                    value={project}
-                    onChange={setProject}
-                    options={projects}
-                    icon={<FolderIcon className="size-3.5 text-fg-muted" />}
-                  />
-                  <Picker
-                    value={branch}
-                    onChange={setBranch}
-                    options={branches}
-                    icon={<BranchIcon className="size-3.5 text-fg-muted" />}
-                  />
-                </div>
+                {feature_flags.session_sandboxes && (
+                  <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
+                    <Picker
+                      value={project}
+                      onChange={setProject}
+                      options={projects}
+                      icon={<FolderIcon className="size-3.5 text-fg-muted" />}
+                    />
+                    <Picker
+                      value={branch}
+                      onChange={setBranch}
+                      options={branches}
+                      icon={<BranchIcon className="size-3.5 text-fg-muted" />}
+                    />
+                  </div>
+                )}
 
                 <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
                   <span className="text-xs text-fg-muted select-none">
diff --git a/crates/arc-api/src/server_config.rs b/crates/arc-api/src/server_config.rs
index af9070769..2067f5c25 100644
--- a/crates/arc-api/src/server_config.rs
+++ b/crates/arc-api/src/server_config.rs
@@ -94,6 +94,12 @@ impl Default for WebConfig {
     }
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Default, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
+pub struct FeatureFlags {
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub session_sandboxes: bool,
+}
+
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
 pub struct ServerConfig {
     pub data_dir: Option<PathBuf>,
@@ -104,6 +110,8 @@ pub struct ServerConfig {
     pub api: ApiConfig,
     #[serde(default)]
     pub git: GitConfig,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub feature_flags: FeatureFlags,
     #[serde(flatten)]
     pub run_defaults: RunDefaults,
     #[serde(flatten)]
@@ -417,6 +425,20 @@ matcher = "agent_loop"
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn parse_feature_flags() {
+        let toml = "[feature_flags]\nsession_sandboxes = true";
+        let config: ServerConfig = toml::from_str(toml).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(config.feature_flags.session_sandboxes, true);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parse_feature_flags_defaults() {
+        let toml = "";
+        let config: ServerConfig = toml::from_str(toml).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(config.feature_flags.session_sandboxes, false);
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn parse_config_without_hooks_defaults_empty() {
         let toml = "";
diff --git a/docker/demo-server.toml b/docker/demo-server.toml
index 64795de58..26a440c6a 100644
--- a/docker/demo-server.toml
+++ b/docker/demo-server.toml
@@ -1,2 +1,5 @@
 [api]
 base_url = "http://api:3000"
+
+[feature_flags]
+session_sandboxes = false