app/(app)/create/screens/card/CommunicationMethodsScreen.tsx

@@ -740,7 +740,7 @@ export function CommunicationMethodsScreen() {
           className={CREATE_FLOW_CARD_STACK_AREA_MAX_CLASS}
           aria-busy={!recommendationsReady}
         >
-          {recommendationsReady ? (
+          {recommendationsReady && (
             <CardStack
               cards={sampleCards}
               selectedIds={selectedIds}
@@ -757,7 +757,7 @@ export function CommunicationMethodsScreen() {
               compactDesktopLayout="flexWrap"
               headerLockupSize={mdUp ? "L" : "M"}
             />
-          ) : null}
+          )}
         </div>
       </div>
 

app/(app)/create/screens/card/ConflictManagementScreen.tsx

@@ -739,7 +739,7 @@ export function ConflictManagementScreen() {
           className={CREATE_FLOW_CARD_STACK_AREA_MAX_CLASS}
           aria-busy={!recommendationsReady}
         >
-          {recommendationsReady ? (
+          {recommendationsReady && (
             <CardStack
               cards={sampleCards}
               selectedIds={selectedIds}
@@ -756,7 +756,7 @@ export function ConflictManagementScreen() {
               compactDesktopLayout="pyramidFive"
               headerLockupSize={mdUp ? "L" : "M"}
             />
-          ) : null}
+          )}
         </div>
       </div>
 

app/(app)/create/screens/card/MembershipMethodsScreen.tsx

@@ -732,7 +732,7 @@ export function MembershipMethodsScreen() {
           className={CREATE_FLOW_CARD_STACK_AREA_MAX_CLASS}
           aria-busy={!recommendationsReady}
         >
-          {recommendationsReady ? (
+          {recommendationsReady && (
             <CardStack
               cards={sampleCards}
               selectedIds={selectedIds}
@@ -749,7 +749,7 @@ export function MembershipMethodsScreen() {
               compactDesktopLayout="pyramidFive"
               headerLockupSize={mdUp ? "L" : "M"}
             />
-          ) : null}
+          )}
         </div>
       </div>
 

app/(app)/create/screens/right-rail/DecisionApproachesScreen.tsx

@@ -766,7 +766,7 @@ export function DecisionApproachesScreen() {
         className="flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col items-stretch gap-6 py-0"
         aria-busy={!recommendationsReady}
       >
-        {recommendationsReady ? (
+        {recommendationsReady && (
           <CardStack
             cards={sampleCards}
             selectedIds={selectedIds}
@@ -796,7 +796,7 @@ export function DecisionApproachesScreen() {
             className="w-full"
             headerLockupSize={mdUp ? "L" : "M"}
           />
-        ) : null}
+        )}
       </div>
 
       <Create

app/(app)/create/utils/prepareFreshCreateFlowEntry.ts

@@ -11,6 +11,14 @@ import { isBackendSyncEnabled } from "../../../../lib/create/backendSyncEnabled"
  */
 export const FRESH_ENTRY_PENDING_KEY = "create:fresh-entry-pending";
 
+export type PrepareFreshCreateFlowEntryOptions = {
+  /**
+   * When `true`, and backend sync is on, also `DELETE /api/drafts/me`.
+   * Omit or pass `false` for guests — they have no server draft to clear.
+   */
+  signedIn?: boolean;
+};
+
 export function hasFreshEntryPending(): boolean {
   if (typeof window === "undefined") return false;
   try {
@@ -38,10 +46,17 @@ function clearFreshEntryPending(): void {
   }
 }
 
+function clearServerDraftWhenSignedIn(signedIn: boolean): void {
+  if (!signedIn || !isBackendSyncEnabled()) return;
+  setFreshEntryPending();
+  void deleteServerDraft().finally(clearFreshEntryPending);
+}
+
 /**
  * Call **before** navigating into `/create` from marketing or profile “new rule”
  * entry points so signed-in + sync matches an anonymous fresh start: wipe
- * `localStorage` draft keys and, when sync is on, `DELETE /api/drafts/me`.
+ * `localStorage` draft keys and, when sync is on and the user is signed in,
+ * `DELETE /api/drafts/me`.
  *
  * Synchronous variant: returns immediately after clearing local state and
  * scheduling the server draft delete in the background. Sets a sessionStorage
@@ -50,12 +65,13 @@ function clearFreshEntryPending(): void {
  *
  * Do **not** use for “Continue draft” — that path should load the server draft.
  */
-export function prepareFreshCreateFlowEntrySync(): void {
+export function prepareFreshCreateFlowEntrySync(
+  options: PrepareFreshCreateFlowEntryOptions = {},
+): void {
+  const signedIn = options.signedIn === true;
   clearAnonymousCreateFlowStorage();
   clearCoreValueDetailsLocalStorage();
-  if (!isBackendSyncEnabled()) return;
-  setFreshEntryPending();
-  void deleteServerDraft().finally(clearFreshEntryPending);
+  clearServerDraftWhenSignedIn(signedIn);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -63,10 +79,13 @@ export function prepareFreshCreateFlowEntrySync(): void {
  * before continuing (e.g. tests, programmatic reset flows). Most click handlers
  * should use {@link prepareFreshCreateFlowEntrySync} for instant navigation.
  */
-export async function prepareFreshCreateFlowEntry(): Promise<void> {
+export async function prepareFreshCreateFlowEntry(
+  options: PrepareFreshCreateFlowEntryOptions = {},
+): Promise<void> {
+  const signedIn = options.signedIn === true;
   clearAnonymousCreateFlowStorage();
   clearCoreValueDetailsLocalStorage();
-  if (!isBackendSyncEnabled()) return;
+  if (!signedIn || !isBackendSyncEnabled()) return;
   setFreshEntryPending();
   try {
     await deleteServerDraft();

app/(app)/profile/ProfilePageClient.tsx

@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ export default function ProfilePageClient() {
   }, [draft, router]);
 
   const handleStartNewCustomRule = useCallback(() => {
-    prepareFreshCreateFlowEntrySync();
+    prepareFreshCreateFlowEntrySync({ signedIn: true });
     router.push("/create/informational");
   }, [router]);
 

app/components/navigation/Top/Top.container.tsx

@@ -57,9 +57,9 @@ const TopContainer = memo<TopProps>(
      * (see {@link prepareFreshCreateFlowEntrySync}).
      */
     const handleCreateRuleClick = useCallback(() => {
-      prepareFreshCreateFlowEntrySync();
+      prepareFreshCreateFlowEntrySync({ signedIn: loggedIn });
       router.push("/create/informational");
-    }, [router]);
+    }, [loggedIn, router]);
 
     // Schema markup for site navigation
     const schemaData = {

tests/unit/prepareFreshCreateFlowEntry.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import {
+  FRESH_ENTRY_PENDING_KEY,
+  hasFreshEntryPending,
+  prepareFreshCreateFlowEntry,
+  prepareFreshCreateFlowEntrySync,
+} from "../../app/(app)/create/utils/prepareFreshCreateFlowEntry";
+import { CREATE_FLOW_ANONYMOUS_KEY } from "../../app/(app)/create/utils/anonymousDraftStorage";
+
+const deleteServerDraft = vi.fn();
+const isBackendSyncEnabled = vi.fn();
+
+vi.mock("../../lib/create/api", () => ({
+  deleteServerDraft: (...args: unknown[]) => deleteServerDraft(...args),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../../lib/create/backendSyncEnabled", () => ({
+  isBackendSyncEnabled: () => isBackendSyncEnabled(),
+}));
+
+describe("prepareFreshCreateFlowEntrySync", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    deleteServerDraft.mockReset();
+    deleteServerDraft.mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    isBackendSyncEnabled.mockReturnValue(true);
+    window.localStorage.clear();
+    window.sessionStorage.clear();
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    window.localStorage.clear();
+    window.sessionStorage.clear();
+  });
+
+  it("clears local draft storage for guests without calling deleteServerDraft", () => {
+    window.localStorage.setItem(
+      CREATE_FLOW_ANONYMOUS_KEY,
+      JSON.stringify({ title: "Stale" }),
+    );
+
+    prepareFreshCreateFlowEntrySync();
+
+    expect(window.localStorage.getItem(CREATE_FLOW_ANONYMOUS_KEY)).toBeNull();
+    expect(deleteServerDraft).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(hasFreshEntryPending()).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("clears local draft storage and deletes the server draft when signed in", async () => {
+    prepareFreshCreateFlowEntrySync({ signedIn: true });
+
+    expect(deleteServerDraft).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(window.sessionStorage.getItem(FRESH_ENTRY_PENDING_KEY)).toBe("1");
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() => {
+      expect(hasFreshEntryPending()).toBe(false);
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("skips server draft delete when backend sync is disabled", () => {
+    isBackendSyncEnabled.mockReturnValue(false);
+
+    prepareFreshCreateFlowEntrySync({ signedIn: true });
+
+    expect(deleteServerDraft).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(hasFreshEntryPending()).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("prepareFreshCreateFlowEntry", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    deleteServerDraft.mockReset();
+    deleteServerDraft.mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    isBackendSyncEnabled.mockReturnValue(true);
+    window.sessionStorage.clear();
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    window.sessionStorage.clear();
+  });
+
+  it("awaits deleteServerDraft only when signed in", async () => {
+    await prepareFreshCreateFlowEntry();
+    expect(deleteServerDraft).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    await prepareFreshCreateFlowEntry({ signedIn: true });
+    expect(deleteServerDraft).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(hasFreshEntryPending()).toBe(false);
+  });
+});