diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/side.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/side.rs
index 11ce6cb9e5..67e9340559 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/side.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/side.rs
@@ -574,7 +574,10 @@ impl App {
             .await;
 
         let fork_config = self.side_fork_config();
-        match app_server.fork_thread(fork_config, parent_thread_id).await {
+        match app_server
+            .fork_side_thread(fork_config, parent_thread_id)
+            .await
+        {
             Ok(forked) => {
                 let child_thread_id = forked.session.thread_id;
                 let channel = self.ensure_thread_channel(child_thread_id);
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app_server_session.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app_server_session.rs
index 948aa9bd58..50d59397cd 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/app_server_session.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/app_server_session.rs
@@ -145,6 +145,12 @@ pub(crate) enum ForkGoalContinuation {
     DeferUntilNextTurn,
 }
 
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
+enum ForkPresentation {
+    Regular,
+    SideConversation,
+}
+
 fn bootstrap_request_error(context: &'static str, err: TypedRequestError) -> color_eyre::Report {
     color_eyre::eyre::eyre!("{context}: {err}")
 }
@@ -574,6 +580,42 @@ impl AppServerSession {
         last_turn_id: Option<String>,
         before_turn_id: Option<String>,
         goal_continuation: ForkGoalContinuation,
+    ) -> Result<AppServerStartedThread> {
+        self.fork_thread_at_with_presentation(
+            config,
+            thread_id,
+            last_turn_id,
+            before_turn_id,
+            goal_continuation,
+            ForkPresentation::Regular,
+        )
+        .await
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) async fn fork_side_thread(
+        &mut self,
+        config: Config,
+        thread_id: ThreadId,
+    ) -> Result<AppServerStartedThread> {
+        self.fork_thread_at_with_presentation(
+            config,
+            thread_id,
+            /*last_turn_id*/ None,
+            /*before_turn_id*/ None,
+            ForkGoalContinuation::StartIfIdle,
+            ForkPresentation::SideConversation,
+        )
+        .await
+    }
+
+    async fn fork_thread_at_with_presentation(
+        &mut self,
+        config: Config,
+        thread_id: ThreadId,
+        last_turn_id: Option<String>,
+        before_turn_id: Option<String>,
+        goal_continuation: ForkGoalContinuation,
+        presentation: ForkPresentation,
     ) -> Result<AppServerStartedThread> {
         let request_id = self.next_request_id();
         let session_config = self.session_config_with_effective_service_tier(&config);
@@ -586,6 +628,7 @@ impl AppServerSession {
                     before_turn_id,
                     defer_goal_continuation: goal_continuation
                         == ForkGoalContinuation::DeferUntilNextTurn,
+                    exclude_turns: presentation == ForkPresentation::SideConversation,
                     ..thread_fork_params_from_config(
                         session_config,
                         thread_id,
@@ -2444,6 +2487,41 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn side_fork_excludes_turns_without_clearing_regular_ephemeral_fork() -> Result<()> {
+        let codex_home = tempfile::tempdir().expect("tempdir");
+        let mut config = build_config(&codex_home).await;
+        config.ephemeral = true;
+        let thread_id = ThreadId::from_string(
+            &create_fake_rollout(
+                codex_home.path(),
+                "2025-01-05T12-00-00",
+                "2025-01-05T12:00:00Z",
+                "Saved user message",
+                Some(config.model_provider_id.as_str()),
+                /*git_info*/ None,
+            )
+            .expect("create rollout"),
+        )?;
+        let mut app_server = crate::start_embedded_app_server_for_picker(&config).await?;
+
+        let regular = app_server.fork_thread(config.clone(), thread_id).await?;
+        let side = app_server.fork_side_thread(config, thread_id).await?;
+
+        assert_eq!(regular.turns.len(), 1);
+        assert!(matches!(
+            regular.turns[0].items.as_slice(),
+            [codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadItem::UserMessage { content, .. }]
+                if content == &[UserInput::Text {
+                    text: "Saved user message".to_string(),
+                    text_elements: Vec::new(),
+                }]
+        ));
+        assert_eq!(side.turns, Vec::<Turn>::new());
+        app_server.shutdown().await?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn terminal_visualization_instructions_are_gated_for_all_tui_thread_flows() {
         let temp_dir = tempfile::tempdir().expect("tempdir");