diff --git a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/components/Sidebar/Sidebar.stories.tsx b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/components/Sidebar/Sidebar.stories.tsx
index daa870dba..039f27df0 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/components/Sidebar/Sidebar.stories.tsx
+++ b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/components/Sidebar/Sidebar.stories.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,13 @@ import { QueryClient, QueryClientProvider } from "@tanstack/solid-query";
 import { addClanURI, resetStore } from "@/src/stores/clan";
 import { SolidQueryDevtools } from "@tanstack/solid-query-devtools";
 import { encodeBase64 } from "@/src/hooks/clan";
+import { ApiClientProvider } from "@/src/hooks/ApiClient";
+import {
+  ApiCall,
+  OperationArgs,
+  OperationNames,
+  OperationResponse,
+} from "@/src/hooks/api";
 
 const defaultClanURI = "/home/brian/clans/my-clan";
 
@@ -24,10 +31,16 @@ const queryData = {
       europa: {
         name: "Europa",
         machineClass: "nixos",
+        state: {
+          status: "online",
+        },
       },
       ganymede: {
         name: "Ganymede",
         machineClass: "nixos",
+        state: {
+          status: "out_of_sync",
+        },
       },
     },
   },
@@ -40,10 +53,16 @@ const queryData = {
       callisto: {
         name: "Callisto",
         machineClass: "nixos",
+        state: {
+          status: "not_installed",
+        },
       },
       amalthea: {
         name: "Amalthea",
         machineClass: "nixos",
+        state: {
+          status: "offline",
+        },
       },
     },
   },
@@ -56,10 +75,16 @@ const queryData = {
       thebe: {
         name: "Thebe",
         machineClass: "nixos",
+        state: {
+          status: "online",
+        },
       },
       sponde: {
         name: "Sponde",
         machineClass: "nixos",
+        state: {
+          status: "online",
+        },
       },
     },
   },
@@ -123,6 +148,18 @@ export default meta;
 
 type Story = StoryObj<RouteSectionProps>;
 
+const mockFetcher = <K extends OperationNames>(
+  method: K,
+  args: OperationArgs<K>,
+) =>
+  ({
+    uuid: "mock",
+    result: Promise.reject<OperationResponse<K>>("not implemented"),
+    cancel: async () => {
+      throw new Error("not implemented");
+    },
+  }) satisfies ApiCall<K>;
+
 export const Default: Story = {
   args: {},
   decorators: [
@@ -141,16 +178,28 @@ export const Default: Story = {
           ["clans", encodeBase64(clanURI), "details"],
           clan.details,
         );
+
+        const machines = clan.machines || {};
+
         queryClient.setQueryData(
           ["clans", encodeBase64(clanURI), "machines"],
-          clan.machines || {},
+          machines,
         );
+
+        Object.entries(machines).forEach(([name, machine]) => {
+          queryClient.setQueryData(
+            ["clans", encodeBase64(clanURI), "machine", name, "state"],
+            machine.state,
+          );
+        });
       });
 
       return (
-        <QueryClientProvider client={queryClient}>
-          <Story />
-        </QueryClientProvider>
+        <ApiClientProvider client={{ fetch: mockFetcher }}>
+          <QueryClientProvider client={queryClient}>
+            <Story />
+          </QueryClientProvider>
+        </ApiClientProvider>
       );
     },
   ],
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/components/Sidebar/SidebarHeader.css b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/components/Sidebar/SidebarHeader.css
index c1fcb541f..43ffd4e6e 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/components/Sidebar/SidebarHeader.css
+++ b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/components/Sidebar/SidebarHeader.css
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ div.sidebar-header {
     @apply px-1;
 
     .dropdown-group-label {
+      @apply flex items-baseline justify-between w-full;
     }
 
     .dropdown-group-items {
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/components/Sidebar/SidebarHeader.tsx b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/components/Sidebar/SidebarHeader.tsx
index 968617a2c..3e26c0a2a 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/components/Sidebar/SidebarHeader.tsx
+++ b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/components/Sidebar/SidebarHeader.tsx
@@ -5,8 +5,13 @@ import { useNavigate } from "@solidjs/router";
 import { Typography } from "../Typography/Typography";
 import { createSignal, For, Suspense } from "solid-js";
 import { useClanListQuery } from "@/src/hooks/queries";
-import { navigateToClan, useClanURI } from "@/src/hooks/clan";
-import { clanURIs } from "@/src/stores/clan";
+import {
+  navigateToClan,
+  navigateToOnboarding,
+  useClanURI,
+} from "@/src/hooks/clan";
+import { clanURIs, setActiveClanURI } from "@/src/stores/clan";
+import { Button } from "../Button/Button";
 
 export const SidebarHeader = () => {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
@@ -71,9 +76,19 @@ export const SidebarHeader = () => {
                     family="mono"
                     size="xs"
                     color="tertiary"
+                    transform="uppercase"
                   >
-                    YOUR CLANS
+                    Your Clans
                   </Typography>
+                  <Button
+                    hierarchy="secondary"
+                    ghost
+                    size="xs"
+                    startIcon="Plus"
+                    onClick={() => navigateToOnboarding(navigate, true)}
+                  >
+                    Add
+                  </Button>
                 </DropdownMenu.GroupLabel>
                 <div class="dropdown-group-items">
                   <For each={allClans}>
@@ -81,9 +96,9 @@ export const SidebarHeader = () => {
                       <Suspense fallback={"Loading..."}>
                         <DropdownMenu.Item
                           class="dropdown-item"
-                          onSelect={() =>
-                            navigateToClan(navigate, clan.data!.uri)
-                          }
+                          onSelect={() => {
+                            setActiveClanURI(clan.data!.uri);
+                          }}
                         >
                           <Typography
                             hierarchy="label"
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/hooks/clan.ts b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/hooks/clan.ts
index a8e2418d0..f3a63a7ca 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/hooks/clan.ts
+++ b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/hooks/clan.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ export const navigateToClan = (navigate: Navigator, clanURI: string) => {
   navigate(path);
 };
 
+export const navigateToOnboarding = (navigate: Navigator, addClan: boolean) =>
+  navigate(`/${addClan ? "?addClan=true" : ""}`);
+
 export const navigateToMachine = (
   navigate: Navigator,
   clanURI: string,
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/hooks/queries.ts b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/hooks/queries.ts
index fa1411fe4..1850ae476 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/hooks/queries.ts
+++ b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/hooks/queries.ts
@@ -27,10 +27,6 @@ export type ClanListQueryResult = UseQueryResult<ClanDetailsWithURI>[];
 export const useMachinesQuery = (clanURI: string) => {
   const client = useApiClient();
 
-  if (!clanURI) {
-    throw new Error("useMachinesQuery: clanURI is undefined");
-  }
-
   return useQuery<ListMachines>(() => ({
     queryKey: ["clans", encodeBase64(clanURI), "machines"],
     queryFn: async () => {
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/routes/Onboarding/ListClansModal.module.css b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/routes/Onboarding/ListClansModal.module.css
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ee091fc39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/routes/Onboarding/ListClansModal.module.css
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+.modal {
+  @apply w-screen max-w-2xl h-fit flex flex-col;
+
+  .content {
+    @apply flex flex-col gap-2;
+  }
+
+  .header {
+    @apply flex items-center justify-between;
+  }
+
+  .clans {
+    @apply flex flex-col gap-2;
+  }
+
+  .clan {
+    @apply flex items-center justify-between;
+    @apply px-4 py-5 bg-def-2;
+
+    .meta {
+      @apply flex flex-col gap-1;
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/routes/Onboarding/ListClansModal.tsx b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/routes/Onboarding/ListClansModal.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c989fc0b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/routes/Onboarding/ListClansModal.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+import { Modal } from "../../components/Modal/Modal";
+import cx from "classnames";
+import styles from "./ListClansModal.module.css";
+import { Typography } from "@/src/components/Typography/Typography";
+import { Button } from "@/src/components/Button/Button";
+import { navigateToClan, navigateToOnboarding } from "@/src/hooks/clan";
+import { useNavigate } from "@solidjs/router";
+import { For } from "solid-js";
+import { activeClanURI, clanURIs, setActiveClanURI } from "@/src/stores/clan";
+import { useClanListQuery } from "@/src/hooks/queries";
+
+export interface ClansModalProps {
+  onClose: () => void;
+}
+
+export const ListClansModal = (props: ClansModalProps) => {
+  const navigate = useNavigate();
+
+  const query = useClanListQuery(clanURIs());
+
+  // we only want clans we could interrogate successfully
+  // todo how to surface the ones that failed to users?
+  const clanList = () => query.filter((it) => it.isSuccess);
+
+  const selectClan = (uri: string) => () => {
+    if (uri == activeClanURI()) {
+      navigateToClan(navigate, uri);
+    } else {
+      setActiveClanURI(uri);
+    }
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <Modal
+      title="Select Clan"
+      open
+      onClose={props.onClose}
+      class={cx(styles.modal)}
+    >
+      <div class={cx(styles.content)}>
+        <div class={cx(styles.header)}>
+          <Typography
+            hierarchy="label"
+            family="mono"
+            size="xs"
+            color="tertiary"
+            transform="uppercase"
+          >
+            Your Clans
+          </Typography>
+
+          <Button
+            hierarchy="secondary"
+            ghost
+            size="s"
+            startIcon="Plus"
+            onClick={() => {
+              props.onClose();
+              navigateToOnboarding(navigate, true);
+            }}
+          >
+            Add Clan
+          </Button>
+        </div>
+        <ul class={cx(styles.clans)}>
+          <For each={clanList()}>
+            {(clan) => (
+              <li class={cx(styles.clan)}>
+                <div class={cx(styles.meta)}>
+                  <Typography hierarchy="label" weight="bold" size="default">
+                    {clan.data.name}
+                  </Typography>
+                  <Typography hierarchy="body" size="s">
+                    {clan.data.description}
+                  </Typography>
+                </div>
+
+                <Button
+                  hierarchy="secondary"
+                  ghost
+                  icon="CaretRight"
+                  onClick={selectClan(clan.data.uri)}
+                />
+              </li>
+            )}
+          </For>
+        </ul>
+      </div>
+    </Modal>
+  );
+};
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/routes/Onboarding/Onboarding.css b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/routes/Onboarding/Onboarding.css
index 1119b1906..f1eac3ebd 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/routes/Onboarding/Onboarding.css
+++ b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/routes/Onboarding/Onboarding.css
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ main#welcome {
       @apply w-16;
       @apply absolute bottom-28 left-1/2 transform -translate-x-1/2;
     }
+
+    button.list-clans {
+      @apply absolute bottom-28 right-0 transform -translate-x-1/2;
+    }
   }
 
   & > div.container {
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/routes/Onboarding/Onboarding.tsx b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/routes/Onboarding/Onboarding.tsx
index c50edfbb2..f8708a0ad 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/routes/Onboarding/Onboarding.tsx
+++ b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/routes/Onboarding/Onboarding.tsx
@@ -4,9 +4,14 @@ import {
   createSignal,
   Match,
   Setter,
+  Show,
   Switch,
 } from "solid-js";
-import { RouteSectionProps, useNavigate } from "@solidjs/router";
+import {
+  RouteSectionProps,
+  useNavigate,
+  useSearchParams,
+} from "@solidjs/router";
 import "./Onboarding.css";
 import { Typography } from "@/src/components/Typography/Typography";
 import { Button } from "@/src/components/Button/Button";
@@ -32,6 +37,7 @@ import { HostFileInput } from "@/src/components/Form/HostFileInput";
 import { callApi } from "@/src/hooks/api";
 import { Creating } from "./Creating";
 import { useApiClient } from "@/src/hooks/ApiClient";
+import { ListClansModal } from "@/src/routes/Onboarding/ListClansModal";
 
 type State = "welcome" | "setup" | "creating";
 
@@ -55,14 +61,32 @@ const SetupSchema = v.object({
 
 type SetupForm = v.InferInput<typeof SetupSchema>;
 
-const background = (props: { state: State; form: FormStore<SetupForm> }) => (
-  <div class="background">
-    <div class="layer-1" />
-    <div class="layer-2" />
-    <div class="layer-3" />
-    <Logo variant="Clan" inverted={true} />
-  </div>
-);
+const background = (props: { state: State; form: FormStore<SetupForm> }) => {
+  // controls whether the list clans modal is displayed
+  const [showModal, setShowModal] = createSignal(false);
+
+  return (
+    <div class="background">
+      <div class="layer-1" />
+      <div class="layer-2" />
+      <div class="layer-3" />
+      <Logo variant="Clan" inverted />
+      <Button
+        class="list-clans"
+        hierarchy="primary"
+        ghost
+        size="s"
+        startIcon="Grid"
+        onClick={() => setShowModal(true)}
+      >
+        All Clans
+      </Button>
+      <Show when={showModal()}>
+        <ListClansModal onClose={() => setShowModal(false)} />
+      </Show>
+    </div>
+  );
+};
 
 const welcome = (props: {
   setState: Setter<State>;
@@ -75,9 +99,17 @@ const welcome = (props: {
 
   const selectFolder = async () => {
     setLoading(true);
-    const uri = await selectClanFolder();
-    setLoading(false);
-    navigateToClan(navigate, uri);
+
+    try {
+      const uri = await selectClanFolder();
+      setLoading(false);
+      navigateToClan(navigate, uri);
+    } catch (e) {
+      // todo display error, currently we don't get anything to distinguish between cancel or an actual error
+    } finally {
+      // stop the loading state of the button
+      setLoading(false);
+    }
   };
 
   return (
@@ -127,7 +159,7 @@ const welcome = (props: {
       </div>
       <Button
         hierarchy="primary"
-        ghost={true}
+        ghost
         loading={loading()}
         onClick={selectFolder}
       >
@@ -139,9 +171,11 @@ const welcome = (props: {
 
 export const Onboarding: Component<RouteSectionProps> = (props) => {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
+  const [searchParams] = useSearchParams();
 
   const activeURI = activeClanURI();
-  if (activeURI) {
+
+  if (!searchParams.addClan && activeURI) {
     // the user has already selected a clan, so we should navigate to it
     console.log("active clan detected, navigating to it", activeURI);
     navigateToClan(navigate, activeURI);