diff --git a/services/raggr/raggr-frontend/src/components/ChatScreen.tsx b/services/raggr/raggr-frontend/src/components/ChatScreen.tsx
index 58c4e36..de48f33 100644
--- a/services/raggr/raggr-frontend/src/components/ChatScreen.tsx
+++ b/services/raggr/raggr-frontend/src/components/ChatScreen.tsx
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ export const ChatScreen = ({ setAuthenticated }: ChatScreenProps) => {
   const [selectedConversation, setSelectedConversation] =
     useState<Conversation | null>(null);
   const [sidebarCollapsed, setSidebarCollapsed] = useState<boolean>(false);
+  const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = useState<boolean>(false);
 
   const messagesEndRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
   const simbaAnswers = ["meow.", "hiss...", "purrrrrr", "yowOWROWWowowr"];
@@ -131,11 +132,12 @@ export const ChatScreen = ({ setAuthenticated }: ChatScreenProps) => {
   }, [selectedConversation?.id]);
 
   const handleQuestionSubmit = async () => {
-    if (!query.trim()) return; // Don't submit empty messages
+    if (!query.trim() || isLoading) return; // Don't submit empty messages or while loading
 
     const currMessages = messages.concat([{ text: query, speaker: "user" }]);
     setMessages(currMessages);
     setQuery(""); // Clear input immediately after submission
+    setIsLoading(true);
 
     if (simbaMode) {
       console.log("simba mode activated");
@@ -150,6 +152,7 @@ export const ChatScreen = ({ setAuthenticated }: ChatScreenProps) => {
           },
         ]),
       );
+      setIsLoading(false);
       return;
     }
 
@@ -170,6 +173,8 @@ export const ChatScreen = ({ setAuthenticated }: ChatScreenProps) => {
       if (error instanceof Error && error.message.includes("Session expired")) {
         setAuthenticated(false);
       }
+    } finally {
+      setIsLoading(false);
     }
   };
 
@@ -281,6 +286,7 @@ export const ChatScreen = ({ setAuthenticated }: ChatScreenProps) => {
               }
               return <QuestionBubble key={index} text={msg.text} />;
             })}
+            {isLoading && <AnswerBubble text="" loading={true} />}
             <div ref={messagesEndRef} />
           </div>
         </div>
@@ -294,6 +300,7 @@ export const ChatScreen = ({ setAuthenticated }: ChatScreenProps) => {
               handleKeyDown={handleKeyDown}
               handleQuestionSubmit={handleQuestionSubmit}
               setSimbaMode={setSimbaMode}
+              isLoading={isLoading}
             />
           </div>
         </footer>
diff --git a/services/raggr/raggr-frontend/src/components/MessageInput.tsx b/services/raggr/raggr-frontend/src/components/MessageInput.tsx
index 0ad7a00..6b37623 100644
--- a/services/raggr/raggr-frontend/src/components/MessageInput.tsx
+++ b/services/raggr/raggr-frontend/src/components/MessageInput.tsx
@@ -1,43 +1,56 @@
 import { useEffect, useState, useRef } from "react";
 
 type MessageInputProps = {
-    handleQueryChange: (event: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLTextAreaElement>) => void;
-    handleKeyDown: (event: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLTextAreaElement>) => void;
-    handleQuestionSubmit: () => void;
-    setSimbaMode: (sdf: boolean) => void;
-    query: string;
-}
+  handleQueryChange: (event: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLTextAreaElement>) => void;
+  handleKeyDown: (event: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLTextAreaElement>) => void;
+  handleQuestionSubmit: () => void;
+  setSimbaMode: (sdf: boolean) => void;
+  query: string;
+  isLoading: boolean;
+};
 
-export const MessageInput = ({query, handleKeyDown, handleQueryChange, handleQuestionSubmit, setSimbaMode}: MessageInputProps) => {
-    return (
-        <div className="flex flex-col gap-4 sticky bottom-0 bg-[#3D763A] p-6 rounded-xl">
-            <div className="flex flex-row justify-between grow">
-                <textarea
-                    className="p-3 sm:p-4 border border-blue-200 rounded-md grow bg-[#F9F5EB] min-h-[44px] resize-y"
-                    onChange={handleQueryChange}
-                    onKeyDown={handleKeyDown}
-                    value={query}
-                    rows={2}
-                    placeholder="Type your message... (Press Enter to send, Shift+Enter for new line)"
-                />
-            </div>
-            <div className="flex flex-row justify-between gap-2 grow">
-                <button
-                    className="p-3 sm:p-4 min-h-[44px] border border-blue-400 bg-[#EDA541] hover:bg-blue-400 cursor-pointer rounded-md flex-grow text-sm sm:text-base"
-                    onClick={() => handleQuestionSubmit()}
-                    type="submit"
-                >
-                    Submit
-                </button>
-            </div>
-            <div className="flex flex-row justify-center gap-2 grow items-center">
-                <input
-                    type="checkbox"
-                    onChange={(event) => setSimbaMode(event.target.checked)}
-                    className="w-5 h-5 cursor-pointer"
-                />
-                <p className="text-sm sm:text-base">simba mode?</p>
-            </div>
-        </div>
-    );
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+export const MessageInput = ({
+  query,
+  handleKeyDown,
+  handleQueryChange,
+  handleQuestionSubmit,
+  setSimbaMode,
+  isLoading,
+}: MessageInputProps) => {
+  return (
+    <div className="flex flex-col gap-4 sticky bottom-0 bg-[#3D763A] p-6 rounded-xl">
+      <div className="flex flex-row justify-between grow">
+        <textarea
+          className="p-3 sm:p-4 border border-blue-200 rounded-md grow bg-[#F9F5EB] min-h-[44px] resize-y"
+          onChange={handleQueryChange}
+          onKeyDown={handleKeyDown}
+          value={query}
+          rows={2}
+          placeholder="Type your message... (Press Enter to send, Shift+Enter for new line)"
+        />
+      </div>
+      <div className="flex flex-row justify-between gap-2 grow">
+        <button
+          className={`p-3 sm:p-4 min-h-[44px] border border-blue-400 rounded-md flex-grow text-sm sm:text-base ${
+            isLoading
+              ? "bg-gray-400 cursor-not-allowed opacity-50"
+              : "bg-[#EDA541] hover:bg-blue-400 cursor-pointer"
+          }`}
+          onClick={() => handleQuestionSubmit()}
+          type="submit"
+          disabled={isLoading}
+        >
+          {isLoading ? "Sending..." : "Submit"}
+        </button>
+      </div>
+      <div className="flex flex-row justify-center gap-2 grow items-center">
+        <input
+          type="checkbox"
+          onChange={(event) => setSimbaMode(event.target.checked)}
+          className="w-5 h-5 cursor-pointer"
+        />
+        <p className="text-sm sm:text-base">simba mode?</p>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+};