diff --git a/frontend/src/components/shared/QuickAccessBar.tsx b/frontend/src/components/shared/QuickAccessBar.tsx
index c57e49c40..62edb311d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/shared/QuickAccessBar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/shared/QuickAccessBar.tsx
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ const QuickAccessBar = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement>(({
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const { isRainbowMode } = useRainbowThemeContext();
   const { openFilesModal, isFilesModalOpen } = useFilesModalContext();
-  const { handleReaderToggle, handleBackToTools, handleToolSelect, selectedToolKey, leftPanelView, toolRegistry, readerMode } = useToolWorkflow();
+  const { handleReaderToggle, handleBackToTools, handleToolSelect, selectedToolKey, leftPanelView, toolRegistry, readerMode, resetTool } = useToolWorkflow();
   const [configModalOpen, setConfigModalOpen] = useState(false);
   const [activeButton, setActiveButton] = useState<string>('tools');
   const scrollableRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
@@ -74,7 +74,12 @@ const QuickAccessBar = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement>(({
       type: 'navigation',
       onClick: () => {
         setActiveButton('automate');
-        handleToolSelect('automate');
+        // If already on automate tool, reset it directly
+        if (selectedToolKey === 'automate') {
+          resetTool('automate');
+        } else {
+          handleToolSelect('automate');
+        }
       }
     },
     {
diff --git a/frontend/src/contexts/ToolWorkflowContext.tsx b/frontend/src/contexts/ToolWorkflowContext.tsx
index 2bbb3c9f4..2ab92572b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/contexts/ToolWorkflowContext.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/contexts/ToolWorkflowContext.tsx
@@ -86,6 +86,10 @@ interface ToolWorkflowContextValue extends ToolWorkflowState {
   selectTool: (toolId: string) => void;
   clearToolSelection: () => void;
 
+  // Tool Reset Actions
+  registerToolReset: (toolId: string, resetFunction: () => void) => void;
+  resetTool: (toolId: string) => void;
+
   // Workflow Actions (compound actions)
   handleToolSelect: (toolId: string) => void;
   handleBackToTools: () => void;
@@ -106,16 +110,19 @@ interface ToolWorkflowProviderProps {
 export function ToolWorkflowProvider({ children }: ToolWorkflowProviderProps) {
   const [state, dispatch] = useReducer(toolWorkflowReducer, initialState);
 
+  // Store reset functions for tools
+  const [toolResetFunctions, setToolResetFunctions] = React.useState<Record<string, () => void>>({});
+
   // Navigation actions and state are available since we're inside NavigationProvider
   const { actions } = useNavigationActions();
   const navigationState = useNavigationState();
-  
+
   // Tool management hook
   const {
     toolRegistry,
     getSelectedTool,
   } = useToolManagement();
-  
+
   // Get selected tool from navigation context
   const selectedTool = getSelectedTool(navigationState.selectedToolKey);
 
@@ -147,13 +154,29 @@ export function ToolWorkflowProvider({ children }: ToolWorkflowProviderProps) {
     dispatch({ type: 'SET_SEARCH_QUERY', payload: query });
   }, []);
 
+  // Tool reset methods
+  const registerToolReset = useCallback((toolId: string, resetFunction: () => void) => {
+    setToolResetFunctions(prev => ({ ...prev, [toolId]: resetFunction }));
+  }, []);
+
+  const resetTool = useCallback((toolId: string) => {
+    // Use the current state directly instead of depending on the state in the closure
+    setToolResetFunctions(current => {
+      const resetFunction = current[toolId];
+      if (resetFunction) {
+        resetFunction();
+      }
+      return current; // Return the same state to avoid unnecessary updates
+    });
+  }, []); // Empty dependency array makes this stable
+
   // Workflow actions (compound actions that coordinate multiple state changes)
   const handleToolSelect = useCallback((toolId: string) => {
     actions.handleToolSelect(toolId);
-    
+
     // Clear search query when selecting a tool
     setSearchQuery('');
-    
+
     // Handle view switching logic
     if (toolId === 'allTools' || toolId === 'read' || toolId === 'view-pdf') {
       setLeftPanelView('toolPicker');
@@ -212,6 +235,10 @@ export function ToolWorkflowProvider({ children }: ToolWorkflowProviderProps) {
     selectTool: actions.selectTool,
     clearToolSelection: actions.clearToolSelection,
 
+    // Tool Reset Actions
+    registerToolReset,
+    resetTool,
+
     // Workflow Actions
     handleToolSelect,
     handleBackToTools,
@@ -233,6 +260,8 @@ export function ToolWorkflowProvider({ children }: ToolWorkflowProviderProps) {
     setSearchQuery,
     actions.selectTool,
     actions.clearToolSelection,
+    registerToolReset,
+    resetTool,
     handleToolSelect,
     handleBackToTools,
     handleReaderToggle,
@@ -251,36 +280,6 @@ export function ToolWorkflowProvider({ children }: ToolWorkflowProviderProps) {
 export function useToolWorkflow(): ToolWorkflowContextValue {
   const context = useContext(ToolWorkflowContext);
   if (!context) {
-    // During development hot reload, temporarily return a safe fallback
-    if (false && process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development') {
-      console.warn('ToolWorkflowContext temporarily unavailable during hot reload, using fallback');
-
-      // Return minimal safe fallback to prevent crashes
-      return {
-        sidebarsVisible: true,
-        leftPanelView: 'toolPicker',
-        readerMode: false,
-        previewFile: null,
-        pageEditorFunctions: null,
-        searchQuery: '',
-        selectedToolKey: null,
-        selectedTool: null,
-        toolRegistry: {},
-        filteredTools: [],
-        isPanelVisible: true,
-        setSidebarsVisible: () => {},
-        setLeftPanelView: () => {},
-        setReaderMode: () => {},
-        setPreviewFile: () => {},
-        setPageEditorFunctions: () => {},
-        setSearchQuery: () => {},
-        selectTool: () => {},
-        clearToolSelection: () => {},
-        handleToolSelect: () => {},
-        handleBackToTools: () => {},
-        handleReaderToggle: () => {}
-      } as ToolWorkflowContextValue;
-    }
 
     console.error('ToolWorkflowContext not found. Current stack:', new Error().stack);
     throw new Error('useToolWorkflow must be used within a ToolWorkflowProvider');
diff --git a/frontend/src/tools/Automate.tsx b/frontend/src/tools/Automate.tsx
index 53040ffb0..d5cea69c8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/tools/Automate.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/tools/Automate.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-import React, { useState, useMemo } from "react";
+import React, { useState, useMemo, useEffect } from "react";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { useFileContext } from "../contexts/FileContext";
 import { useFileSelection } from "../contexts/FileContext";
 import { useNavigation } from "../contexts/NavigationContext";
-import { CONVERT_SUPPORTED_FORMATS } from "../data/useTranslatedToolRegistry";
+import { useToolWorkflow } from "../contexts/ToolWorkflowContext";
 
 import { createToolFlow } from "../components/tools/shared/createToolFlow";
 import { createFilesToolStep } from "../components/tools/shared/FilesToolStep";
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ const Automate = ({ onPreviewFile, onComplete, onError }: BaseToolProps) => {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const { selectedFiles } = useFileSelection();
   const { setMode } = useNavigation();
+  const { registerToolReset } = useToolWorkflow();
 
   const [currentStep, setCurrentStep] = useState<AutomationStep>(AUTOMATION_STEPS.SELECTION);
   const [stepData, setStepData] = useState<AutomationStepData>({ step: AUTOMATION_STEPS.SELECTION });
@@ -31,6 +32,28 @@ const Automate = ({ onPreviewFile, onComplete, onError }: BaseToolProps) => {
   const hasResults = automateOperation.files.length > 0 || automateOperation.downloadUrl !== null;
   const { savedAutomations, deleteAutomation, refreshAutomations, copyFromSuggested } = useSavedAutomations();
 
+  // Use ref to store the latest reset function to avoid closure issues
+  const resetFunctionRef = React.useRef<() => void>(null);
+
+  // Update ref with latest reset function
+  resetFunctionRef.current = () => {
+    automateOperation.resetResults();
+    automateOperation.clearError();
+    setCurrentStep(AUTOMATION_STEPS.SELECTION);
+    setStepData({ step: AUTOMATION_STEPS.SELECTION });
+  };
+
+  // Register reset function with the tool workflow context - only once on mount
+  React.useEffect(() => {
+    const stableResetFunction = () => {
+      if (resetFunctionRef.current) {
+        resetFunctionRef.current();
+      }
+    };
+
+    registerToolReset('automate', stableResetFunction);
+  }, [registerToolReset]); // Only depend on registerToolReset which should be stable
+
   const handleStepChange = (data: AutomationStepData) => {
     // If navigating away from run step, reset automation results
     if (currentStep === AUTOMATION_STEPS.RUN && data.step !== AUTOMATION_STEPS.RUN) {
@@ -139,7 +162,7 @@ const Automate = ({ onPreviewFile, onComplete, onError }: BaseToolProps) => {
     if (currentStep === AUTOMATION_STEPS.RUN && stepData.automation?.operations?.length) {
       const firstOperation = stepData.automation.operations[0];
       const toolConfig = toolRegistry[firstOperation.operation];
-      
+
       // Check if the tool has supportedFormats that include non-PDF formats
       if (toolConfig?.supportedFormats && toolConfig.supportedFormats.length > 1) {
         return t('automate.files.placeholder.multiFormat', 'Select files to process (supports various formats)');