diff --git a/frontend/src/screens/setup/ImportMnemonic.tsx b/frontend/src/screens/setup/ImportMnemonic.tsx
index 3772ed98..2b111fc7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/screens/setup/ImportMnemonic.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/screens/setup/ImportMnemonic.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import * as bip39 from "@scure/bip39";
 import { wordlist } from "@scure/bip39/wordlists/english";
 import { LifeBuoy, ShieldCheck } from "lucide-react";
-import { useState } from "react";
+import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import { useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
 
 import MnemonicInputs from "src/components/MnemonicInputs";
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@ export function ImportMnemonic() {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
   const setupStore = useSetupStore();
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    // in case the user presses back, remove their last-saved mnemonic
+    useSetupStore.getState().updateNodeInfo({
+      mnemonic: undefined,
+    });
+  }, []);
   const [mnemonic, setMnemonic] = useState<string>("");
 
   async function onSubmit(e: React.FormEvent) {
@@ -41,7 +47,7 @@ export function ImportMnemonic() {
       nextBackupReminder: sixMonthsLater.toISOString(),
     });
 
-    navigate(`/setup/node?wallet=import`);
+    navigate(`/setup/node`);
   }
 
   return (
diff --git a/frontend/src/screens/setup/SetupAdvanced.tsx b/frontend/src/screens/setup/SetupAdvanced.tsx
index 4c1d256c..fba99fad 100644
--- a/frontend/src/screens/setup/SetupAdvanced.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/screens/setup/SetupAdvanced.tsx
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ export function SetupAdvanced() {
                 Import Existing Mnemonic
               </Button>
             </Link>
-            <Link to="/setup/password?wallet=new" className="w-full">
+            <Link to="/setup/password" className="w-full">
               <Button className="w-full" variant="secondary">
                 Create Wallet with Custom Node
               </Button>
diff --git a/frontend/src/screens/setup/SetupNode.tsx b/frontend/src/screens/setup/SetupNode.tsx
index a98c6c64..9f329994 100644
--- a/frontend/src/screens/setup/SetupNode.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/screens/setup/SetupNode.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import React, { ReactElement } from "react";
-import { useNavigate, useSearchParams } from "react-router-dom";
+import { useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
 import Container from "src/components/Container";
 import TwoColumnLayoutHeader from "src/components/TwoColumnLayoutHeader";
 import { BreezIcon } from "src/components/icons/Breez";
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import { BackendType } from "src/types";
 
 import cashu from "src/assets/images/node/cashu.png";
 import lnd from "src/assets/images/node/lnd.png";
+import useSetupStore from "src/state/SetupStore";
 
 type BackendTypeDefinition = {
   id: BackendType;
@@ -54,17 +55,15 @@ const backendTypes: BackendTypeDefinition[] = [
 
 export function SetupNode() {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
-  const [searchParams] = useSearchParams();
+  const setupStore = useSetupStore();
   const [selectedBackendType, setSelectedBackupType] =
     React.useState<BackendTypeDefinition>();
 
   function next() {
-    navigate(
-      `/setup/node/${selectedBackendType?.id.toLowerCase()}?wallet=${searchParams.get("wallet")}`
-    );
+    navigate(`/setup/node/${selectedBackendType?.id.toLowerCase()}`);
   }
 
-  const importSelected = searchParams.get("wallet") === "import";
+  const hasImportedMnemonic = !!setupStore.nodeInfo.mnemonic;
 
   return (
     <>
@@ -77,7 +76,7 @@ export function SetupNode() {
           <div className="w-full grid grid-cols-2 gap-4">
             {backendTypes
               .filter((item) =>
-                importSelected ? backendTypeHasMnemonic(item.id) : true
+                hasImportedMnemonic ? backendTypeHasMnemonic(item.id) : true
               )
               .map((item) => (
                 <div
diff --git a/frontend/src/screens/setup/SetupPassword.tsx b/frontend/src/screens/setup/SetupPassword.tsx
index 965495fc..e872026c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/screens/setup/SetupPassword.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/screens/setup/SetupPassword.tsx
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export function SetupPassword() {
     } else if (node) {
       navigate(`/setup/node/${node}`);
     } else {
-      navigate(`/setup/node?wallet=new`);
+      navigate(`/setup/node`);
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/screens/setup/node/LDKForm.tsx b/frontend/src/screens/setup/node/LDKForm.tsx
index a5c682b7..ff471d89 100644
--- a/frontend/src/screens/setup/node/LDKForm.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/screens/setup/node/LDKForm.tsx
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ export function LDKForm() {
 
   // No configuration needed, automatically proceed with the next step
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (searchParams.get("wallet") !== "import") {
+    // only generate a mnemonic if one is not already imported
+    if (!useSetupStore.getState().nodeInfo.mnemonic) {
       useSetupStore.getState().updateNodeInfo({
         mnemonic: bip39.generateMnemonic(wordlist, 128),
       });