diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index ee7c35b..c7888e4 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import secrets
 import sqlite3
 import sys
 import threading
+import time
 import uuid
 import datetime
 from flask import Flask, render_template, request, jsonify, abort, Response, g
@@ -128,10 +129,50 @@ def init_db():
                     views          INTEGER DEFAULT 0
                 )
             ''')
+            cursor.execute('''
+                CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS rate_limits (
+                    ip_address    TEXT,
+                    timestamp     REAL,
+                    PRIMARY KEY (ip_address, timestamp)
+                )
+            ''')
+            cursor.execute('CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_rate_limit_ts ON rate_limits(timestamp)')
             conn.commit()
         finally:
             conn.close()
         _db_initialized = True
+        _start_cleanup_task()
+
+_cleanup_running = False
+
+def _start_cleanup_task():
+    """Start a background thread to purge expired pastes every hour."""
+    global _cleanup_running
+    if _cleanup_running:
+        return
+    _cleanup_running = True
+    def run():
+        while True:
+            try:
+                # Sleep first to avoid running immediately on startup
+                time.sleep(3600)
+                now = datetime.datetime.now(_UTC).isoformat()
+                conn = sqlite3.connect(DATABASE)
+                try:
+                    with conn:
+                        res = conn.execute('DELETE FROM pastes WHERE expires_at < ?', (now,))
+                        purged_pastes = res.rowcount
+                        res = conn.execute('DELETE FROM rate_limits WHERE timestamp < ?', (time.time() - 3600,))
+                        purged_ips = res.rowcount
+                        if purged_pastes > 0 or purged_ips > 0:
+                            print(f"[Cleanup] Purged {purged_pastes} expired pastes and {purged_ips} rate limit entries.", flush=True)
+                finally:
+                    conn.close()
+            except Exception as e:
+                print(f"Error in background cleanup: {e}", file=sys.stderr)
+
+    t = threading.Thread(target=run, daemon=True)
+    t.start()
 
 # ── Helpers ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -171,6 +212,27 @@ def index():
 
 @app.route('/create', methods=['POST'])
 def create_paste():
+    # ── Rate limiting ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    # 10 pastes per 10 minutes per IP address (SQLite backed for worker safety)
+    remote_ip = request.remote_addr
+    now_ts    = time.time()
+    window    = 600 # 10 minutes
+    conn      = get_db_connection()
+    try:
+        # Purge old for this IP specifically or just check current
+        count = conn.execute(
+            'SELECT COUNT(*) FROM rate_limits WHERE ip_address = ? AND timestamp > ?',
+            (remote_ip, now_ts - window)
+        ).fetchone()[0]
+        
+        if count >= 10:
+            return jsonify({'error': 'Rate limit exceeded. Please wait a few minutes.'}), 429
+        
+        conn.execute('INSERT INTO rate_limits (ip_address, timestamp) VALUES (?, ?)', (remote_ip, now_ts))
+        conn.commit()
+    finally:
+        conn.close()
+
     data = request.get_json(silent=True)
     if not data:
         return jsonify({'error': 'JSON body required'}), 400
diff --git a/static/js/app.js b/static/js/app.js
index 6e5e557..5ee1074 100644
--- a/static/js/app.js
+++ b/static/js/app.js
@@ -23,23 +23,38 @@ const _UI_VAR_MAP = {
 };
 
 // Fetch config and initialise application when ready
-document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', async () => {
-    try {
-        const resp = await fetch('/api/config');
-        if (resp.ok) window.PBCFG = await resp.json();
-    } catch (e) {
-        console.warn('Could not load /api/config, using CSS fallbacks.', e);
-    }
-
-    initialiseTheme();
-    applyUiVars();
+document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
+    // 1. Initialise DOM-dependent listeners IMMEDIATELY
     initAutoSave();
-
-    // Attach theme toggle listener (fixing CSP blocking of inline onclick)
+    
     const toggleBtn = document.getElementById('themeToggle');
     if (toggleBtn) {
         toggleBtn.addEventListener('click', toggleTheme);
     }
+
+    // 2. Fetch config and apply theme/UI tweaks as a background enhancement
+    (async function loadConfig() {
+        try {
+            const resp = await fetch('/api/config');
+            if (resp.ok) {
+                window.PBCFG = await resp.json();
+                // Re-apply in case config changed defaults
+                initialiseTheme();
+                applyUiVars();
+                // refresh autosave settings if they come from config
+                if (window.PBCFG?.features?.auto_save_draft === false) {
+                     // If now disabled, we could stop listeners, but for simplicity
+                     // we just won't save next time.
+                }
+            }
+        } catch (e) {
+            console.warn('Could not load /api/config, using CSS fallbacks.', e);
+        }
+    })();
+
+    // Initial pass with CSS fallbacks
+    initialiseTheme();
+    applyUiVars();
 });
 
 // ── Theme Management ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -113,7 +128,7 @@ function swapPrismTheme(theme) {
     }
 }
 
-function toggleTheme() {
+window.toggleTheme = function () {
     const current  = document.documentElement.getAttribute('data-theme') || 'light';
     const newTheme = current === 'light' ? 'dark' : 'light';
     applyTheme(newTheme);
@@ -226,7 +241,8 @@ function loadDraft() {
     }
 }
 
-function clearDraft() {
+window.clearDraft = function () {
+    console.log('[Draft] Clearing localStorage draft...');
     localStorage.removeItem('paste_draft');
 }
 
diff --git a/static/js/paste_create.js b/static/js/paste_create.js
index bdb3566..aca2348 100644
--- a/static/js/paste_create.js
+++ b/static/js/paste_create.js
@@ -46,7 +46,31 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function () {
 
     submitBtn.addEventListener('click', submitPaste);
 
+    // ── Clear Draft ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    const clearBtn = document.getElementById('clearBtn');
+    if (clearBtn) {
+        clearBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
+            console.log('[Clear] Manual clear requested.');
+            
+            // Clear the editor and title
+            textarea.value = '';
+            const title = document.getElementById('title');
+            if (title) title.value = '';
+            
+            // Wipe the localStorage draft via the global helper in app.js
+            if (typeof window.clearDraft === 'function') {
+                window.clearDraft();
+            } else {
+                localStorage.removeItem('paste_draft');
+            }
+            
+            textarea.focus();
+            console.log('[Clear] Draft wiped.');
+        });
+    }
+
     // ── Submit ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
     async function submitPaste() {
         const content    = textarea.value;
         const title      = document.getElementById('title').value || 'Untitled';
@@ -85,7 +109,9 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function () {
                 submitBtn.disabled    = false;
                 submitBtn.textContent = 'Save';
             } else {
-                clearDraft();
+                if (typeof window.clearDraft === 'function') {
+                    window.clearDraft();
+                }
                 window.location.href = result.url + (keyBase64 ? '#' + keyBase64 : '');
             }
         } catch (err) {
diff --git a/templates/index.html b/templates/index.html
index b8c77c5..fcd4d5e 100644
--- a/templates/index.html
+++ b/templates/index.html
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
     <option value="1week">1 Week</option>
     <option value="1month">1 Month</option>
 </select>
+<button id="clearBtn" class="nav-btn">Clear</button>
 <button id="submitBtn" class="nav-btn nav-btn-save">Save</button>
 {% if cfg.theme.allow_user_toggle %}
 <button id="themeToggle" class="theme-toggle">🌙</button>