diff --git a/apps/desktop/package.json b/apps/desktop/package.json
index d2609b49..0a2dbada 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/package.json
+++ b/apps/desktop/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@edgeever/desktop",
-  "version": "1.6.39",
+  "version": "1.6.40",
   "desktopName": "EdgeEver",
   "private": true,
   "description": "Native EdgeEver desktop client",
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/LoginScreen.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/LoginScreen.tsx
index f5029452..2ac689b1 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/LoginScreen.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/LoginScreen.tsx
@@ -106,6 +106,11 @@ export const LoginScreen = ({ configurationError, error, isSubmitting, onChangeI
             <LockKeyhole className="h-4 w-4 mr-1" />
             {isSubmitting ? t("login.submitting") : t("login.submit")}
           </Button>
+          {onChangeInstance ? (
+            <Button className="h-10 w-full justify-center" type="button" variant="ghost" onClick={onChangeInstance}>
+              {t("login.desktopChangeInstance")}
+            </Button>
+          ) : null}
         </form>}
       </section>
     </main>
diff --git a/apps/web/src/lib/api.test.mjs b/apps/web/src/lib/api.test.mjs
index 3f41611f..779c4d3c 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/lib/api.test.mjs
+++ b/apps/web/src/lib/api.test.mjs
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ globalThis.window = {
     apiBaseUrl: "",
     setApiBaseUrl: async (value) => {
       calls.push(["bridge:start", value]);
+      if (!value) {
+        calls.push(["bridge:complete", value]);
+        return value;
+      }
       await new Promise((resolve) => {
         completeSave = resolve;
       });
@@ -39,6 +43,7 @@ const {
   api,
   cacheDesktopSession,
   getCachedDesktopSession,
+  resetDesktopApiBaseUrl,
   saveDesktopApiBaseUrl,
 } = await import("./api.ts");
 
@@ -61,9 +66,32 @@ describe("desktop instance setup", () => {
     expect(storage.get(DESKTOP_API_BASE_URL_STORAGE_KEY)).toBe("https://notes.example.com");
   });
 
+  test("clears the saved instance and cached session before switching", async () => {
+    calls.length = 0;
+    storage.set(DESKTOP_API_BASE_URL_STORAGE_KEY, "https://notes.example.com");
+    cacheDesktopSession({
+      authRequired: true,
+      authenticated: true,
+      demoMode: false,
+      sessionToken: "old-instance-session",
+      user: { id: "user-1", username: "admin", displayName: null, role: "owner" },
+    });
+
+    resetDesktopApiBaseUrl();
+    await Promise.resolve();
+
+    expect(storage.has(DESKTOP_API_BASE_URL_STORAGE_KEY)).toBe(false);
+    expect(getCachedDesktopSession()).toBeNull();
+    expect(calls.slice(-2)).toEqual([
+      ["bridge:start", ""],
+      ["bridge:complete", ""],
+    ]);
+  });
+
   test("uses the desktop session token and stops network retries after a 401", async () => {
     calls.length = 0;
     events.length = 0;
+    storage.set(DESKTOP_API_BASE_URL_STORAGE_KEY, "https://notes.example.com");
     cacheDesktopSession({
       authRequired: true,
       authenticated: true,
diff --git a/apps/web/src/lib/api.ts b/apps/web/src/lib/api.ts
index 8a1782c5..916dbbe7 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/lib/api.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/lib/api.ts
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ export const saveDesktopApiBaseUrl = async (value: string) => {
 
 export const resetDesktopApiBaseUrl = () => {
   if (typeof window === "undefined" || !window.edgeeverDesktop?.isAvailable) return;
+  clearCachedDesktopSession();
   window.localStorage.removeItem(DESKTOP_API_BASE_URL_STORAGE_KEY);
   void window.edgeeverDesktop.setApiBaseUrl("");
 };
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f3b574a6..d520ab3b 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "edgeever",
-  "version": "1.6.39",
+  "version": "1.6.40",
   "private": true,
   "type": "module",
   "workspaces": [