diff --git a/crates/compiler/checkmate/www/src/App.tsx b/crates/compiler/checkmate/www/src/App.tsx
index 5c407310858..d01c9130861 100644
--- a/crates/compiler/checkmate/www/src/App.tsx
+++ b/crates/compiler/checkmate/www/src/App.tsx
@@ -1,15 +1,10 @@
 import React from "react";
 import FileInput, { LoadedEvents } from "./components/FileInput";
 import Ui from "./components/Ui";
-import data from "./checkmate.json";
-import { AllEvents } from "./schema";
 import { BrowserRouter } from "react-router-dom";
 
 export default function App() {
-  const [events, setEvents] = React.useState<LoadedEvents | null>({
-    kind: "ok",
-    events: data as AllEvents,
-  });
+  const [events, setEvents] = React.useState<LoadedEvents | null>(null);
 
   return (
     <BrowserRouter>
diff --git a/crates/compiler/checkmate/www/src/components/Ui.tsx b/crates/compiler/checkmate/www/src/components/Ui.tsx
index 1a970ce225e..aaf7ef6649e 100644
--- a/crates/compiler/checkmate/www/src/components/Ui.tsx
+++ b/crates/compiler/checkmate/www/src/components/Ui.tsx
@@ -66,7 +66,14 @@ export default function Ui({ events }: UiProps): JSX.Element {
           selectedEpochs={selectedEpochs}
         />
       </div>
-      <div className="flex-1 min-h-[50%] h-full flex flex-col">
+      <div className="flex-1 min-h-[50%] h-full flex flex-col place-content-center shadow">
+        {selectedEpochs.length === 0 && (
+          <span className="text-center">
+            <span className="p-2 border rounded-md bg-gray-200 inline-block">
+              Select an event to view.
+            </span>
+          </span>
+        )}
         {subsTop !== undefined && (
           <VariablesGraphView
             subs={subsTop}
@@ -98,7 +105,6 @@ function VariablesGraphView({
   graphEe,
   eventListEe,
 }: VariablesGraphViewProps): JSX.Element {
-  console.log("re-rendering...");
   return (
     <VariablesGraph subs={subs} graphEe={graphEe} eventListEe={eventListEe} />
   );