diff --git a/copilot-ui/src/actions/ActionProvider.tsx b/copilot-ui/src/actions/ActionProvider.tsx
index c0951197..9781750e 100644
--- a/copilot-ui/src/actions/ActionProvider.tsx
+++ b/copilot-ui/src/actions/ActionProvider.tsx
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ const ActionProvider: React.FC<ActionProviderProps> = ({
     onOpen: () => {
       queryCopilotWs2(localStorage.getItem("creds")!);
       console.log("WebSocket connection established to " + WS_URL);
-      sendMessage(localStorage.getItem("ragPattern")!);
+      sendMessage(localStorage.getItem("ragPattern") || "hnsw_overlap");
     },
   });
 
diff --git a/copilot/app/routers/ui.py b/copilot/app/routers/ui.py
index c2de7b23..83a9062e 100644
--- a/copilot/app/routers/ui.py
+++ b/copilot/app/routers/ui.py
@@ -262,8 +262,7 @@ async def write_message_to_history(message: Message, usr_auth: str):
 @router.websocket(route_prefix + "/{graphname}/chat")
 async def chat(
     graphname: str,
-    websocket: WebSocket,
-    rag_pattern: str = "hnsw_overlap"
+    websocket: WebSocket
 ):
     """
     TODO: