diff --git a/frontend/app/view/term.tsx b/frontend/app/view/term.tsx
index e49685ddb..c06cc0372 100644
--- a/frontend/app/view/term.tsx
+++ b/frontend/app/view/term.tsx
@@ -40,14 +40,21 @@ function getThemeFromCSSVars(el: Element): ITheme {
     return theme;
 }
 
+type InitialLoadDataType = {
+    loaded: boolean;
+    heldData: Uint8Array[];
+};
+
 const TerminalView = ({ blockId }: { blockId: string }) => {
     const connectElemRef = React.useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
     const termRef = React.useRef<Terminal>(null);
+    const initialLoadRef = React.useRef<InitialLoadDataType>({ loaded: false, heldData: [] });
 
     React.useEffect(() => {
         if (!connectElemRef.current) {
             return;
         }
+        console.log("terminal created");
         const term = new Terminal({
             theme: getThemeFromCSSVars(connectElemRef.current),
             fontSize: 12,
@@ -89,7 +96,11 @@ const TerminalView = ({ blockId }: { blockId: string }) => {
         blockSubject.subscribe((data) => {
             // base64 decode
             const decodedData = base64ToArray(data.ptydata);
-            term.write(decodedData);
+            if (initialLoadRef.current.loaded) {
+                term.write(decodedData);
+            } else {
+                initialLoadRef.current.heldData.push(decodedData);
+            }
         });
 
         return () => {
@@ -99,6 +110,39 @@ const TerminalView = ({ blockId }: { blockId: string }) => {
         };
     }, [connectElemRef.current]);
 
+    React.useEffect(() => {
+        if (!termRef.current) {
+            return;
+        }
+        // load data from blockfile
+        const startTs = Date.now();
+        let loadedBytes = 0;
+        const localTerm = termRef.current; // avoids devmode double effect running issue (terminal gets created twice)
+        const usp = new URLSearchParams();
+        usp.set("blockid", blockId);
+        usp.set("name", "main");
+        fetch("/wave/blockfile?" + usp.toString())
+            .then((resp) => {
+                if (resp.ok) {
+                    return resp.arrayBuffer();
+                }
+                console.log("error loading blockfile", resp.status, resp.statusText);
+            })
+            .then((data: ArrayBuffer) => {
+                const uint8View = new Uint8Array(data);
+                localTerm.write(uint8View);
+                loadedBytes = uint8View.byteLength;
+            })
+            .finally(() => {
+                initialLoadRef.current.heldData.forEach((data) => {
+                    localTerm.write(data);
+                });
+                initialLoadRef.current.loaded = true;
+                initialLoadRef.current.heldData = [];
+                console.log(`terminal loaded blockfile ${loadedBytes} bytes, ${Date.now() - startTs}ms`);
+            });
+    }, [termRef.current]);
+
     return (
         <div className="view-term">
             <div key="conntectElem" className="term-connectelem" ref={connectElemRef}></div>
diff --git a/pkg/blockcontroller/blockcontroller.go b/pkg/blockcontroller/blockcontroller.go
index 69f951dd4..df82bc49d 100644
--- a/pkg/blockcontroller/blockcontroller.go
+++ b/pkg/blockcontroller/blockcontroller.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package blockcontroller
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"encoding/base64"
 	"encoding/json"
@@ -108,6 +109,21 @@ func (bc *BlockController) handleShellProcData(data []byte, seqNum int) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (bc *BlockController) resetTerminalState() {
+	ctx, cancelFn := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), DefaultTimeout)
+	defer cancelFn()
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	// buf.WriteString("\x1b[?1049l") // disable alternative buffer
+	buf.WriteString("\x1b[0m")     // reset attributes
+	buf.WriteString("\x1b[?25h")   // show cursor
+	buf.WriteString("\x1b[?1000l") // disable mouse tracking
+	buf.WriteString("\r\n\r\n(restored terminal state)\r\n\r\n")
+	err := blockstore.GBS.AppendData(ctx, bc.BlockId, "main", buf.Bytes())
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("error appending to blockfile (terminal reset): %v\n", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func (bc *BlockController) DoRunShellCommand(rc *RunShellOpts) error {
 	// create a circular blockfile for the output
 	ctx, cancelFn := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 2*time.Second)
@@ -116,6 +132,10 @@ func (bc *BlockController) DoRunShellCommand(rc *RunShellOpts) error {
 	if err != nil && err != blockstore.ErrAlreadyExists {
 		return fmt.Errorf("error creating blockfile: %w", err)
 	}
+	if err == blockstore.ErrAlreadyExists {
+		// reset the terminal state
+		bc.resetTerminalState()
+	}
 	if bc.getShellProc() != nil {
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/service/objectservice/objectservice.go b/pkg/service/objectservice/objectservice.go
index 1d047acdf..6fb3c844b 100644
--- a/pkg/service/objectservice/objectservice.go
+++ b/pkg/service/objectservice/objectservice.go
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ func (svc *ObjectService) SetActiveTab(uiContext wstore.UIContext, tabId string)
 		blockErr := blockcontroller.StartBlockController(ctx, blockId)
 		if blockErr != nil {
 			// we don't want to fail the set active tab operation if a block controller fails to start
-			log.Printf("error starting block controller (blockid:%s): %w", blockId, blockErr)
+			log.Printf("error starting block controller (blockid:%s): %v", blockId, blockErr)
 			continue
 		}
 	}