diff --git a/src-tauri/recipes.json b/src-tauri/recipes.json
index 5d881b6..f1eec82 100644
--- a/src-tauri/recipes.json
+++ b/src-tauri/recipes.json
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@
         { "id": "agent_id", "label": "Agent ID", "type": "string", "required": true, "placeholder": "e.g. my-bot" },
         { "id": "guild_id", "label": "Guild", "type": "discord_guild", "required": true },
         { "id": "channel_id", "label": "Channel", "type": "discord_channel", "required": true },
-        { "id": "name", "label": "Display Name", "type": "string", "required": true, "placeholder": "e.g. MyBot" },
+        { "id": "name", "label": "Display Name", "type": "string", "required": false, "placeholder": "e.g. MyBot" },
         { "id": "emoji", "label": "Emoji", "type": "string", "required": false, "placeholder": "e.g. \ud83e\udd16" },
-        { "id": "persona", "label": "Persona", "type": "textarea", "required": true, "placeholder": "You are..." }
+        { "id": "persona", "label": "Persona", "type": "textarea", "required": false, "placeholder": "You are..." }
       ],
       "steps": [
         { "action": "create_agent", "label": "Create independent agent", "args": { "agentId": "{{agent_id}}", "independent": true } },
diff --git a/src/lib/actions.ts b/src/lib/actions.ts
index 1846917..5e07c9e 100644
--- a/src/lib/actions.ts
+++ b/src/lib/actions.ts
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ export interface ResolvedStep {
   label: string;
   args: Record<string, unknown>;
   description: string;
+  skippable: boolean;
 }
 
 export function resolveSteps(
@@ -92,6 +93,14 @@ export function resolveSteps(
     if (step.action === "config_patch") {
       resolved.params = params;
     }
+    // A step is skippable if any of its template args resolved to empty string
+    const skippable = Object.entries(step.args).some(([key, origValue]) => {
+      if (typeof origValue === "string" && origValue.includes("{{")) {
+        const rv = resolved[key];
+        return typeof rv === "string" && rv.trim() === "";
+      }
+      return false;
+    });
     const actionDef = getAction(step.action);
     const description = actionDef?.describe(resolved) || step.label;
     return {
@@ -100,6 +109,7 @@ export function resolveSteps(
       label: step.label,
       args: resolved,
       description: description || step.label,
+      skippable,
     };
   });
 }
diff --git a/src/pages/Cook.tsx b/src/pages/Cook.tsx
index c2c4ec3..fb093b9 100644
--- a/src/pages/Cook.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/Cook.tsx
@@ -48,9 +48,10 @@ export function Cook({
   const handleNext = () => {
     const steps = resolveSteps(recipe.steps, params);
     setResolvedStepList(steps);
-    setStepStatuses(steps.map(() => "pending"));
+    // Auto-skip steps whose template args resolved to empty
+    setStepStatuses(steps.map((s) => (s.skippable ? "skipped" : "pending")));
     setStepErrors({});
-    setHasConfigPatch(steps.some((s) => s.action === "config_patch"));
+    setHasConfigPatch(steps.some((s) => !s.skippable && s.action === "config_patch"));
     setPhase("confirm");
   };
 
@@ -75,8 +76,7 @@ export function Cook({
 
   const handleExecute = () => {
     setPhase("execute");
-    const statuses: StepStatus[] = resolvedStepList.map(() => "pending");
-    setStepStatuses([...statuses]);
+    const statuses = [...stepStatuses];
     runFrom(0, statuses);
   };
 
@@ -131,7 +131,12 @@ export function Cook({
 
   return (
     <section>
-      <h2 className="text-2xl font-bold mb-4">{recipe.name}</h2>
+      <div className="flex items-center gap-2 mb-4">
+        <Button variant="ghost" size="sm" className="px-2" onClick={onDone}>
+          &larr;
+        </Button>
+        <h2 className="text-2xl font-bold">{recipe.name}</h2>
+      </div>
 
       {phase === "params" && (
         <ParamForm
@@ -149,13 +154,18 @@ export function Cook({
           <CardContent>
             <div className="space-y-3">
               {resolvedStepList.map((step, i) => (
-                <div key={i} className="flex items-start gap-3">
+                <div key={i} className={cn("flex items-start gap-3", stepStatuses[i] === "skipped" && "opacity-50")}>
                   <span className={cn("text-lg font-mono w-5 text-center", statusColor(stepStatuses[i]))}>
                     {statusIcon(stepStatuses[i])}
                   </span>
                   <div className="flex-1">
-                    <div className="text-sm font-medium">{step.label}</div>
-                    {step.description !== step.label && (
+                    <div className="text-sm font-medium">
+                      {step.label}
+                      {stepStatuses[i] === "skipped" && phase === "confirm" && (
+                        <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground ml-2">(skipped — empty params)</span>
+                      )}
+                    </div>
+                    {step.description !== step.label && stepStatuses[i] !== "skipped" && (
                       <div className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{step.description}</div>
                     )}
                     {stepErrors[i] && (
@@ -198,9 +208,6 @@ export function Cook({
                 Use "Apply Changes" in the sidebar to restart the gateway and activate config changes.
               </p>
             )}
-            <Button className="mt-4" onClick={onDone}>
-              Back to Recipes
-            </Button>
           </CardContent>
         </Card>
       )}