diff --git a/src/tui/app.rs b/src/tui/app.rs
index 12ad08f..eda6689 100644
--- a/src/tui/app.rs
+++ b/src/tui/app.rs
@@ -1,16 +1,20 @@
 use std::io;
 
 use crossterm::event::{self, Event, KeyCode, KeyEvent, KeyEventKind};
+use log::error;
 use ratatui::{
     DefaultTerminal, Frame,
     layout::{Constraint, Direction, Layout, Rect},
-    style::Style,
-    widgets::{Block, Borders, StatefulWidget, TableState, Widget},
+    widgets::{StatefulWidget, TableState, Widget},
 };
 
 use crate::{
-    tui::{instance::InstanceSelect, mod_list::ModList, status::StatusBar},
-    types::RootConfig,
+    tui::{
+        instance::{InstanceSelect, InstanceSelectState},
+        mod_list::ModList,
+        status::StatusBar,
+    },
+    types::{ModdedInstance, RootConfig},
 };
 
 pub fn run(root_config: &mut RootConfig) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
@@ -22,24 +26,24 @@ pub fn run(root_config: &mut RootConfig) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
 struct App<'a> {
     root_config: &'a mut RootConfig,
 
+    loaded_instance: Option<ModdedInstance>,
+
     exit: bool,
-    active_modal: bool,
 
     mod_list_state: TableState,
-    selected_instance: Option<String>,
+    selected_instance_state: InstanceSelectState,
 }
 
 impl<'a> App<'a> {
     fn new(root_config: &'a mut RootConfig) -> Self {
-        let mut state = TableState::default();
-        state.select(Some(0)); // select first row by default
-
         Self {
             root_config,
-            mod_list_state: state,
-            selected_instance: None,
+
+            loaded_instance: None,
+
             exit: false,
-            active_modal: false,
+            mod_list_state: TableState::default(),
+            selected_instance_state: InstanceSelectState::new(),
         }
     }
 
@@ -76,10 +80,12 @@ impl<'a> App<'a> {
                 self.mod_list_state.select_next();
             }
             KeyCode::Right | KeyCode::Char('l') => {
-                self.next_instance();
+                self.selected_instance_state.next_instance(self.root_config);
+                self.load_instance();
             }
             KeyCode::Left | KeyCode::Char('h') => {
-                self.prev_instance();
+                self.selected_instance_state.prev_instance(self.root_config);
+                self.load_instance();
             }
             _ => {}
         }
@@ -89,56 +95,20 @@ impl<'a> App<'a> {
         self.exit = true;
     }
 
-    fn next_instance(&mut self) {
-        let mut instances = self.root_config.instances();
-        instances.sort();
-
-        if instances.is_empty() {
-            self.selected_instance = None;
+    fn load_instance(&mut self) {
+        let Some(selected) = self.selected_instance_state.instance() else {
             return;
-        }
-
-        let next = match &self.selected_instance {
-            None => instances.first().cloned(),
-            Some(curr) => {
-                let idx = instances.iter().position(|x| x == curr);
-                match idx {
-                    Some(i) => {
-                        let next_index = (i + 1) % instances.len();
-                        instances.get(next_index).cloned()
-                    }
-                    None => instances.first().cloned(),
-                }
-            }
         };
 
-        self.selected_instance = next;
-    }
-
-    fn prev_instance(&mut self) {
-        let mut instances = self.root_config.instances();
-        instances.sort();
-
-        if instances.is_empty() {
-            self.selected_instance = None;
-            return;
-        }
-
-        let prev = match &self.selected_instance {
-            None => instances.last().cloned(),
-            Some(curr) => {
-                let idx = instances.iter().position(|x| x == curr);
-                match idx {
-                    Some(i) => {
-                        let prev_index = if i == 0 { instances.len() - 1 } else { i - 1 };
-                        instances.get(prev_index).cloned()
-                    }
-                    None => Some(instances[instances.len() - 1].clone()),
-                }
+        match self.root_config.load_instance_by_id(selected) {
+            Ok(instance) => {
+                self.loaded_instance = Some(instance);
             }
-        };
-
-        self.selected_instance = prev;
+            Err(err) => {
+                error!("Failed to load instance: {err}");
+                self.exit();
+            }
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -152,14 +122,12 @@ impl<'a> Widget for &mut App<'a> {
             .constraints([
                 Constraint::Length(3),
                 Constraint::Min(1),
-                Constraint::Length(1), // single line for keybindings
+                Constraint::Length(1),
             ])
             .split(area);
 
-        InstanceSelect::new(self.selected_instance.clone()).render(chunks[0], buf);
-
+        InstanceSelect {}.render(chunks[0], buf, &mut self.selected_instance_state);
         ModList::new(self.root_config).render(chunks[1], buf, &mut self.mod_list_state);
-
         StatusBar.render(chunks[2], buf);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/tui/instance.rs b/src/tui/instance.rs
index 8537ba8..ee5c575 100644
--- a/src/tui/instance.rs
+++ b/src/tui/instance.rs
@@ -1,29 +1,91 @@
 use ratatui::{
+    buffer::Buffer,
+    layout::Rect,
     style::Style,
-    widgets::{Block, Borders, Paragraph, Widget},
+    widgets::{Block, Borders, Paragraph, StatefulWidget, Widget},
 };
 
-pub struct InstanceSelect {
+use crate::types::RootConfig;
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct InstanceSelectState {
     selected: Option<String>,
 }
 
-impl InstanceSelect {
-    pub fn new(selected: Option<String>) -> Self {
-        Self { selected }
+impl InstanceSelectState {
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        Self { selected: None }
+    }
+
+    pub fn instance(&self) -> Option<&str> {
+        self.selected.as_deref()
+    }
+
+    pub fn next_instance(&mut self, root_config: &RootConfig) {
+        let mut instances = root_config.instances();
+        instances.sort();
+
+        if instances.is_empty() {
+            self.selected = None;
+            return;
+        }
+
+        let next = match &self.selected {
+            None => instances.first().cloned(),
+            Some(curr) => {
+                let idx = instances.iter().position(|x| x == curr);
+                match idx {
+                    Some(i) => {
+                        let next_index = (i + 1) % instances.len();
+                        instances.get(next_index).cloned()
+                    }
+                    None => instances.first().cloned(),
+                }
+            }
+        };
+
+        self.selected = next;
+    }
+
+    pub fn prev_instance(&mut self, root_config: &RootConfig) {
+        let mut instances = root_config.instances();
+        instances.sort();
+
+        if instances.is_empty() {
+            self.selected = None;
+            return;
+        }
+
+        let prev = match &self.selected {
+            None => instances.last().cloned(),
+            Some(curr) => {
+                let idx = instances.iter().position(|x| x == curr);
+                match idx {
+                    Some(i) => {
+                        let prev_index = if i == 0 { instances.len() - 1 } else { i - 1 };
+                        instances.get(prev_index).cloned()
+                    }
+                    None => Some(instances[instances.len() - 1].clone()),
+                }
+            }
+        };
+
+        self.selected = prev;
     }
 }
 
-impl Widget for InstanceSelect {
-    fn render(self, area: ratatui::prelude::Rect, buf: &mut ratatui::prelude::Buffer)
-    where
-        Self: Sized,
-    {
+pub struct InstanceSelect {}
+
+impl StatefulWidget for InstanceSelect {
+    type State = InstanceSelectState;
+
+    fn render(self, area: Rect, buf: &mut Buffer, state: &mut Self::State) {
         let list_block = Block::default()
             .title("Instance")
             .borders(Borders::ALL)
             .style(Style::default());
 
-        Paragraph::new(self.selected.unwrap_or("None".to_owned()))
+        Paragraph::new(state.selected.clone().unwrap_or("None".to_owned()))
             .block(list_block)
             .render(area, buf);
     }