diff --git a/src/main/java/org/commcare/formplayer/services/MenuSessionFactory.java b/src/main/java/org/commcare/formplayer/services/MenuSessionFactory.java
index c8a957643..e1864ad2d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/commcare/formplayer/services/MenuSessionFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/commcare/formplayer/services/MenuSessionFactory.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 import java.net.URI;
 import java.net.URISyntaxException;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.Vector;
 
 /**
@@ -62,14 +63,17 @@ public class MenuSessionFactory {
      */
     @Trace
     public void rebuildSessionFromFrame(MenuSession menuSession, CaseSearchHelper caseSearchHelper) throws CommCareSessionException, RemoteInstanceFetcher.RemoteInstanceException {
-        Vector<StackFrameStep> steps = menuSession.getSessionWrapper().getFrame().getSteps();
+        List<StackFrameStep> steps = menuSession.getSessionWrapper().getFrame().getSteps().stream().filter(
+                step -> !step.getType().equals(SessionFrame.STATE_MARK)
+        ).toList();
         menuSession.resetSession();
         EntityScreenContext entityScreenContext = new EntityScreenContext();
         Screen screen = menuSession.getNextScreen(false, entityScreenContext);
         int processedStepsCount = 0;
         boolean needsFullInit = false;
-        while (screen != null) {
-            String currentStep = null;
+        while (screen != null && processedStepsCount < steps.size()) {
+            String input = null;
+            StackFrameStep currentStep = steps.get(processedStepsCount);
             if (screen instanceof MenuScreen) {
                 if (menuSession.autoAdvanceMenu(screen, storageFactory.getPropertyManager().isAutoAdvanceMenu())) {
                     screen = menuSession.getNextScreen(needsFullInit, entityScreenContext);
@@ -78,12 +82,10 @@ public void rebuildSessionFromFrame(MenuSession menuSession, CaseSearchHelper ca
 
                 MenuDisplayable[] options = ((MenuScreen)screen).getMenuDisplayables();
                 for (int i = 0; i < options.length; i++) {
-                    for (StackFrameStep step : steps) {
-                        if (step.getId().equals(options[i].getCommandID())) {
-                            currentStep = String.valueOf(i);
-                            // final step, needs to init fully to show to screen
-                            needsFullInit = ++processedStepsCount == steps.size();
-                        }
+                    if (currentStep.getId().equals(options[i].getCommandID())) {
+                        input = String.valueOf(i);
+                        // final step, needs to init fully to show to screen
+                        needsFullInit = ++processedStepsCount == steps.size();
                     }
                 }
             } else if (screen instanceof EntityScreen) {
@@ -92,28 +94,27 @@ public void rebuildSessionFromFrame(MenuSession menuSession, CaseSearchHelper ca
                 SessionDatum neededDatum = entityScreen.getSession().getNeededDatum();
                 Vector<Action> actions = entityScreen.getShortDetail().getCustomActions(entityScreen.getEvalContext());
                 outer:
-                for (StackFrameStep step : steps) {
-                    if (step.getType().equals(SessionFrame.STATE_DATUM_VAL) && step.getId().equals(neededDatum.getDataId())) {
-                        if (entityScreen.referencesContainStep(step.getValue())) {
-                            currentStep = step.getValue();
-                            needsFullInit = ++processedStepsCount == steps.size();
-                        }
-                        break;
-                    } else if (step.getType().equals(SessionFrame.STATE_COMMAND_ID) && !actions.isEmpty()) {
-                        for (int i = 0; i < actions.size(); i++) {
-                            Action action = actions.get(i);
-                            if (action.getStackOperations() != null) {
-                                for (StackOperation operation : action.getStackOperations()) {
-                                    List<StackFrameStep> commandSteps = operation.getStackFrameSteps().stream()
-                                            .filter(s -> s.getType().equals(SessionFrame.STATE_COMMAND_ID)).toList();
-                                    for (StackFrameStep s : commandSteps) {
-                                        String value = s.evaluateValue(entityScreen.getEvalContext());
-                                        if (value.equals(step.getId())) {
-                                            currentStep = "action " + i;
-                                            needsFullInit = ++processedStepsCount == steps.size();
-                                            break outer;
-                                        }
-                                    }
+                if (currentStep.getType().equals(SessionFrame.STATE_DATUM_VAL) && currentStep.getId().equals(neededDatum.getDataId())) {
+                    if (entityScreen.referencesContainStep(currentStep.getValue())) {
+                        input = currentStep.getValue();
+                        needsFullInit = ++processedStepsCount == steps.size();
+                    }
+                } else if (currentStep.getType().equals(SessionFrame.STATE_COMMAND_ID) && !actions.isEmpty()) {
+                    // this is messy and gross, but we need to find the action that corresponds to this step
+                    for (int i = 0; i < actions.size(); i++) {
+                        Action action = actions.get(i);
+                        if (action.getStackOperations() != null) {
+                            for (StackOperation operation : action.getStackOperations()) {
+                                Optional<StackFrameStep> commandStep = operation.getStackFrameSteps().stream()
+                                        .filter(s -> s.getType().equals(SessionFrame.STATE_COMMAND_ID)).findFirst();
+                                if (commandStep.isEmpty()) {
+                                    continue;
+                                }
+                                String value = commandStep.get().evaluateValue(entityScreen.getEvalContext());
+                                if (value.equals(currentStep.getId())) {
+                                    input = "action " + i;
+                                    needsFullInit = ++processedStepsCount == steps.size();
+                                    break outer;
                                 }
                             }
                         }
@@ -121,55 +122,53 @@ public void rebuildSessionFromFrame(MenuSession menuSession, CaseSearchHelper ca
                 }
 
                 // Only init subscreen if we are not going to auto-launch a different screen
-                String nextInput = currentStep == null ? "" : currentStep;
+                String nextInput = input == null ? "" : input;
                 entityScreen.evaluateAutoLaunch(nextInput);
                 if (entityScreen.getAutoLaunchAction() == null) {
                     entityScreen.initListSubScreen();
                 }
 
-                if (currentStep != null && currentStep != NEXT_SCREEN && entityScreen.shouldBeSkipped()) {
-                    menuSession.handleInput(currentStep, needsFullInit, true, false, entityScreenContext);
+                if (input != null && input != NEXT_SCREEN && entityScreen.shouldBeSkipped()) {
+                    menuSession.handleInput(input, needsFullInit, true, false, entityScreenContext);
                     screen = menuSession.getNextScreen(needsFullInit, entityScreenContext);
                     continue;
                 }
             } else if (screen instanceof QueryScreen) {
                 QueryScreen queryScreen = (QueryScreen)screen;
                 RemoteQueryDatum neededDatum = (RemoteQueryDatum) menuSession.getSessionWrapper().getNeededDatum();
-                for (StackFrameStep step : steps) {
-                    if (step.getId().equals(neededDatum.getDataId())) {
-                        URI uri = null;
-                        try {
-                            uri = new URI(step.getValue());
-                        } catch (URISyntaxException e) {
-                            e.printStackTrace();
-                            throw new CommCareSessionException("Query URL format error: " + e.getMessage(), e);
-                        }
-                        ImmutableMultimap.Builder<String, String> dataBuilder = ImmutableMultimap.builder();
-                        step.getExtras().forEach((key, value) -> dataBuilder.put(key, (String) value));
-                        try {
-                            ExternalDataInstance searchDataInstance = caseSearchHelper.getRemoteDataInstance(
-                                queryScreen.getQueryDatum().getDataId(),
-                                queryScreen.getQueryDatum().useCaseTemplate(),
-                                uri.toURL(),
-                                dataBuilder.build(),
-                                false
-                            );
-                            queryScreen.updateSession(searchDataInstance, dataBuilder.build());
-                            screen = menuSession.getNextScreen(needsFullInit, entityScreenContext);
-                            currentStep = NEXT_SCREEN;
-                            break;
-                        } catch (InvalidStructureException | IOException | XmlPullParserException | UnfullfilledRequirementsException e) {
-                            e.printStackTrace();
-                            throw new CommCareSessionException("Query response format error: " + e.getMessage(), e);
-                        }
+                if (currentStep.getId().equals(neededDatum.getDataId())) {
+                    URI uri = null;
+                    try {
+                        uri = new URI(currentStep.getValue());
+                    } catch (URISyntaxException e) {
+                        e.printStackTrace();
+                        throw new CommCareSessionException("Query URL format error: " + e.getMessage(), e);
+                    }
+                    ImmutableMultimap.Builder<String, String> dataBuilder = ImmutableMultimap.builder();
+                    currentStep.getExtras().forEach((key, value) -> dataBuilder.put(key, (String) value));
+                    try {
+                        ExternalDataInstance searchDataInstance = caseSearchHelper.getRemoteDataInstance(
+                            queryScreen.getQueryDatum().getDataId(),
+                            queryScreen.getQueryDatum().useCaseTemplate(),
+                            uri.toURL(),
+                            dataBuilder.build(),
+                            false
+                        );
+                        queryScreen.updateSession(searchDataInstance, dataBuilder.build());
+                        needsFullInit = ++processedStepsCount == steps.size();
+                        screen = menuSession.getNextScreen(needsFullInit, entityScreenContext);
+                        input = NEXT_SCREEN;
+                    } catch (InvalidStructureException | IOException | XmlPullParserException | UnfullfilledRequirementsException e) {
+                        e.printStackTrace();
+                        throw new CommCareSessionException("Query response format error: " + e.getMessage(), e);
                     }
                 }
             }
-            if (currentStep == null) {
+            if (input == null) {
                 break;
-            } else if (currentStep != NEXT_SCREEN) {
-                menuSession.handleInput(currentStep, needsFullInit, true, false, entityScreenContext);
-                menuSession.addSelection(currentStep);
+            } else if (input != NEXT_SCREEN) {
+                menuSession.handleInput(input, needsFullInit, true, false, entityScreenContext);
+                menuSession.addSelection(input);
                 screen = menuSession.getNextScreen(needsFullInit, entityScreenContext);
             }
         }