diff --git a/frontend/src/components/tree-editor/NodeList.tsx b/frontend/src/components/tree-editor/NodeList.tsx
index 726b62cc..0f924bbb 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/tree-editor/NodeList.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/tree-editor/NodeList.tsx
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ import {
   CheckCircle,
   ChevronDown,
   ChevronRight,
-  Play
+  Play,
+  AlertCircle,
+  AlertTriangle
 } from 'lucide-react'
 import { useTreeEditorStore } from '@/store/treeEditorStore'
 import { NodeEditorModal } from './NodeEditorModal'
@@ -58,10 +60,24 @@ function NodeListItem({
   const [isCollapsed, setIsCollapsed] = useState(false)
   const isSelected = selectedNodeId === node.id
   const isRootNode = node.id === 'root'
-  const hasError = validationErrors.some(e => e.nodeId === node.id && e.severity === 'error')
-  const hasWarning = validationErrors.some(e => e.nodeId === node.id && e.severity === 'warning')
+  const nodeErrors = validationErrors.filter(e => e.nodeId === node.id && e.severity === 'error')
+  const nodeWarnings = validationErrors.filter(e => e.nodeId === node.id && e.severity === 'warning')
+  const hasError = nodeErrors.length > 0
+  const hasWarning = nodeWarnings.length > 0
   const hasChildren = node.children && node.children.length > 0
 
+  // Get error/warning messages for tooltip
+  const getValidationTooltip = () => {
+    const messages: string[] = []
+    if (hasError) {
+      messages.push(...nodeErrors.map(e => `❌ ${e.message}`))
+    }
+    if (hasWarning) {
+      messages.push(...nodeWarnings.map(e => `⚠️ ${e.message}`))
+    }
+    return messages.join('\n')
+  }
+
   const isDragTarget =
     dragOverTarget?.parentId === parentId && dragOverTarget?.index === index
 
@@ -200,6 +216,28 @@ function NodeListItem({
           {getNodeLabel()}
         </span>
 
+        {/* Error/Warning badge */}
+        {(hasError || hasWarning) && (
+          <span
+            title={getValidationTooltip()}
+            className={cn(
+              'flex items-center gap-1 rounded px-1.5 py-0.5 text-xs',
+              hasError
+                ? 'bg-destructive/20 text-destructive'
+                : 'bg-yellow-500/20 text-yellow-600 dark:text-yellow-500'
+            )}
+          >
+            {hasError ? (
+              <AlertCircle className="h-3 w-3" />
+            ) : (
+              <AlertTriangle className="h-3 w-3" />
+            )}
+            <span className="hidden sm:inline">
+              {hasError ? `${nodeErrors.length} error${nodeErrors.length !== 1 ? 's' : ''}` : `${nodeWarnings.length} warning${nodeWarnings.length !== 1 ? 's' : ''}`}
+            </span>
+          </span>
+        )}
+
         {/* Node ID */}
         <span
           className="hidden text-xs text-muted-foreground sm:inline cursor-help"
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/tree-editor/ValidationSummary.tsx b/frontend/src/components/tree-editor/ValidationSummary.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..392b08fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/tree-editor/ValidationSummary.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+import { useState } from 'react'
+import { AlertCircle, AlertTriangle, ChevronDown, ChevronUp } from 'lucide-react'
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
+import type { ValidationError } from '@/store/treeEditorStore'
+
+interface ValidationSummaryProps {
+  errors: ValidationError[]
+  onSelectNode: (nodeId: string) => void
+}
+
+export function ValidationSummary({ errors, onSelectNode }: ValidationSummaryProps) {
+  const [isExpanded, setIsExpanded] = useState(true)
+
+  const errorItems = errors.filter(e => e.severity === 'error')
+  const warningItems = errors.filter(e => e.severity === 'warning')
+
+  if (errors.length === 0) return null
+
+  const handleErrorClick = (error: ValidationError) => {
+    if (error.nodeId) {
+      onSelectNode(error.nodeId)
+    }
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div
+      className={cn(
+        'rounded-lg border',
+        errorItems.length > 0
+          ? 'border-destructive/50 bg-destructive/5'
+          : 'border-yellow-500/50 bg-yellow-50 dark:bg-yellow-900/10'
+      )}
+    >
+      {/* Header */}
+      <button
+        onClick={() => setIsExpanded(!isExpanded)}
+        className={cn(
+          'flex w-full items-center justify-between p-3 text-left transition-colors hover:bg-black/5 dark:hover:bg-white/5',
+          errorItems.length > 0 ? 'text-destructive' : 'text-yellow-700 dark:text-yellow-500'
+        )}
+      >
+        <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+          {errorItems.length > 0 ? (
+            <AlertCircle className="h-5 w-5" />
+          ) : (
+            <AlertTriangle className="h-5 w-5" />
+          )}
+          <span className="font-medium">
+            {errorItems.length > 0 && (
+              <>
+                {errorItems.length} {errorItems.length === 1 ? 'Error' : 'Errors'}
+              </>
+            )}
+            {errorItems.length > 0 && warningItems.length > 0 && ', '}
+            {warningItems.length > 0 && (
+              <>
+                {warningItems.length} {warningItems.length === 1 ? 'Warning' : 'Warnings'}
+              </>
+            )}
+          </span>
+        </div>
+        {isExpanded ? <ChevronUp className="h-4 w-4" /> : <ChevronDown className="h-4 w-4" />}
+      </button>
+
+      {/* Error/Warning List */}
+      {isExpanded && (
+        <div className="space-y-1 border-t border-current/10 p-3">
+          {/* Errors */}
+          {errorItems.map((error, index) => (
+            <button
+              key={`error-${index}`}
+              onClick={() => handleErrorClick(error)}
+              className={cn(
+                'flex w-full items-start gap-2 rounded p-2 text-left text-sm transition-colors',
+                error.nodeId
+                  ? 'cursor-pointer hover:bg-destructive/10'
+                  : 'cursor-default'
+              )}
+            >
+              <AlertCircle className="mt-0.5 h-4 w-4 flex-shrink-0 text-destructive" />
+              <div className="flex-1">
+                <p className="text-destructive">{error.message}</p>
+                {error.nodeId && (
+                  <p className="mt-0.5 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                    Click to select node: {error.nodeId}
+                  </p>
+                )}
+              </div>
+            </button>
+          ))}
+
+          {/* Warnings */}
+          {warningItems.map((warning, index) => (
+            <button
+              key={`warning-${index}`}
+              onClick={() => handleErrorClick(warning)}
+              className={cn(
+                'flex w-full items-start gap-2 rounded p-2 text-left text-sm transition-colors',
+                warning.nodeId
+                  ? 'cursor-pointer hover:bg-yellow-100 dark:hover:bg-yellow-900/20'
+                  : 'cursor-default'
+              )}
+            >
+              <AlertTriangle className="mt-0.5 h-4 w-4 flex-shrink-0 text-yellow-600 dark:text-yellow-500" />
+              <div className="flex-1">
+                <p className="text-yellow-700 dark:text-yellow-500">{warning.message}</p>
+                {warning.nodeId && (
+                  <p className="mt-0.5 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                    Click to select node: {warning.nodeId}
+                  </p>
+                )}
+              </div>
+            </button>
+          ))}
+        </div>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/TreeEditorPage.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/TreeEditorPage.tsx
index 5bf947a2..84911061 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/TreeEditorPage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/TreeEditorPage.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 import { useEffect, useState, useCallback } from 'react'
 import { useParams, useNavigate, useBlocker } from 'react-router-dom'
 import { useStore } from 'zustand'
-import { Undo2, Redo2, Save } from 'lucide-react'
+import { Undo2, Redo2, Save, CheckCircle2 } from 'lucide-react'
 import { treesApi } from '@/api'
 import type { TreeCreate, TreeUpdate } from '@/types'
 import { useTreeEditorStore, useTreeEditorTemporal } from '@/store/treeEditorStore'
 import { TreeEditorLayout } from '@/components/tree-editor/TreeEditorLayout'
+import { ValidationSummary } from '@/components/tree-editor/ValidationSummary'
 import { useKeyboardShortcuts } from '@/hooks/useKeyboardShortcuts'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 
@@ -29,7 +30,8 @@ export function TreeEditorPage() {
     getTreeForSave,
     markSaved,
     setLoading,
-    setSaving
+    setSaving,
+    selectNode
   } = useTreeEditorStore()
 
   // Access undo/redo from temporal store
@@ -38,6 +40,9 @@ export function TreeEditorPage() {
   const [showDraftPrompt, setShowDraftPrompt] = useState(false)
   const [saveError, setSaveError] = useState<string | null>(null)
 
+  // Calculate if there are blocking errors
+  const hasBlockingErrors = validationErrors.some(e => e.severity === 'error')
+
   // Block navigation if there are unsaved changes
   const blocker = useBlocker(
     ({ currentLocation, nextLocation }) =>
@@ -122,6 +127,14 @@ export function TreeEditorPage() {
     setShowDraftPrompt(false)
   }
 
+  const handleManualValidate = () => {
+    validate()
+  }
+
+  const handleSelectNode = (nodeId: string) => {
+    selectNode(nodeId)
+  }
+
   const handleSave = useCallback(async () => {
     setSaveError(null)
 
@@ -307,13 +320,28 @@ export function TreeEditorPage() {
 
           <div className="mx-2 h-6 w-px bg-border" />
 
+          {/* Validate */}
+          <button
+            onClick={handleManualValidate}
+            disabled={isSaving}
+            title="Validate tree structure (checks for errors and warnings)"
+            className={cn(
+              'flex items-center gap-2 rounded-md border border-border bg-background px-3 py-2 text-sm font-medium',
+              'hover:bg-accent disabled:opacity-50'
+            )}
+          >
+            <CheckCircle2 className="h-4 w-4" />
+            Validate
+          </button>
+
           {/* Save */}
           <button
             onClick={handleSave}
-            disabled={isSaving || !isDirty}
+            disabled={isSaving || !isDirty || hasBlockingErrors}
+            title={hasBlockingErrors ? 'Fix validation errors before saving' : undefined}
             className={cn(
               'flex items-center gap-2 rounded-md bg-primary px-4 py-2 text-sm font-medium text-primary-foreground',
-              'hover:bg-primary/90 disabled:opacity-50'
+              'hover:bg-primary/90 disabled:opacity-50 disabled:cursor-not-allowed'
             )}
           >
             <Save className="h-4 w-4" />
@@ -329,11 +357,13 @@ export function TreeEditorPage() {
         </div>
       )}
 
-      {/* Validation Errors Summary */}
-      {validationErrors.filter(e => e.severity === 'error').length > 0 && (
-        <div className="bg-destructive/10 px-4 py-2 text-sm text-destructive">
-          {validationErrors.filter(e => e.severity === 'error').length} validation error(s) found.
-          Please fix them before saving.
+      {/* Validation Summary */}
+      {validationErrors.length > 0 && (
+        <div className="px-4 py-3">
+          <ValidationSummary
+            errors={validationErrors}
+            onSelectNode={handleSelectNode}
+          />
         </div>
       )}
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/store/treeEditorStore.ts b/frontend/src/store/treeEditorStore.ts
index ff2a41b3..495e5091 100644
--- a/frontend/src/store/treeEditorStore.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/store/treeEditorStore.ts
@@ -623,6 +623,44 @@ export const useTreeEditorStore = create<TreeEditorState>()(
 
         validateNode(state.treeStructure)
 
+        // Check for circular references in next_node_id chains
+        const detectCircularRefs = (startId: string, visited: Set<string> = new Set()): boolean => {
+          if (visited.has(startId)) return true
+          visited.add(startId)
+
+          const node = findNodeInTree(startId, state.treeStructure)
+          if (!node) return false
+
+          // Check options
+          if (node.options) {
+            for (const opt of node.options) {
+              if (opt.next_node_id && detectCircularRefs(opt.next_node_id, new Set(visited))) {
+                errors.push({
+                  nodeId: node.id,
+                  message: `Circular reference detected: "${opt.label}" creates a loop`,
+                  severity: 'error'
+                })
+                return true
+              }
+            }
+          }
+
+          // Check next_node_id
+          if (node.next_node_id && detectCircularRefs(node.next_node_id, new Set(visited))) {
+            errors.push({
+              nodeId: node.id,
+              message: `Circular reference detected in node "${node.title || node.id}"`,
+              severity: 'error'
+            })
+            return true
+          }
+
+          return false
+        }
+
+        // Run from root
+        detectCircularRefs('root')
+
         // Check for at least one solution
         if (!hasSolution) {
           errors.push({