diff --git a/db/queries.sql b/db/queries.sql
index ff8a3eb..985ce58 100644
--- a/db/queries.sql
+++ b/db/queries.sql
@@ -20,6 +20,13 @@ WHERE workspace_id = @workspace_id
   AND id = @id
   AND status = 'draft';
 
+-- name: CleanupDrafts :exec
+
+DELETE
+FROM forms
+WHERE status = 'draft'
+  AND updated_at < now() - @hours::interval;
+
 -- name: ListForms :many
 
 SELECT *
@@ -28,7 +35,8 @@ WHERE workspace_id = @workspace_id
   AND status = any(CASE
                        WHEN cardinality(@statuses::form_status[]) > 0 THEN @statuses::form_status[]
                        ELSE enum_range(NULL::form_status)::form_status[]
-                   END::form_status[]);
+                   END::form_status[])
+ORDER BY created_at DESC;
 
 -- name: ListDrafts :many
 
@@ -36,7 +44,8 @@ SELECT *
 FROM forms
 WHERE workspace_id = @workspace_id
   AND form_id = @form_id
-  AND status = 'draft';
+  AND status = 'draft'
+ORDER BY created_at DESC;
 
 -- name: SaveForm :one
 
diff --git a/frm.go b/frm.go
index 8ed6252..2574da4 100644
--- a/frm.go
+++ b/frm.go
@@ -6,12 +6,14 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/acaloiaro/frm/internal"
 )
 
 const (
 	EventDraftCreated     = "frmDraftCreated" // htmx event sent when new drafts are created
+	EventCloneCreated     = "frmCloneCreated" // htmx event sent when new clones are created
 	DefaultCopyNameSuffix = "(COPY)"          // the default suffix added to forms when they're copied
 )
 
@@ -23,6 +25,7 @@ type Frm struct {
 	BuilderMountPoint   string                 // relative URL path where frm mounts the builder to your app's router
 	CollectorMountPoint string                 // relative URL path where frm mounts the collector to your app's router
 	CollectorFooter     string                 // footer shown at the bottom of the collector page
+	DraftMaxAge         time.Duration          // the duration that form drafts may remain in the draft stage before removal
 	DBArgs              internal.DBArgs        // database arguments
 	Receiver            FormSubmissionReceiver // function that processes incoming form submissions
 	WorkspaceID         string                 // ID of the workspace that frm acts on behalf of
@@ -34,6 +37,7 @@ type Args struct {
 	BuilderMountPoint   string                 // path on the router to mount frm's builder
 	CollectorMountPoint string                 // path on the router to mount frm's collector
 	CollectorFooter     string                 // footer shown at the bottom of the collector page
+	DraftMaxAge         time.Duration          // the duration that form drafts may remain in the draft state before removal
 	PostgresDisableSSL  bool                   // disable ssl when connecting to postgres
 	PostgresSchema      string                 // postgres schema where frm stores data
 	PostgresURL         string                 // postgres database URL
@@ -69,6 +73,7 @@ func New(args Args) (f *Frm, err error) {
 		BuilderMountPoint:   strings.TrimSuffix(args.BuilderMountPoint, "/"),
 		CollectorMountPoint: strings.TrimSuffix(args.CollectorMountPoint, "/"),
 		CollectorFooter:     args.CollectorFooter,
+		DraftMaxAge:         args.DraftMaxAge,
 		DBArgs: internal.DBArgs{
 			URL:        args.PostgresURL,
 			DisableSSL: args.PostgresDisableSSL,
@@ -84,6 +89,16 @@ func New(args Args) (f *Frm, err error) {
 // Init initializes the frm database if it hasn't been initialized
 func (f *Frm) Init(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 	err = internal.InitializeDB(ctx, f.DBArgs)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	go func() {
+		err = internal.DraftMonitor(ctx, f.DBArgs, f.DraftMaxAge)
+		if err != nil {
+			return
+		}
+	}()
 	return
 }
 
@@ -130,6 +145,7 @@ func (f *Frm) CopyForm(ctx context.Context, args CopyFormArgs) (form Form, err e
 		FormID:      &of.ID,
 		Name:        copiedFormName,
 		Fields:      of.Fields,
+		Status:      FormStatusDraft,
 	}
 	if args.ForgetParentForm {
 		p.FormID = nil
diff --git a/handlers/builder.go b/handlers/builder.go
index dfef1f9..cc5e7f7 100644
--- a/handlers/builder.go
+++ b/handlers/builder.go
@@ -676,7 +676,13 @@ func NewDraft(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	w.Header().Add("HX-Trigger", fmt.Sprintf("{\"%s\": {\"draft_id\": \"%d\"}}", frm.EventDraftCreated, draft.ID))
+	var event string
+	if isClone {
+		event = frm.EventCloneCreated
+	} else {
+		event = frm.EventDraftCreated
+	}
+	w.Header().Add("HX-Trigger", fmt.Sprintf("{\"%s\": {\"draft_id\": \"%d\"}}", event, draft.ID))
 	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusCreated)
 }
 
@@ -696,13 +702,36 @@ func PublishDraft(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	_, err = internal.Q(ctx, f.DBArgs).PublishDraft(ctx, *draftID)
+	tx, err := internal.Tx(ctx, f.DBArgs)
+	if err != nil {
+		slog.Error("unable to publish draft", "error", err)
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusNotFound)
+		return
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		_ = tx.Rollback(ctx)
+	}()
+
+	q := internal.Q(ctx, f.DBArgs).WithTx(tx)
+	_, err = q.PublishDraft(ctx, *draftID)
 	if err != nil {
 		slog.Error("unable to publish draft", "error", err)
 		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 
+	err = q.DeleteForm(ctx, internal.DeleteFormParams{
+		WorkspaceID: f.WorkspaceID,
+		ID:          *draftID,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		slog.Error("unable to publish draft", "error", err)
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return
+	}
+
+	err = tx.Commit(ctx)
+
 	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusNoContent)
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/default.go b/internal/default.go
index eb85694..125cd77 100644
--- a/internal/default.go
+++ b/internal/default.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"log/slog"
 	"math/rand"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/acaloiaro/frm/db/migrations"
 	"github.com/golang-migrate/migrate/v4"
@@ -115,6 +116,20 @@ func getPool(ctx context.Context, args DBArgs) (p *pgxpool.Pool, err error) {
 	return
 }
 
+// Tx returns a new transaction from the pool
+func Tx(ctx context.Context, args DBArgs) (tx pgx.Tx, err error) {
+	var p *pgxpool.Pool
+	p, err = getPool(ctx, args)
+	if err != nil {
+		slog.Error("[frm] unable to get database connection", "error", err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	tx, err = p.Begin(ctx)
+
+	return
+}
+
 // Q returns a DBTX instance for querying the frm database
 func Q(ctx context.Context, args DBArgs) *Queries {
 	p, err := getPool(ctx, args)
@@ -144,6 +159,36 @@ func InitializeDB(ctx context.Context, args DBArgs) (err error) {
 	return
 }
 
+// DraftMonitor runs a periodic goroutine that cleans up drafts older than [f.DraftMaxAge]
+func DraftMonitor(ctx context.Context, args DBArgs, draftMaxAge time.Duration) (err error) {
+	if draftMaxAge == 0 {
+		slog.Info("[draft_monitor] not monitoring old drafts for cleanup")
+		return
+	}
+	t := time.NewTicker(draftMaxAge)
+	defer t.Stop()
+
+	// perform the initial cleanup on start, with all successive cleanups happening according to the ticker
+	err = Q(ctx, args).CleanupDrafts(ctx, draftMaxAge)
+	if err != nil {
+		slog.Error("[draft_monitor] unable to clean up old drafts", slog.Any("error", err))
+	}
+
+	slog.Info("[draft_monitor] monitoring old drafts for cleanup with:", slog.Any("interval", draftMaxAge))
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-t.C:
+			err = Q(ctx, args).CleanupDrafts(ctx, draftMaxAge)
+			if err != nil {
+				slog.Error("[draft_monitor] unable to clean up old drafts", slog.Any("error", err))
+			}
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			err = nil
+			return
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // TODO not all db credentials have permission create databases/schemas. Fail gracefully when user lacks permission
 func createIfNotExist(ctx context.Context, args DBArgs) (err error) {
 	var cfg *pgx.ConnConfig
diff --git a/internal/queries.sql.go b/internal/queries.sql.go
index f83cf40..db4c26d 100644
--- a/internal/queries.sql.go
+++ b/internal/queries.sql.go
@@ -9,8 +9,28 @@ import (
 	"context"
 
 	"github.com/acaloiaro/frm/types"
+	"time"
 )
 
+const cleanupDrafts = `-- name: CleanupDrafts :exec
+
+DELETE
+FROM forms
+WHERE status = 'draft'
+  AND updated_at < now() - $1::interval
+`
+
+// CleanupDrafts
+//
+//	DELETE
+//	FROM forms
+//	WHERE status = 'draft'
+//	  AND updated_at < now() - $1::interval
+func (q *Queries) CleanupDrafts(ctx context.Context, hours time.Duration) error {
+	_, err := q.db.Exec(ctx, cleanupDrafts, hours)
+	return err
+}
+
 const deleteForm = `-- name: DeleteForm :exec
 
 DELETE
@@ -183,6 +203,7 @@ FROM forms
 WHERE workspace_id = $1
   AND form_id = $2
   AND status = 'draft'
+ORDER BY created_at DESC
 `
 
 type ListDraftsParams struct {
@@ -197,6 +218,7 @@ type ListDraftsParams struct {
 //	WHERE workspace_id = $1
 //	  AND form_id = $2
 //	  AND status = 'draft'
+//	ORDER BY created_at DESC
 func (q *Queries) ListDrafts(ctx context.Context, arg ListDraftsParams) ([]Form, error) {
 	rows, err := q.db.Query(ctx, listDrafts, arg.WorkspaceID, arg.FormID)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -235,6 +257,7 @@ WHERE workspace_id = $1
                        WHEN cardinality($2::form_status[]) > 0 THEN $2::form_status[]
                        ELSE enum_range(NULL::form_status)::form_status[]
                    END::form_status[])
+ORDER BY created_at DESC
 `
 
 type ListFormsParams struct {
@@ -251,6 +274,7 @@ type ListFormsParams struct {
 //	                       WHEN cardinality($2::form_status[]) > 0 THEN $2::form_status[]
 //	                       ELSE enum_range(NULL::form_status)::form_status[]
 //	                   END::form_status[])
+//	ORDER BY created_at DESC
 func (q *Queries) ListForms(ctx context.Context, arg ListFormsParams) ([]Form, error) {
 	rows, err := q.db.Query(ctx, listForms, arg.WorkspaceID, arg.Statuses)
 	if err != nil {