diff --git a/crates/services/src/import/mod.rs b/crates/services/src/import/mod.rs
index 820f4610b..59a33c448 100644
--- a/crates/services/src/import/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/services/src/import/mod.rs
@@ -318,7 +318,9 @@ fn collect_files(
         };
         for entry in entries.flatten() {
             let path = entry.path();
-            if path.is_dir() {
+            // Not followed through symlinks: a link back to an ancestor would
+            // make the walk branch without end.
+            if entry.file_type().is_ok_and(|kind| kind.is_dir()) {
                 visit(&path, predicate, files);
             } else if predicate(&path) {
                 files.push(path);
diff --git a/crates/services/src/import/scan.rs b/crates/services/src/import/scan.rs
index a621f6b5f..832761581 100644
--- a/crates/services/src/import/scan.rs
+++ b/crates/services/src/import/scan.rs
@@ -130,17 +130,22 @@ pub fn scan_recent_dirs(roots: &ExternalRoots, exclude_roots: &[PathBuf]) -> Vec
 
     let mut groups = HashMap::<PathBuf, Vec<ExternalThread>>::new();
     for (cwd, thread) in found {
-        if !cwd.is_dir()
-            || exclude_roots
-                .iter()
-                .any(|excluded| same_path(&cwd, excluded))
-        {
-            continue;
-        }
         groups.entry(cwd).or_default().push(thread);
     }
+    // Filesystem checks run once per directory, not per thread: each one can
+    // block on a slow or unreachable mount.
+    let excluded: Vec<_> = exclude_roots
+        .iter()
+        .map(|root| root.canonicalize().unwrap_or_else(|_| root.clone()))
+        .collect();
     let mut dirs: Vec<_> = groups
         .into_iter()
+        .filter(|(cwd, _)| {
+            cwd.is_dir() && {
+                let cwd = cwd.canonicalize().unwrap_or_else(|_| cwd.clone());
+                !excluded.contains(&cwd)
+            }
+        })
         .map(|(path, mut threads)| {
             threads.sort_by_key(|thread| std::cmp::Reverse(thread.last_active_ms));
             RecentDir {
@@ -209,10 +214,3 @@ fn desktop_metadata(root: &Path) -> HashMap<String, DesktopMeta> {
     }
     metadata
 }
-
-fn same_path(left: &Path, right: &Path) -> bool {
-    match (left.canonicalize(), right.canonicalize()) {
-        (Ok(left), Ok(right)) => left == right,
-        _ => left == right,
-    }
-}
diff --git a/crates/services/src/import/tests.rs b/crates/services/src/import/tests.rs
index 2e9e0b86e..6530aa636 100644
--- a/crates/services/src/import/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/services/src/import/tests.rs
@@ -196,6 +196,14 @@ fn scanner_groups_attributes_orders_and_excludes() {
         })],
     );
 
+    // A link back to an ancestor must not list the sessions below it again.
+    #[cfg(unix)]
+    std::os::unix::fs::symlink(
+        roots.codex_session_roots[0].join("2026"),
+        roots.codex_session_roots[0].join("2026/01/loop"),
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+
     let recent = scan_recent_dirs(&roots, std::slice::from_ref(&excluded_cwd));
     assert_eq!(recent.len(), 2);
     assert_eq!(recent[0].path, desktop_cwd);
diff --git a/crates/ui/src/add_project_dialog.rs b/crates/ui/src/add_project_dialog.rs
index b529d37ca..66c8c05f8 100644
--- a/crates/ui/src/add_project_dialog.rs
+++ b/crates/ui/src/add_project_dialog.rs
@@ -31,10 +31,10 @@ use tcode_protocol::{CommandResponse, ExternalImportState, ExternalThread, Recen
 const RECENT_LIMIT: usize = 15;
 const RECENT_ROW_HEIGHT_ESTIMATE: f32 = 64.;
 const RECENT_VIEWPORT_MAX_HEIGHT: f32 = 390.;
-/// Everything above the recents viewport inside the dialog: title, the path row
-/// and the footer. Subtracted so the list scrolls instead of pushing the Open
-/// button off a short window.
-const RECENT_VIEWPORT_CHROME: f32 = 260.;
+/// Everything around the recents viewport inside the dialog: title, the path
+/// row, the recents heading and the footer. Subtracted so the list scrolls
+/// instead of pushing the Open button off a short window.
+const RECENT_VIEWPORT_CHROME: f32 = 280.;
 
 enum RecentState {
     Loading,
@@ -364,12 +364,6 @@ impl Render for AddProjectDialog {
         let can_browse = self.can_browse(cx);
         v_flex()
             .gap_4()
-            .child(
-                v_flex()
-                    .gap_2()
-                    .child(div().text_size(px(13.)).font_semibold().child(recent_label))
-                    .child(self.render_recent(window, cx)),
-            )
             .child(
                 v_flex()
                     .gap_1()
@@ -410,6 +404,22 @@ impl Render for AddProjectDialog {
                         )
                     }),
             )
+            .child(
+                v_flex()
+                    .gap_2()
+                    .child(
+                        v_flex()
+                            .gap_0p5()
+                            .child(div().text_size(px(13.)).font_semibold().child(recent_label))
+                            .child(
+                                div()
+                                    .text_size(px(11.))
+                                    .text_color(cx.theme().muted_foreground)
+                                    .child(crate::tr!("sidebar.recent_import_hint")),
+                            ),
+                    )
+                    .child(self.render_recent(window, cx)),
+            )
     }
 }
 
@@ -583,9 +593,14 @@ fn tool_counts(threads: &[ExternalThread]) -> String {
     ]
     .into_iter()
     .filter_map(|source| {
-        counts
-            .get(&source)
-            .map(|count| format!("{} ×{count}", source.display_name()))
+        counts.get(&source).map(|&count| {
+            let tool = source.display_name();
+            if count == 1 {
+                crate::tr!("sidebar.recent_tool_threads_one", tool = tool).into_owned()
+            } else {
+                crate::tr!("sidebar.recent_tool_threads", tool = tool, count = count).into_owned()
+            }
+        })
     })
     .collect::<Vec<_>>()
     .join(" · ")
diff --git a/locales/en.yml b/locales/en.yml
index 6f31c7768..c44587e68 100644
--- a/locales/en.yml
+++ b/locales/en.yml
@@ -126,9 +126,12 @@ sidebar:
   add_project: "Add project"
   select_project: "Select project directory"
   recent_activity: "Recently active"
-  open_recent: "Open recent project %{name}"
+  open_recent: "Open recent project %{name} and import its conversations"
   recent_loading: "Looking for recent activity…"
   recent_empty: "No recent activity found"
+  recent_import_hint: "Choosing a project here also imports the conversations listed under it."
+  recent_tool_threads_one: "%{tool}: 1 conversation"
+  recent_tool_threads: "%{tool}: %{count} conversations"
   path_placeholder: "Enter an absolute directory path"
   host_path_placeholder: "Absolute path on %{host}"
   host_path_hint: "This path is on %{host}, not on this device."
diff --git a/locales/zh-CN.yml b/locales/zh-CN.yml
index 735ce779d..a9eb8eefc 100644
--- a/locales/zh-CN.yml
+++ b/locales/zh-CN.yml
@@ -126,9 +126,12 @@ sidebar:
   add_project: "添加项目"
   select_project: "选择项目目录"
   recent_activity: "最近活跃"
-  open_recent: "打开最近项目 %{name}"
+  open_recent: "打开最近项目 %{name} 并导入其对话"
   recent_loading: "正在查找最近活跃的目录…"
   recent_empty: "未发现最近活跃的目录"
+  recent_import_hint: "点击此处的项目会同时导入其下列出的对话。"
+  recent_tool_threads_one: "%{tool}：1 条对话"
+  recent_tool_threads: "%{tool}：%{count} 条对话"
   path_placeholder: "输入绝对目录路径"
   host_path_placeholder: "%{host} 上的绝对路径"
   host_path_hint: "该路径在 %{host} 上解析，而不是这台设备。"