diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/Sidebar.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
index 894fde25e916..0e700369eba8 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -312,6 +312,8 @@ export default function Sidebar() {
   const renamingCommittedRef = useRef(false);
   const renamingInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement | null>(null);
   const [desktopUpdateState, setDesktopUpdateState] = useState<DesktopUpdateState | null>(null);
+  const shouldBrowseForProjectImmediately = isElectron;
+  const shouldShowProjectPathEntry = addingProject && !shouldBrowseForProjectImmediately;
   const pendingApprovalByThreadId = useMemo(() => {
     const map = new Map<ThreadId, boolean>();
     for (const thread of threads) {
@@ -523,15 +525,29 @@ export default function Sidebar() {
         });
         await handleNewThread(projectId).catch(() => undefined);
       } catch (error) {
+        const description =
+          error instanceof Error ? error.message : "An error occurred while adding the project.";
         setIsAddingProject(false);
-        setAddProjectError(
-          error instanceof Error ? error.message : "An error occurred while adding the project.",
-        );
+        if (shouldBrowseForProjectImmediately) {
+          toastManager.add({
+            type: "error",
+            title: "Failed to add project",
+            description,
+          });
+        } else {
+          setAddProjectError(description);
+        }
         return;
       }
       finishAddingProject();
     },
-    [focusMostRecentThreadForProject, handleNewThread, isAddingProject, projects],
+    [
+      focusMostRecentThreadForProject,
+      handleNewThread,
+      isAddingProject,
+      projects,
+      shouldBrowseForProjectImmediately,
+    ],
   );
 
   const handleAddProject = () => {
@@ -550,12 +566,21 @@ export default function Sidebar() {
     }
     if (pickedPath) {
       await addProjectFromPath(pickedPath);
-    } else {
+    } else if (!shouldBrowseForProjectImmediately) {
       addProjectInputRef.current?.focus();
     }
     setIsPickingFolder(false);
   };
 
+  const handleStartAddProject = () => {
+    setAddProjectError(null);
+    if (shouldBrowseForProjectImmediately) {
+      void handlePickFolder();
+      return;
+    }
+    setAddingProject((prev) => !prev);
+  };
+
   const cancelRename = useCallback(() => {
     setRenamingThreadId(null);
     renamingInputRef.current = null;
@@ -1075,21 +1100,23 @@ export default function Sidebar() {
                   <button
                     type="button"
                     aria-label="Add project"
+                    aria-pressed={shouldShowProjectPathEntry}
                     className="inline-flex size-5 items-center justify-center rounded-md text-muted-foreground/60 transition-colors hover:bg-accent hover:text-foreground"
-                    onClick={() => {
-                      setAddingProject((prev) => !prev);
-                      setAddProjectError(null);
-                    }}
+                    onClick={handleStartAddProject}
                   />
                 }
               >
-                <PlusIcon className="size-3.5" />
+                <PlusIcon
+                  className={`size-3.5 transition-transform duration-150 ${
+                    shouldShowProjectPathEntry ? "rotate-45" : "rotate-0"
+                  }`}
+                />
               </TooltipTrigger>
               <TooltipPopup side="right">Add project</TooltipPopup>
             </Tooltip>
           </div>
 
-          {addingProject && (
+          {shouldShowProjectPathEntry && (
             <div className="mb-2 px-1">
               {isElectron && (
                 <button
@@ -1415,7 +1442,7 @@ export default function Sidebar() {
             })}
           </SidebarMenu>
 
-          {projects.length === 0 && !addingProject && (
+          {projects.length === 0 && !shouldShowProjectPathEntry && (
             <div className="px-2 pt-4 text-center text-xs text-muted-foreground/60">
               No projects yet
             </div>