diff --git a/ccw/frontend/src/components/layout/AppShell.tsx b/ccw/frontend/src/components/layout/AppShell.tsx
index b579a0b0..d3ad6246 100644
--- a/ccw/frontend/src/components/layout/AppShell.tsx
+++ b/ccw/frontend/src/components/layout/AppShell.tsx
@@ -40,15 +40,23 @@ export function AppShell({
   // Workspace initialization from URL query parameter
   const switchWorkspace = useWorkflowStore((state) => state.switchWorkspace);
   const projectPath = useWorkflowStore((state) => state.projectPath);
+  const hasHydrated = useWorkflowStore((state) => state._hasHydrated);
   const location = useLocation();
 
   // Immersive mode (fullscreen) - hide chrome
   const isImmersiveMode = useAppStore(selectIsImmersiveMode);
 
   // Workspace initialization logic (URL > localStorage)
+  // Wait for zustand persist hydration to complete before initializing
   const [isWorkspaceInitialized, setWorkspaceInitialized] = useState(false);
 
   useEffect(() => {
+    // Wait for hydration to complete before initializing workspace
+    // This ensures projectPath is properly restored from localStorage
+    if (!hasHydrated) {
+      return;
+    }
+
     // This effect should only run once to decide the initial workspace.
     if (isWorkspaceInitialized) {
       return;
@@ -76,7 +84,7 @@ export function AppShell({
 
     // Mark as initialized regardless of whether a path was found.
     setWorkspaceInitialized(true);
-  }, [isWorkspaceInitialized, projectPath, location.search, switchWorkspace]);
+  }, [hasHydrated, isWorkspaceInitialized, projectPath, location.search, switchWorkspace]);
 
   // Sidebar collapse state – default to collapsed (hidden)
   const [sidebarCollapsed, setSidebarCollapsed] = useState(() => {
diff --git a/ccw/frontend/src/stores/workflowStore.ts b/ccw/frontend/src/stores/workflowStore.ts
index 2a136cbc..797f610f 100644
--- a/ccw/frontend/src/stores/workflowStore.ts
+++ b/ccw/frontend/src/stores/workflowStore.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ const initialState: WorkflowState = {
   // Filters and sorting
   filters: defaultFilters,
   sorting: defaultSorting,
+
+  // Hydration state (internal)
+  _hasHydrated: false,
 };
 
 export const useWorkflowStore = create<WorkflowStore>()(
@@ -414,6 +417,10 @@ export const useWorkflowStore = create<WorkflowStore>()(
         set({ _invalidateQueriesCallback: callback }, false, 'registerQueryInvalidator');
       },
 
+      setHasHydrated: (state: boolean) => {
+        set({ _hasHydrated: state }, false, 'setHasHydrated');
+      },
+
       // ========== Filters and Sorting ==========
 
       setFilters: (filters: Partial<WorkflowFilters>) => {
@@ -538,6 +545,8 @@ export const useWorkflowStore = create<WorkflowStore>()(
               console.error('[WorkflowStore] Rehydration error:', error);
               return;
             }
+            // Mark hydration as complete
+            useWorkflowStore.getState().setHasHydrated(true);
             if (state?.projectPath) {
               if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development') {
                 // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
diff --git a/ccw/frontend/src/types/store.ts b/ccw/frontend/src/types/store.ts
index 170e5522..5729a9fa 100644
--- a/ccw/frontend/src/types/store.ts
+++ b/ccw/frontend/src/types/store.ts
@@ -335,6 +335,9 @@ export interface WorkflowState {
 
   // Query invalidation callback (internal)
   _invalidateQueriesCallback?: () => void;
+
+  // Hydration state (internal)
+  _hasHydrated: boolean;
 }
 
 export interface WorkflowActions {
@@ -369,6 +372,7 @@ export interface WorkflowActions {
   removeRecentPath: (path: string) => Promise<void>;
   refreshRecentPaths: () => Promise<void>;
   registerQueryInvalidator: (callback: () => void) => void;
+  setHasHydrated: (state: boolean) => void;
 
   // Filters and sorting
   setFilters: (filters: Partial<WorkflowFilters>) => void;