diff --git a/app/routers/board.py b/app/routers/board.py
index 4a08ad8..3c6597a 100644
--- a/app/routers/board.py
+++ b/app/routers/board.py
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@ def _sidebar_data(request: Request, owner: str = "", repo: str = "") -> dict:
     gitea_workspace = False
     gitea_owner = ""
     gitea_repo = ""
+    has_active_workspace = False
 
     if ws_cookie and ws_cookie.startswith("gitea:"):
         # Gitea workspace: preserve context across pages
@@ -238,6 +239,7 @@ def _sidebar_data(request: Request, owner: str = "", repo: str = "") -> dict:
             gitea_repo = parts[2]
             active_ws_name = f"{gitea_owner}/{gitea_repo}"
             gitea_workspace = True
+            has_active_workspace = True
             workspace_pages = []  # loaded client-side
             # Get local workspace ID for mirror
             if user:
@@ -262,6 +264,7 @@ def _sidebar_data(request: Request, owner: str = "", repo: str = "") -> dict:
                 if row:
                     active_ws_name = row["name"]
                     workspace_pages = _load_workspace_pages(ws_cookie)
+                    has_active_workspace = True
         except (ValueError, Exception):
             pass
     local_ws_id = 0
@@ -376,7 +379,8 @@ def _sidebar_data(request: Request, owner: str = "", repo: str = "") -> dict:
             "user": user,
             "auth_method": auth_method,
             "gitea_linked": gitea_linked,
-            "github_linked": github_linked}
+            "github_linked": github_linked,
+            "has_active_workspace": has_active_workspace}
 
 
 def _extract_ai_keywords(owner: str, repo: str, labels: list[dict], body: str = ""):
diff --git a/app/routers/dashboard.py b/app/routers/dashboard.py
index 98b4df6..635e1f6 100644
--- a/app/routers/dashboard.py
+++ b/app/routers/dashboard.py
@@ -73,8 +73,9 @@ def _sidebar_data(request: Request, repos: list[dict], include_workspace: bool =
     gitea_workspace = False
     gitea_owner = ""
     gitea_repo = ""
+    has_active_workspace = False
 
-    if include_workspace and ws_cookie and ws_cookie.startswith("gitea:"):
+    if ws_cookie and ws_cookie.startswith("gitea:"):
         # Gitea workspace: set owner/repo for client-side tree loading
         # BUT keep local workspace pages — they go in the "Private" section
         parts = ws_cookie.split(":", 2)
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ def _sidebar_data(request: Request, repos: list[dict], include_workspace: bool =
             gitea_repo = parts[2]
             active_ws_name = f"{gitea_owner}/{gitea_repo}"
             gitea_workspace = True
+            has_active_workspace = True
             # workspace_pages stays as-is (local tree, loaded above)
     elif include_workspace and ws_cookie and user:
         try:
@@ -96,6 +98,7 @@ def _sidebar_data(request: Request, repos: list[dict], include_workspace: bool =
                 if row:
                     active_ws_name = row["name"]
                     workspace_pages = _load_workspace_pages(ws_cookie)
+                    has_active_workspace = True
                 # else: stale cookie from another user — ignore
         except (ValueError, Exception):
             pass
@@ -169,6 +172,7 @@ def _sidebar_data(request: Request, repos: list[dict], include_workspace: bool =
         "auth_method": auth_method,
         "gitea_linked": gitea_linked,
         "github_linked": github_linked,
+        "has_active_workspace": has_active_workspace,
     }
 
 
diff --git a/app/templates/base.html b/app/templates/base.html
index 7e7e61a..4d09eac 100644
--- a/app/templates/base.html
+++ b/app/templates/base.html
@@ -202,20 +202,30 @@
       <div class="sidebar-section-header" @click="toggleSection('workspace')">
         <div class="sidebar-section-title">
           <span class="chevron" :class="{ open: sectionsOpen.workspace }" x-text="sectionsOpen.workspace ? '▼' : '▶'"></span>
+          {% if has_active_workspace %}
           <span>{% if gitea_workspace %}📁 {{ active_ws_name }}{% elif workspace_key and '/' in workspace_key %}🔗{% else %}📁{% endif %} {{ active_ws_name if not gitea_workspace else '' }}</span>
+          {% else %}
+          <span>📁 No workspace open</span>
+          {% endif %}
         </div>
+        {% if has_active_workspace %}
         <div class="sidebar-section-actions">
           <button class="section-action-btn" title="New Page" @click.stop="window.FlowDeck.createPage()">📄</button>
           <button class="section-action-btn" title="New Folder" @click.stop="window.FlowDeck.showCreateFolderModal()">📁</button>
         </div>
+        {% endif %}
       </div>
 {% from '_workspace_tree_macro.html' import render_workspace_tree %}
       <div class="sidebar-section-items" x-show="sectionsOpen.workspace" x-transition>
         <ul class="sidebar-items" data-section="workspace" id="sidebar-workspace-items">
-          {% if workspace_pages %}
-            {{ render_workspace_tree(workspace_pages) }}
+          {% if has_active_workspace %}
+            {% if workspace_pages %}
+              {{ render_workspace_tree(workspace_pages) }}
+            {% else %}
+            <li class="sidebar-item empty-hint"><span class="page-icon">📄</span><span class="page-name text-dim">No pages yet</span></li>
+            {% endif %}
           {% else %}
-          <li class="sidebar-item empty-hint"><span class="page-icon">📄</span><span class="page-name text-dim">No pages yet</span></li>
+          <li class="sidebar-item empty-hint"><span class="page-icon">📁</span><span class="page-name text-dim">Open a workspace to see your files</span></li>
           {% endif %}
           <li class="sidebar-item" style="margin-top:4px;border-top:1px solid var(--border);padding-top:8px;" onclick="window.location='/workspaces'">
             <span class="page-icon">⚙</span><span class="page-name text-dim">Manage Workspaces</span>
@@ -1122,6 +1132,14 @@
           });
       },
       newPageInWorkspace() {
+        // Guard: no workspace active — redirect to workspaces page
+        if (!this.workspaceKey || this.workspaceKey === this.workspaceName) {
+          if (!this.giteaWorkspace && !this.localWsId) {
+            this.toast('No workspace open — create one first', 'info');
+            setTimeout(() => { window.location.href = '/workspaces'; }, 1200);
+            return;
+          }
+        }
         const name = prompt('File name:');
         if (!name || !name.trim()) return;
         const wk = this.workspaceKey || '';
@@ -1149,6 +1167,14 @@
           .catch(err => { this.toast('Failed: ' + err.message, 'error'); });
       },
       newFolderInWorkspace() {
+        // Guard: no workspace active — redirect to workspaces page
+        if (!this.workspaceKey || this.workspaceKey === this.workspaceName) {
+          if (!this.giteaWorkspace && !this.localWsId) {
+            this.toast('No workspace open — create one first', 'info');
+            setTimeout(() => { window.location.href = '/workspaces'; }, 1200);
+            return;
+          }
+        }
         const name = prompt('Folder name:');
         if (!name || !name.trim()) return;
         const wk = this.workspaceKey || '';