diff --git a/packages/app/src/components/file-explorer-pane.tsx b/packages/app/src/components/file-explorer-pane.tsx
index 24167c63d..3b5ee22ba 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/components/file-explorer-pane.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/components/file-explorer-pane.tsx
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ import {
   flattenExplorerTree,
   reconcileRestoredExpandedPaths,
   restoreExpandedDirectories,
+  showHiddenFilesAndRestoreExpandedDirectories,
   type ExplorerTreeRow,
 } from "@/file-explorer/tree";
 import { useWorkspaceFileDragSource } from "@/attachments/use-workspace-file-drag-source";
@@ -375,10 +376,10 @@ export function FileExplorerPane({
       toggleExplorerShowHiddenFiles();
       return;
     }
-    void restoreExpandedDirectories({
+    void showHiddenFilesAndRestoreExpandedDirectories({
       rootDirectory,
       persistedExpandedPaths: expandedPaths,
-      showHiddenFiles: true,
+      showHiddenFiles: toggleExplorerShowHiddenFiles,
       requestDirectoryListing: (path) =>
         requestDirectoryListing(path, {
           recordHistory: false,
@@ -392,7 +393,6 @@ export function FileExplorerPane({
           restoredExpandedPaths: restoredPaths,
         }),
       );
-      toggleExplorerShowHiddenFiles();
       return null;
     });
   }, [
diff --git a/packages/app/src/file-explorer/tree.test.ts b/packages/app/src/file-explorer/tree.test.ts
index 552f687c4..cb8a0b4b0 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/file-explorer/tree.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/file-explorer/tree.test.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {
   flattenExplorerTree,
   reconcileRestoredExpandedPaths,
   restoreExpandedDirectories,
+  showHiddenFilesAndRestoreExpandedDirectories,
 } from "./tree";
 
 function makeDirectoryEntry(name: string, path: string): ExplorerEntry {
@@ -151,4 +152,29 @@ describe("file explorer tree", () => {
 
     expect(paths).toEqual([".", "manual"]);
   });
+
+  it("shows hidden files before waiting for expanded directories to restore", async () => {
+    const rootDirectory = {
+      path: ".",
+      entries: [makeDirectoryEntry(".hidden", ".hidden")],
+    };
+    let resolveDirectory!: (directory: { path: string; entries: ExplorerEntry[] }) => void;
+    const directoryListing = new Promise<{ path: string; entries: ExplorerEntry[] }>((resolve) => {
+      resolveDirectory = resolve;
+    });
+    let hiddenFilesAreShown = false;
+
+    const restoration = showHiddenFilesAndRestoreExpandedDirectories({
+      rootDirectory,
+      persistedExpandedPaths: new Set([".hidden"]),
+      showHiddenFiles: () => {
+        hiddenFilesAreShown = true;
+      },
+      requestDirectoryListing: () => directoryListing,
+    });
+
+    expect(hiddenFilesAreShown).toBe(true);
+    resolveDirectory({ path: ".hidden", entries: [] });
+    await expect(restoration).resolves.toEqual([".", ".hidden"]);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/app/src/file-explorer/tree.ts b/packages/app/src/file-explorer/tree.ts
index b358f981b..8f39a52c6 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/file-explorer/tree.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/file-explorer/tree.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,13 @@ interface RestoreExpandedDirectoriesInput {
   requestDirectoryListing: (path: string) => Promise<ExplorerDirectory | null>;
 }
 
+interface ShowHiddenFilesAndRestoreExpandedDirectoriesInput extends Omit<
+  RestoreExpandedDirectoriesInput,
+  "showHiddenFiles"
+> {
+  showHiddenFiles: () => void;
+}
+
 interface ReconcileRestoredExpandedPathsInput {
   persistedExpandedPaths: ReadonlySet<string>;
   currentExpandedPaths: ReadonlySet<string>;
@@ -110,6 +117,21 @@ export async function restoreExpandedDirectories({
   return restoredPaths;
 }
 
+export function showHiddenFilesAndRestoreExpandedDirectories({
+  rootDirectory,
+  persistedExpandedPaths,
+  showHiddenFiles,
+  requestDirectoryListing,
+}: ShowHiddenFilesAndRestoreExpandedDirectoriesInput): Promise<string[]> {
+  showHiddenFiles();
+  return restoreExpandedDirectories({
+    rootDirectory,
+    persistedExpandedPaths,
+    showHiddenFiles: true,
+    requestDirectoryListing,
+  });
+}
+
 export function reconcileRestoredExpandedPaths({
   persistedExpandedPaths,
   currentExpandedPaths,