diff --git a/docs/expo-router.md b/docs/expo-router.md
index abfe85b24..af5ce6792 100644
--- a/docs/expo-router.md
+++ b/docs/expo-router.md
@@ -47,18 +47,27 @@ dynamic params exist before any nested workspace leaf is selected.
 
 ## App-Wide Route Hops
 
-When app-wide routes such as `/new` navigate back into a host workspace, use
-`navigateToHostWorkspaceRoute()` instead of calling `router.dismissTo()` with the
-leaf workspace URL.
+When app-wide routes such as `/new`, `/settings`, or `/sessions` navigate back
+into a host workspace, express only the destination with `navigateToWorkspace()`.
+Do not make the caller branch on its current route.
 
 The root stack owns `h/[serverId]`; the host stack owns
 `workspace/[workspaceId]/index`. Repeated global-route hops must `POP_TO` the
-root host route and pass the nested workspace screen, or Expo Router can append
-extra hidden workspace deck entries.
+root host route and pass the nested workspace screen when a host route is
+already mounted, or Expo Router can append extra hidden workspace deck entries.
+The workspace navigation helper inspects the mounted navigation state to make
+that decision; if no host route is mounted yet, it falls back to ordinary route
+navigation.
 
 Those hidden entries are not harmless: composer floating panels can measure
 against the wrong deck and disappear offscreen.
 
+Hidden host routes may keep their local params while an app-wide route is
+foregrounded. Active-workspace observers must prefer the current pathname and
+only use local param fallback during cold mount (`/` or empty pathname), or a
+hidden workspace can overwrite the remembered workspace before Settings or
+History returns.
+
 ## Params
 
 Required dynamic params belong to the matched route.
@@ -112,8 +121,7 @@ Before landing route changes:
 
 - [ ] Did you change `packages/app/src/app`? Re-read this file.
 - [ ] Did you touch remembered workspace restore? Keep root on `/h/[serverId]`.
-- [ ] Did an app-wide route return to a workspace? Use
-      `navigateToHostWorkspaceRoute()`.
+- [ ] Did any route return to a workspace? Use `navigateToWorkspace()`.
 - [ ] Did you add a route? Register it in the layout that directly owns it.
 - [ ] Did `useLocalSearchParams()` lose a required param? Fix the route tree.
 - [ ] Did native show a blank screen without a crash? Suspect route ownership
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/composer-autocomplete.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/composer-autocomplete.spec.ts
index b813c605a..c8b19b31c 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/composer-autocomplete.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/composer-autocomplete.spec.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import {
   seedMockAgentWorkspace,
   type MockAgentWorkspace,
 } from "./helpers/mock-agent";
-import { expectWorkspaceTabVisible } from "./helpers/archive-tab";
+import { expectWorkspaceTabVisible, openSessions } from "./helpers/archive-tab";
 import { daemonWsRoutePattern } from "./helpers/daemon-port";
 import { getServerId } from "./helpers/server-id";
 import { switchWorkspaceViaSidebar } from "./helpers/workspace-ui";
@@ -153,6 +153,13 @@ async function openAppWideNewWorkspace(page: Page): Promise<void> {
   await page.waitForURL((url) => url.pathname === "/new", { timeout: 30_000 });
 }
 
+async function openSettingsThenBackToWorkspace(page: Page): Promise<void> {
+  await page.getByTestId("sidebar-settings").filter({ visible: true }).first().click();
+  await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/settings\/general$/, { timeout: 30_000 });
+  await page.getByTestId("settings-back-to-workspace").click();
+  await page.waitForURL((url) => url.pathname.includes("/workspace/"), { timeout: 30_000 });
+}
+
 async function expectSingleCurrentWorkspaceDeckEntry(
   page: Page,
   input: { expectedDeckEntryCount: number; serverId: string; workspaceId: string },
@@ -351,7 +358,7 @@ function expectPopoverDoesNotDisappearAfterFirstVisible(frames: PopoverFrame[]):
 }
 
 test.describe("Composer autocomplete", () => {
-  test("stays visible after returning from the app-wide new workspace route", async ({ page }) => {
+  test("stays visible after returning from app-wide routes", async ({ page }) => {
     await installListCommandsStub(page);
     const serverId = getServerId();
     const sessions: MockAgentWorkspace[] = [];
@@ -384,10 +391,28 @@ test.describe("Composer autocomplete", () => {
       await openAppWideNewWorkspace(page);
       await switchWorkspaceViaSidebar({ page, serverId, workspaceId: second.workspaceId });
       await expectComposerVisible(page, { timeout: 30_000 });
+      await expectSingleCurrentWorkspaceDeckEntry(page, {
+        expectedDeckEntryCount: 2,
+        serverId,
+        workspaceId: second.workspaceId,
+      });
 
-      await openAppWideNewWorkspace(page);
+      await openSettingsThenBackToWorkspace(page);
+      await expectComposerVisible(page, { timeout: 30_000 });
+      await expectSingleCurrentWorkspaceDeckEntry(page, {
+        expectedDeckEntryCount: 2,
+        serverId,
+        workspaceId: second.workspaceId,
+      });
+
+      await openSessions(page);
       await switchWorkspaceViaSidebar({ page, serverId, workspaceId: third.workspaceId });
       await expectComposerVisible(page, { timeout: 30_000 });
+      await expectSingleCurrentWorkspaceDeckEntry(page, {
+        expectedDeckEntryCount: sessions.length,
+        serverId,
+        workspaceId: third.workspaceId,
+      });
 
       await openAppWideNewWorkspace(page);
       await switchWorkspaceViaSidebar({ page, serverId, workspaceId: first.workspaceId });
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/workspace-navigation-regression.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/workspace-navigation-regression.spec.ts
index 9c27a92c7..d1fccbdc3 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/workspace-navigation-regression.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/workspace-navigation-regression.spec.ts
@@ -256,9 +256,7 @@ test.describe("Workspace navigation regression", () => {
       await ws.close({ code: 1008, reason: "Blocked cold offline workspace route test." });
     });
 
-    await page.goto(
-      `/h/${encodeURIComponent(serverId)}/workspace/${encodeURIComponent("/tmp/paseo-missing-workspace")}`,
-    );
+    await page.goto(buildHostWorkspaceRoute(serverId, "/tmp/paseo-missing-workspace"));
 
     await expectHostConnectingOrOffline(page);
     await expectMenuButtonVisible(page);
diff --git a/packages/app/src/app/_layout.tsx b/packages/app/src/app/_layout.tsx
index 0d32b7184..9b9cc8b88 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/app/_layout.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/app/_layout.tsx
@@ -134,14 +134,13 @@ const HostRuntimeBootstrapContext = createContext<HostRuntimeBootstrapState>({
 
 function PushNotificationRouter() {
   const router = useRouter();
-  const pathname = usePathname();
   const lastHandledIdRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
   const openNotification = useStableEvent((data: Record<string, unknown> | undefined) => {
     const target = resolveNotificationTarget(data);
     const serverId = target.serverId;
     const agentId = target.agentId;
     if (serverId && agentId) {
-      navigateToAgent({ serverId, agentId, currentPathname: pathname, pin: true });
+      navigateToAgent({ serverId, agentId, pin: true });
       return;
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/app/src/app/h/[serverId]/agent/[agentId].tsx b/packages/app/src/app/h/[serverId]/agent/[agentId].tsx
index 180e588ef..39193bc16 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/app/h/[serverId]/agent/[agentId].tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/app/h/[serverId]/agent/[agentId].tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { useEffect, useRef } from "react";
-import { useLocalSearchParams, usePathname, useRouter, type Href } from "expo-router";
+import { useLocalSearchParams, useRouter, type Href } from "expo-router";
 import { HostRouteBootstrapBoundary } from "@/components/host-route-bootstrap-boundary";
 import { useSessionStore } from "@/stores/session-store";
 import { useHostRuntimeClient, useHostRuntimeIsConnected } from "@/runtime/host-runtime";
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ export default function HostAgentReadyRoute() {
 
 function HostAgentReadyRouteContent() {
   const router = useRouter();
-  const pathname = usePathname();
   const params = useLocalSearchParams<{
     serverId?: string;
     agentId?: string;
@@ -53,10 +52,9 @@ function HostAgentReadyRouteContent() {
       navigateToAgent({
         serverId,
         agentId,
-        currentPathname: pathname,
       });
     }
-  }, [agentId, pathname, resolvedWorkspaceId, router, serverId]);
+  }, [agentId, resolvedWorkspaceId, router, serverId]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (redirectedRef.current) {
@@ -96,7 +94,6 @@ function HostAgentReadyRouteContent() {
             serverId,
             agentId,
             workspaceId,
-            currentPathname: pathname,
           });
           return;
         }
@@ -114,7 +111,7 @@ function HostAgentReadyRouteContent() {
     return () => {
       cancelled = true;
     };
-  }, [agentId, client, isConnected, pathname, router, serverId]);
+  }, [agentId, client, isConnected, router, serverId]);
 
   return null;
 }
diff --git a/packages/app/src/components/sidebar-workspace-list.tsx b/packages/app/src/components/sidebar-workspace-list.tsx
index 99f4c369e..4086cd384 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/components/sidebar-workspace-list.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/components/sidebar-workspace-list.tsx
@@ -1749,14 +1749,13 @@ function WorkspaceRowItem({
   isDragging = false,
   dragHandleProps,
 }: WorkspaceRowItemProps) {
-  const currentPathname = usePathname();
   const handlePress = useCallback(() => {
     if (!workspace.serverId) {
       return;
     }
     onWorkspacePress?.();
-    navigateToWorkspace(workspace.serverId, workspace.workspaceId, { currentPathname });
-  }, [currentPathname, onWorkspacePress, workspace.serverId, workspace.workspaceId]);
+    navigateToWorkspace(workspace.serverId, workspace.workspaceId);
+  }, [onWorkspacePress, workspace.serverId, workspace.workspaceId]);
 
   return (
     <WorkspaceRow
diff --git a/packages/app/src/components/sidebar/sidebar-status-list.tsx b/packages/app/src/components/sidebar/sidebar-status-list.tsx
index e26460a51..3b506647c 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/components/sidebar/sidebar-status-list.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/components/sidebar/sidebar-status-list.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import { memo, useCallback, useMemo, useState } from "react";
-import { usePathname } from "expo-router";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { View, Text, Pressable, ScrollView, type PressableStateCallbackType } from "react-native";
 import { NestableScrollContainer } from "react-native-draggable-flatlist";
@@ -334,7 +333,6 @@ const StatusWorkspaceRow = memo(function StatusWorkspaceRow({
 }) {
   const workspaceEntry = useSidebarWorkspaceEntry(workspace.serverId, workspace.workspaceId);
   const activeWorkspaceSelection = useActiveWorkspaceSelection();
-  const currentPathname = usePathname();
   const selected =
     activeWorkspaceSelection?.serverId === workspace.serverId &&
     activeWorkspaceSelection?.workspaceId === workspace.workspaceId;
@@ -342,8 +340,8 @@ const StatusWorkspaceRow = memo(function StatusWorkspaceRow({
   const handlePress = useCallback(() => {
     if (!workspace.serverId) return;
     onWorkspacePress?.();
-    navigateToWorkspace(workspace.serverId, workspace.workspaceId, { currentPathname });
-  }, [currentPathname, onWorkspacePress, workspace.serverId, workspace.workspaceId]);
+    navigateToWorkspace(workspace.serverId, workspace.workspaceId);
+  }, [onWorkspacePress, workspace.serverId, workspace.workspaceId]);
 
   if (!workspaceEntry) return null;
 
diff --git a/packages/app/src/hooks/use-command-center.ts b/packages/app/src/hooks/use-command-center.ts
index 3af93495f..60ba70297 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/hooks/use-command-center.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/hooks/use-command-center.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import type { TextInput } from "react-native";
-import { router, usePathname, type Href } from "expo-router";
+import { router, type Href } from "expo-router";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { useKeyboardShortcutsStore } from "@/stores/keyboard-shortcuts-store";
 import { keyboardActionDispatcher } from "@/keyboard/keyboard-action-dispatcher";
@@ -136,7 +136,6 @@ function resolveActionShortcutKeys(
 
 export function useCommandCenter() {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
-  const pathname = usePathname();
   const { overrides } = useKeyboardShortcutOverrides();
   const open = useKeyboardShortcutsStore((s) => s.commandCenterOpen);
   const setOpen = useKeyboardShortcutsStore((s) => s.setCommandCenterOpen);
@@ -223,10 +222,9 @@ export function useCommandCenter() {
       navigateToAgent({
         serverId: agent.serverId,
         agentId: agent.id,
-        currentPathname: pathname,
       });
     },
-    [pathname, setOpen],
+    [setOpen],
   );
 
   const openProjectPicker = useOpenProjectPicker();
diff --git a/packages/app/src/hooks/use-keyboard-shortcuts.ts b/packages/app/src/hooks/use-keyboard-shortcuts.ts
index b0c8c787e..0f427c573 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/hooks/use-keyboard-shortcuts.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/hooks/use-keyboard-shortcuts.ts
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ export function useKeyboardShortcuts({
             serverId: action.serverId,
             workspaceId: action.workspaceId,
           };
-          navigateToWorkspace(action.serverId, action.workspaceId, { currentPathname: pathname });
+          navigateToWorkspace(action.serverId, action.workspaceId);
           return true;
         case "navigate-last-workspace":
           return navigateToLastWorkspace();
diff --git a/packages/app/src/navigation/workspace-route-navigation.test.ts b/packages/app/src/navigation/workspace-route-navigation.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..868dc13af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/src/navigation/workspace-route-navigation.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import type { NavigationContainerRefWithCurrent } from "@react-navigation/native";
+import {
+  navigateToHostWorkspaceRoute,
+  registerWorkspaceRouteNavigationRef,
+} from "./workspace-route-navigation";
+
+function createNavigationRef(rootState: unknown, options: { ready?: boolean } = {}) {
+  const dispatch = vi.fn();
+  const navigationRef = {
+    current: {
+      isReady: () => options.ready ?? true,
+      getRootState: () => rootState,
+      dispatch,
+    },
+  } as unknown as NavigationContainerRefWithCurrent<ReactNavigation.RootParamList>;
+
+  return { navigationRef, dispatch };
+}
+
+describe("navigateToHostWorkspaceRoute", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+    registerWorkspaceRouteNavigationRef({
+      current: null,
+    } as unknown as NavigationContainerRefWithCurrent<ReactNavigation.RootParamList>)();
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to route navigation when no host route is mounted yet", () => {
+    const { navigationRef, dispatch } = createNavigationRef({
+      key: "root-stack",
+      routeNames: ["index", "settings/[section]", "h/[serverId]"],
+      routes: [{ key: "settings-general", name: "settings/[section]" }],
+    });
+    registerWorkspaceRouteNavigationRef(navigationRef);
+    const dismissTo = vi.fn();
+
+    navigateToHostWorkspaceRoute("/h/server-1/workspace/workspace-a", { dismissTo });
+
+    expect(dispatch).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(dismissTo).toHaveBeenCalledWith("/h/server-1/workspace/workspace-a");
+  });
+
+  it("pops to the mounted host route and targets the requested workspace", () => {
+    const { navigationRef, dispatch } = createNavigationRef({
+      key: "root-stack",
+      routeNames: ["index", "settings/[section]", "h/[serverId]"],
+      routes: [
+        {
+          key: "host-server-1",
+          name: "h/[serverId]",
+          params: { serverId: "server-1" },
+        },
+        { key: "settings-general", name: "settings/[section]" },
+      ],
+    });
+    registerWorkspaceRouteNavigationRef(navigationRef);
+    const dismissTo = vi.fn();
+
+    navigateToHostWorkspaceRoute("/h/server-1/workspace/workspace-a", { dismissTo });
+
+    expect(dismissTo).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(dispatch).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      type: "POP_TO",
+      target: "root-stack",
+      payload: {
+        name: "h/[serverId]",
+        params: {
+          serverId: "server-1",
+          screen: "workspace/[workspaceId]/index",
+          params: {
+            serverId: "server-1",
+            workspaceId: "workspace-a",
+          },
+          pop: true,
+        },
+      },
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/app/src/navigation/workspace-route-navigation.ts b/packages/app/src/navigation/workspace-route-navigation.ts
index fc72a577e..a717f157b 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/navigation/workspace-route-navigation.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/navigation/workspace-route-navigation.ts
@@ -8,13 +8,17 @@ import {
 const ROOT_HOST_ROUTE_NAME = "h/[serverId]";
 const HOST_WORKSPACE_ROUTE_NAME = "workspace/[workspaceId]/index";
 
+interface NavigateToHostWorkspaceRouteDeps {
+  dismissTo(route: string): void;
+}
+
+const defaultNavigateToHostWorkspaceRouteDeps: NavigateToHostWorkspaceRouteDeps = {
+  dismissTo: (route) => router.dismissTo(route as Href),
+};
+
 let rootNavigationRef: NavigationContainerRefWithCurrent<ReactNavigation.RootParamList> | null =
   null;
 
-interface NavigateToHostWorkspaceRouteOptions {
-  popToExistingHostRoute?: boolean;
-}
-
 export function registerWorkspaceRouteNavigationRef(
   ref: NavigationContainerRefWithCurrent<ReactNavigation.RootParamList>,
 ): () => void {
@@ -26,33 +30,38 @@ export function registerWorkspaceRouteNavigationRef(
   };
 }
 
-function findStackKeyWithRouteName(state: unknown, routeName: string): string | null {
+function findStackKeyWithMountedRouteName(state: unknown, routeName: string): string | null {
   if (!state || typeof state !== "object") {
     return null;
   }
 
   const candidate = state as {
     key?: unknown;
-    routeNames?: unknown;
     routes?: unknown;
   };
-  if (
-    typeof candidate.key === "string" &&
-    Array.isArray(candidate.routeNames) &&
-    candidate.routeNames.includes(routeName)
-  ) {
-    return candidate.key;
-  }
 
   if (!Array.isArray(candidate.routes)) {
     return null;
   }
 
+  if (
+    typeof candidate.key === "string" &&
+    candidate.routes.some(
+      (route) =>
+        !!route && typeof route === "object" && (route as { name?: unknown }).name === routeName,
+    )
+  ) {
+    return candidate.key;
+  }
+
   for (const route of candidate.routes) {
     if (!route || typeof route !== "object") {
       continue;
     }
-    const childKey = findStackKeyWithRouteName((route as { state?: unknown }).state, routeName);
+    const childKey = findStackKeyWithMountedRouteName(
+      (route as { state?: unknown }).state,
+      routeName,
+    );
     if (childKey) {
       return childKey;
     }
@@ -69,7 +78,7 @@ function dispatchHostWorkspacePopTo(route: string): boolean {
   }
 
   const rootState = navigation.getRootState();
-  const target = findStackKeyWithRouteName(rootState, ROOT_HOST_ROUTE_NAME);
+  const target = findStackKeyWithMountedRouteName(rootState, ROOT_HOST_ROUTE_NAME);
   if (!target) {
     return false;
   }
@@ -99,11 +108,11 @@ function dispatchHostWorkspacePopTo(route: string): boolean {
 
 export function navigateToHostWorkspaceRoute(
   route: string,
-  options: NavigateToHostWorkspaceRouteOptions = {},
+  deps: NavigateToHostWorkspaceRouteDeps = defaultNavigateToHostWorkspaceRouteDeps,
 ): void {
-  if (options.popToExistingHostRoute && dispatchHostWorkspacePopTo(route)) {
+  if (dispatchHostWorkspacePopTo(route)) {
     return;
   }
 
-  router.dismissTo(route as Href);
+  deps.dismissTo(route);
 }
diff --git a/packages/app/src/screens/new-workspace-screen.tsx b/packages/app/src/screens/new-workspace-screen.tsx
index 40c7e6114..5e4d1faa0 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/screens/new-workspace-screen.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/screens/new-workspace-screen.tsx
@@ -1147,7 +1147,6 @@ function submitWorkspaceDraft(input: SubmitDraftInput): void {
   navigateToPreparedWorkspaceTab({
     serverId,
     workspaceId,
-    currentPathname: "/new",
     target: submission.target,
   });
   useDraftStore.getState().clearDraftInput({ draftKey, lifecycle: "sent" });
@@ -1994,7 +1993,7 @@ export function NewWorkspaceScreen({
             ensureWorkspace,
             serverId: selectedServerId,
             navigate: (targetServerId, workspaceId) =>
-              navigateToWorkspace(targetServerId, workspaceId, { currentPathname: "/new" }),
+              navigateToWorkspace(targetServerId, workspaceId),
           });
           return;
         }
diff --git a/packages/app/src/stores/navigation-active-workspace-store/index.ts b/packages/app/src/stores/navigation-active-workspace-store/index.ts
index 78c508add..dc4ebedb4 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/stores/navigation-active-workspace-store/index.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/stores/navigation-active-workspace-store/index.ts
@@ -20,10 +20,6 @@ import { navigateToHostWorkspaceRoute } from "@/navigation/workspace-route-navig
 
 export type { ActiveWorkspaceSelection } from "@/stores/last-workspace-selection";
 
-interface NavigateToWorkspaceOptions {
-  currentPathname?: string | null;
-}
-
 const lastWorkspaceSelectionStorage: LastWorkspaceSelectionStorage = {
   read: () => AsyncStorage.getItem(LAST_WORKSPACE_SELECTION_STORAGE_KEY),
   write: (value) => AsyncStorage.setItem(LAST_WORKSPACE_SELECTION_STORAGE_KEY, value),
@@ -33,13 +29,7 @@ const lastWorkspaceSelectionStore = createLastWorkspaceSelectionStore(
   lastWorkspaceSelectionStorage,
 );
 
-function shouldPopToExistingHostRoute(options: NavigateToWorkspaceOptions): boolean {
-  // Only /new needs POP_TO to avoid hidden deck entries; regular workspace switches
-  // should use router navigation so route observers like the sidebar selection update.
-  return options.currentPathname === "/new";
-}
-
-function navigateDeps(options: NavigateToWorkspaceOptions): NavigateToWorkspaceDeps {
+function navigateDeps(): NavigateToWorkspaceDeps {
   return {
     getSessionWorkspaces: (serverId) => useSessionStore.getState().sessions[serverId]?.workspaces,
     getSessionAgents: (serverId) =>
@@ -49,9 +39,7 @@ function navigateDeps(options: NavigateToWorkspaceOptions): NavigateToWorkspaceD
     },
     rememberLastWorkspace: (selection) => lastWorkspaceSelectionStore.remember(selection),
     navigateToRoute: (route) => {
-      navigateToHostWorkspaceRoute(route, {
-        popToExistingHostRoute: shouldPopToExistingHostRoute(options),
-      });
+      navigateToHostWorkspaceRoute(route);
       stripHostWorkspaceRouteEchoSearchFromBrowserUrlAfterCommit();
     },
   };
@@ -69,17 +57,13 @@ export function getIsLastWorkspaceSelectionHydrated(): boolean {
   return lastWorkspaceSelectionStore.isHydrated();
 }
 
-export function navigateToWorkspace(
-  serverId: string,
-  workspaceId: string,
-  options: NavigateToWorkspaceOptions = {},
-) {
-  navigateToWorkspacePure(serverId, workspaceId, navigateDeps(options));
+export function navigateToWorkspace(serverId: string, workspaceId: string) {
+  navigateToWorkspacePure(serverId, workspaceId, navigateDeps());
 }
 
 export function navigateToLastWorkspace(): boolean {
   return navigateToLastWorkspacePure({
-    ...navigateDeps({}),
+    ...navigateDeps(),
     getLastWorkspaceSelection: () => lastWorkspaceSelectionStore.getSelection(),
   });
 }
diff --git a/packages/app/src/stores/navigation-active-workspace-store/navigation.test.ts b/packages/app/src/stores/navigation-active-workspace-store/navigation.test.ts
index 097189a7f..e2f8aab93 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/stores/navigation-active-workspace-store/navigation.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/stores/navigation-active-workspace-store/navigation.test.ts
@@ -115,6 +115,18 @@ describe("workspace navigation", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("ignores stale workspace route params while an app-wide route is active", () => {
+    const selection = parseActiveWorkspaceSelection({
+      pathname: "/settings/general",
+      params: {
+        serverId: "server-1",
+        workspaceId: "workspace-a",
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(selection).toBeNull();
+  });
+
   it("navigates to the last workspace once a route observation has been remembered", () => {
     const { deps, navigations } = createLastSelectionDeps(null);
 
diff --git a/packages/app/src/stores/navigation-active-workspace-store/navigation.ts b/packages/app/src/stores/navigation-active-workspace-store/navigation.ts
index 03be5571e..17c7c96b3 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/stores/navigation-active-workspace-store/navigation.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/stores/navigation-active-workspace-store/navigation.ts
@@ -58,10 +58,16 @@ function parseWorkspaceSelectionFromRouteParams(params: {
 export function parseActiveWorkspaceSelection(
   input: RouteSelectionInput,
 ): ActiveWorkspaceSelection | null {
-  return (
-    parseHostWorkspaceRouteFromPathname(input.pathname) ??
-    parseWorkspaceSelectionFromRouteParams(input.params)
-  );
+  const routeSelection = parseHostWorkspaceRouteFromPathname(input.pathname);
+  if (routeSelection) {
+    return routeSelection;
+  }
+
+  if (input.pathname !== "/" && input.pathname !== "") {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  return parseWorkspaceSelectionFromRouteParams(input.params);
 }
 
 export function navigateToWorkspace(
diff --git a/packages/app/src/utils/navigate-to-agent/resolve.test.ts b/packages/app/src/utils/navigate-to-agent/resolve.test.ts
index e061ea050..4f0a31af2 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/utils/navigate-to-agent/resolve.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/utils/navigate-to-agent/resolve.test.ts
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@ describe("resolveNavigateToAgent", () => {
         serverId: SERVER_ID,
         workspaceId: WORKSPACE_ID,
         target: { kind: "agent", agentId: AGENT_ID },
-        currentPathname: undefined,
         pin: true,
       },
     ]);
@@ -107,7 +106,6 @@ describe("resolveNavigateToAgent", () => {
         serverId: SERVER_ID,
         workspaceId: WORKSPACE_ID,
         target: { kind: "agent", agentId: AGENT_ID },
-        currentPathname: undefined,
         pin: undefined,
       },
     ]);
diff --git a/packages/app/src/utils/navigate-to-agent/resolve.ts b/packages/app/src/utils/navigate-to-agent/resolve.ts
index 61188d4b0..6298608ef 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/utils/navigate-to-agent/resolve.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/utils/navigate-to-agent/resolve.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ export interface NavigateToAgentInput {
   // Used as the workspace target when the agent is not yet in the session store
   // (cold deep-links). Otherwise the workspace is read from the store.
   workspaceId?: string | null;
-  currentPathname?: string | null;
   pin?: boolean;
 }
 
@@ -54,7 +53,6 @@ export function resolveNavigateToAgent(
     serverId: input.serverId,
     workspaceId,
     target: { kind: "agent", agentId: input.agentId },
-    currentPathname: input.currentPathname,
     pin: input.pin,
   });
 }
diff --git a/packages/app/src/utils/prepare-workspace-tab.ts b/packages/app/src/utils/prepare-workspace-tab.ts
index ee116ff3b..ae76e96b5 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/utils/prepare-workspace-tab.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/utils/prepare-workspace-tab.ts
@@ -12,9 +12,7 @@ export interface PrepareWorkspaceTabInput {
   pin?: boolean;
 }
 
-export interface NavigateToPreparedWorkspaceTabInput extends PrepareWorkspaceTabInput {
-  currentPathname?: string | null;
-}
+export type NavigateToPreparedWorkspaceTabInput = PrepareWorkspaceTabInput;
 
 export interface PrepareWorkspaceTabDeps {
   openTabFocused: (workspaceKey: string, target: WorkspaceTabTarget) => string | null;
@@ -22,11 +20,7 @@ export interface PrepareWorkspaceTabDeps {
 }
 
 export interface NavigateToPreparedWorkspaceTabDeps extends PrepareWorkspaceTabDeps {
-  navigateToWorkspace: (
-    serverId: string,
-    workspaceId: string,
-    options: { currentPathname?: string | null },
-  ) => void;
+  navigateToWorkspace: (serverId: string, workspaceId: string) => void;
 }
 
 function getPreparedTarget(target: WorkspaceTabTarget): WorkspaceTabTarget {
@@ -61,8 +55,6 @@ export function navigateToPreparedWorkspaceTab(
   deps: NavigateToPreparedWorkspaceTabDeps,
 ): string {
   const route = prepareWorkspaceTab(input, deps);
-  deps.navigateToWorkspace(input.serverId, input.workspaceId, {
-    currentPathname: input.currentPathname,
-  });
+  deps.navigateToWorkspace(input.serverId, input.workspaceId);
   return route;
 }
diff --git a/packages/app/src/utils/workspace-navigation.test.ts b/packages/app/src/utils/workspace-navigation.test.ts
index af08350ab..2b3c60a7c 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/utils/workspace-navigation.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/utils/workspace-navigation.test.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ interface RecordedPin {
 interface RecordedNavigation {
   serverId: string;
   workspaceId: string;
-  currentPathname?: string | null;
 }
 
 function createFakeLayout() {
@@ -42,12 +41,8 @@ function createFakeNavigator() {
   const navigations: RecordedNavigation[] = [];
   return {
     navigations,
-    navigateToWorkspace: (
-      serverId: string,
-      workspaceId: string,
-      options: { currentPathname?: string | null },
-    ) => {
-      navigations.push({ serverId, workspaceId, currentPathname: options.currentPathname });
+    navigateToWorkspace: (serverId: string, workspaceId: string) => {
+      navigations.push({ serverId, workspaceId });
     },
   };
 }
@@ -89,8 +84,6 @@ describe("prepareWorkspaceTab", () => {
     expect(layout.openedTabs).toEqual([
       { key: "server-1:/repo/worktree", target: { kind: "agent", agentId: AGENT_ID } },
     ]);
-    expect(navigator.navigations).toEqual([
-      { serverId: SERVER_ID, workspaceId: WORKSPACE_ID, currentPathname: undefined },
-    ]);
+    expect(navigator.navigations).toEqual([{ serverId: SERVER_ID, workspaceId: WORKSPACE_ID }]);
   });
 });