diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c17614e6c..fb7e0f81f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 
 ### Changed
 
+- Open new tabs on Recent Files so users can choose a document before creating a blank canvas.
 - Pan horizontally with Shift+wheel while preserving native horizontal trackpad movement.
 - Move MCP connections into their own Settings destination instead of presenting them as part of model configuration.
 
diff --git a/src/app/tabs/index.ts b/src/app/tabs/index.ts
index b66b3f30d..2122aea04 100644
--- a/src/app/tabs/index.ts
+++ b/src/app/tabs/index.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ export const allTabs = computed(() =>
   tabsRef.value.map((t) => ({
     id: t.id,
     name: t.store.state.documentName,
+    isHome: t.showHome,
     isActive: t.id === activeTabId.value
   }))
 )
@@ -81,8 +82,9 @@ export function createTab(store?: EditorStore, initialGraph?: SceneGraph, showHo
 
 export function leaveHome(tabId: string): void {
   const tabIndex = tabsRef.value.findIndex((candidate) => candidate.id === tabId)
+  if (tabIndex === -1) return
   const tab = tabsRef.value[tabIndex]
-  if (!tab?.showHome) return
+  if (!tab.showHome) return
   tabsRef.value = tabsRef.value.with(tabIndex, { ...tab, showHome: false })
 }
 
diff --git a/src/components/TabBar.vue b/src/components/TabBar.vue
index b66020998..bea5b7a64 100644
--- a/src/components/TabBar.vue
+++ b/src/components/TabBar.vue
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ const modelValue = computed({
   set: (id: string) => switchTab(id)
 })
 
+function openRecentFilesTab() {
+  createTab(undefined, undefined, true)
+}
+
 function onMiddleClick(e: MouseEvent, tabId: string) {
   if (e.button === 1) {
     e.preventDefault()
@@ -34,7 +38,7 @@ function onClose(e: MouseEvent, tabId: string) {
 
 <template>
   <TabsRoot
-    v-if="tabs.length > 1"
+    v-if="tabs.length > 0"
     v-model="modelValue"
     activation-mode="automatic"
     :class="baseStyles.root()"
@@ -49,14 +53,15 @@ function onClose(e: MouseEvent, tabId: string) {
         :data-active="tab.isActive || undefined"
         @mousedown="onMiddleClick($event, tab.id)"
       >
-        <icon-lucide-file :class="baseStyles.icon()" />
-        <span :class="baseStyles.label()">{{ tab.name }}</span>
-        <Tip :label="dialogs.closeTab({ name: tab.name })">
+        <icon-lucide-house v-if="tab.isHome" :class="baseStyles.icon()" />
+        <icon-lucide-file v-else :class="baseStyles.icon()" />
+        <span :class="baseStyles.label()">{{ tab.isHome ? dialogs.recentFiles : tab.name }}</span>
+        <Tip :label="dialogs.closeTab({ name: tab.isHome ? dialogs.recentFiles : tab.name })">
           <button
             data-test-id="tabbar-close"
             :class="tabBarStyles({ active: tab.isActive }).close()"
             :data-active="tab.isActive || undefined"
-            :aria-label="dialogs.closeTab({ name: tab.name })"
+            :aria-label="dialogs.closeTab({ name: tab.isHome ? dialogs.recentFiles : tab.name })"
             tabindex="-1"
             @click="onClose($event, tab.id)"
           >
@@ -70,7 +75,7 @@ function onClose(e: MouseEvent, tabId: string) {
         data-test-id="tabbar-new"
         :class="baseStyles.newAction()"
         :aria-label="dialogs.newTab"
-        @click="createTab()"
+        @click="openRecentFilesTab"
       >
         <icon-lucide-plus :class="baseStyles.newIcon()" />
       </button>
diff --git a/src/views/EditorView.vue b/src/views/EditorView.vue
index ba9b2cb6b..52a4252b3 100644
--- a/src/views/EditorView.vue
+++ b/src/views/EditorView.vue
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
     <FontStatusBanner />
     <RenameSelectionDialog />
     <RecentFilesHome v-if="showingHome" @new-document="activeTab && leaveHome(activeTab.id)" />
-    <TabBar v-if="!showingHome" />
+    <TabBar />
 
     <!-- Desktop layout -->
     <SplitterGroup
diff --git a/tests/e2e/app/recent-files.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/app/recent-files.spec.ts
index 624e7793c..beddbf029 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/app/recent-files.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/app/recent-files.spec.ts
@@ -9,5 +9,17 @@ test('opens to the recent-files home and starts a new document', async ({ page }
   await page.getByTestId('home-new-document').click()
 
   await expect(page.getByTestId('recent-files-home')).toBeHidden()
-  await expect(page.getByRole('group', { name: 'Layers' })).toBeVisible()
+  const tab = page.getByTestId('tabbar-tab')
+  await expect(tab).toBeVisible()
+
+  await page.getByTestId('tabbar-new').click()
+
+  await expect(page.getByTestId('recent-files-home')).toBeVisible()
+  await expect(page.getByTestId('tabbar-tab')).toHaveCount(2)
+  await expect(page.getByTestId('tabbar-tab').last()).toContainText('Recent files')
+
+  await page.getByTestId('tabbar-tab').last().hover()
+  await page.getByTestId('tabbar-tab').last().getByTestId('tabbar-close').click()
+
+  await expect(page.getByTestId('recent-files-home')).toBeHidden()
 })