diff --git a/src/main/index.ts b/src/main/index.ts
index 64c937b..adcbd09 100644
--- a/src/main/index.ts
+++ b/src/main/index.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { join, sep } from 'node:path'
-import { app, dialog, shell, BrowserWindow, ipcMain } from 'electron'
+import { app, dialog, shell, BrowserWindow, ipcMain, Menu } from 'electron'
 import { watch, type FSWatcher } from 'chokidar'
 import { getName, getRoot, openDialog } from './project'
 import { readAll, readProjectFile, readTree, writeProjectFile } from './fs-service'
@@ -34,6 +34,42 @@ function startConfigWatcher(): void {
   configWatcher.on('add', reload).on('change', reload).on('unlink', reload)
 }
 
+/** Show the folder picker; if a new folder is chosen, switch the project
+ * (config + watchers). Returns whether the project changed. */
+async function openFolderFlow(win: BrowserWindow | null): Promise<boolean> {
+  const next = await openDialog(win)
+  if (!next) return false
+  await resolveConfig(getRoot())
+  startWatcher()
+  startConfigWatcher()
+  return true
+}
+
+function buildAppMenu(): Menu {
+  const template: Electron.MenuItemConstructorOptions[] = [
+    ...(isMac ? [{ role: 'appMenu' as const }] : []),
+    {
+      label: 'File',
+      submenu: [
+        {
+          label: 'Open Folder…',
+          accelerator: 'CmdOrCtrl+O',
+          click: (_m, win) => {
+            const bw = win instanceof BrowserWindow ? win : BrowserWindow.getFocusedWindow()
+            openFolderFlow(bw).then((changed) => { if (changed) broadcast('project:changed') })
+          },
+        },
+        { type: 'separator' },
+        isMac ? { role: 'close' } : { role: 'quit' },
+      ],
+    },
+    { role: 'editMenu' },
+    { role: 'viewMenu' },
+    { role: 'windowMenu' },
+  ]
+  return Menu.buildFromTemplate(template)
+}
+
 function startWatcher(): void {
   if (watcher) { watcher.close(); watcher = null }
   const root = getRoot()
@@ -52,13 +88,7 @@ function startWatcher(): void {
 function registerIpc(): void {
   ipcMain.handle('project:current', () => ({ root: getRoot(), name: getName() }))
   ipcMain.handle('project:open', async (e) => {
-    const win = BrowserWindow.fromWebContents(e.sender)
-    const next = await openDialog(win)
-    if (next) {
-      await resolveConfig(getRoot())
-      startWatcher()
-      startConfigWatcher()
-    }
+    await openFolderFlow(BrowserWindow.fromWebContents(e.sender))
     return { root: getRoot(), name: getName() }
   })
 
@@ -134,6 +164,7 @@ function createWindow(): void {
 
 app.whenReady().then(async () => {
   app.setName('Helder')
+  Menu.setApplicationMenu(buildAppMenu())
   registerIpc()
   await resolveConfig(getRoot())
   startWatcher()
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/App.tsx b/src/renderer/src/App.tsx
index 1f98cdf..700df3a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/App.tsx
@@ -375,7 +375,8 @@ export function App(): React.ReactElement {
         </div>
         <Splitter onDelta={(dx) => setRightW((w) => clamp(w - dx, 280, 780))} />
 
-        <RightColumn width={rightW} />
+        {/* keyed by root so the PTYs respawn in the new cwd when the project switches */}
+        {proj.ready && <RightColumn key={proj.root ?? 'none'} width={rightW} />}
       </div>
 
       {/* status bar */}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/editor.tsx b/src/renderer/src/editor.tsx
index 8adde65..f1e1245 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/editor.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/editor.tsx
@@ -278,6 +278,7 @@ export function Editor({ tabs, active, mode, setMode, onActivate, onClose, onCon
           <div style={{ opacity: 0.5 }}>{Icon.file({ width: 30, height: 30 })}</div>
           <div className="big">No file open</div>
           <div className="klist">
+            <div><span>Open folder</span><kbd>⌘ O</kbd></div>
             <div><span>Search files &amp; content</span><kbd>⌘ F</kbd></div>
             <div><span>Copy reference</span><kbd>right-click</kbd></div>
             <div><span>Pass on to Agent</span><kbd>right-click</kbd></div>