diff --git a/packages/ui/src/sync/session-ui-store.test.js b/packages/ui/src/sync/session-ui-store.test.js
index e4488f40..b97afbfe 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/sync/session-ui-store.test.js
+++ b/packages/ui/src/sync/session-ui-store.test.js
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, test } from 'bun:test';
 import { opencodeClient } from '@/lib/opencode/client';
+import { useProjectsStore } from '@/stores/useProjectsStore';
+import { useDirectoryStore } from '@/stores/useDirectoryStore';
 import { useSessionWorktreeStore } from './session-worktree-store';
 import { routeMessage, useSessionUIStore } from './session-ui-store';
 import { setActionRefs, setOptimisticRefs } from './session-actions';
@@ -226,6 +228,50 @@ describe('routeMessage directory scoping', () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe('openNewSessionDraft project binding', () => {
+  const projectA = { id: 'proj-a', path: '/projects/alpha', label: 'Alpha' };
+  const projectB = { id: 'proj-b', path: '/projects/beta', label: 'Beta' };
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    useSessionUIStore.setState({
+      currentSessionId: null,
+      currentSessionDirectory: null,
+      newSessionDraft: { open: false, directoryOverride: null, parentID: null },
+      availableWorktreesByProject: new Map(),
+    });
+    useProjectsStore.setState({
+      projects: [projectA, projectB],
+      activeProjectId: projectA.id,
+    });
+    useDirectoryStore.getState().setDirectory(projectB.path, { showOverlay: false });
+  });
+
+  test('binds draft to active project when current directory differs', () => {
+    useSessionUIStore.getState().openNewSessionDraft();
+    const draft = useSessionUIStore.getState().newSessionDraft;
+
+    expect(draft.open).toBe(true);
+    expect(draft.selectedProjectId).toBe(projectA.id);
+    expect(draft.directoryOverride).toBe(projectA.path);
+  });
+
+  test('respects explicit directoryOverride over active project', () => {
+    useSessionUIStore.getState().openNewSessionDraft({ directoryOverride: '/projects/beta/src' });
+    const draft = useSessionUIStore.getState().newSessionDraft;
+
+    expect(draft.open).toBe(true);
+    expect(draft.directoryOverride).toBe('/projects/beta/src');
+  });
+
+  test('respects explicit selectedProjectId over active project', () => {
+    useSessionUIStore.getState().openNewSessionDraft({ selectedProjectId: projectB.id });
+    const draft = useSessionUIStore.getState().newSessionDraft;
+
+    expect(draft.open).toBe(true);
+    expect(draft.selectedProjectId).toBe(projectB.id);
+  });
+});
+
 describe('routeMessage skill invocation', () => {
   // OpenCode registers every skill as a command (source: "skill"), so a skill
   // selected from the slash menu must be dispatched via session.command so its
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/sync/session-ui-store.ts b/packages/ui/src/sync/session-ui-store.ts
index e2f3a248..6ae058d9 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/sync/session-ui-store.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/sync/session-ui-store.ts
@@ -626,6 +626,7 @@ export const useSessionUIStore = create<SessionUIState>()((set, get) => ({
       if (explicitProject || explicitDirectory !== null) {
         return explicitProject ?? inferredProjectFromDir ?? fallbackProject
       }
+      if (activeProject) return activeProject
       if (currentDirectory) return currentDirProject ?? fallbackProject
       return persistedProjectByDir ?? persistedProjectById ?? fallbackProject
     })()
@@ -633,6 +634,8 @@ export const useSessionUIStore = create<SessionUIState>()((set, get) => ({
     const directory = (() => {
       if (explicitDirectory !== null) return explicitDirectory
       if (explicitProject) return normalizePath(explicitProject.path ?? null)
+      const selectedProjectPath = normalizePath(selectedProject?.path ?? null)
+      if (selectedProjectPath && selectedProjectPath !== currentDirectory) return selectedProjectPath
       if (currentDirectory) return currentDirectory
       if (persistedTarget?.directory) return persistedTarget.directory
       return normalizePath(selectedProject?.path ?? null)