diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/regression/command-palette.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/regression/command-palette.spec.ts
index afe1d25b471..2687ce30d85 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/regression/command-palette.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/regression/command-palette.spec.ts
@@ -153,6 +153,12 @@ test("Search projects opens a new session's project picker from a session and fr
   await dialog.getByRole("option", { name: /^Search projects/ }).click()
   await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/new-session\?draftId=.+$/)
   await expect(picker).toBeFocused()
+  // Just the projects: no "Add project", no worktrees and no key hints.
+  const projects = page.getByRole("dialog").getByRole("option")
+  await expect(projects).toHaveCount(1)
+  await expect(projects).toHaveText(/command-palette/)
+  await expect(projects.getByRole("button", { name: "Worktrees", exact: true })).toHaveCount(0)
+  await expect(page.locator(".new-session-location-hints")).toHaveCount(0)
   await picker.press("Escape")
   await expect(picker).toHaveCount(0)
   await expect(editor).toBeFocused()
diff --git a/packages/app/src/new-session/location/dialog.tsx b/packages/app/src/new-session/location/dialog.tsx
index 156f560b323..3f8924a6874 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/new-session/location/dialog.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/new-session/location/dialog.tsx
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ type LocationEntry =
 
 /**
  * Opens the new-session location dialog: one project list across every ready server, → on a Git project lists where
- * the session can run, and → on "Add project" picks the server when there are several.
+ * the session can run, and → on "Add project" picks the server when there are several. Search projects passes
+ * `projectsOnly` for just the project list: no "Add project", no worktrees and no key hints, like the other palettes.
  */
 export function useNewSessionLocationDialog(input: {
   project: PromptProjectController
@@ -43,13 +44,14 @@ export function useNewSessionLocationDialog(input: {
 }) {
   const dialog = useDialog()
 
-  return (options?: { onWorkspace?: (value: string) => void }) => {
+  return (options?: { onWorkspace?: (value: string) => void; projectsOnly?: boolean }) => {
     void dialog.show(
       () => (
         <NewSessionLocationDialog
           project={input.project}
           workspace={input.workspace}
           onWorkspace={options?.onWorkspace}
+          projectsOnly={options?.projectsOnly}
         />
       ),
       input.onDone,
@@ -61,6 +63,7 @@ function NewSessionLocationDialog(props: {
   project: PromptProjectController
   workspace: NewSessionWorkspaceController
   onWorkspace?: (value: string) => void
+  projectsOnly?: boolean
 }) {
   const dialog = useDialog()
   const language = useLanguage()
@@ -127,7 +130,7 @@ function NewSessionLocationDialog(props: {
       .projects()
       .filter((project) => matches(displayName(project), project.worktree, tagged(project.server)?.name))
       .map((project) => ({ id: projectEntryID(project), type: "project" as const, project })),
-    addEntry,
+    ...(props.projectsOnly ? [] : [addEntry]),
   ])
 
   const serverEntries = createMemo<LocationEntry[]>(() =>
@@ -163,7 +166,9 @@ function NewSessionLocationDialog(props: {
     return projectEntries()
   }
 
-  const pinned = () => !store.drilled && !store.picking
+  const pinned = () => !props.projectsOnly && !store.drilled && !store.picking
+
+  const drillable = (project: PromptProject) => !props.projectsOnly && !!project.id && project.vcs === "git"
 
   const listEntries = () => entries().filter((entry) => entry.type !== "add")
 
@@ -439,28 +444,30 @@ function NewSessionLocationDialog(props: {
             </div>
           </div>
         </div>
-        <div class="new-session-location-hints">
-          <span>
-            <Keybind keys={["↵"]} variant="neutral" />
-            {language.t("session.new.location.select")}
-          </span>
-          <Show
-            when={store.drilled || store.picking}
-            fallback={
-              <span>
-                <Keybind keys={["→"]} variant="neutral" />
-                {activeEntry()?.type === "add" && choosesServer()
-                  ? language.t("session.new.location.servers")
-                  : language.t("session.new.location.worktrees")}
-              </span>
-            }
-          >
+        <Show when={!props.projectsOnly}>
+          <div class="new-session-location-hints">
             <span>
-              <Keybind keys={["←"]} variant="neutral" />
-              {language.t("session.new.location.back")}
+              <Keybind keys={["↵"]} variant="neutral" />
+              {language.t("session.new.location.select")}
             </span>
-          </Show>
-        </div>
+            <Show
+              when={store.drilled || store.picking}
+              fallback={
+                <span>
+                  <Keybind keys={["→"]} variant="neutral" />
+                  {activeEntry()?.type === "add" && choosesServer()
+                    ? language.t("session.new.location.servers")
+                    : language.t("session.new.location.worktrees")}
+                </span>
+              }
+            >
+              <span>
+                <Keybind keys={["←"]} variant="neutral" />
+                {language.t("session.new.location.back")}
+              </span>
+            </Show>
+          </div>
+        </Show>
       </DialogBody>
     </Dialog>
   )
@@ -558,10 +565,6 @@ function WorkspaceRow(props: { title: string; value: string; description: string
   )
 }
 
-function drillable(project: PromptProject) {
-  return !!project.id && project.vcs === "git"
-}
-
 function projectEntryID(project: PromptProject) {
   return `project:${project.server?.key ?? ""}:${project.worktree}`
 }
diff --git a/packages/app/src/new-session/screen.tsx b/packages/app/src/new-session/screen.tsx
index 1e5a170886b..2ddd5a342b2 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/new-session/screen.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/new-session/screen.tsx
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ export default function NewSessionPage(props: { draftId: string }) {
     restoreFocus: model.restoreFocus,
     project: {
       empty: project.empty,
-      open: () => location(),
+      open: () => location({ projectsOnly: true }),
     },
     workspace: {
       enabled: workspace.bar.visible,
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ export default function NewSessionPage(props: { draftId: string }) {
       if (!ready) return
 
       // Search projects opened this draft; the picker returns focus to the composer when it closes.
-      if (layout.draft.projectSearch.take()) location()
+      if (layout.draft.projectSearch.take()) location({ projectsOnly: true })
       else model.restoreFocus()
     }),
   )
diff --git a/packages/app/src/shell/titlebar/titlebar.tsx b/packages/app/src/shell/titlebar/titlebar.tsx
index 93a594a8653..c67f64eb588 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/shell/titlebar/titlebar.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/shell/titlebar/titlebar.tsx
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ import { TitlebarItems, useTitlebarItems } from "@/runtime/extension/titlebar-it
 
 export const newTabCommand = { id: "tab.new", keybind: "mod+t,mod+n" }
 
-/** A draft registers its own Search projects; everywhere else it opens a new draft with the project picker open. */
+/** Search projects: a draft searches in place; everywhere else it opens a new draft with the project picker open. */
 export const projectSearchCommand = { id: "project.select", keybind: "mod+shift+o" }
 
 export const goBackCommand = { id: "common.goBack", keybind: "mod+[" }
@@ -556,16 +556,19 @@ export function Titlebar(props: { verticalTabs?: { mount?: HTMLElement } }) {
                     tabsStoreActions.closeTab(tabsStore.findIndex((tab) => current === tab))
                   },
                 },
-                {
-                  ...projectSearchCommand,
-                  title: language.t("session.new.project.search"),
-                  category: language.t("command.category.project"),
-                  onSelect: () => {
-                    layout.draft.projectSearch.request()
+                // A draft registers its own, which searches projects in place.
+                layout.route().type === "draft"
+                  ? undefined
+                  : {
+                      ...projectSearchCommand,
+                      title: language.t("session.new.project.search"),
+                      category: language.t("command.category.project"),
+                      onSelect: () => {
+                        layout.draft.projectSearch.request()
 
-                    if (!openNewTab()) layout.draft.projectSearch.take()
-                  },
-                },
+                        if (!openNewTab()) layout.draft.projectSearch.take()
+                      },
+                    },
                 {
                   id: "tab.reopenClosed",
                   category: language.t("command.category.file"),