diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/regression/mobile-session.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/regression/mobile-session.spec.ts
index 0b04c765506..d7ac4dcea78 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/regression/mobile-session.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/regression/mobile-session.spec.ts
@@ -270,7 +270,10 @@ test("the summary's changes row switches the view and keeps the side tabs", asyn
   const launcher = panel.getByRole("tab", { name: "Open file", exact: true })
   await browseFiles(page)
   await expect(launcher).toHaveAttribute("aria-selected", "true")
+  // The launcher opens beside the preview; closing the file leaves only the launcher stored.
+  await readme.click({ button: "middle" })
   await expect(readme).toHaveCount(0)
+  await expect(launcher).toHaveAttribute("aria-selected", "true")
   await page.reload()
   await expect(launcher).toHaveAttribute("aria-selected", "true")
   await page.setViewportSize({ width: 390, height: 844 })
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/regression/review.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/regression/review.spec.ts
index 9d9f641126a..8695c429be5 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/regression/review.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/regression/review.spec.ts
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ test("open file tab browses, searches, and tracks missing files", async ({ page
   await expect(tab("Context")).toHaveAttribute("aria-selected", "true")
   await expect(tab("Open file")).toHaveAttribute("aria-selected", "false")
   await expect(sidebar).toBeHidden()
-  // The New tab view hides launchers whose tab is open, so the strip's tab returns to it.
+  // The strip's launcher tab returns to it.
   await tab("Open file").click()
   await expect(tab("Open file")).toHaveAttribute("aria-selected", "true")
   await expect(panel.getByText("ReviewOpenFile", { exact: true })).toBeVisible()
@@ -204,8 +204,9 @@ test("open file tab browses, searches, and tracks missing files", async ({ page
   await expect(tab("README.md")).toHaveAttribute("aria-selected", "true")
   await expect(panel.getByText("contents:README.md", { exact: true })).toBeVisible()
 
+  // A new launcher opens beside the preview rather than replacing it.
   await browseFiles(page)
-  await expect(tab("README.md")).toHaveCount(0)
+  await expect(tab("README.md")).toHaveAttribute("aria-selected", "false")
   await expect(sidebar).toBeVisible()
   await filter.fill("nested")
   const result = panel.getByRole("option", { name: /nested\.ts/ })
@@ -228,6 +229,18 @@ test("open file tab browses, searches, and tracks missing files", async ({ page
   await expect(tab("Open file")).toHaveCount(0)
   await expect(tab("nested.ts")).toHaveAttribute("aria-selected", "true")
 
+  // The New tab view keeps offering Open file, so several launchers stay open; a pick replaces the selected one.
+  await openFileLauncher(panel)
+  await openFileLauncher(panel)
+  await expect(tab("Open file")).toHaveCount(2)
+  await panel.getByRole("button", { name: "README.md" }).click()
+  await expect(tab("README.md")).toHaveAttribute("aria-selected", "true")
+  await expect(tab("Open file")).toHaveCount(1)
+  await tab("Open file").click()
+  await page.keyboard.press("Control+w")
+  await expect(tab("Open file")).toHaveCount(0)
+  await expect(tab("nested.ts")).toHaveAttribute("aria-selected", "true")
+
   // The file browser beside file tabs keeps its DOM and scroll position across preview and pinned tab switches.
   await sidebarToggle.click()
   await filter.fill("")
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/utils/side-panel.ts b/packages/app/e2e/utils/side-panel.ts
index e8b1efd676a..745817e7043 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/utils/side-panel.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/utils/side-panel.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ export async function openFileLauncher(panel: Locator) {
   await panel.getByRole("button", { name: /^Open file/ }).click()
 }
 
-/** Opens the file browser with its shortcut, which still works while a file tab hides "Open file" from the New tab view. */
+/** Opens the file browser with its shortcut: it reuses the selected launcher, else opens another. */
 export async function browseFiles(page: Page) {
   await page.keyboard.press("Control+Alt+P")
 }
diff --git a/packages/app/src/runtime/extension/side-region.tsx b/packages/app/src/runtime/extension/side-region.tsx
index 5809af48cbc..6db384e9716 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/runtime/extension/side-region.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/runtime/extension/side-region.tsx
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ function LauncherRow(props: { item: SessionPanelMenuItem }): JSX.Element {
   return (
     <button
       type="button"
-      class="flex h-[41px] w-full items-center justify-between gap-4 rounded-[8px] border-[0.5px] border-v2-border-border-base bg-v2-background-bg-base px-3.5 text-start hover:bg-v2-overlay-simple-overlay-hover"
+      class="flex h-[41px] w-full items-center justify-between gap-4 rounded-[8px] border-[0.5px] border-v2-border-border-base bg-v2-background-bg-layer-01 px-3.5 text-start hover:bg-v2-background-bg-layer-02"
       // The new tab view stays until the tab the item opens selects itself, so nothing shows in between.
       onClick={() => props.item.run()}
     >
diff --git a/packages/app/src/shell/state/session-tabs.test.ts b/packages/app/src/shell/state/session-tabs.test.ts
index 35d3491cecc..c268e11e5a7 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/shell/state/session-tabs.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/shell/state/session-tabs.test.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ import { closeSessionTab, openSessionTab, previewSessionTab, type SessionTabStat
 
 const OPEN = "file:open"
 
+const SECOND = "file:open:2"
+
 const launchers = new Set([OPEN])
 
 const state = (all: string[], active?: string, preview?: string): SessionTabState => ({
@@ -31,6 +33,16 @@ test.each([
     run: () => previewSessionTab(state(["file://a.ts", OPEN], OPEN), "file://b.ts", launchers),
     expected: state(["file://a.ts", "file://b.ts"], "file://b.ts", "file://b.ts"),
   },
+  {
+    name: "preview replaces the selected Open File placeholder among several",
+    run: () =>
+      previewSessionTab(
+        state([OPEN, "file://a.ts", SECOND], SECOND, "file://a.ts"),
+        "file://b.ts",
+        new Set([OPEN, SECOND]),
+      ),
+    expected: state([OPEN, "file://a.ts", "file://b.ts"], "file://b.ts", "file://b.ts"),
+  },
   {
     name: "open pins the current preview",
     run: () => openSessionTab(state(["file://a.ts"], "file://a.ts", "file://a.ts"), "file://a.ts"),
diff --git a/packages/app/src/shell/state/session-tabs.ts b/packages/app/src/shell/state/session-tabs.ts
index 474dda2074c..fc05bd9d74e 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/shell/state/session-tabs.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/shell/state/session-tabs.ts
@@ -8,9 +8,17 @@ export type SessionTabState = {
   preview?: string
 }
 
-/** A launcher tab (e.g. the file browser) stays replaceable by the next preview even after reload. */
-const sessionTabPreview = (current: SessionTabState, launchers: ReadonlySet<string>) =>
-  current.preview ?? current.tabs.all.find((tab) => launchers.has(tab))
+/**
+ * A launcher tab (e.g. the file browser) stays replaceable by the next preview even after reload. With several
+ * launchers open, the selected one is the one its pick replaces.
+ */
+const sessionTabPreview = (current: SessionTabState, launchers: ReadonlySet<string>) => {
+  const active = current.tabs.active
+
+  if (active && launchers.has(active)) return active
+
+  return current.preview ?? current.tabs.all.find((tab) => launchers.has(tab))
+}
 
 export function previewSessionTab(
   current: SessionTabState,
diff --git a/packages/gui-extensions/src/file/renderer.tsx b/packages/gui-extensions/src/file/renderer.tsx
index 19c3bebacb0..93813712d66 100644
--- a/packages/gui-extensions/src/file/renderer.tsx
+++ b/packages/gui-extensions/src/file/renderer.tsx
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ import tabStyles from "./tabs.css?inline"
 
 const OPEN = "open"
 
+const isLauncher = (id: string) => id === OPEN || id.startsWith(`${OPEN}:`)
+
 const GROUP = "browser"
 
 const TABPANEL = "session-side-panel-file-browser-tabpanel"
@@ -145,10 +147,19 @@ const setup: Setup<typeof File> = (ctx) => {
     shared.reveal.run(session.key, path)
   }
 
-  const openPicker = (session: MountedSession, query: string, options?: OpenOptions) => {
+  // Reuses the selected launcher; otherwise wide screens add another one beside the open tabs, so several can stay
+  // open. Narrow screens never store a launcher, so they keep the one.
+  const openPicker = (session: MountedSession, query: string, options?: OpenOptions & { another?: boolean }) => {
+    const selected = options?.another
+      ? undefined
+      : layout.stored(session).find((id) => isLauncher(id) && active(session, id))
+
     batch(() => {
       updateFilter(session.key, { text: query, browsing: true })
-      layout.open(`file:${OPEN}`, session, { tab: "preview", background: options?.background })
+
+      if (selected || layout.narrow())
+        layout.open(`file:${selected ?? OPEN}`, session, { tab: "preview", background: options?.background })
+      else layout.open(`file:${OPEN}:${crypto.randomUUID()}`, session, { tab: "select" })
 
       if (!options?.background && layout.narrow() && !layout.side.opened(session)) layout.side.toggle(session)
     })
@@ -257,8 +268,8 @@ const setup: Setup<typeof File> = (ctx) => {
     }),
   )
 
-  const launcher: PanelTab = {
-    id: OPEN,
+  const launcher = (id: string): PanelTab => ({
+    id,
     get title() {
       return ctx.t("command.open")
     },
@@ -273,7 +284,7 @@ const setup: Setup<typeof File> = (ctx) => {
     transient: true,
     group: GROUP,
     dom: { panel: TABPANEL },
-  }
+  })
 
   const fileTab = (files: Files, id: string): PanelTab => {
     const path = () => fileTabPath(files, id)
@@ -320,16 +331,14 @@ const setup: Setup<typeof File> = (ctx) => {
     },
     list(input) {
       return input.open.flatMap((id) => {
-        if (id === OPEN) return [launcher]
-
-        if (!isFileTab(id)) return []
+        if (!isLauncher(id) && !isFileTab(id)) return []
 
         const cache = tabsOf(input.screen)
         const existing = cache.get(id)
 
         if (existing) return [existing]
 
-        const created = fileTab(input.screen.file, id)
+        const created = isLauncher(id) ? launcher(id) : fileTab(input.screen.file, id)
 
         cache.set(id, created)
 
@@ -387,20 +396,23 @@ const setup: Setup<typeof File> = (ctx) => {
     }),
   )
 
-  ctx.add(MenuItem, (): MenuItem => {
-    const session = sessions.current()
-
-    return {
+  // A new tab always offers another launcher, however many are open.
+  ctx.add(
+    MenuItem,
+    (): MenuItem => ({
       menu: "session.panel",
       id: "open",
       title: ctx.t("command.open"),
-      opened: !!session && layout.stored(session).some((id) => id === OPEN || isFileTab(id)),
       icon: "file-tree",
       keybind: "file.browse",
       order: 30,
-      run: browse,
-    }
-  })
+      run: () => {
+        const session = sessions.current()
+
+        if (session) openPicker(session, "", { another: true })
+      },
+    }),
+  )
 
   const OpenInAppButton = lazy(() => import("./open-in-app"))
 
diff --git a/packages/gui-extensions/src/file/tabs.css b/packages/gui-extensions/src/file/tabs.css
index 57a4a81edd8..676919ee4cd 100644
--- a/packages/gui-extensions/src/file/tabs.css
+++ b/packages/gui-extensions/src/file/tabs.css
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /* File tabs and the Open file launcher: tighter close button, as the host strip styled them before extensions. */
-:root body #review-panel [data-component="tabs"][data-variant="normal"][data-orientation="horizontal"] [data-slot="tabs-list"] [data-slot="tabs-trigger-wrapper"]:is([data-value="file:open"], [data-value^="file://"])
+:root body #review-panel [data-component="tabs"][data-variant="normal"][data-orientation="horizontal"] [data-slot="tabs-list"] [data-slot="tabs-trigger-wrapper"]:is([data-value="file:open"], [data-value^="file:open:"], [data-value^="file://"])
 {
   gap: 8px;
   padding-inline-end: 4px;
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
   padding-inline-start: 8px;
 }
 
-:root body #review-panel [data-component="tabs"][data-variant="normal"][data-orientation="horizontal"] [data-slot="tabs-list"] [data-slot="tabs-trigger-wrapper"]:is([data-value="file:open"], [data-value^="file://"]) [data-slot="tabs-trigger-close-button"]
+:root body #review-panel [data-component="tabs"][data-variant="normal"][data-orientation="horizontal"] [data-slot="tabs-list"] [data-slot="tabs-trigger-wrapper"]:is([data-value="file:open"], [data-value^="file:open:"], [data-value^="file://"]) [data-slot="tabs-trigger-close-button"]
 {
   margin-inline-start: 0;
 }
@@ -22,6 +22,6 @@
   #review-panel
   [data-component="tabs"][data-variant="normal"][data-orientation="horizontal"]
   [data-slot="tabs-list"]
-  [data-slot="tabs-trigger"][data-value="file:open"][data-selected] {
+  [data-slot="tabs-trigger"]:is([data-value="file:open"], [data-value^="file:open:"])[data-selected] {
   color: var(--v2-text-text-muted);
 }