diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/regression/new-session.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/regression/new-session.spec.ts
index f03b2fe547d..3bcd725a0d8 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/regression/new-session.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/regression/new-session.spec.ts
@@ -92,6 +92,35 @@ test("the location shortcuts choose worktrees from every state and keep cycling"
   await expect(view.editor).toBeFocused()
 })
 
+test("Local shows and targets the main checkout when the draft opened in a worktree", async ({ page }) => {
+  const root = "C:/OpenCode/LocalFromWorktree"
+
+  const worktree = `${root}/.worktrees/quiet-river`
+
+  const created: unknown[] = []
+
+  const view = await openDraft(page, {
+    name: "LocalFromWorktree",
+    project: { sandboxes: [worktree] },
+    worktrees: () => [{ directory: root }, { directory: worktree, strategy: "git" }],
+    vcs: (directory) =>
+      directory === worktree
+        ? { current: "worktree-branch", default: "dev" }
+        : { current: "checkout-branch", default: "dev" },
+    onSessionCreate: (body) => void created.push(body.location),
+    seed: { tabs: [{ draft: "draft_localfromworktree", directory: worktree }] },
+  })
+
+  const screen = page.locator('[data-component="new-session"]')
+
+  await expect(newSessionWorktree(page)).toHaveText("Local")
+  await expect(screen.getByText("checkout-branch", { exact: true })).toBeVisible()
+  await expect(screen.getByText("worktree-branch", { exact: true })).toHaveCount(0)
+  await view.editor.fill("Run in the main checkout")
+  await submit(page).click()
+  await expect.poll(() => created).toEqual([{ directory: root }])
+})
+
 for (const binding of ["custom", "none"]) {
   test(`the picker tooltips reflect ${binding} shortcuts`, async ({ page }) => {
     const view = await openDraft(page, {
diff --git a/packages/app/src/new-session/composer-adapter.ts b/packages/app/src/new-session/composer-adapter.ts
index 8ea95f8a998..1d4d178e03d 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/new-session/composer-adapter.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/new-session/composer-adapter.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import { useLocal } from "@/providers/models/selection"
 import { useData, useServer } from "@/runtime/server/current"
 import { useServerSDK } from "@/runtime/server/client"
 import { useTabs } from "@/shell/tabs/tabs"
-import { useWorkspaceLocation } from "@/workspaces/location"
 import { createWorktree } from "@/workspaces/create"
 import { showToast } from "@/shell/notifications/toast"
 import type { DraftMcpControls } from "./mcp"
@@ -72,6 +71,7 @@ type Started = Awaited<ReturnType<NewSessionComposerAdapter["start"]>>
 export function createNewSessionComposerAdapter(props: {
   draftID: string
   worktree: () => string
+  root: () => string
   branch: () => string | undefined
   submitted: () => void
   mcp: DraftMcpControls
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@ export function createNewSessionComposerAdapter(props: {
   const server = useServer()
   const serverSDK = useServerSDK()
   const tabs = useTabs()
-  const location = useWorkspaceLocation()
   const language = useLanguage()
   const model = createComposerModelSelection({ agent: () => local.agent.current() })
   const controls = createComposerControls({ model })
@@ -97,11 +96,7 @@ export function createNewSessionComposerAdapter(props: {
     working: () => false,
     submitted: props.submitted,
     start(selection, submission, message) {
-      const currentDirectory = location().directory
-
-      const projectDirectory =
-        data.location.info({ directory: currentDirectory })?.project.canonical ?? currentDirectory
-
+      const projectDirectory = props.root()
       const worktree = props.worktree()
       const directory = worktree === "main" ? projectDirectory : worktree
       const sessionID = Session.ID.create()
diff --git a/packages/app/src/new-session/screen.tsx b/packages/app/src/new-session/screen.tsx
index 96ba967ade4..9e505420950 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/new-session/screen.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/new-session/screen.tsx
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ export default function NewSessionPage(props: { draftId: string }) {
   const composer = createNewSessionComposerAdapter({
     draftID: props.draftId,
     worktree: workspace.selection.value,
+    root: workspace.project.root,
     branch: workspace.bar.branch,
     submitted: workspace.selection.remember,
     mcp,
diff --git a/packages/app/src/new-session/workspace/controller.test.ts b/packages/app/src/new-session/workspace/controller.test.ts
index c4e0feaa49f..0e29cf7144d 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/new-session/workspace/controller.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/new-session/workspace/controller.test.ts
@@ -38,19 +38,24 @@ describe("new session workspace selection", () => {
     expect(resolveNewSessionWorktree(input)).toBe(expected)
   })
 
-  const branch = (worktree: string) => (worktree === "/project/feature" ? "feature" : undefined)
+  const branches = new Map([
+    ["/project", "dev"],
+    ["/project/feature", "feature"],
+  ])
+
+  const branch = (worktree: string) => branches.get(worktree)
 
   test.each([
-    { worktree: "main", directory: "/project/feature", createBranch: undefined, expected: "feature" },
-    { worktree: "create", directory: "/project/feature", createBranch: undefined, expected: "feature" },
-    { worktree: "/project/feature", directory: "/project", createBranch: undefined, expected: "feature" },
-    { worktree: "/missing", directory: "/project/feature", createBranch: undefined, expected: undefined },
-    { worktree: "create", directory: "/project/feature", createBranch: "release", expected: "release" },
-  ])("resolves the branch for $worktree in $directory (new branch: $createBranch)", (row) => {
+    { worktree: "main", root: "/project", createBranch: undefined, expected: "dev" },
+    { worktree: "create", root: "/project", createBranch: undefined, expected: "dev" },
+    { worktree: "/project/feature", root: "/project", createBranch: undefined, expected: "feature" },
+    { worktree: "/missing", root: "/project", createBranch: undefined, expected: undefined },
+    { worktree: "create", root: "/project", createBranch: "release", expected: "release" },
+  ])("resolves the branch for $worktree from $root (new branch: $createBranch)", (row) => {
     expect(
       resolveNewSessionBranch({
         worktree: row.worktree,
-        directory: row.directory,
+        root: row.root,
         createBranch: row.createBranch,
         worktreeBranch: branch,
       }),
diff --git a/packages/app/src/new-session/workspace/controller.ts b/packages/app/src/new-session/workspace/controller.ts
index aec07897723..77ff4ecb2ad 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/new-session/workspace/controller.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/new-session/workspace/controller.ts
@@ -26,12 +26,12 @@ export function resolveNewSessionWorktree(input: { enabled: boolean; selected?:
 
 export function resolveNewSessionBranch(input: {
   worktree: string
-  directory: string
+  root: string
   createBranch?: string
   worktreeBranch: (worktree: string) => string | undefined
 }) {
   if (input.worktree === "create" && input.createBranch) return input.createBranch
-  const directory = input.worktree === "main" || input.worktree === "create" ? input.directory : input.worktree
+  const directory = input.worktree === "main" || input.worktree === "create" ? input.root : input.worktree
 
   return input.worktreeBranch(directory)
 }
@@ -167,8 +167,13 @@ export function createNewSessionWorkspaceController(input: {
     }),
   )
 
-  const projectRoot = createMemo(() => currentProject()?.worktree ?? sdk().directory)
-  const branchDirectory = () => (value() === "create" ? projectRoot() : sdk().directory)
+  // A draft opened from a worktree session keeps that worktree as its directory; Local still runs in the main checkout.
+  const projectRoot = createMemo(
+    () =>
+      data.location.info({ directory: sdk().directory })?.project.canonical ??
+      currentProject()?.worktree ??
+      sdk().directory,
+  )
 
   createEffect(() => {
     void Promise.all([
@@ -178,7 +183,7 @@ export function createNewSessionWorkspaceController(input: {
     ]).catch(() => undefined)
   })
   createEffect(() => {
-    if (value() !== "create" || sameDirectory(projectRoot(), sdk().directory)) return
+    if ((value() !== "main" && value() !== "create") || sameDirectory(projectRoot(), sdk().directory)) return
     void data.location.vcs.sync({ directory: projectRoot() }).catch(() => undefined)
   })
   // Only the selected worktree feeds the branch label. Syncing every worktree in the inventory boots
@@ -197,7 +202,7 @@ export function createNewSessionWorkspaceController(input: {
   const branch = createMemo(() =>
     resolveNewSessionBranch({
       worktree: value(),
-      directory: branchDirectory(),
+      root: projectRoot(),
       createBranch: input.selectedBranch(),
       worktreeBranch: (worktree) => data.location.vcs.info({ directory: worktree })?.branch.current,
     }),