fix(app): make settings navigation deterministic

Settings detail screens must return to their logical parent regardless of the route used to enter them. Keep compact navigation in the header while preserving the desktop project-list affordance.

packages/app/e2e/browser/projects-settings.spec.ts

@@ -45,12 +45,19 @@ import {
   unblockPaseoConfigWrites,
 } from "../support/helpers/project-settings";
 import { gotoAppShell } from "../support/helpers/app";
+import { openCompactSettings } from "../support/helpers/settings";
 import {
   addProjectFlowInput,
   chooseAddProjectMethod,
   openAddProjectFlow,
 } from "../support/helpers/add-project-flow";
 import { createTempGitRepo } from "../support/helpers/workspace";
+import {
+  buildOpenProjectRoute,
+  buildProjectsSettingsRoute,
+  buildSettingsRoute,
+} from "@/utils/host-routes";
+import { getServerId } from "../support/helpers/server-id";
 
 const updatedSetup = ["npm install", "npm run build"];
 
@@ -321,6 +328,33 @@ test.describe("Projects settings", () => {
   });
 });
 
+test.describe("Projects settings — compact navigation", () => {
+  test.use({ viewport: { width: 390, height: 844 } });
+
+  test("project Back returns through Projects and Settings without reopening the project", async ({
+    page,
+    editableProject,
+  }) => {
+    await gotoAppShell(page);
+    await openCompactSettings(page, buildOpenProjectRoute());
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Projects", exact: true }).click();
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(buildProjectsSettingsRoute(getServerId()));
+
+    await openProjectSettings(page, editableProject.name);
+    await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Back", exact: true })).toHaveCount(1);
+    await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Back to projects", exact: true })).toHaveCount(
+      0,
+    );
+
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Back", exact: true }).click();
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(buildProjectsSettingsRoute(getServerId()));
+
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Back", exact: true }).click();
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(buildSettingsRoute());
+    await expect(page.getByTestId("settings-sidebar")).toBeVisible();
+  });
+});
+
 test.describe("Projects settings — error UX", () => {
   test("stale-write callout appears on save, disables save, and reload clears it", async ({
     page,

packages/app/e2e/browser/settings-navigation.spec.ts

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { test, expect } from "../support/fixtures";
 import {
   buildHostWorkspaceRoute,
   buildOpenProjectRoute,
+  buildSettingsHostSectionRoute,
   buildSettingsRoute,
   buildSettingsSectionRoute,
 } from "@/utils/host-routes";
@@ -181,6 +182,28 @@ test.describe("Settings — compact master-detail", () => {
     await expectSettingsSidebarVisible(page);
   });
 
+  test("host picker settings opens Overview and backs through the settings list", async ({
+    page,
+    withWorkspace,
+  }) => {
+    const workspace = await withWorkspace({ prefix: "host-picker-settings-back-" });
+    const workspaceRoute = buildHostWorkspaceRoute(getServerId(), workspace.workspaceId);
+
+    await openWorkspace(page, workspace);
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Open menu", exact: true }).click();
+    await page.getByTestId("sidebar-hosts-trigger").click();
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: /Open .* settings/ }).click();
+
+    await expectAppRoute(page, buildSettingsHostSectionRoute(getServerId(), "host"));
+    await expect(page.getByText("Overview", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+
+    await goBackInSettings(page);
+    await expectCompactSettingsList(page);
+
+    await goBackInSettings(page);
+    await expectAppRoute(page, workspaceRoute);
+  });
+
   test("switching the host picker on the settings list scopes host rows without navigating", async ({
     page,
   }) => {

packages/app/src/components/left-sidebar.tsx

@@ -68,9 +68,9 @@ import {
   buildSchedulesRoute,
   buildSessionsRoute,
   buildSettingsAddHostRoute,
-  buildSettingsHostSectionRoute,
   buildSettingsRoute,
 } from "@/utils/host-routes";
+import { openHostOverview } from "@/navigation/settings-navigation";
 import type { ShortcutKey } from "@/utils/format-shortcut";
 import { SidebarAgentListSkeleton } from "./sidebar-agent-list-skeleton";
 import { SidebarCalloutSlot } from "./sidebar-callout-slot";
@@ -198,13 +198,13 @@ export const LeftSidebar = memo(function LeftSidebar({ active }: { active: boole
   const handleOpenHostSettingsMobile = useCallback(
     (serverId: string) => {
       showMobileAgent();
-      router.push(buildSettingsHostSectionRoute(serverId, "connections"));
+      openHostOverview(serverId);
     },
     [showMobileAgent],
   );
 
   const handleOpenHostSettingsDesktop = useCallback((serverId: string) => {
-    router.push(buildSettingsHostSectionRoute(serverId, "connections"));
+    openHostOverview(serverId);
   }, []);
 
   const handleHomeMobile = useCallback(() => {

packages/app/src/navigation/settings-navigation.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import { router, type Href } from "expo-router";
+import { navigateToLastWorkspace } from "@/stores/navigation-active-workspace-store";
+import {
+  buildOpenProjectRoute,
+  buildProjectSettingsRoute,
+  buildProjectsSettingsRoute,
+  buildSettingsHostSectionRoute,
+  buildSettingsRoute,
+  type HostSectionSlug,
+  type SettingsSectionSlug,
+} from "@/utils/host-routes";
+
+export type SettingsView =
+  | { kind: "root" }
+  | { kind: "section"; section: SettingsSectionSlug }
+  | { kind: "host"; serverId: string; section: HostSectionSlug }
+  | { kind: "project"; serverId: string; projectId: string };
+
+export function openHostOverview(serverId: string): void {
+  router.push(buildSettingsHostSectionRoute(serverId, "host"));
+}
+
+export function openProjectSettings(serverId: string, projectId: string): void {
+  router.push(buildProjectSettingsRoute(serverId, projectId));
+}
+
+export function returnFromSettings(view: SettingsView): void {
+  if (view.kind === "root") {
+    if (!navigateToLastWorkspace()) {
+      router.replace(buildOpenProjectRoute());
+    }
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const parent =
+    view.kind === "project" ? buildProjectsSettingsRoute(view.serverId) : buildSettingsRoute();
+  router.dismissTo(parent as Href);
+}

packages/app/src/screens/project-settings-screen.tsx

@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from "react";
 import type { TFunction } from "i18next";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { Pressable, Text, TextInput, View } from "react-native";
-import { router } from "expo-router";
 import { useFocusEffect } from "@react-navigation/native";
 import { StyleSheet } from "react-native-unistyles";
 import { useMutation, useQuery, useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
@@ -47,7 +46,6 @@ import {
   type ProjectConfigDraft,
   type ProjectScriptDraft,
 } from "@/utils/project-config-form";
-import { buildProjectsSettingsRoute } from "@/utils/host-routes";
 import {
   getProjectHostEntry,
   getProjectSummaryForHostProject,
@@ -94,9 +92,16 @@ type ReadProjectConfigData = Awaited<ReturnType<DaemonClient["readProjectConfig"
 export interface ProjectSettingsScreenProps {
   serverId: string;
   projectId: string;
+  onBackToProjects: () => void;
+  showBackToProjects: boolean;
 }
 
-export default function ProjectSettingsScreen({ serverId, projectId }: ProjectSettingsScreenProps) {
+export default function ProjectSettingsScreen({
+  serverId,
+  projectId,
+  onBackToProjects,
+  showBackToProjects,
+}: ProjectSettingsScreenProps) {
   const { projects } = useProjects();
   const project = useMemo(
     () => getProjectSummaryForHostProject(projects, serverId, projectId),
@@ -116,7 +121,12 @@ export default function ProjectSettingsScreen({ serverId, projectId }: ProjectSe
     selectedHost.repoRoot.trim().length > 0;
 
   if (!project || !selectedHost || !client || !canEdit) {
-    return <NoEditableTarget serverId={serverId} />;
+    return (
+      <NoEditableTarget
+        onBackToProjects={onBackToProjects}
+        showBackToProjects={showBackToProjects}
+      />
+    );
   }
 
   return (
@@ -125,41 +135,45 @@ export default function ProjectSettingsScreen({ serverId, projectId }: ProjectSe
       selectedHost={selectedHost}
       client={client}
       isHostGone={isHostGone}
+      onBackToProjects={onBackToProjects}
+      showBackToProjects={showBackToProjects}
     />
   );
 }
 
-function navigateBackToProjects(serverId: string) {
+function NoEditableTarget({
-  router.navigate(buildProjectsSettingsRoute(serverId));
+  onBackToProjects,
-}
+  showBackToProjects,
-
+}: {
-function NoEditableTarget({ serverId }: { serverId: string }) {
+  onBackToProjects: () => void;
+  showBackToProjects: boolean;
+}) {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
-  const handleBack = useCallback(() => navigateBackToProjects(serverId), [serverId]);
   return (
     <View style={styles.noTargetContainer}>
-      <BackToProjectsButton serverId={serverId} />
+      {showBackToProjects ? <BackToProjectsButton onPress={onBackToProjects} /> : null}
       <Text style={styles.noTargetText}>{t("settings.project.noEditableTarget")}</Text>
-      <Button
+      {showBackToProjects ? (
-        testID="project-settings-back-button"
+        <Button
-        onPress={handleBack}
+          testID="project-settings-back-button"
-        variant="secondary"
+          onPress={onBackToProjects}
-        size="md"
+          variant="secondary"
-      >
+          size="md"
-        {t("settings.project.backToProjects")}
+        >
-      </Button>
+          {t("settings.project.backToProjects")}
+        </Button>
+      ) : null}
     </View>
   );
 }
 
-function BackToProjectsButton({ serverId }: { serverId: string }) {
+function BackToProjectsButton({ onPress }: { onPress: () => void }) {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
-  const handleBack = useCallback(() => navigateBackToProjects(serverId), [serverId]);
   return (
     <Button
       testID="project-settings-back-link"
       accessibilityLabel={t("settings.project.backToProjects")}
-      onPress={handleBack}
+      onPress={onPress}
       variant="ghost"
       size="sm"
       leftIcon={ArrowLeft}
@@ -175,6 +189,8 @@ interface ProjectSettingsBodyProps {
   selectedHost: ProjectHostEntry;
   client: DaemonClient;
   isHostGone: boolean;
+  onBackToProjects: () => void;
+  showBackToProjects: boolean;
 }
 
 function ProjectSettingsBody({
@@ -182,6 +198,8 @@ function ProjectSettingsBody({
   selectedHost,
   client,
   isHostGone,
+  onBackToProjects,
+  showBackToProjects,
 }: ProjectSettingsBodyProps) {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const [isEditSheetOpen, setIsEditSheetOpen] = useState(false);
@@ -257,7 +275,7 @@ function ProjectSettingsBody({
 
   return (
     <View role="main" style={styles.body}>
-      <BackToProjectsButton serverId={selectedHost.serverId} />
+      {showBackToProjects ? <BackToProjectsButton onPress={onBackToProjects} /> : null}
 
       <View style={styles.headerBlock}>
         <View style={styles.titleRow}>
@@ -306,6 +324,8 @@ function ProjectSettingsBody({
         client,
         onReload: handleReload,
         isHostGone,
+        onBackToProjects,
+        showBackToProjects,
       })}
     </View>
   );
@@ -322,6 +342,8 @@ interface RenderContentInput {
   client: DaemonClient;
   onReload: () => void;
   isHostGone: boolean;
+  onBackToProjects: () => void;
+  showBackToProjects: boolean;
 }
 
 function renderContent({
@@ -335,6 +357,8 @@ function renderContent({
   client,
   onReload,
   isHostGone,
+  onBackToProjects,
+  showBackToProjects,
 }: RenderContentInput) {
   if (readQuery.isLoading) {
     return (
@@ -353,7 +377,12 @@ function renderContent({
   }
 
   if (isHostGone) {
-    return <NoEditableTarget serverId={selectedHost.serverId} />;
+    return (
+      <NoEditableTarget
+        onBackToProjects={onBackToProjects}
+        showBackToProjects={showBackToProjects}
+      />
+    );
   }
 
   if (!loadedConfig) {

packages/app/src/screens/projects-screen.test.tsx

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import type { ProjectHostEntry, ProjectSummary, WorkspaceSummary } from "@/utils/projects";
 import type { ProjectHostError, UseProjectsResult } from "@/hooks/use-projects";
 
-const { theme, projectsState, navigate } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+const { theme, projectsState, push } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   theme: {
     spacing: { 0: 0, 1: 4, "1.5": 6, 2: 8, 3: 12, 4: 16, 6: 24, 8: 32 },
     iconSize: { sm: 14, md: 20 },
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ const { theme, projectsState, navigate } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
       refetch: vi.fn(),
     } as UseProjectsResult,
   },
-  navigate: vi.fn(),
+  push: vi.fn(),
 }));
 
 vi.mock("react-native", () => {
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ vi.mock("lucide-react-native", () => {
 });
 
 vi.mock("expo-router", () => ({
-  router: { navigate },
+  router: { push },
 }));
 
 vi.mock("react-i18next", () => ({
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ describe("ProjectsScreen", () => {
     document.body.appendChild(container);
     root = createRoot(container);
     setProjectsState({});
-    navigate.mockReset();
+    push.mockReset();
   });
 
   afterEach(() => {
@@ -334,8 +334,8 @@ describe("ProjectsScreen", () => {
       row.dispatchEvent(new window.MouseEvent("click", { bubbles: true }));
     });
 
-    expect(navigate).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(push).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    expect(navigate).toHaveBeenCalledWith("/settings/hosts/host-a/projects/project-a");
+    expect(push).toHaveBeenCalledWith("/settings/hosts/host-a/projects/project-a");
   });
 
   it("does not render a kebab menu on the row", () => {

packages/app/src/screens/projects-screen.tsx

@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import { useCallback, useMemo } from "react";
 import { Pressable, Text, View, type PressableStateCallbackType } from "react-native";
-import { router } from "expo-router";
 import { StyleSheet, useUnistyles } from "react-native-unistyles";
 import { ChevronRight } from "lucide-react-native";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
@@ -9,7 +8,7 @@ import { LoadingSpinner } from "@/components/ui/loading-spinner";
 import { useProjects, type ProjectHostError } from "@/hooks/use-projects";
 import { useProjectIcons } from "@/projects/icons";
 import { settingsStyles } from "@/styles/settings";
-import { buildProjectSettingsRoute } from "@/utils/host-routes";
+import { openProjectSettings } from "@/navigation/settings-navigation";
 import type { ProjectHostEntry, ProjectSummary } from "@/utils/projects";
 
 interface ProjectsScreenProps {
@@ -112,7 +111,7 @@ function ProjectRow({ project, host, isFirst, iconDataUri }: ProjectRowProps) {
   const { viewKey } = project;
   const { projectName } = host;
   const handleNavigate = useCallback(() => {
-    router.navigate(buildProjectSettingsRoute(host.serverId, host.projectId));
+    openProjectSettings(host.serverId, host.projectId);
   }, [host.projectId, host.serverId]);
 
   const rowStyle = useCallback(

packages/app/src/screens/settings-screen.tsx

@@ -121,27 +121,18 @@ import {
   useEnableBuiltInDaemonOption,
 } from "@/desktop/hooks/use-enable-built-in-daemon-option";
 import {
-  buildOpenProjectRoute,
   buildSettingsHostSectionRoute,
   buildSettingsSectionRoute,
   type HostSectionSlug,
   type SettingsSectionSlug,
 } from "@/utils/host-routes";
-import {
+import { useLastWorkspaceSelection } from "@/stores/navigation-active-workspace-store";
-  navigateToLastWorkspace,
+import { returnFromSettings, type SettingsView } from "@/navigation/settings-navigation";
-  useLastWorkspaceSelection,
-} from "@/stores/navigation-active-workspace-store";
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // View model
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-export type SettingsView =
-  | { kind: "root" }
-  | { kind: "section"; section: SettingsSectionSlug }
-  | { kind: "host"; serverId: string; section: HostSectionSlug }
-  | { kind: "project"; serverId: string; projectId: string };
-
 interface SidebarSectionItem {
   id: SettingsSectionSlug;
   labelKey: string;
@@ -1367,29 +1358,13 @@ export default function SettingsScreen({ view, openAddHostIntent = null }: Setti
     }
   }, [isCompactLayout, router]);
 
-  const handleBackToRoot = useCallback(() => {
-    if (router.canGoBack()) {
-      router.back();
-    } else {
-      router.replace("/settings");
-    }
-  }, [router]);
-
-  const detailProjectServerId = view.kind === "project" ? view.serverId : null;
   const handleBackFromDetail = useCallback(() => {
-    if (detailProjectServerId) {
+    returnFromSettings(view);
-      router.navigate(buildSettingsHostSectionRoute(detailProjectServerId, "projects"));
+  }, [view]);
-      return;
-    }
-    handleBackToRoot();
-  }, [detailProjectServerId, handleBackToRoot, router]);
 
   const handleBackToWorkspace = useCallback(() => {
-    if (navigateToLastWorkspace()) {
+    returnFromSettings({ kind: "root" });
-      return;
+  }, []);
-    }
-    router.replace(buildOpenProjectRoute());
-  }, [router]);
 
   const detailHeader = ((): {
     title: string;
@@ -1417,7 +1392,14 @@ export default function SettingsScreen({ view, openAddHostIntent = null }: Setti
       return renderHostSettingsContent(view, handleHostRemoved);
     }
     if (view.kind === "project") {
-      return <ProjectSettingsScreen serverId={view.serverId} projectId={view.projectId} />;
+      return (
+        <ProjectSettingsScreen
+          serverId={view.serverId}
+          projectId={view.projectId}
+          onBackToProjects={handleBackFromDetail}
+          showBackToProjects={!isCompactLayout}
+        />
+      );
     }
     if (view.kind === "section") {
       switch (view.section) {