diff --git a/packages/app/src/screens/new-workspace-screen.tsx b/packages/app/src/screens/new-workspace-screen.tsx
index 80a560ac2..61685cef1 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/screens/new-workspace-screen.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/screens/new-workspace-screen.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useCallback, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { Pressable, Text, View } from "react-native";
 import { StyleSheet, useUnistyles } from "react-native-unistyles";
 import { createNameId } from "mnemonic-id";
@@ -41,8 +41,6 @@ interface NewWorkspaceScreenProps {
 interface PickerOptionData {
   options: ComboboxOptionType[];
   itemById: Map<string, PickerItem>;
-  firstBranchId: string | null;
-  firstPrId: string | null;
 }
 
 interface PickerSelection {
@@ -119,8 +117,16 @@ export function NewWorkspaceScreen({
   const [pendingAction, setPendingAction] = useState<"chat" | null>(null);
   const [pickerSelection, setPickerSelection] = useState<PickerSelection | null>(null);
   const [pickerOpen, setPickerOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [pickerSearchQuery, setPickerSearchQuery] = useState("");
+  const [debouncedPickerSearchQuery, setDebouncedPickerSearchQuery] = useState("");
   const pickerAnchorRef = useRef<View>(null);
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const trimmed = pickerSearchQuery.trim();
+    const timer = setTimeout(() => setDebouncedPickerSearchQuery(trimmed), 180);
+    return () => clearTimeout(timer);
+  }, [pickerSearchQuery]);
+
   const displayName = displayNameProp?.trim() ?? "";
   const workspace = createdWorkspace;
   const selectedItem = pickerSelection?.item ?? null;
@@ -161,31 +167,40 @@ export function NewWorkspaceScreen({
   const currentBranch = checkoutStatusQuery.data?.currentBranch ?? null;
 
   const branchSuggestionsQuery = useQuery({
-    queryKey: ["branch-suggestions", serverId, sourceDirectory],
+    queryKey: ["branch-suggestions", serverId, sourceDirectory, debouncedPickerSearchQuery],
     queryFn: async () => {
       const connectedClient = withConnectedClient();
-      return connectedClient.getBranchSuggestions({ cwd: sourceDirectory, limit: 20 });
+      return connectedClient.getBranchSuggestions({
+        cwd: sourceDirectory,
+        query: debouncedPickerSearchQuery || undefined,
+        limit: 20,
+      });
     },
     enabled: isConnected && !!client,
     staleTime: 15_000,
   });
 
   const githubPrSearchQuery = useQuery({
-    queryKey: ["new-workspace-github-prs", serverId, sourceDirectory],
+    queryKey: ["new-workspace-github-prs", serverId, sourceDirectory, debouncedPickerSearchQuery],
     queryFn: async () => {
       const connectedClient = withConnectedClient();
       return connectedClient.searchGitHub({
         cwd: sourceDirectory,
-        query: "",
+        query: debouncedPickerSearchQuery,
         limit: 20,
         kinds: ["github-pr"],
       });
     },
     enabled: isConnected && !!client,
-    staleTime: 60_000,
+    staleTime: 30_000,
   });
 
-  const branchNames: string[] = branchSuggestionsQuery.data?.branches ?? [];
+  const branchDetails = useMemo(() => {
+    const details = branchSuggestionsQuery.data?.branchDetails;
+    if (details && details.length > 0) return details;
+    const names = branchSuggestionsQuery.data?.branches ?? [];
+    return names.map((name) => ({ name, committerDate: 0 }));
+  }, [branchSuggestionsQuery.data?.branchDetails, branchSuggestionsQuery.data?.branches]);
   const githubFeaturesEnabled = githubPrSearchQuery.data?.githubFeaturesEnabled !== false;
   const prItems: GitHubSearchItem[] = useMemo(() => {
     if (!githubFeaturesEnabled) return [];
@@ -193,37 +208,35 @@ export function NewWorkspaceScreen({
     return items.filter((item): item is GitHubSearchItem => item.kind === "pr");
   }, [githubFeaturesEnabled, githubPrSearchQuery.data?.items]);
 
-  const { options, itemById, firstBranchId, firstPrId }: PickerOptionData = useMemo(() => {
-    const collectedOptions: ComboboxOptionType[] = [];
+  const { options, itemById }: PickerOptionData = useMemo(() => {
     const idMap = new Map<string, PickerItem>();
-    let firstBranch: string | null = null;
-    let firstPr: string | null = null;
 
-    for (const name of branchNames) {
-      const id = branchOptionId(name);
-      collectedOptions.push({ id, label: name });
-      idMap.set(id, { kind: "branch", name });
-      if (firstBranch === null) firstBranch = id;
+    interface TimedOption {
+      option: ComboboxOptionType;
+      timestamp: number;
+    }
+    const timedOptions: TimedOption[] = [];
+
+    for (const branch of branchDetails) {
+      const id = branchOptionId(branch.name);
+      const option = { id, label: branch.name };
+      idMap.set(id, { kind: "branch", name: branch.name });
+      timedOptions.push({ option, timestamp: branch.committerDate });
     }
 
     for (const pr of prItems) {
       if (!pr.headRefName) continue;
       const id = prOptionId(pr.number);
-      collectedOptions.push({ id, label: formatPrLabel(pr) });
-      idMap.set(id, {
-        kind: "github-pr",
-        item: pr,
-      });
-      if (firstPr === null) firstPr = id;
+      const option = { id, label: formatPrLabel(pr) };
+      idMap.set(id, { kind: "github-pr", item: pr });
+      const updatedAtMs = pr.updatedAt ? Date.parse(pr.updatedAt) : 0;
+      const timestamp = Number.isNaN(updatedAtMs) ? 0 : Math.floor(updatedAtMs / 1000);
+      timedOptions.push({ option, timestamp });
     }
 
-    return {
-      options: collectedOptions,
-      itemById: idMap,
-      firstBranchId: firstBranch,
-      firstPrId: firstPr,
-    };
-  }, [branchNames, prItems]);
+    timedOptions.sort((a, b) => b.timestamp - a.timestamp);
+    return { options: timedOptions.map((t) => t.option), itemById: idMap };
+  }, [branchDetails, prItems]);
 
   const triggerLabel = useMemo(() => {
     if (selectedItem) return pickerItemTriggerLabel(selectedItem);
@@ -383,12 +396,6 @@ export function NewWorkspaceScreen({
       if (!item) return <View key={option.id} />;
 
       const isBranch = item.kind === "branch";
-      const isFirstInSection =
-        (isBranch && option.id === firstBranchId) || (!isBranch && option.id === firstPrId);
-
-      const header = isFirstInSection ? (
-        <Text style={styles.sectionHeader}>{isBranch ? "Branches" : "Pull requests"}</Text>
-      ) : null;
 
       const leadingSlot = (
         <View style={styles.rowIconBox}>
@@ -408,29 +415,19 @@ export function NewWorkspaceScreen({
         !isBranch && item.item.baseRefName ? `into ${item.item.baseRefName}` : undefined;
 
       return (
-        <>
-          {header}
-          <ComboboxItem
-            testID={testID}
-            label={pickerItemLabel(item)}
-            description={description}
-            selected={selected}
-            active={active}
-            disabled={isPending}
-            onPress={onPress}
-            leadingSlot={leadingSlot}
-          />
-        </>
+        <ComboboxItem
+          testID={testID}
+          label={pickerItemLabel(item)}
+          description={description}
+          selected={selected}
+          active={active}
+          disabled={isPending}
+          onPress={onPress}
+          leadingSlot={leadingSlot}
+        />
       );
     },
-    [
-      firstBranchId,
-      firstPrId,
-      isPending,
-      itemById,
-      theme.colors.foregroundMuted,
-      theme.iconSize.sm,
-    ],
+    [isPending, itemById, theme.colors.foregroundMuted, theme.iconSize.sm],
   );
 
   return (
@@ -532,10 +529,20 @@ export function NewWorkspaceScreen({
                 searchPlaceholder="Search branches and PRs"
                 title="Start from"
                 open={pickerOpen}
-                onOpenChange={setPickerOpen}
+                onOpenChange={(nextOpen) => {
+                  setPickerOpen(nextOpen);
+                  if (!nextOpen) {
+                    setPickerSearchQuery("");
+                  }
+                }}
+                onSearchQueryChange={setPickerSearchQuery}
                 desktopPlacement="bottom-start"
                 anchorRef={pickerAnchorRef}
-                emptyText="No matching refs."
+                emptyText={
+                  branchSuggestionsQuery.isFetching || githubPrSearchQuery.isFetching
+                    ? "Searching..."
+                    : "No matching refs."
+                }
                 renderOption={renderPickerOption}
               />
             </View>
@@ -644,13 +651,4 @@ const styles = StyleSheet.create((theme) => ({
     alignItems: "center",
     justifyContent: "center",
   },
-  sectionHeader: {
-    paddingHorizontal: theme.spacing[3],
-    paddingTop: theme.spacing[2],
-    paddingBottom: theme.spacing[1],
-    fontSize: theme.fontSize.xs,
-    color: theme.colors.foregroundMuted,
-    textTransform: "uppercase",
-    letterSpacing: 0,
-  },
 }));
diff --git a/packages/server/src/server/session.ts b/packages/server/src/server/session.ts
index 84e2dcd9b..05d0f3da6 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/server/session.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/server/session.ts
@@ -4088,11 +4088,12 @@ export class Session {
 
     try {
       const resolvedCwd = expandTilde(cwd);
-      const branches = await listBranchSuggestions(resolvedCwd, { query, limit });
+      const branchDetails = await listBranchSuggestions(resolvedCwd, { query, limit });
       this.emit({
         type: "branch_suggestions_response",
         payload: {
-          branches,
+          branches: branchDetails.map((branch) => branch.name),
+          branchDetails,
           error: null,
           requestId,
         },
@@ -4102,6 +4103,7 @@ export class Session {
         type: "branch_suggestions_response",
         payload: {
           branches: [],
+          branchDetails: [],
           error: error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error),
           requestId,
         },
diff --git a/packages/server/src/services/github-service.ts b/packages/server/src/services/github-service.ts
index e23feb90f..5d6a42f63 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/services/github-service.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/services/github-service.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ const GitHubIssueSummarySchema = z.object({
   state: z.string().catch(""),
   body: z.string().nullable().catch(null),
   labels: z.array(LabelSchema).catch([]),
+  updatedAt: z.string().catch(""),
 });
 
 const GitHubPullRequestSummarySchema = z.object({
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ const GitHubPullRequestSummarySchema = z.object({
   baseRefName: z.string().catch(""),
   headRefName: z.string().catch(""),
   labels: z.array(LabelSchema).catch([]),
+  updatedAt: z.string().catch(""),
 });
 
 const PullRequestCheckRunNodeSchema = z.object({
@@ -123,6 +125,7 @@ export interface GitHubPullRequestSummary {
   baseRefName: string;
   headRefName: string;
   labels: string[];
+  updatedAt: string;
 }
 
 export interface GitHubIssueSummary {
@@ -132,6 +135,7 @@ export interface GitHubIssueSummary {
   state: string;
   body: string | null;
   labels: string[];
+  updatedAt: string;
 }
 
 export type PullRequestCheckStatus = "pending" | "success" | "failure" | "cancelled" | "skipped";
@@ -337,7 +341,7 @@ export function createGitHubService(options: CreateGitHubServiceOptions = {}): G
               "--search",
               options.query ?? "",
               "--json",
-              "number,title,url,state,body,labels,baseRefName,headRefName",
+              "number,title,url,state,body,labels,baseRefName,headRefName,updatedAt",
               "--limit",
               String(options.limit ?? 20),
             ],
@@ -361,7 +365,7 @@ export function createGitHubService(options: CreateGitHubServiceOptions = {}): G
               "--search",
               options.query ?? "",
               "--json",
-              "number,title,url,state,body,labels",
+              "number,title,url,state,body,labels,updatedAt",
               "--limit",
               String(options.limit ?? 20),
             ],
@@ -384,7 +388,7 @@ export function createGitHubService(options: CreateGitHubServiceOptions = {}): G
               "view",
               String(options.number),
               "--json",
-              "number,title,url,state,body,labels,baseRefName,headRefName",
+              "number,title,url,state,body,labels,baseRefName,headRefName,updatedAt",
             ],
             { cwd: options.cwd },
           );
diff --git a/packages/server/src/shared/messages.ts b/packages/server/src/shared/messages.ts
index f36464b64..faa788577 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/shared/messages.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/shared/messages.ts
@@ -1189,6 +1189,7 @@ export const GitHubSearchItemSchema = z.object({
   labels: z.array(z.string()),
   baseRefName: z.string().nullable().optional(),
   headRefName: z.string().nullable().optional(),
+  updatedAt: z.string().optional(),
 });
 
 export const GitHubSearchKindSchema = z.enum(["github-issue", "github-pr"]);
@@ -2598,6 +2599,14 @@ export const BranchSuggestionsResponseSchema = z.object({
   type: z.literal("branch_suggestions_response"),
   payload: z.object({
     branches: z.array(z.string()),
+    branchDetails: z
+      .array(
+        z.object({
+          name: z.string(),
+          committerDate: z.number(),
+        }),
+      )
+      .optional(),
     error: z.string().nullable(),
     requestId: z.string(),
   }),
diff --git a/packages/server/src/utils/checkout-git.test.ts b/packages/server/src/utils/checkout-git.test.ts
index 00423a38c..db3815168 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/utils/checkout-git.test.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/utils/checkout-git.test.ts
@@ -765,12 +765,21 @@ const x = 1;
     execSync("git fetch origin", { cwd: repoDir });
 
     const branches = await listBranchSuggestions(repoDir, { limit: 50 });
-    expect(branches).toContain("main");
-    expect(branches).toContain("local-only");
-    expect(branches).toContain("remote-only");
-    expect(branches.filter((name) => name === "main")).toHaveLength(1);
-    expect(branches).not.toContain("HEAD");
-    expect(branches.some((name) => name.startsWith("origin/"))).toBe(false);
+    const branchNames = branches.map((branch) => branch.name);
+    expect(branchNames).toContain("main");
+    expect(branchNames).toContain("local-only");
+    expect(branchNames).toContain("remote-only");
+    expect(branchNames.filter((name) => name === "main")).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(branchNames).not.toContain("HEAD");
+    expect(branchNames.some((name) => name.startsWith("origin/"))).toBe(false);
+    expect(branches).toEqual(
+      expect.arrayContaining([
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          name: "main",
+          committerDate: expect.any(Number),
+        }),
+      ]),
+    );
   });
 
   it("filters branch suggestions by query and enforces result limit", async () => {
@@ -786,7 +795,8 @@ const x = 1;
       limit: 1,
     });
     expect(branches).toHaveLength(1);
-    expect(branches[0]?.toLowerCase()).toContain("feature/");
+    expect(branches[0]?.name.toLowerCase()).toContain("feature/");
+    expect(branches[0]?.committerDate).toEqual(expect.any(Number));
   });
 
   it("disables GitHub features when gh is unavailable", async () => {
@@ -816,6 +826,7 @@ const x = 1;
           state: "OPEN",
           body: "issue body",
           labels: ["bug"],
+          updatedAt: "2026-04-18T12:00:00Z",
         },
       ];
     };
@@ -832,6 +843,7 @@ const x = 1;
           baseRefName: "main",
           headRefName: "feature",
           labels: ["enhancement"],
+          updatedAt: "2026-04-18T13:00:00Z",
         },
       ];
     };
@@ -853,6 +865,7 @@ const x = 1;
           labels: ["bug"],
           baseRefName: null,
           headRefName: null,
+          updatedAt: "2026-04-18T12:00:00Z",
         },
         {
           kind: "pr",
@@ -864,6 +877,7 @@ const x = 1;
           labels: ["enhancement"],
           baseRefName: "main",
           headRefName: "feature",
+          updatedAt: "2026-04-18T13:00:00Z",
         },
       ],
     });
@@ -890,6 +904,7 @@ const x = 1;
           baseRefName: "main",
           headRefName: "feature",
           labels: ["enhancement"],
+          updatedAt: "2026-04-18T13:00:00Z",
         },
       ];
     };
@@ -913,6 +928,7 @@ const x = 1;
           labels: ["enhancement"],
           baseRefName: "main",
           headRefName: "feature",
+          updatedAt: "2026-04-18T13:00:00Z",
         },
       ],
     });
diff --git a/packages/server/src/utils/checkout-git.ts b/packages/server/src/utils/checkout-git.ts
index 8d11b9b21..e6d877f37 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/utils/checkout-git.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/utils/checkout-git.ts
@@ -128,6 +128,11 @@ interface GitRef {
   committerDate: number;
 }
 
+export interface BranchSuggestion {
+  name: string;
+  committerDate: number;
+}
+
 async function listGitRefs(cwd: string, refPrefix: string): Promise<GitRef[]> {
   const { stdout } = await runGitCommand(
     [
@@ -181,7 +186,7 @@ function sortBranchSuggestions(
 export async function listBranchSuggestions(
   cwd: string,
   options?: { query?: string; limit?: number },
-): Promise<string[]> {
+): Promise<BranchSuggestion[]> {
   await requireGitRepo(cwd);
 
   const requestedLimit = options?.limit ?? 50;
@@ -227,7 +232,10 @@ export async function listBranchSuggestions(
   }
 
   const ordered = sortBranchSuggestions(filteredNames, branchMeta, query);
-  return ordered.slice(0, limit);
+  return ordered.slice(0, limit).map((name) => ({
+    name,
+    committerDate: branchMeta.get(name)?.committerDate ?? 0,
+  }));
 }
 
 async function listCheckoutFileChanges(
@@ -1936,6 +1944,7 @@ export interface GitHubSearchResult {
     labels: string[];
     baseRefName?: string | null;
     headRefName?: string | null;
+    updatedAt?: string;
   }>;
   githubFeaturesEnabled: boolean;
 }
@@ -1997,6 +2006,7 @@ export async function searchGitHubIssuesAndPrs(
           labels: item.labels,
           baseRefName: null,
           headRefName: null,
+          updatedAt: item.updatedAt,
         });
       }
     }
@@ -2013,6 +2023,7 @@ export async function searchGitHubIssuesAndPrs(
           labels: item.labels,
           baseRefName: item.baseRefName,
           headRefName: item.headRefName,
+          updatedAt: item.updatedAt,
         });
       }
     }