diff --git a/desktop/src/app/AppShell.tsx b/desktop/src/app/AppShell.tsx
index 48ddb8a10f..eb5ab5a95d 100644
--- a/desktop/src/app/AppShell.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/app/AppShell.tsx
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ export function AppShell() {
     goChannel,
     goHome,
     goNewMessage,
+    goProjects,
     goPulse,
     goSettings,
     goWorkflows,
@@ -885,6 +886,7 @@ export function AppShell() {
                             scopeSearchFocusRequest,
                           ]}
                           onSelectHome={() => void goHome()}
+                          onSelectProjects={() => void goProjects()}
                           onSelectPulse={() => void goPulse()}
                           onSelectSettings={handleOpenSettings}
                           onSelectWorkflows={() => void goWorkflows()}
@@ -901,6 +903,9 @@ export function AppShell() {
                             })
                           }
                           profile={profileQuery.data}
+                          projectsOverviewActive={
+                            location.pathname === "/projects"
+                          }
                           selfUserStatus={
                             deferredPubkey
                               ? (selfStatusQuery.data?.[
diff --git a/desktop/src/app/routes/projects.tsx b/desktop/src/app/routes/projects.tsx
index 75871c03b4..bd6a7064a9 100644
--- a/desktop/src/app/routes/projects.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/app/routes/projects.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,21 @@
-import { createFileRoute, redirect } from "@tanstack/react-router";
+import * as React from "react";
+import { createFileRoute } from "@tanstack/react-router";
+
+import { ViewLoadingFallback } from "@/shared/ui/ViewLoadingFallback";
+
+const ProjectsScreen = React.lazy(async () => {
+  const module = await import("@/features/projects/ui/ProjectsScreen");
+  return { default: module.ProjectsScreen };
+});
 
 export const Route = createFileRoute("/projects")({
-  beforeLoad: () => {
-    throw redirect({ to: "/" });
-  },
+  component: ProjectsRouteComponent,
 });
+
+function ProjectsRouteComponent() {
+  return (
+    <React.Suspense fallback={<ViewLoadingFallback kind="projects" />}>
+      <ProjectsScreen />
+    </React.Suspense>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/AppSidebar.tsx b/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/AppSidebar.tsx
index bb68e75328..6d9a678659 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/AppSidebar.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/AppSidebar.tsx
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ export function AppSidebar({
   isCreatingChannel,
   isCreatingForum,
   profile,
+  projectsOverviewActive,
   relayConnectionCard,
   selfPresenceStatus,
   errorMessage,
@@ -116,6 +117,7 @@ export function AppSidebar({
   onRemoveCommunity,
   onCreateAgent,
   onSelectAgents,
+  onSelectProjects,
   onSelectPulse,
   onSelectWorkflows,
   onSelectHome,
@@ -542,8 +544,10 @@ export function AppSidebar({
                 homeBadgeCount={homeBadgeCount}
                 onSelectAgents={onSelectAgents}
                 onSelectHome={onSelectHome}
+                onSelectProjects={onSelectProjects}
                 onSelectPulse={onSelectPulse}
                 onSelectWorkflows={onSelectWorkflows}
+                projectsOverviewActive={projectsOverviewActive}
                 selectedView={selectedView}
               />
 
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/AppSidebar.types.ts b/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/AppSidebar.types.ts
index c5c93b7b84..ab35b8b598 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/AppSidebar.types.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/AppSidebar.types.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ export type AppSidebarProps = {
   isCreatingChannel: boolean;
   isCreatingForum: boolean;
   profile?: Profile;
+  projectsOverviewActive: boolean;
   relayConnectionCard: ReturnType<typeof useSidebarRelayConnectionCard>;
   selfPresenceStatus: PresenceStatus;
   errorMessage?: string;
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ export type AppSidebarProps = {
   onRemoveCommunity: (id: string) => Promise<LeaveCommunityResult | undefined>;
   onCreateAgent: () => void;
   onSelectAgents: () => void;
+  onSelectProjects: () => void;
   onSelectPulse: () => void;
   onSelectWorkflows: () => void;
   onSelectHome: () => void;
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/AppSidebarPinnedHeader.tsx b/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/AppSidebarPinnedHeader.tsx
index f1a76824a0..cad45ca405 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/AppSidebarPinnedHeader.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/AppSidebarPinnedHeader.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Activity, Bot, Inbox, Zap } from "lucide-react";
+import { Activity, Bot, Folders, Inbox, Zap } from "lucide-react";
 
 import { TopbarSearch } from "@/features/search/ui/TopbarSearch";
 import { FeatureGate } from "@/shared/features";
@@ -41,8 +41,10 @@ type AppSidebarPrimaryMenuProps = {
   homeBadgeCount: number;
   onSelectAgents: () => void;
   onSelectHome: () => void;
+  onSelectProjects: () => void;
   onSelectPulse: () => void;
   onSelectWorkflows: () => void;
+  projectsOverviewActive: boolean;
   selectedView: SidebarSelectedView;
 };
 
@@ -89,8 +91,10 @@ export function AppSidebarPrimaryMenu({
   homeBadgeCount,
   onSelectAgents,
   onSelectHome,
+  onSelectProjects,
   onSelectPulse,
   onSelectWorkflows,
+  projectsOverviewActive,
   selectedView,
 }: AppSidebarPrimaryMenuProps) {
   return (
@@ -134,6 +138,18 @@ export function AppSidebarPrimaryMenu({
             </SidebarMenuButton>
           </SidebarMenuItem>
         </FeatureGate>
+        <SidebarMenuItem>
+          <SidebarMenuButton
+            data-testid="open-projects-view"
+            isActive={selectedView === "projects" && projectsOverviewActive}
+            onClick={onSelectProjects}
+            tooltip="Projects"
+            type="button"
+          >
+            <Folders className="h-4 w-4" />
+            <SidebarMenuLabel>Projects</SidebarMenuLabel>
+          </SidebarMenuButton>
+        </SidebarMenuItem>
         <SidebarMenuItem>
           <SidebarMenuButton
             className="data-[active=true]:font-normal"
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/channel-project-features.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/channel-project-features.spec.ts
index 993c916ab3..8d13eb72c9 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/channel-project-features.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/channel-project-features.spec.ts
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ test("existing channel project data infers features with separate Projects navig
   await expect
     .poll(async () => (await acceptedProjectEvents(page)).length)
     .toBe(0);
-  await expect(page.getByTestId("open-projects-view")).toHaveCount(0);
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("open-projects-view")).toBeVisible();
   const projectsSection = page.getByTestId("sidebar-projects-section");
   await expect(projectsSection).toBeVisible();