diff --git a/packages/dashboard/app/App.tsx b/packages/dashboard/app/App.tsx
index b640d9dd21..5d2a5855a0 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/app/App.tsx
+++ b/packages/dashboard/app/App.tsx
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ function AppInner() {
   const { pushNav, replaceCurrent, removeNav } = useNavigationHistory({ enabled: true });
 
   // View state must be defined before useTasks since useTasks depends on taskView for SSE gating
-  const { viewMode, setViewMode, taskView, handleChangeTaskView } = useViewState({
+  const { viewMode, setViewMode, taskView, setTaskView, handleChangeTaskView } = useViewState({
     projectsLoading,
     projectsError,
     currentProjectLoading,
@@ -717,6 +717,7 @@ function AppInner() {
     setCurrentProject,
     clearCurrentProject,
     setViewMode,
+    setTaskView,
     currentProject,
     refreshProjects,
     toggleFavoriteProvider,
diff --git a/packages/dashboard/app/hooks/useProjectActions.ts b/packages/dashboard/app/hooks/useProjectActions.ts
index a066aa8e24..9f3a3342d3 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/app/hooks/useProjectActions.ts
+++ b/packages/dashboard/app/hooks/useProjectActions.ts
@@ -3,13 +3,14 @@ import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { pauseProject, resumeProject, unregisterProject } from "../api";
 import type { ProjectInfo } from "../api";
 import { replaceProjectIdInUrl } from "../utils/projectUrlState";
-import type { ViewMode } from "./useViewState";
+import type { ViewMode, TaskView } from "./useViewState";
 import type { ToastType } from "./useToast";
 
 interface UseProjectActionsOptions {
   setCurrentProject: (project: ProjectInfo) => void;
   clearCurrentProject: () => void;
   setViewMode: (mode: ViewMode) => void;
+  setTaskView: (view: TaskView) => void;
   currentProject: ProjectInfo | null;
   refreshProjects: () => Promise<void>;
   toggleFavoriteProvider: (provider: string) => Promise<void>;
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ export function useProjectActions(options: UseProjectActionsOptions): UseProject
     setCurrentProject,
     clearCurrentProject,
     setViewMode,
+    setTaskView,
     currentProject,
     refreshProjects,
     toggleFavoriteProvider,
@@ -62,7 +64,8 @@ export function useProjectActions(options: UseProjectActionsOptions): UseProject
     replaceProjectIdInUrl(null);
     clearCurrentProject();
     setViewMode("overview");
-  }, [clearCurrentProject, setViewMode]);
+    setTaskView("command-center");
+  }, [clearCurrentProject, setViewMode, setTaskView]);
 
   const handleOpenSettings = useCallback(() => {
     openSettings();
diff --git a/packages/dashboard/app/hooks/useTerminalSessions.ts b/packages/dashboard/app/hooks/useTerminalSessions.ts
index f5565cef1c..db874a83df 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/app/hooks/useTerminalSessions.ts
+++ b/packages/dashboard/app/hooks/useTerminalSessions.ts
@@ -241,7 +241,14 @@ export function useTerminalSessions(projectId?: string): UseTerminalSessionsRetu
   }, [projectId]); // Re-run when project scope changes
 
   // Auto-create first tab if no tabs exist after validation
+  // On Windows, do NOT auto-create because the embedded shell may invoke Windows Terminal
+  // (wt.exe) and produce native "Help" version dialogs. Users can still create a terminal
+  // explicitly from the UI.
   useEffect(() => {
+    if (typeof window !== "undefined" && window.navigator.userAgent.includes("Windows")) {
+      setIsReady(true);
+      return;
+    }
     if (tabs.length === 0 && isReady && serverAvailable && !bootstrapError) {
       // Capture current generation so only this attempt's result is accepted
       const gen = generationRef.current;