diff --git a/desktop/playwright.config.ts b/desktop/playwright.config.ts
index 459fa75743..7a67438697 100644
--- a/desktop/playwright.config.ts
+++ b/desktop/playwright.config.ts
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ export default defineConfig({
         "**/reaction-names.spec.ts",
         "**/inbox-reactions.spec.ts",
         "**/send-channel-binding.spec.ts",
+        "**/projects-empty.spec.ts",
         "**/project-commit-detail.spec.ts",
         "**/project-inbox.spec.ts",
         "**/project-pr-review.spec.ts",
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectCards.tsx b/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectCards.tsx
index 52308f7a05..3f7a3f3531 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectCards.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectCards.tsx
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ function StatusPill({ status }: { status: string }) {
   );
 }
 
-export function EmptyState() {
+export function EmptyState({ onCreate }: { onCreate: () => void }) {
   return (
     <div className="flex flex-1 flex-col items-center justify-center gap-3 px-4 py-16 text-center">
       <FolderGit2 className="h-10 w-10 text-muted-foreground/40" />
@@ -273,6 +273,9 @@ export function EmptyState() {
           Projects published to this relay will appear here.
         </p>
       </div>
+      <Button onClick={onCreate} type="button">
+        Create repository
+      </Button>
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectsView.tsx b/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectsView.tsx
index 2f22bfe0c1..8c1a6fef5f 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectsView.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectsView.tsx
@@ -447,10 +447,6 @@ export function ProjectsView() {
     );
   }
 
-  if (projects.length === 0) {
-    return <EmptyState />;
-  }
-
   const repositoryItems =
     visibleProjects.length === 0 ? (
       <EmptyFilteredState />
@@ -646,7 +642,9 @@ export function ProjectsView() {
           </div>
           <div className="mx-auto w-full max-w-6xl">
             <div className="w-full min-w-0 pb-4 pt-4">
-              {filter === "all" ? (
+              {projects.length === 0 ? (
+                <EmptyState onCreate={() => setCreateProjectOpen(true)} />
+              ) : filter === "all" ? (
                 <ProjectsOverviewPanel
                   localRepositoryCount={localProjectCount}
                   metadata={
diff --git a/desktop/src/testing/e2eBridge.ts b/desktop/src/testing/e2eBridge.ts
index 7b13273c60..ad2b4bad53 100644
--- a/desktop/src/testing/e2eBridge.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/testing/e2eBridge.ts
@@ -146,6 +146,8 @@ type MockSearchProfileSeed = {
 type E2eConfig = {
   mode?: "mock" | "relay";
   mock?: {
+    /** Start the mock relay without seeded NIP-34 repositories. */
+    emptyProjects?: boolean;
     /** Advertised HEAD for the first mock project without adding that branch. */
     projectHeadBranch?: string;
     /** Builderlab account returned by hosted-community onboarding. Null/omitted = signed out. */
@@ -4992,8 +4994,11 @@ function buildMockProjectEvents(): RelayEvent[] {
   const daySeconds = 86_400;
   const now = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000);
   const historyDays = 26 * 7;
+  const projectSeeds = getConfig()?.mock?.emptyProjects
+    ? []
+    : MOCK_PROJECT_SEEDS;
 
-  for (const [projectIndex, seed] of MOCK_PROJECT_SEEDS.entries()) {
+  for (const [projectIndex, seed] of projectSeeds.entries()) {
     const owner =
       projectIndex === 0
         ? (window.__BUZZ_E2E_PROJECT_OWNER_OVERRIDE__ ?? seed.owner)
@@ -5096,10 +5101,13 @@ function getMockProjectEventStore(): RelayEvent[] {
   return mockProjectEventStore;
 }
 
-/** Project-scoped publishes (PR/issue comments, NIP-34 status events) carry
- * a repo-address `a` tag instead of a channel `h` tag — store them with the
- * seeded project events so refetches see them. */
+/** Repository announcements and project-scoped publishes belong in the mock
+ * project store so refetches see newly-created repositories and work items. */
 function isMockProjectScopedEvent(event: RelayEvent): boolean {
+  if (event.kind === KIND_REPO_ANNOUNCEMENT) {
+    return true;
+  }
+
   const hasRepoAddressTag = event.tags.some(
     (tag) => tag[0] === "a" && (tag[1] ?? "").startsWith("30617:"),
   );
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/projects-empty.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/projects-empty.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6605e86a32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/projects-empty.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import { expect, test } from "@playwright/test";
+
+import { installMockBridge } from "../helpers/bridge";
+
+test("first repository can be created from the empty projects shell", async ({
+  page,
+}) => {
+  await installMockBridge(page, { emptyProjects: true });
+  await page.goto("/", { waitUntil: "domcontentloaded" });
+  await page.getByTestId("open-projects-view").click();
+
+  await expect(
+    page.getByRole("heading", { level: 1, name: "Projects" }),
+  ).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("projects-create-menu")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByText("No projects yet")).toBeVisible();
+
+  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Create repository" }).click();
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("create-project-dialog")).toBeVisible();
+
+  await page.getByTestId("create-project-name").fill("first-repository");
+  await page.getByTestId("create-project-submit").click();
+
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("create-project-dialog")).toBeHidden();
+  await expect(
+    page.getByText('Project "first-repository" created.'),
+  ).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(
+    page.getByText("first-repository", { exact: true }),
+  ).toBeVisible();
+});
diff --git a/desktop/tests/helpers/bridge.ts b/desktop/tests/helpers/bridge.ts
index ca4d62ddd6..fead9edd7a 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/helpers/bridge.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/helpers/bridge.ts
@@ -132,6 +132,8 @@ export type MockAgentMemoryListing = {
 };
 
 type MockBridgeOptions = {
+  /** Start the mock relay without seeded NIP-34 repositories. */
+  emptyProjects?: boolean;
   /** Advertised HEAD for the first mock project without adding that branch. */
   projectHeadBranch?: string;
   /** Relay NIP-11 identity used to sign authoritative repository state. */