diff --git a/devices/wda_foreground_app.go b/devices/wda_foreground_app.go
index 9351b79..9cf1623 100644
--- a/devices/wda_foreground_app.go
+++ b/devices/wda_foreground_app.go
@@ -2,10 +2,16 @@ package devices
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/mobile-next/mobilecli/devices/devicekit"
 )
 
+// springboardBundleID is the home screen. A real device lists it among its
+// installed apps as "SpringBoard"; a simulator does not list it, and WDA names
+// it with a single space.
+const springboardBundleID = "com.apple.springboard"
+
 // wdaForegroundApp asks WDA which app is in the foreground and enriches the
 // answer with version details from the device's installed-app list. Shared by
 // the physical-device and simulator implementations, which both talk to WDA.
@@ -22,7 +28,12 @@ func wdaForegroundApp(client *devicekit.DeviceKitClient, listApps func(onlyLaunc
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to list apps: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// find the matching app to get full details
+	return foregroundAppFromWDA(activeApp, apps), nil
+}
+
+// foregroundAppFromWDA describes the app WDA reports in the foreground, using
+// the installed-app entry when there is one.
+func foregroundAppFromWDA(activeApp *devicekit.ActiveAppInfo, apps []InstalledAppInfo) *ForegroundAppInfo {
 	for _, app := range apps {
 		if app.PackageName == activeApp.BundleID {
 			return &ForegroundAppInfo{
@@ -30,15 +41,29 @@ func wdaForegroundApp(client *devicekit.DeviceKitClient, listApps func(onlyLaunc
 				AppName:     app.AppName,
 				Version:     app.Version,
 				Activity:    activeApp.ViewController,
-			}, nil
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
-	// if app not found in list (e.g., system app), return info from WDA only
+	// not in the list (e.g., a system app): describe it from WDA alone
 	return &ForegroundAppInfo{
 		PackageName: activeApp.BundleID,
-		AppName:     activeApp.Name,
+		AppName:     wdaAppName(activeApp),
 		Version:     "",
 		Activity:    activeApp.ViewController,
-	}, nil
+	}
+}
+
+// wdaAppName is the name WDA reports for an app, or, when that name is blank,
+// the name a real device lists for the home screen and the bundle ID for any
+// other app, as the Android foreground app does for an app without a label.
+func wdaAppName(activeApp *devicekit.ActiveAppInfo) string {
+	name := strings.TrimSpace(activeApp.Name)
+	if name != "" {
+		return name
+	}
+	if activeApp.BundleID == springboardBundleID {
+		return "SpringBoard"
+	}
+	return activeApp.BundleID
 }
diff --git a/devices/wda_foreground_app_test.go b/devices/wda_foreground_app_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cbfa849
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devices/wda_foreground_app_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+package devices
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/mobile-next/mobilecli/devices/devicekit"
+)
+
+func activeApp(bundleID string, name string) *devicekit.ActiveAppInfo {
+	return &devicekit.ActiveAppInfo{BundleID: bundleID, Name: name, ViewController: "SomeController"}
+}
+
+func TestForegroundAppNamesTheHomeScreenSpringBoardWhenWDAGivesABlankName(t *testing.T) {
+	app := foregroundAppFromWDA(activeApp("com.apple.springboard", " "), nil)
+
+	if app.AppName != "SpringBoard" {
+		t.Errorf("got app name %q, want %q", app.AppName, "SpringBoard")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestForegroundAppFallsBackToTheBundleIDWhenWDAGivesABlankName(t *testing.T) {
+	app := foregroundAppFromWDA(activeApp("com.example.system", "  "), nil)
+
+	if app.AppName != "com.example.system" {
+		t.Errorf("got app name %q, want the bundle ID", app.AppName)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestForegroundAppKeepsTheNameWDAReports(t *testing.T) {
+	app := foregroundAppFromWDA(activeApp("com.example.system", "System Thing"), nil)
+
+	if app.AppName != "System Thing" {
+		t.Errorf("got app name %q, want %q", app.AppName, "System Thing")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestForegroundAppPrefersTheInstalledAppEntry(t *testing.T) {
+	installed := []InstalledAppInfo{{PackageName: "com.example.app", AppName: "Example", Version: "1.2"}}
+
+	app := foregroundAppFromWDA(activeApp("com.example.app", " "), installed)
+
+	if app.AppName != "Example" || app.Version != "1.2" || app.Activity != "SomeController" {
+		t.Errorf("got %+v, want the installed app's name and version with WDA's activity", app)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/test/simulator.spec.ts b/test/simulator.spec.ts
index 196dfff..26ef1cd 100644
--- a/test/simulator.spec.ts
+++ b/test/simulator.spec.ts
@@ -261,6 +261,19 @@ test.describe('iOS Simulator Tests', () => {
 				verifySpringBoardIsForeground(foregroundAfterHome);
 			});
 
+			test('should name the home screen SpringBoard, as a real device does', async () => {
+				test.skip(!simulatorId, 'simulator not found');
+
+				pressButton(simulatorId, 'HOME');
+				await eventually(
+					() => getForegroundApp(simulatorId).data.packageName,
+					'the home screen never came to the front',
+				).toBe('com.apple.springboard');
+
+				// the agent reports springboard's name as a single space
+				expect(getForegroundApp(simulatorId).data.appName).toBe('SpringBoard');
+			});
+
 			test('should set and read back clipboard text', async () => {
 				test.skip(!simulatorId, 'simulator not found');