diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 09b6e29..ba0d01f 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  * the DSH credential service (falling back to the process environment).
  */
 
-import { existsSync, readdirSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { existsSync, readdirSync, statSync } from 'node:fs'
 import { mkdir, readFile, writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises'
 import { request as httpRequest } from 'node:http'
 import { request as httpsRequest } from 'node:https'
@@ -508,8 +508,52 @@ export function apply(ctx, config) {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * The workspace whose destinations file was written most recently. An empty
+   * destinations list (a scratch config, or one where every system was removed)
+   * loses to any workspace that still lists systems, so the settings page never
+   * opens on an empty page while a usable config exists elsewhere.
+   */
+  async function lastModifiedWorkspace() {
+    let best
+    let bestTime = -Infinity
+    let any
+    let anyTime = -Infinity
+    for (const row of listWorkspaces()) {
+      if (!row.path) continue
+      for (const fileName of FILE_NAMES) {
+        const candidate = join(row.path, CONFIG_DIR, fileName)
+        let mtimeMs
+        try {
+          mtimeMs = statSync(candidate).mtimeMs
+        } catch {
+          continue
+        }
+        if (mtimeMs > anyTime) {
+          anyTime = mtimeMs
+          any = row.path
+        }
+        if (mtimeMs <= bestTime) continue
+        try {
+          const parsed = await parseDestinations(await readFile(candidate, 'utf8'))
+          if (!normalizeDestinations(parsed.destinations).length) continue
+        } catch {
+          continue
+        }
+        bestTime = mtimeMs
+        best = row.path
+      }
+    }
+    return best || any
+  }
+
   async function stateOf({ sessionId, workspace }) {
-    const cwd = workspace || resolveCwd(sessionId) || listWorkspaces()[0]?.path || process.cwd()
+    const cwd =
+      workspace ||
+      resolveCwd(sessionId) ||
+      (await lastModifiedWorkspace()) ||
+      listWorkspaces()[0]?.path ||
+      process.cwd()
     const file = existingWorkspaceFile(cwd)
     let raw = ''
     let exists = false