diff --git a/docs/pr-media/1842/after-hover-no-workspace.png b/docs/pr-media/1842/after-hover-no-workspace.png
new file mode 100644
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diff --git a/docs/pr-media/1842/before-hover-no-workspace.png b/docs/pr-media/1842/before-hover-no-workspace.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..18e83e27
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diff --git a/static/index.html b/static/index.html
index 0b6ced4b..c1f8670f 100644
--- a/static/index.html
+++ b/static/index.html
@@ -1118,7 +1118,7 @@
   <aside class="rightpanel">
     <div class="resize-handle" id="rightpanelResize"></div>
     <div class="panel-header">
-      <span id="workspacePanelHeading" class="workspace-panel-heading" role="button" tabindex="0" title="Workspace root">Workspace</span><span id="workspaceHiddenIndicator" class="workspace-hidden-indicator" data-i18n-title="workspace_hidden_files_visible_title" title="Hidden files are visible — click for options" hidden onclick="toggleWorkspacePrefsMenu(event)"><svg width="11" height="11" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2.4" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M1 12s4-8 11-8 11 8 11 8-4 8-11 8-11-8-11-8z"/><circle cx="12" cy="12" r="3"/></svg><span data-i18n="workspace_hidden_files_visible">hidden visible</span></span>
+      <span id="workspacePanelHeading" class="workspace-panel-heading" title="Workspace">Workspace</span><span id="workspaceHiddenIndicator" class="workspace-hidden-indicator" data-i18n-title="workspace_hidden_files_visible_title" title="Hidden files are visible — click for options" hidden onclick="toggleWorkspacePrefsMenu(event)"><svg width="11" height="11" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2.4" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M1 12s4-8 11-8 11 8 11 8-4 8-11 8-11-8-11-8z"/><circle cx="12" cy="12" r="3"/></svg><span data-i18n="workspace_hidden_files_visible">hidden visible</span></span>
       <span class="git-badge" id="gitBadge" style="display:none"></span>
       <div class="panel-actions">
         <button class="panel-icon-btn has-tooltip has-tooltip--bottom" id="btnCollapseWorkspacePanel" data-tooltip="Hide workspace panel" onclick="toggleWorkspacePanel(false)"><svg width="14" height="14" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" aria-hidden="true"><polyline points="15 18 9 12 15 6"/></svg></button>
diff --git a/static/style.css b/static/style.css
index bb10fac4..dbd791b1 100644
--- a/static/style.css
+++ b/static/style.css
@@ -1160,8 +1160,10 @@
      @container queries below cut to display:none at hard breakpoints. */
   .panel-header{padding:12px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid var(--border);font-size:11px;font-weight:600;color:var(--muted);text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.1em;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:6px;overflow:visible;}
   .panel-header > span:first-child{white-space:nowrap;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis;min-width:0;flex-shrink:2;}
-  .workspace-panel-heading{cursor:pointer;border-radius:6px;padding:2px 4px;margin:-2px -4px;}
-  .workspace-panel-heading:hover,.workspace-panel-heading:focus{color:var(--text);background:var(--hover-bg);outline:none;}
+  .workspace-panel-heading{cursor:default;border-radius:6px;padding:2px 4px;margin:-2px -4px;}
+  .workspace-panel-heading.workspace-panel-heading--enabled{cursor:pointer;}
+  .workspace-panel-heading.workspace-panel-heading--enabled:hover,
+  .workspace-panel-heading.workspace-panel-heading--enabled:focus-visible{color:var(--text);background:var(--hover-bg);outline:none;}
   .git-badge{font-size:9px;font-weight:600;color:var(--muted);background:var(--hover-bg);padding:2px 7px;border-radius:4px;letter-spacing:.02em;white-space:nowrap;font-family:'SF Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;flex-shrink:3;overflow:hidden;min-width:0;}
   .topbar-source-badge{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;margin-left:6px;padding:2px 7px;border-radius:999px;background:var(--accent-bg);color:var(--accent-text);font-size:10px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.02em;vertical-align:middle;}
   .git-badge.dirty{color:var(--accent-text);background:var(--accent-bg);}
diff --git a/static/ui.js b/static/ui.js
index fe2da2fe..b7b8867b 100644
--- a/static/ui.js
+++ b/static/ui.js
@@ -3762,6 +3762,7 @@ function syncTopbar(){
   if(!S.session){
     document.title=window._botName||'Hermes';
     if(typeof syncWorkspaceDisplays==='function') syncWorkspaceDisplays();
+    if(typeof _syncWorkspaceHeadingState==='function') _syncWorkspaceHeadingState();
     if(typeof syncModelChip==='function') syncModelChip();
     if(typeof syncTerminalButton==='function') syncTerminalButton();
     if(typeof _syncHermesPanelSessionActions==='function') _syncHermesPanelSessionActions();
@@ -3795,6 +3796,7 @@ function syncTopbar(){
     }
   }
   if(typeof syncAppTitlebar==='function') syncAppTitlebar();
+  if(typeof _syncWorkspaceHeadingState==='function') _syncWorkspaceHeadingState();
   // If a profile switch just happened, apply its model rather than the session's stale value.
   // S._pendingProfileModel is set by switchToProfile() and cleared here after one application.
   const modelOverride=S._pendingProfileModel;
@@ -6234,16 +6236,37 @@ function bindWorkspaceHeadingActions(){
   };
   heading.onclick=goRoot;
   heading.onkeydown=(e)=>{
+    if(!(S.session&&S.session.workspace)) return;
     if(e.key==='Enter'||e.key===' '){
       e.preventDefault();
       goRoot();
     }
   };
   heading.oncontextmenu=(e)=>{
+    if(!(S.session&&S.session.workspace)) return;
     e.preventDefault();
     e.stopPropagation();
-    if(S.session&&S.session.workspace) _showWorkspaceRootContextMenu(e);
+    _showWorkspaceRootContextMenu(e);
   };
+  _syncWorkspaceHeadingState();
+}
+
+function _syncWorkspaceHeadingState(){
+  const heading=$('workspacePanelHeading');
+  if(!heading) return;
+  const enabled=!!(S.session&&S.session.workspace);
+  heading.classList.toggle('workspace-panel-heading--enabled',enabled);
+  if(enabled){
+    heading.setAttribute('role','button');
+    heading.setAttribute('tabindex','0');
+    heading.setAttribute('aria-disabled','false');
+    heading.title='Workspace root';
+  } else {
+    heading.removeAttribute('role');
+    heading.removeAttribute('tabindex');
+    heading.setAttribute('aria-disabled','true');
+    heading.title=t('no_workspace');
+  }
 }
 if(document.readyState==='loading') document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',bindWorkspaceHeadingActions);
 else bindWorkspaceHeadingActions();
diff --git a/tests/test_issue1786_workspace_heading_actions.py b/tests/test_issue1786_workspace_heading_actions.py
index 577351d0..718fe0bf 100644
--- a/tests/test_issue1786_workspace_heading_actions.py
+++ b/tests/test_issue1786_workspace_heading_actions.py
@@ -21,3 +21,23 @@ def test_workspace_heading_context_menu_exposes_root_reveal_and_copy_path():
     assert "path:'.'" in UI_JS.replace(" ", "")
     assert "copy_file_path" in UI_JS
     assert "reveal_in_finder" in UI_JS
+
+
+def test_workspace_heading_affordance_requires_workspace():
+    """The heading should only advertise button behavior when a workspace exists."""
+    heading_line = next(line for line in INDEX_HTML.splitlines() if 'id="workspacePanelHeading"' in line)
+    assert 'role="button"' not in heading_line
+    assert 'tabindex="0"' not in heading_line
+    assert "_syncWorkspaceHeadingState" in UI_JS
+    assert "heading.classList.toggle('workspace-panel-heading--enabled',enabled)" in UI_JS
+    assert "heading.setAttribute('role','button')" in UI_JS
+    assert "heading.setAttribute('tabindex','0')" in UI_JS
+    assert "heading.removeAttribute('role')" in UI_JS
+    assert "heading.removeAttribute('tabindex')" in UI_JS
+    assert "if(!(S.session&&S.session.workspace)) return;" in UI_JS
+    assert "typeof _syncWorkspaceHeadingState==='function'" in UI_JS
+
+    context_idx = UI_JS.find("heading.oncontextmenu")
+    guard_idx = UI_JS.find("if(!(S.session&&S.session.workspace)) return;", context_idx)
+    prevent_idx = UI_JS.find("e.preventDefault()", context_idx)
+    assert context_idx < guard_idx < prevent_idx