diff --git a/apps/web/e2e/unterhaltungen-sidebar.spec.ts b/apps/web/e2e/unterhaltungen-sidebar.spec.ts
index ec03c7f..b3a6713 100644
--- a/apps/web/e2e/unterhaltungen-sidebar.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/web/e2e/unterhaltungen-sidebar.spec.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,25 @@ test("conversations and projects stay separate; + opens bot picker", async ({ pa
   await page.waitForURL(/\/app/);
   await expect(projekte.getByText("Side project", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
   await expect(unterhaltungenOnly(page).getByText("Side project", { exact: true })).toHaveCount(0);
+
+  // The main agent leads the picker, even after other bots exist.
+  await unterhaltungen.getByTestId("conversation-picker-trigger").click();
+  await expect(
+    page
+      .getByTestId("conversation-bot-picker")
+      .locator("[data-testid^='conversation-picker-bot-']")
+      .first(),
+  ).toHaveText("Chief");
+  await page.keyboard.press("Escape");
+
+  // Creating a project that already exists opens it instead of listing it twice.
+  await projekte.getByTestId("create-project-trigger").click();
+  const again = page.getByRole("dialog", { name: "New project" });
+  await again.getByLabel("Name").fill("side project");
+  await again.getByRole("button", { name: "Create project", exact: true }).click();
+  await expect(again).toBeHidden();
+  await expect(projekte.getByText("Side project", { exact: true })).toHaveCount(1);
+  await expect(projekte.getByText("side project", { exact: true })).toHaveCount(0);
 });
 
 test("chat header shows avatar once and composer uses generic placeholder", async ({ page }) => {
diff --git a/apps/web/src/pages/shell/bot-picker.tsx b/apps/web/src/pages/shell/bot-picker.tsx
index 925f7a7..f227b13 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/pages/shell/bot-picker.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/pages/shell/bot-picker.tsx
@@ -26,9 +26,15 @@ export function ConversationBotPicker({
   const [query, setQuery] = useState("");
   const needle = query.trim().toLowerCase();
   const matched = useMemo(() => {
-    if (!needle) return bots;
-    return bots.filter(
-      (bot) => bot.name.toLowerCase().includes(needle) || bot.title.toLowerCase().includes(needle),
+    const found = needle
+      ? bots.filter(
+          (bot) =>
+            bot.name.toLowerCase().includes(needle) || bot.title.toLowerCase().includes(needle),
+        )
+      : bots;
+    // The main agent is the usual person to talk to, so it leads the list.
+    return [...found].sort(
+      (left, right) => Number(right.kind === "main") - Number(left.kind === "main"),
     );
   }, [bots, needle]);
   const createLabel = t`Create new Bot`;
diff --git a/packages/db/src/main-agent.postgres.test.ts b/packages/db/src/main-agent.postgres.test.ts
index 74fb82d..7ab9b65 100644
--- a/packages/db/src/main-agent.postgres.test.ts
+++ b/packages/db/src/main-agent.postgres.test.ts
@@ -80,6 +80,28 @@ describePostgres("main agent and main conversation (PostgreSQL)", () => {
     expect(await findMainBotId(prisma, userId)).toBe(bots[0]?.id);
   });
 
+  it("opens an existing project instead of creating a second one with the same name", async () => {
+    const { userId, homeSpaceId } = await newUser();
+    const first = await createSpaceForMember(prisma, {
+      currentSpaceId: homeSpaceId,
+      userId,
+      name: "evOo",
+    });
+    const again = await createSpaceForMember(prisma, {
+      currentSpaceId: homeSpaceId,
+      userId,
+      name: " EVOO ",
+    });
+    expect(again).toEqual(first);
+    const home = await prisma.space.findUniqueOrThrow({ where: { id: homeSpaceId } });
+    const named = await createSpaceForMember(prisma, {
+      currentSpaceId: homeSpaceId,
+      userId,
+      name: home.name,
+    });
+    expect(named.id).not.toBe(homeSpaceId);
+  });
+
   it("gives every project its own main bot and main conversation next to the home one", async () => {
     const { userId, homeSpaceId } = await newUser();
     const home = await ensureMainConversation(prisma, userId);
diff --git a/packages/db/src/spaces.ts b/packages/db/src/spaces.ts
index e1c4ac0..32f039b 100644
--- a/packages/db/src/spaces.ts
+++ b/packages/db/src/spaces.ts
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ export async function createSpaceForMember(
   const spaceMembershipId = randomUUID();
   const createdAt = new Date();
 
-  await withTransactionRetry(() =>
+  const space = await withTransactionRetry(() =>
     prisma.$transaction(
       async (tx) => {
         const currentMembership = await tx.spaceMember.findUnique({
@@ -215,6 +215,19 @@ export async function createSpaceForMember(
           select: { organizationId: true },
         });
         if (!currentMembership) throw new IsolationError();
+        // Asking for a project that already exists opens it instead of adding a second one.
+        const existing = await tx.space.findFirst({
+          where: {
+            organizationId: currentMembership.organizationId,
+            name: { equals: name, mode: "insensitive" },
+            isDefault: false,
+            deletingAt: null,
+            memberships: { some: { userId: input.userId } },
+          },
+          select: { id: true, name: true },
+          orderBy: { createdAt: "asc" },
+        });
+        if (existing) return existing;
         const count = await tx.spaceMember.count({
           where: {
             userId: input.userId,
@@ -241,12 +254,13 @@ export async function createSpaceForMember(
           userId: input.userId,
           createdAt,
         });
+        return { id: spaceId, name };
       },
       { isolationLevel: Prisma.TransactionIsolationLevel.Serializable },
     ),
   );
 
-  return { id: spaceId, name };
+  return space;
 }
 
 type EmptySpaceDeleteInput = {