diff --git a/apps/web/e2e/spaces.spec.ts b/apps/web/e2e/spaces.spec.ts
index 7f4abe2..e3b7ec6 100644
--- a/apps/web/e2e/spaces.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/web/e2e/spaces.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,21 @@
 import { expect, test } from "@playwright/test";
 import { captureScreenshot, completeOnboarding, openNewSpace, rpc, signup } from "./helpers";
 
+test("Projekte + opens new project dialog instead of group form", async ({ page }) => {
+  const stamp = Date.now();
+  await signup(page, `proj-create-${stamp}@rakazo.test`, "password12", "Project Create");
+  await completeOnboarding(page);
+  await page.goto("/app");
+  await page.waitForURL(/\/app\/[^/]+$/);
+
+  const projekte = page.locator(".sidebar-projekte");
+  await projekte.getByRole("button", { name: "Create a project" }).click();
+  await expect(page.getByRole("dialog", { name: "New project" })).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Create project", exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("side-panel")).not.toHaveAttribute("data-panel", "create-group");
+  await expect(page.getByText("New group", { exact: true })).toHaveCount(0);
+});
+
 test("spaces stay invisible by default and chat creation requires approval", async ({
   page,
 }, testInfo) => {
diff --git a/apps/web/scripts/translations-de.json b/apps/web/scripts/translations-de.json
index 0c8ae69..2cd65c1 100644
--- a/apps/web/scripts/translations-de.json
+++ b/apps/web/scripts/translations-de.json
@@ -476,6 +476,12 @@
   "Server name": "Servername",
   "Server URL": "Server-URL",
   "Set up voice to call": "Stimme für Anrufe einrichten",
+  "Create a project": "Projekt erstellen",
+  "Create project": "Projekt erstellen",
+  "Could not create project": "Projekt konnte nicht erstellt werden",
+  "New project": "Neues Projekt",
+  "No projects yet.": "Noch keine Projekte.",
+  "Threads by topic · folders": "Threads nach Thema · Ordner",
   "Settings": "Einstellungen",
   "Settings: General": "Einstellungen: Allgemein",
   "Settings: Usage": "Einstellungen: Nutzung",
diff --git a/apps/web/src/lib/i18n-catalog.test.ts b/apps/web/src/lib/i18n-catalog.test.ts
index 9c66389..686b4db 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/lib/i18n-catalog.test.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/lib/i18n-catalog.test.ts
@@ -180,6 +180,13 @@ describe("lingui catalogs", () => {
     expect(i18n._({ id: "Cancel", message: "Cancel" })).toBe("Abbrechen");
     expect(i18n._({ id: "Search", message: "Search" })).toBe("Suchen");
     expect(i18n._({ id: "To:", message: "To:" })).toBe("An:");
+    expect(i18n._({ id: "Create a project", message: "Create a project" })).toBe(
+      "Projekt erstellen",
+    );
+    expect(i18n._({ id: "New project", message: "New project" })).toBe("Neues Projekt");
+    expect(i18n._({ id: "No projects yet.", message: "No projects yet." })).toBe(
+      "Noch keine Projekte.",
+    );
 
     i18n.load("ko", ko as Record<string, string>);
     i18n.activate("ko");
diff --git a/apps/web/src/locales/de/messages.po b/apps/web/src/locales/de/messages.po
index f95e8d8..531066c 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/locales/de/messages.po
+++ b/apps/web/src/locales/de/messages.po
@@ -1124,7 +1124,11 @@ msgstr "Gruppe konnte nicht erstellt werden"
 msgid "Could not create section"
 msgstr "Abschnitt konnte nicht erstellt werden"
 
-#: src/pages/shell/dialogs.tsx:52
+#: src/pages/shell/dialogs.tsx:59
+msgid "Could not create project"
+msgstr "Projekt konnte nicht erstellt werden"
+
+#: src/pages/shell/dialogs.tsx:60
 msgid "Could not create space"
 msgstr ""
 
@@ -1422,6 +1426,15 @@ msgstr "Neue Gruppe erstellen"
 msgid "Create new Space"
 msgstr "Neuen Space erstellen"
 
+#: src/pages/Shell.tsx:3073
+#: src/pages/Shell.tsx:3099
+msgid "Create a project"
+msgstr "Projekt erstellen"
+
+#: src/pages/shell/dialogs.tsx:103
+msgid "Create project"
+msgstr "Projekt erstellen"
+
 #: src/pages/RoutineEditor.tsx:122
 #: src/pages/RoutineEditor.tsx:123
 msgid "Create Routine"
@@ -2454,7 +2467,11 @@ msgstr "Neuer Abschnitt"
 msgid "New skill"
 msgstr "Neuer Skill"
 
-#: src/pages/shell/dialogs.tsx:68
+#: src/pages/shell/dialogs.tsx:77
+msgid "New project"
+msgstr "Neues Projekt"
+
+#: src/pages/shell/dialogs.tsx:77
 msgid "New space"
 msgstr ""
 
@@ -2522,6 +2539,9 @@ msgstr "Noch keine Nachrichten mit {peerBotName}."
 msgid "No model catalog is available."
 msgstr "Kein Modellkatalog verfügbar."
 
+msgid "No projects yet."
+msgstr "Noch keine Projekte."
+
 #: src/pages/ModelSettingsOverlay.tsx:453
 msgid "No providers found."
 msgstr "Keine Anbieter gefunden."
@@ -3481,6 +3501,9 @@ msgstr "Wird gewechselt…"
 msgid "System"
 msgstr "System"
 
+msgid "Threads by topic · folders"
+msgstr "Threads nach Thema · Ordner"
+
 #: src/components/teach/TeachComputerOverlay.tsx:205
 #: src/components/teach/TeachComputerOverlay.tsx:213
 msgid "Teach a task"
diff --git a/apps/web/src/locales/en/messages.po b/apps/web/src/locales/en/messages.po
index 8267028..4e50962 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/locales/en/messages.po
+++ b/apps/web/src/locales/en/messages.po
@@ -1124,7 +1124,11 @@ msgstr "Could not create group"
 msgid "Could not create section"
 msgstr "Could not create section"
 
-#: src/pages/shell/dialogs.tsx:52
+#: src/pages/shell/dialogs.tsx:59
+msgid "Could not create project"
+msgstr "Could not create project"
+
+#: src/pages/shell/dialogs.tsx:60
 msgid "Could not create space"
 msgstr "Could not create space"
 
@@ -1422,6 +1426,15 @@ msgstr "Create new Group"
 msgid "Create new Space"
 msgstr "Create new Space"
 
+#: src/pages/Shell.tsx:3073
+#: src/pages/Shell.tsx:3099
+msgid "Create a project"
+msgstr "Create a project"
+
+#: src/pages/shell/dialogs.tsx:103
+msgid "Create project"
+msgstr "Create project"
+
 #: src/pages/RoutineEditor.tsx:122
 #: src/pages/RoutineEditor.tsx:123
 msgid "Create Routine"
@@ -2454,7 +2467,11 @@ msgstr "New section"
 msgid "New skill"
 msgstr "New skill"
 
-#: src/pages/shell/dialogs.tsx:68
+#: src/pages/shell/dialogs.tsx:77
+msgid "New project"
+msgstr "New project"
+
+#: src/pages/shell/dialogs.tsx:77
 msgid "New space"
 msgstr "New space"
 
@@ -2523,6 +2540,9 @@ msgid "No model catalog is available."
 msgstr "No model catalog is available."
 
 #: src/pages/ModelSettingsOverlay.tsx:453
+msgid "No projects yet."
+msgstr "No projects yet."
+
 msgid "No providers found."
 msgstr "No providers found."
 
@@ -3483,6 +3503,9 @@ msgstr "System"
 
 #: src/components/teach/TeachComputerOverlay.tsx:205
 #: src/components/teach/TeachComputerOverlay.tsx:213
+msgid "Threads by topic · folders"
+msgstr "Threads by topic · folders"
+
 msgid "Teach a task"
 msgstr "Teach a task"
 
diff --git a/apps/web/src/pages/Shell.tsx b/apps/web/src/pages/Shell.tsx
index 8107538..052f545 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/pages/Shell.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/pages/Shell.tsx
@@ -578,6 +578,11 @@ export function ShellPage() {
     null,
   );
   const [newSpaceOpen, setNewSpaceOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [newSpaceDialogVariant, setNewSpaceDialogVariant] = useState<"space" | "project">("space");
+  const openNewSpaceDialog = useCallback((variant: "space" | "project") => {
+    setNewSpaceDialogVariant(variant);
+    setNewSpaceOpen(true);
+  }, []);
   const [pickerInfoTopic, setPickerInfoTopic] = useState<"group" | "space" | null>(null);
   const [commandPaletteOpen, setCommandPaletteOpen] = useState(false);
 
@@ -2980,7 +2985,7 @@ export function ShellPage() {
                     onCreateSpace={() => {
                       setCreateMenuOpen(false);
                       setMobileSidebarOpen(false);
-                      setNewSpaceOpen(true);
+                      openNewSpaceDialog("space");
                     }}
                     onShowGroupInfo={() => {
                       setCreateMenuOpen(false);
@@ -3060,21 +3065,14 @@ export function ShellPage() {
                   <div>
                     <div className="rk-shell-section-label">{t`Projekte`}</div>
                     <p className="mt-0.5 px-0.5 text-ui-caption text-muted-foreground/70">
-                      {t`Group conversations · folders`}
+                      {t`Threads by topic · folders`}
                     </p>
                   </div>
                   <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
                     <button
                       type="button"
-                      aria-label="Einstellungen"
-                      className="text-muted-foreground/60 hover:text-foreground/90 transition-colors"
-                    >
-                      <Settings strokeWidth={2} className="size-icon-sm" />
-                    </button>
-                    <button
-                      type="button"
-                      aria-label="Neues Projekt"
-                      onClick={() => setPanel("create-group")}
+                      aria-label={t`Create a project`}
+                      onClick={() => openNewSpaceDialog("project")}
                       className="text-muted-foreground/60 hover:text-foreground/90 transition-colors"
                     >
                       <Plus strokeWidth={2.5} className="size-icon-md" />
@@ -3090,15 +3088,15 @@ export function ShellPage() {
                   }))
                   .filter((group) => group.bots.length > 0 || group.emptySpaceId).length === 0 ? (
                   <div className="p-4 text-center text-ui-label text-muted-foreground">
-                    <p>{t`No project conversations yet.`}</p>
+                    <p>{t`No projects yet.`}</p>
                     <Button
                       variant="outline"
                       size="sm"
                       className="mt-2 text-ui-label"
-                      onClick={() => setPanel("create-group")}
+                      onClick={() => openNewSpaceDialog("project")}
                     >
                       <Plus className="mr-1 size-icon-sm" />
-                      {t`Start a group conversation`}
+                      {t`Create a project`}
                     </Button>
                   </div>
                 ) : null}
@@ -4791,6 +4789,7 @@ export function ShellPage() {
 
         {newSpaceOpen ? (
           <NewSpaceDialog
+            variant={newSpaceDialogVariant}
             onCancel={() => setNewSpaceOpen(false)}
             onConfirm={async (name) => {
               const space = await rpc.spaces.create({ name });
diff --git a/apps/web/src/pages/shell/dialogs.tsx b/apps/web/src/pages/shell/dialogs.tsx
index 6170b34..2a58a41 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/pages/shell/dialogs.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/pages/shell/dialogs.tsx
@@ -31,9 +31,11 @@ function closeUnlessBusy(busy: boolean, onCancel: () => void) {
 }
 
 export function NewSpaceDialog({
+  variant = "space",
   onCancel,
   onConfirm,
 }: {
+  variant?: "space" | "project";
   onCancel: () => void;
   onConfirm: (name: string) => Promise<void>;
 }) {
@@ -42,6 +44,7 @@ export function NewSpaceDialog({
   const [name, setName] = useState("");
   const [saving, setSaving] = useState(false);
   const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const isProject = variant === "project";
 
   const create = () => {
     const trimmed = name.trim();
@@ -49,7 +52,13 @@ export function NewSpaceDialog({
     setSaving(true);
     setError(null);
     void onConfirm(trimmed).catch((reason: unknown) => {
-      setError(reason instanceof Error ? reason.message : t`Could not create space`);
+      setError(
+        reason instanceof Error
+          ? reason.message
+          : isProject
+            ? t`Could not create project`
+            : t`Could not create space`,
+      );
       setSaving(false);
     });
   };
@@ -65,7 +74,7 @@ export function NewSpaceDialog({
               className="text-muted-foreground"
               aria-hidden="true"
             />
-            <Trans>New space</Trans>
+            {isProject ? <Trans>New project</Trans> : <Trans>New space</Trans>}
           </DialogTitle>
         </DialogHeader>
         <label htmlFor={nameId} className="block text-ui-body text-foreground/75">
@@ -88,7 +97,13 @@ export function NewSpaceDialog({
             <Trans>Cancel</Trans>
           </Button>
           <Button disabled={saving || !name.trim()} onClick={create}>
-            {saving ? <Trans>Creating…</Trans> : <Trans>Create space</Trans>}
+            {saving ? (
+              <Trans>Creating…</Trans>
+            ) : isProject ? (
+              <Trans>Create project</Trans>
+            ) : (
+              <Trans>Create space</Trans>
+            )}
           </Button>
         </DialogFooter>
       </DialogContent>