diff --git a/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectDetailScreen.tsx b/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectDetailScreen.tsx
index 60c8ac965c..2c75085c40 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectDetailScreen.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectDetailScreen.tsx
@@ -281,7 +281,9 @@ export function ProjectDetailScreen(props: ProjectDetailScreenProps) {
         description:
           error instanceof Error ? error.message : "The Git fetch failed.",
       });
+      return;
     }
+    toast.success("Remote state refreshed.");
   }, [repoSnapshotQuery, repoStateQuery, repoSyncStatusQuery]);
   // Compact branch + remote/local controls shared by the readme and Files
   // tab headers.
@@ -301,6 +303,12 @@ export function ProjectDetailScreen(props: ProjectDetailScreenProps) {
         ? "Local"
         : "Local missing",
     remoteLabel: repoSnapshotQuery.isLoading ? "Remote checking" : "Remote",
+    onCloneLocal: project?.cloneUrls[0]
+      ? () => {
+          void handleCloneRepo();
+        }
+      : undefined,
+    clonePending: cloneRepoMutation.isPending,
     canPush: repoSyncStatusQuery.data?.canPush ?? false,
     onPush: () => {
       void handlePushLocalRepo();
@@ -813,16 +821,6 @@ export function ProjectDetailScreen(props: ProjectDetailScreenProps) {
 
               <WorkspaceTabs
                 key={`${project.id}:${tabsResetKey}`}
-                cloneAction={
-                  !hasLocalCheckout && project.cloneUrls[0]
-                    ? {
-                        onClone: () => {
-                          void handleCloneRepo();
-                        },
-                        pending: cloneRepoMutation.isPending,
-                      }
-                    : undefined
-                }
                 commitDiff={commitDiffQuery.data}
                 commitDiffError={commitDiffQuery.error}
                 commitDiffLoading={commitDiffQuery.isLoading}
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectRepositorySource.tsx b/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectRepositorySource.tsx
index e627da9b04..32134793e9 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectRepositorySource.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectRepositorySource.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import { Button } from "@/shared/ui/button";
 import {
   DropdownMenu,
   DropdownMenuContent,
+  DropdownMenuItem,
   DropdownMenuRadioGroup,
   DropdownMenuRadioItem,
   DropdownMenuTrigger,
@@ -47,12 +48,12 @@ export function RepositoryBranchDropdown({
         <Button
           className={
             compact
-              ? "h-7 max-w-full gap-1.5 rounded-md bg-muted px-3 font-mono text-sm font-medium hover:bg-muted/80"
-              : "h-6 max-w-full gap-1.5 px-2 font-mono text-sm font-semibold"
+              ? "h-7 max-w-full gap-1.5 rounded-md px-3 font-mono text-sm font-medium hover:border-input"
+              : "h-6 max-w-full gap-1.5 px-2 font-mono text-sm font-semibold hover:border-input"
           }
           size="sm"
           type="button"
-          variant="ghost"
+          variant="outline"
         >
           <GitBranch className="h-4 w-4 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground" />
           <span className="truncate">{branch}</span>
@@ -82,6 +83,9 @@ export type RepoSourceHeaderControls = {
   localDisabled: boolean;
   localLabel: string;
   remoteLabel: string;
+  /** Clones the repository when no local checkout is available. */
+  onCloneLocal?: () => void;
+  clonePending?: boolean;
   /** Push of local commits, available when the local checkout is ahead. */
   canPush?: boolean;
   onPush?: () => void;
@@ -110,15 +114,16 @@ export function RepoSourceDropdown({
   controls: RepoSourceHeaderControls;
 }) {
   const isLocal = controls.source === "local";
+  const cloneLocal = controls.localDisabled && controls.onCloneLocal;
   const SourceIcon = isLocal ? HardDrive : Cloud;
   return (
     <DropdownMenu>
       <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
         <Button
-          className="h-7 max-w-full shrink-0 gap-1.5 rounded-md bg-muted px-3 text-sm font-medium hover:bg-muted/80"
+          className="h-7 max-w-full shrink-0 gap-1.5 rounded-md px-3 text-sm font-medium hover:border-input"
           size="sm"
           type="button"
-          variant="ghost"
+          variant="outline"
         >
           <SourceIcon className="h-4 w-4 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground" />
           <span className="truncate">
@@ -138,14 +143,33 @@ export function RepoSourceDropdown({
             <Cloud className="mr-1.5 h-3.5 w-3.5 text-muted-foreground" />
             {controls.remoteLabel}
           </DropdownMenuRadioItem>
-          <DropdownMenuRadioItem
-            disabled={controls.localDisabled}
-            value="local"
-          >
-            <HardDrive className="mr-1.5 h-3.5 w-3.5 text-muted-foreground" />
-            {controls.localLabel}
-          </DropdownMenuRadioItem>
+          {!cloneLocal ? (
+            <DropdownMenuRadioItem
+              disabled={controls.localDisabled}
+              value="local"
+            >
+              <HardDrive className="mr-1.5 h-3.5 w-3.5 text-muted-foreground" />
+              {controls.localLabel}
+            </DropdownMenuRadioItem>
+          ) : null}
         </DropdownMenuRadioGroup>
+        {cloneLocal ? (
+          <DropdownMenuItem
+            className="group"
+            disabled={controls.clonePending}
+            onSelect={controls.onCloneLocal}
+          >
+            {controls.clonePending ? (
+              <Loader2 className="animate-spin text-muted-foreground" />
+            ) : (
+              <DownloadCloud className="text-muted-foreground" />
+            )}
+            <span className="text-muted-foreground">{controls.localLabel}</span>
+            <span className="ml-auto rounded-md border border-input/60 bg-background px-2 py-0.5 text-xs font-medium text-foreground shadow-xs group-focus:border-input">
+              {controls.clonePending ? "Cloning…" : "Clone"}
+            </span>
+          </DropdownMenuItem>
+        ) : null}
       </DropdownMenuContent>
     </DropdownMenu>
   );
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectWorkspaceTabs.tsx b/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectWorkspaceTabs.tsx
index 3a0e960b2f..5e40e28a87 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectWorkspaceTabs.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectWorkspaceTabs.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import {
   CircleDot,
-  Download,
   GitPullRequest,
   Plus,
   RefreshCw,
@@ -48,11 +47,6 @@ import {
 } from "./CreateIssueDialog";
 import { PROJECT_PANEL_ACTION_BUTTON_CLASS } from "./projectPanelStyles";
 
-type CloneRepositoryAction = {
-  onClone: () => void;
-  pending: boolean;
-};
-
 type CreatePullRequestAction = {
   projects: Project[];
   reposDir?: string | null;
@@ -106,7 +100,6 @@ function WorkItemListHeader({
 }
 
 export function WorkspaceTabs({
-  cloneAction,
   commitDiff,
   commitDiffError,
   commitDiffLoading,
@@ -142,7 +135,6 @@ export function WorkspaceTabs({
   terminalTitle,
   viewerGitIdentity,
 }: {
-  cloneAction?: CloneRepositoryAction;
   commitDiff: ProjectRepoDiff | null | undefined;
   commitDiffError: unknown;
   commitDiffLoading: boolean;
@@ -276,19 +268,6 @@ export function WorkspaceTabs({
             <SquareTerminal className="h-[1.125rem] w-[1.125rem]" />
           </Button>
         ) : null}
-        {cloneAction ? (
-          <Button
-            className="h-8 shrink-0 gap-1.5"
-            disabled={cloneAction.pending}
-            onClick={cloneAction.onClone}
-            size="sm"
-            title="Clone repository"
-            variant="outline"
-          >
-            <Download className="h-4 w-4" />
-            {cloneAction.pending ? "Cloning…" : "Clone"}
-          </Button>
-        ) : null}
         {updatePullRequestAction ? (
           <Button
             className="h-8 shrink-0 gap-1.5"
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectsView.tsx b/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectsView.tsx
index a8a2d3bf6a..b2ced3ea44 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectsView.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectsView.tsx
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ export function ProjectsView() {
     <PageHeader
       className="pointer-events-auto mb-8"
       description="Set up and manage your projects."
-      title={activeCommunity?.name || "Relay"}
+      title="Projects"
     />
   );
 
diff --git a/desktop/src/testing/e2eBridge.ts b/desktop/src/testing/e2eBridge.ts
index 6386dfe4e5..8b66b488fe 100644
--- a/desktop/src/testing/e2eBridge.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/testing/e2eBridge.ts
@@ -9281,12 +9281,33 @@ export function maybeInstallE2eTauriMocks() {
           pulled: true,
           message: "Pulled main from remote.",
         };
-      case "clone_project_repository":
+      case "clone_project_repository": {
+        const path = "/tmp/buzz/REPOS/mock-project";
+        const commit = "0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef01234567";
+        window.__BUZZ_E2E_PROJECT_REPO_SYNC_STATUS__ = {
+          local_path: path,
+          local_branch: "main",
+          local_head: commit,
+          local_short_head: commit.slice(0, 7),
+          remote_branch: "main",
+          remote_head: commit,
+          remote_short_head: commit.slice(0, 7),
+          merge_base: commit,
+          ahead_count: 0,
+          behind_count: 0,
+          has_uncommitted_changes: false,
+          has_untracked_files: false,
+          can_push: false,
+          push_block_reason: "Local branch is already pushed.",
+          can_pull: false,
+          pull_block_reason: "Local branch is up to date.",
+        };
         return {
-          path: "/tmp/buzz/REPOS/mock-project",
+          path,
           cloned: true,
           message: "Cloned repository.",
         };
+      }
       case "sign_project_pull_request_review_request": {
         const { input } = payload as {
           input: {
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/project-commit-detail.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/project-commit-detail.spec.ts
index 8f209f7afe..52c886a0d1 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/project-commit-detail.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/project-commit-detail.spec.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ test("top-level project lists align dates and overflow actions", async ({
   await installMockBridge(page);
   await page.goto("/", { waitUntil: "domcontentloaded" });
   await page.getByTestId("open-projects-view").click();
+  await expect(
+    page.getByRole("heading", { level: 1, name: "Projects" }),
+  ).toBeVisible();
 
   async function trailingPositions(row: import("@playwright/test").Locator) {
     await waitForAnimations(page);
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/project-pr-review.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/project-pr-review.spec.ts
index b7a832fb25..fc791abefa 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/project-pr-review.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/project-pr-review.spec.ts
@@ -327,13 +327,43 @@ test("viewer without repository ownership cannot merge", async ({ page }) => {
   );
 });
 
-test("project without a checkout can be cloned", async ({ page }) => {
+test("project without a checkout offers fetch feedback and dropdown cloning", async ({
+  page,
+}) => {
   await enableProjectsFeature(page);
   await installMockBridge(page);
   await openBuzzProject(page);
 
-  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Clone", exact: true }).click();
+  await expect(
+    page.getByRole("button", { name: "Remote", exact: true }),
+  ).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(
+    page.getByRole("button", { name: "Remote", exact: true }),
+  ).toHaveClass(/\bborder-input\/40\b/);
+  await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: /main/ })).toHaveClass(
+    /\bborder-input\/40\b/,
+  );
+  await expect(
+    page.getByRole("button", { name: "Clone", exact: true }),
+  ).toHaveCount(0);
+  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Fetch", exact: true }).click();
+  await expect(page.getByText("Remote state refreshed.")).toBeVisible();
+
+  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Remote", exact: true }).click();
+  const cloneItem = page.getByRole("menuitem", {
+    name: "Local missing Clone",
+  });
+  await expect(cloneItem.getByText("Local missing")).toHaveClass(
+    /text-muted-foreground/,
+  );
+  await expect(cloneItem.getByText("Clone", { exact: true })).toHaveClass(
+    /\bborder-input\/60\b/,
+  );
+  await cloneItem.click();
   await expect(page.getByText("Cloned repository.")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(
+    page.getByRole("button", { name: "Local", exact: true }),
+  ).toBeVisible();
   const commands = await page.evaluate(
     () => window.__BUZZ_E2E_COMMANDS__ ?? [],
   );