diff --git a/src/main/ipc/app.test.ts b/src/main/ipc/app.test.ts
index 68c3403c8..1718134d4 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/app.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/app.test.ts
@@ -1,14 +1,24 @@
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
-const { handlers, appExitMock, appQuitMock, appRelaunchMock, execFileMock, destroySystemTrayMock } =
-  vi.hoisted(() => ({
-    handlers: new Map<string, (_event: unknown, args?: unknown) => unknown>(),
-    appExitMock: vi.fn(),
-    appQuitMock: vi.fn(),
-    appRelaunchMock: vi.fn(),
-    execFileMock: vi.fn(),
-    destroySystemTrayMock: vi.fn()
-  }))
+const {
+  handlers,
+  appExitMock,
+  appQuitMock,
+  appRelaunchMock,
+  execFileMock,
+  destroySystemTrayMock,
+  showOpenDialogMock,
+  grantFloatingWorkspaceDirectoryMock
+} = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  handlers: new Map<string, (_event: unknown, args?: unknown) => unknown>(),
+  appExitMock: vi.fn(),
+  appQuitMock: vi.fn(),
+  appRelaunchMock: vi.fn(),
+  execFileMock: vi.fn(),
+  destroySystemTrayMock: vi.fn(),
+  showOpenDialogMock: vi.fn(),
+  grantFloatingWorkspaceDirectoryMock: vi.fn()
+}))
 
 vi.mock('node:child_process', () => ({
   execFile: execFileMock
@@ -26,7 +36,7 @@ vi.mock('electron', () => ({
     fromWebContents: vi.fn(() => null)
   },
   dialog: {
-    showOpenDialog: vi.fn()
+    showOpenDialog: showOpenDialogMock
   },
   ipcMain: {
     handle: vi.fn((channel: string, handler: (_event: unknown, args?: unknown) => unknown) => {
@@ -43,6 +53,12 @@ vi.mock('../tray/system-tray', () => ({
   destroySystemTray: destroySystemTrayMock
 }))
 
+vi.mock('./floating-workspace-directory', () => ({
+  ensureDefaultFloatingWorkspacePath: vi.fn(),
+  grantFloatingWorkspaceDirectory: grantFloatingWorkspaceDirectoryMock,
+  resolveFloatingTerminalCwd: vi.fn()
+}))
+
 import { registerAppHandlers } from './app'
 
 describe('registerAppHandlers', () => {
@@ -56,6 +72,8 @@ describe('registerAppHandlers', () => {
     appRelaunchMock.mockReset()
     execFileMock.mockReset()
     destroySystemTrayMock.mockReset()
+    showOpenDialogMock.mockReset()
+    grantFloatingWorkspaceDirectoryMock.mockReset()
     Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { value: originalPlatform, configurable: true })
   })
 
@@ -177,4 +195,21 @@ describe('registerAppHandlers', () => {
     await expect(resultPromise).resolves.toBeNull()
     expect(killMock).toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
+
+  it('picks an existing floating workspace directory without enabling native directory creation', async () => {
+    const store = {}
+    showOpenDialogMock.mockResolvedValue({
+      canceled: false,
+      filePaths: ['/Users/kaylee/notes']
+    })
+    registerAppHandlers(store as never)
+
+    await expect(
+      handlers.get('app:pickFloatingWorkspaceDirectory')?.({ sender: {} })
+    ).resolves.toBe('/Users/kaylee/notes')
+    expect(showOpenDialogMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      properties: ['openDirectory']
+    })
+    expect(grantFloatingWorkspaceDirectoryMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(store, '/Users/kaylee/notes')
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/app.ts b/src/main/ipc/app.ts
index e16b70b40..be33ef389 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/app.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/app.ts
@@ -57,7 +57,9 @@ async function pickFloatingWorkspaceDirectory(
 ): Promise<string | null> {
   const parentWindow = BrowserWindow.fromWebContents(event.sender)
   const options = {
-    properties: ['openDirectory', 'createDirectory']
+    // Why: this picker grants access to an existing workspace directory.
+    // Creation belongs to explicit file/write actions, not typeahead input.
+    properties: ['openDirectory']
   } satisfies Electron.OpenDialogOptions
   const result = parentWindow
     ? await dialog.showOpenDialog(parentWindow, options)
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/repos-picker.test.ts b/src/main/ipc/repos-picker.test.ts
index 5d454bb1a..fb713ef6a 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/repos-picker.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/repos-picker.test.ts
@@ -64,6 +64,14 @@ describe('repos folder pickers', () => {
     return handler(null, undefined) as Promise<string[]>
   }
 
+  const callPickDirectory = (): Promise<string | null> => {
+    const handler = handlers.get('repos:pickDirectory')
+    if (!handler) {
+      throw new Error('repos:pickDirectory handler was never registered')
+    }
+    return handler(null, undefined) as Promise<string | null>
+  }
+
   beforeEach(() => {
     handlers.clear()
     handleMock.mockReset()
@@ -101,4 +109,18 @@ describe('repos folder pickers', () => {
 
     await expect(callPickFolders()).resolves.toEqual([])
   })
+
+  it('picks an existing directory without enabling native directory creation', async () => {
+    const parentDir = join(sep, 'projects')
+    showOpenDialogMock.mockResolvedValue({
+      canceled: false,
+      filePaths: [parentDir]
+    })
+
+    await expect(callPickDirectory()).resolves.toBe(parentDir)
+
+    expect(showOpenDialogMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(mockWindow, {
+      properties: ['openDirectory']
+    })
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/repos.ts b/src/main/ipc/repos.ts
index 55827fe1b..43d048a22 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/repos.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/repos.ts
@@ -2070,7 +2070,9 @@ export function registerRepoHandlers(mainWindow: BrowserWindow, store: Store): v
   // destination directory that may not be a git repo yet.
   ipcMain.handle('repos:pickDirectory', async () => {
     const result = await dialog.showOpenDialog(mainWindow, {
-      properties: ['openDirectory', 'createDirectory']
+      // Why: macOS can materialize typed partial paths when directory creation
+      // is enabled; clone/create actions already create the final path on submit.
+      properties: ['openDirectory']
     })
     if (result.canceled || result.filePaths.length === 0) {
       return null
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/shell.test.ts b/src/main/ipc/shell.test.ts
index ad7b03e06..24ac41e2d 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/shell.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/shell.test.ts
@@ -132,6 +132,22 @@ describe('registerShellHandlers', () => {
     await expect(handler({})).resolves.toBeNull()
   })
 
+  it('picks an existing directory without enabling native directory creation', async () => {
+    showOpenDialogMock.mockResolvedValue({
+      canceled: false,
+      filePaths: ['/Users/kaylee/projects']
+    })
+
+    const handler = getHandler('shell:pickDirectory')
+    await expect(handler({}, { defaultPath: '/Users/kaylee' })).resolves.toBe(
+      '/Users/kaylee/projects'
+    )
+    expect(showOpenDialogMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      defaultPath: '/Users/kaylee',
+      properties: ['openDirectory']
+    })
+  })
+
   describe('shell:openPath', () => {
     it('ignores relative paths', async () => {
       const handler = getHandler('shell:openPath')
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/shell.ts b/src/main/ipc/shell.ts
index 85cccbc7c..84e7fc731 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/shell.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/shell.ts
@@ -205,7 +205,9 @@ export function registerShellHandlers(): void {
     async (_event, args: { defaultPath?: string }): Promise<string | null> => {
       const result = await dialog.showOpenDialog({
         defaultPath: args.defaultPath,
-        properties: ['openDirectory', 'createDirectory']
+        // Why: callers only need an existing folder grant; enabling native
+        // creation can leave typed prefix directories behind on macOS.
+        properties: ['openDirectory']
       })
       if (result.canceled || result.filePaths.length === 0) {
         return null