diff --git a/MIGRATION_V2.md b/MIGRATION_V2.md
index 79c2cad7..024f95a9 100644
--- a/MIGRATION_V2.md
+++ b/MIGRATION_V2.md
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ The migration removes the V1 compatibility layer rather than maintaining both in
 - Remove V1 plugin communication channels and per-workspace runtime management.
 - Replace the custom background-process implementation with native V2 Shell and PTY APIs.
 - Replace per-workspace OpenCode binary selection with one global `opencode2` binary.
+- Migrate the persisted V1 default command `opencode` to `opencode2` during workspace launch.
 - Remove message and part deletion controls because V2 currently has no equivalent API.
 - Keep Git mutation operations on the CodeNomad server where V2 does not yet provide sufficient parity.
 
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ The migration removes the V1 compatibility layer rather than maintaining both in
 - The pinned client and installed `opencode2` CLI are aligned on `0.0.0-next-17353`.
 - The final critical/high security gate has no unresolved proxy, authentication, event-isolation, or process-ownership finding.
 - A real `opencode2@0.0.0-next-17353` lifecycle smoke test passed: authenticated discovery, workspace location validation, and confirmed service shutdown.
+- Startup restore now renders its loading state immediately instead of leaving a blank renderer while saved workspaces launch.
 - The migration remains a Draft until the GitHub build matrix completes.
 
 ## Remaining Work
diff --git a/packages/server/src/settings/binaries.test.ts b/packages/server/src/settings/binaries.test.ts
index 9ae8234f..f8260d5c 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/settings/binaries.test.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/settings/binaries.test.ts
@@ -25,4 +25,15 @@ describe("BinaryResolver", () => {
     } as unknown as SettingsService
     assert.equal(new BinaryResolver(settings).resolveDefault().path, "opencode2")
   })
+
+  it("upgrades the legacy bare opencode default to opencode2", () => {
+    const settings = {
+      getOwner(scope: string, owner: string) {
+        if (scope === "config" && owner === "server") return { opencodeBinary: "opencode" }
+        return {}
+      },
+    } as unknown as SettingsService
+
+    assert.equal(new BinaryResolver(settings).resolveDefault().path, "opencode2")
+  })
 })
diff --git a/packages/server/src/settings/binaries.ts b/packages/server/src/settings/binaries.ts
index 5c85b300..ce76b6ae 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/settings/binaries.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/settings/binaries.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export class BinaryResolver {
   resolveDefault(): ResolvedBinary {
     const binaries = this.list()
     const configuredDefault = readDefaultBinaryPath(this.settings)
-    const path = configuredDefault ?? "opencode2"
+    const path = !configuredDefault || configuredDefault === "opencode" ? "opencode2" : configuredDefault
 
     const entry = binaries.find((b) => b.path === path)
     return {
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/App.tsx b/packages/ui/src/App.tsx
index 6557e6fb..24fff08a 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/App.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/App.tsx
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import { useCommands } from "./lib/hooks/use-commands"
 import { useAppLifecycle } from "./lib/hooks/use-app-lifecycle"
 import { useAppSessionRestore } from "./lib/hooks/use-app-session-restore"
 import { loadedRestorableSession } from "./stores/client-state"
-import { shouldShowAppHomeOverlay, shouldShowEmptyAppHome } from "./stores/app-session-restore-gate"
+import { shouldShowAppHomeOverlay, shouldShowAppRestoreLoading } from "./stores/app-session-restore-gate"
 import { getLogger } from "./lib/logger"
 import { launchError, showLaunchError, clearLaunchError } from "./stores/launch-errors"
 import { formatLaunchErrorMessage, isMissingBinaryMessage } from "./lib/launch-errors"
@@ -755,14 +755,12 @@ const App: Component = () => {
             </>
           }
         >
-          <Show when={shouldShowEmptyAppHome(loadedRestorableSession())}>
-            <FolderSelectionView
-              onSelectFolder={handleSelectFolder}
-              onSelectExistingInstance={handleSelectExistingInstance}
-              isLoading={isSelectingFolder()}
-              onOpenSidecar={handleOpenSidecarPicker}
-            />
-          </Show>
+          <FolderSelectionView
+            onSelectFolder={handleSelectFolder}
+            onSelectExistingInstance={handleSelectExistingInstance}
+            isLoading={isSelectingFolder() || shouldShowAppRestoreLoading(loadedRestorableSession())}
+            onOpenSidecar={handleOpenSidecarPicker}
+          />
         </Show>
 
         <Show when={shouldShowAppHomeOverlay(showFolderSelection(), appTabs().length)}>
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/stores/app-session-restore-gate.test.ts b/packages/ui/src/stores/app-session-restore-gate.test.ts
index 66279b33..b4989693 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/stores/app-session-restore-gate.test.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/stores/app-session-restore-gate.test.ts
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
 import assert from "node:assert/strict"
 import { it } from "node:test"
 
-import { shouldShowAppHomeOverlay, shouldShowEmptyAppHome } from "./app-session-restore-gate.ts"
+import { shouldShowAppHomeOverlay, shouldShowAppRestoreLoading } from "./app-session-restore-gate.ts"
 
 const tab = { kind: "sidecar" as const, sidecarId: "preview" }
 
-it("hides the empty-app home while saved tabs are restoring", () => {
-  assert.equal(shouldShowEmptyAppHome({ tabs: [tab], activeTabIndex: 0 }, true), false)
-  assert.equal(shouldShowEmptyAppHome({ tabs: [tab], activeTabIndex: 0, homeActive: true }, true), true)
-  assert.equal(shouldShowEmptyAppHome({ tabs: [], activeTabIndex: -1 }, true), true)
-  assert.equal(shouldShowEmptyAppHome({ tabs: [tab], activeTabIndex: 0 }, false), true)
+it("shows loading while saved tabs are restoring", () => {
+  assert.equal(shouldShowAppRestoreLoading({ tabs: [tab], activeTabIndex: 0 }, true), true)
+  assert.equal(shouldShowAppRestoreLoading({ tabs: [tab], activeTabIndex: 0, homeActive: true }, true), false)
+  assert.equal(shouldShowAppRestoreLoading({ tabs: [], activeTabIndex: -1 }, true), false)
+  assert.equal(shouldShowAppRestoreLoading({ tabs: [tab], activeTabIndex: 0 }, false), false)
 })
 
 it("mounts the requested home overlay only when tabs exist", () => {
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/stores/app-session-restore-gate.ts b/packages/ui/src/stores/app-session-restore-gate.ts
index 8b0d16e4..994146ce 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/stores/app-session-restore-gate.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/stores/app-session-restore-gate.ts
@@ -7,12 +7,12 @@ function releaseAppSessionRestoreGate(): void {
   setAppSessionRestoreGateActive(false)
 }
 
-function shouldShowEmptyAppHome(snapshot: RestorableSessionState | null, restoreActive = appSessionRestoreGateActive()): boolean {
-  return !restoreActive || !snapshot?.tabs.length || snapshot.homeActive === true
+function shouldShowAppRestoreLoading(snapshot: RestorableSessionState | null, restoreActive = appSessionRestoreGateActive()): boolean {
+  return restoreActive && Boolean(snapshot?.tabs.length) && snapshot?.homeActive !== true
 }
 
 function shouldShowAppHomeOverlay(requested: boolean, tabCount: number): boolean {
   return requested && tabCount > 0
 }
 
-export { appSessionRestoreGateActive, releaseAppSessionRestoreGate, shouldShowAppHomeOverlay, shouldShowEmptyAppHome }
+export { appSessionRestoreGateActive, releaseAppSessionRestoreGate, shouldShowAppHomeOverlay, shouldShowAppRestoreLoading }