diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceSidebar/WorkspaceSidebarHeader.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceSidebar/WorkspaceSidebarHeader.tsx
deleted file mode 100644
index b51c2ab9292..00000000000
--- a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceSidebar/WorkspaceSidebarHeader.tsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-import { LuLayers } from "react-icons/lu";
-
-export function WorkspaceSidebarHeader() {
-	return (
-		<div className="flex items-center gap-2 px-3 py-2 border-b border-border h-10">
-			<LuLayers className="w-4 h-4 text-muted-foreground" />
-			<span className="text-sm font-medium text-muted-foreground">
-				Workspaces
-			</span>
-		</div>
-	);
-}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceSidebar/WorkspaceSidebarHeader/NewWorkspaceButton.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceSidebar/WorkspaceSidebarHeader/NewWorkspaceButton.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0f392fe62e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceSidebar/WorkspaceSidebarHeader/NewWorkspaceButton.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import { LuPlus } from "react-icons/lu";
+import { trpc } from "renderer/lib/trpc";
+import { useOpenNewWorkspaceModal } from "renderer/stores/new-workspace-modal";
+
+export function NewWorkspaceButton() {
+	const openModal = useOpenNewWorkspaceModal();
+	const { data: activeWorkspace, isLoading } =
+		trpc.workspaces.getActive.useQuery();
+
+	const handleClick = () => {
+		// projectId may be undefined if no workspace is active or query failed
+		// openModal handles undefined by opening without a pre-selected project
+		const projectId = activeWorkspace?.projectId;
+		openModal(projectId);
+	};
+
+	return (
+		<button
+			type="button"
+			onClick={handleClick}
+			disabled={isLoading}
+			className="flex items-center gap-2 px-2 py-1.5 text-sm font-medium text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground hover:bg-accent/50 rounded-md transition-colors disabled:opacity-50 disabled:cursor-not-allowed"
+		>
+			<div className="flex items-center justify-center size-5 rounded bg-accent">
+				<LuPlus className="size-3" />
+			</div>
+			<span>New Workspace</span>
+		</button>
+	);
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceSidebar/WorkspaceSidebarHeader/WorkspaceSidebarHeader.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceSidebar/WorkspaceSidebarHeader/WorkspaceSidebarHeader.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a5aff06d598
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceSidebar/WorkspaceSidebarHeader/WorkspaceSidebarHeader.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import { LuLayers } from "react-icons/lu";
+import { NewWorkspaceButton } from "./NewWorkspaceButton";
+
+export function WorkspaceSidebarHeader() {
+	return (
+		<div className="flex flex-col border-b border-border px-2 pt-2 pb-2">
+			<div className="flex items-center gap-2 px-2 py-1.5">
+				<div className="flex items-center justify-center size-5">
+					<LuLayers className="size-4 text-muted-foreground" />
+				</div>
+				<span className="text-sm font-medium text-muted-foreground">
+					Workspaces
+				</span>
+			</div>
+			<NewWorkspaceButton />
+		</div>
+	);
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceSidebar/WorkspaceSidebarHeader/index.ts b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceSidebar/WorkspaceSidebarHeader/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..844ddc41ea7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceSidebar/WorkspaceSidebarHeader/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+export { WorkspaceSidebarHeader } from "./WorkspaceSidebarHeader";