@@ -645,7 +645,7 @@ describe("DesktopWindow", () => {
     );
   });
 
-  it.effect("keeps application titles on load and falls back for empty or external titles", () =>
+  it.effect("keeps thread titles on load and keeps branding for bootstrap or external titles", () =>
     Effect.gen(function* () {
       const fakeWindow = makeFakeBrowserWindow();
       const createCount = yield* Ref.make(0);
@@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ describe("DesktopWindow", () => {
         vi.mocked(fakeWindow.window.webContents.getTitle).mockReturnValue(title);
         finishLoad();
         assert.equal(vi.mocked(fakeWindow.window.setTitle).mock.lastCall?.[0], title);
-        updateTitle(event, "  ");
+        updateTitle(event, "T3 Code (Alpha)");
         assert.equal(
           vi.mocked(fakeWindow.window.setTitle).mock.lastCall?.[0],
           environment.displayName,
 
@@ -702,7 +702,9 @@ export const make = Effect.gen(function* () {
         applicationUrl,
         navigationUrl: window.webContents.getURL(),
       });
-      window.setTitle(trusted && title.trim() ? title : environment.displayName);
+      // Only thread context ("project / thread") replaces desktop branding; the
+      // page bootstrap title and app-only titles carry the wrong build stage.
+      window.setTitle(trusted && title.includes(" / ") ? title : environment.displayName);
     };
     window.on("page-title-updated", (event, title) => {
       event.preventDefault();