diff --git a/src/lib/BranchHome.svelte b/src/lib/BranchHome.svelte
index 2c4c964..40fe353 100644
--- a/src/lib/BranchHome.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/BranchHome.svelte
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
   import NewProjectModal from './NewProjectModal.svelte';
   import ConfirmDialog from './ConfirmDialog.svelte';
   import { DiffSpec } from './types';
+  import { windowState, closeTab } from './stores/tabState.svelte';
 
   interface Props {
     onViewDiff?: (projectId: string, repoPath: string, spec: DiffSpec, label: string) => void;
@@ -255,6 +256,7 @@
     if (!branchToDelete) return;
 
     const id = branchToDelete.id;
+    const worktreePath = branchToDelete.worktreePath;
     // Close dialog and show spinner immediately
     branchToDelete = null;
     deletingBranchIds = new Set(deletingBranchIds).add(id);
@@ -266,6 +268,12 @@
       const newDeleting = new Set(deletingBranchIds);
       newDeleting.delete(id);
       deletingBranchIds = newDeleting;
+
+      // Close any tabs that were viewing this branch's worktree
+      const tabsToClose = windowState.tabs.filter((tab) => tab.repoPath === worktreePath);
+      for (const tab of tabsToClose) {
+        closeTab(tab.id);
+      }
     } catch (e) {
       // Failure: remove spinner, show error card
       const newDeleting = new Set(deletingBranchIds);
@@ -281,24 +289,6 @@
     deleteErrors = newErrors;
   }
 
-  function handleViewDiff(branch: Branch) {
-    onViewDiff?.(
-      branch.projectId,
-      branch.worktreePath,
-      DiffSpec.mergeBaseDiff(branch.baseBranch, branch.branchName),
-      `${branch.baseBranch}..${branch.branchName}`
-    );
-  }
-
-  function handleViewCommitDiff(branch: Branch, commitSha: string) {
-    onViewDiff?.(
-      branch.projectId,
-      branch.worktreePath,
-      DiffSpec.fromRevs(`${commitSha}~1`, commitSha),
-      commitSha.slice(0, 7)
-    );
-  }
-
   function handleNewProjectCreated(project: GitProject) {
     projects = [...projects, project];
     showNewProjectModal = false;
@@ -443,12 +433,31 @@
                     </div>
                   </div>
                 {:else}
+                  {@const branchId = branch.id}
+                  {@const projectId = branch.projectId}
+                  {@const worktreePath = branch.worktreePath}
+                  {@const baseBranch = branch.baseBranch}
+                  {@const branchName = branch.branchName}
                   <BranchCard
                     {branch}
                     {refreshKey}
-                    onViewDiff={() => handleViewDiff(branch)}
-                    onViewCommitDiff={(sha) => handleViewCommitDiff(branch, sha)}
-                    onDelete={() => handleDeleteBranch(branch.id)}
+                    onViewDiff={() => {
+                      onViewDiff?.(
+                        projectId,
+                        worktreePath,
+                        DiffSpec.mergeBaseDiff(baseBranch, branchName),
+                        `${baseBranch}..${branchName}`
+                      );
+                    }}
+                    onViewCommitDiff={(sha) => {
+                      onViewDiff?.(
+                        projectId,
+                        worktreePath,
+                        DiffSpec.fromRevs(`${sha}~1`, sha),
+                        sha.slice(0, 7)
+                      );
+                    }}
+                    onDelete={() => handleDeleteBranch(branchId)}
                   />
                 {/if}
               {/each}
diff --git a/src/lib/stores/tabState.svelte.ts b/src/lib/stores/tabState.svelte.ts
index da38084..c008b56 100644
--- a/src/lib/stores/tabState.svelte.ts
+++ b/src/lib/stores/tabState.svelte.ts
@@ -235,22 +235,82 @@ export async function loadTabsFromStorage(
   const data = await loadWindowTabsFromStore(windowState.windowLabel);
 
   if (data) {
+    // Filter out tabs with non-existent worktree paths to prevent errors
+    // when branches have been deleted outside the app
+    const validTabs = await Promise.all(
+      data.tabs.map(async (t) => {
+        // Check if the repo path exists (use Tauri's fs API or simple check)
+        try {
+          // For now, we'll use a simple heuristic: filter out obvious worktree paths
+          // that don't exist. Non-worktree paths (like main repo) should be kept.
+          const isWorktreePath = t.repoPath.includes('/.staged/worktrees/');
+          if (isWorktreePath) {
+            // For worktree paths, verify they exist before restoring the tab
+            const exists = await pathExists(t.repoPath);
+            if (!exists) {
+              console.warn(
+                `[TabState] Skipping tab "${t.repoName}" with non-existent worktree path: ${t.repoPath}`
+              );
+              return null;
+            }
+          }
+          return t;
+        } catch (e) {
+          console.warn(`[TabState] Error checking tab path "${t.repoPath}":`, e);
+          return t; // Keep tab if we can't check (fail open)
+        }
+      })
+    );
+
     // Create tabs with isolated state instances
     // Plain objects are created - the parent windowState.tabs array is already reactive
-    windowState.tabs = data.tabs.map((t) => ({
-      id: t.id || t.projectId, // Fallback for old format
-      projectId: t.projectId || t.id, // Fallback for old format
-      repoPath: t.repoPath,
-      repoName: t.repoName,
-      subpath: t.subpath || null,
-      diffState: createDiffState(),
-      commentsState: createCommentsState(),
-      diffSelection: createDiffSelection(),
-      agentState: createAgentState(),
-      referenceFilesState: createReferenceFilesState(),
-      needsRefresh: false,
-    }));
-    windowState.activeTabIndex = data.activeTabIndex;
+    windowState.tabs = validTabs
+      .filter((t) => t !== null)
+      .map((t) => ({
+        id: t.id || t.projectId, // Fallback for old format
+        projectId: t.projectId || t.id, // Fallback for old format
+        repoPath: t.repoPath,
+        repoName: t.repoName,
+        subpath: t.subpath || null,
+        diffState: createDiffState(),
+        commentsState: createCommentsState(),
+        diffSelection: createDiffSelection(),
+        agentState: createAgentState(),
+        referenceFilesState: createReferenceFilesState(),
+        needsRefresh: false,
+      }));
+
+    // Adjust active tab index if the active tab was filtered out
+    if (windowState.tabs.length > 0 && data.activeTabIndex >= windowState.tabs.length) {
+      windowState.activeTabIndex = 0;
+    } else if (windowState.tabs.length > 0) {
+      windowState.activeTabIndex = Math.min(data.activeTabIndex, windowState.tabs.length - 1);
+    } else {
+      windowState.activeTabIndex = 0;
+    }
+
+    // Save the cleaned-up tabs back to storage to prevent stale tabs from persisting
+    if (validTabs.filter((t) => t !== null).length !== data.tabs.length) {
+      console.log(
+        `[TabState] Removed ${data.tabs.length - windowState.tabs.length} stale tab(s) from storage`
+      );
+      saveTabsToStorage();
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check if a path exists by attempting to read it.
+ * Uses the existing listDirectory backend command.
+ */
+async function pathExists(path: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  try {
+    // Try to list the directory - if it exists, this will succeed
+    const { invoke } = await import('@tauri-apps/api/core');
+    await invoke('list_directory', { path });
+    return true;
+  } catch {
+    return false;
   }
 }