diff --git a/crates/openshell-tui/src/app.rs b/crates/openshell-tui/src/app.rs
index 4b218a37cf..b7ad3e436f 100644
--- a/crates/openshell-tui/src/app.rs
+++ b/crates/openshell-tui/src/app.rs
@@ -1216,11 +1216,16 @@ impl App {
 
     pub fn cycle_workspace(&mut self) {
         if self.all_workspaces {
-            self.all_workspaces = false;
-            self.current_workspace = "default".to_string();
+            // Leaving "all" scope: return to the first known named workspace.
+            // The workspace list is server-provided and membership-scoped, so
+            // it is not guaranteed to contain (or start with) "default"; only
+            // enter named scope when at least one workspace is known.
+            if let Some(first) = self.workspace_names.first() {
+                self.all_workspaces = false;
+                self.current_workspace = first.clone();
+            }
         } else if self.workspace_names.is_empty() {
             self.all_workspaces = true;
-            self.current_workspace = "default".to_string();
         } else {
             let current_idx = self
                 .workspace_names
@@ -1232,7 +1237,6 @@ impl App {
                 }
                 _ => {
                     self.all_workspaces = true;
-                    self.current_workspace = "default".to_string();
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -4112,6 +4116,36 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(app.current_workspace, "default");
     }
 
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn cycle_workspace_without_default_stays_on_real_workspaces() {
+        // The workspace list is server-provided and membership-scoped, so a
+        // non-admin principal may have no "default" workspace visible.
+        let mut app = test_app();
+        app.workspace_names = vec!["team-a".to_string(), "team-b".to_string()];
+        app.current_workspace = "team-a".to_string();
+        app.all_workspaces = false;
+
+        // Collect every named-scope selection across several full cycles. Each
+        // named scope must be a workspace that actually exists in the list;
+        // the cursor must never land on a phantom "default".
+        let mut named_scopes = Vec::new();
+        for _ in 0..8 {
+            if !app.all_workspaces {
+                assert!(
+                    app.workspace_names.contains(&app.current_workspace),
+                    "cycled to '{}', which is not a known workspace",
+                    app.current_workspace
+                );
+                named_scopes.push(app.current_workspace.clone());
+            }
+            app.cycle_workspace();
+        }
+
+        // Both real workspaces must be reachable by repeated cycling.
+        assert!(named_scopes.iter().any(|w| w == "team-a"));
+        assert!(named_scopes.iter().any(|w| w == "team-b"));
+    }
+
     // -- selected_sandbox_workspace ----------------------------------------
 
     #[test]