diff --git a/crates/project_panel/src/project_panel.rs b/crates/project_panel/src/project_panel.rs
index a7b9ad2404..4301b6e392 100644
--- a/crates/project_panel/src/project_panel.rs
+++ b/crates/project_panel/src/project_panel.rs
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ pub struct ProjectPanel {
     workspace: WeakView<Workspace>,
     width: Option<Pixels>,
     pending_serialization: Task<Option<()>>,
+    was_deserialized: bool,
 }
 
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, Debug)]
@@ -243,6 +244,7 @@ impl ProjectPanel {
                 workspace: workspace.weak_handle(),
                 width: None,
                 pending_serialization: Task::ready(None),
+                was_deserialized: false,
             };
             this.update_visible_entries(None, cx);
 
@@ -322,6 +324,7 @@ impl ProjectPanel {
             if let Some(serialized_panel) = serialized_panel {
                 panel.update(cx, |panel, cx| {
                     panel.width = serialized_panel.width;
+                    panel.was_deserialized = true;
                     cx.notify();
                 });
             }
@@ -1465,6 +1468,9 @@ impl ProjectPanel {
             cx.notify();
         }
     }
+    pub fn was_deserialized(&self) -> bool {
+        self.was_deserialized
+    }
 }
 
 impl Render for ProjectPanel {
diff --git a/crates/zed/src/zed.rs b/crates/zed/src/zed.rs
index d7686c425a..bbe5e78109 100644
--- a/crates/zed/src/zed.rs
+++ b/crates/zed/src/zed.rs
@@ -178,7 +178,10 @@ pub fn initialize_workspace(app_state: Arc<AppState>, cx: &mut AppContext) {
             )?;
 
             workspace_handle.update(&mut cx, |workspace, cx| {
-                let position = project_panel.read(cx).position(cx);
+                let (position, was_deserialized) = {
+                    let project_panel = project_panel.read(cx);
+                    (project_panel.position(cx), project_panel.was_deserialized())
+                };
                 workspace.add_panel(project_panel, cx);
                 workspace.add_panel(terminal_panel, cx);
                 workspace.add_panel(assistant_panel, cx);
@@ -186,15 +189,16 @@ pub fn initialize_workspace(app_state: Arc<AppState>, cx: &mut AppContext) {
                 workspace.add_panel(chat_panel, cx);
                 workspace.add_panel(notification_panel, cx);
 
-                if workspace
-                    .project()
-                    .read(cx)
-                    .visible_worktrees(cx)
-                    .any(|tree| {
-                        tree.read(cx)
-                            .root_entry()
-                            .map_or(false, |entry| entry.is_dir())
-                    })
+                if !was_deserialized
+                    && workspace
+                        .project()
+                        .read(cx)
+                        .visible_worktrees(cx)
+                        .any(|tree| {
+                            tree.read(cx)
+                                .root_entry()
+                                .map_or(false, |entry| entry.is_dir())
+                        })
                 {
                     workspace.toggle_dock(position, cx);
                 }