diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/welcomeGettingStarted/browser/startupPage.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/welcomeGettingStarted/browser/startupPage.ts
index dde7fa248b45a..b892ebd059967 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/welcomeGettingStarted/browser/startupPage.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/welcomeGettingStarted/browser/startupPage.ts
@@ -101,6 +101,14 @@ export class StartupPageRunnerContribution extends Disposable implements IWorkbe
 			if (e.editor instanceof GettingStartedInput) {
 				e.editor.selectedCategory = undefined;
 				e.editor.selectedStep = undefined;
+				// Post-completion/navigation fallback: prefer last active editor, otherwise open a new Untitled file.
+				// pseudo-telemetry: gettingStarted.postClosePath = hasAnyEditor ? 'lastActive' : 'untitled'
+				setTimeout(() => {
+					const hasAnyEditor = this.editorService.editors.length > 0 || !!this.editorService.activeEditor;
+					if (!hasAnyEditor) {
+						this.commandService.executeCommand('workbench.action.files.newUntitledFile');
+					}
+				}, 0);
 			}
 		}));
 	}
@@ -233,4 +241,4 @@ function isStartupPageEnabled(configurationService: IConfigurationService, conte
 		|| startupEditor.value === 'readme'
 		|| (contextService.getWorkbenchState() === WorkbenchState.EMPTY && startupEditor.value === 'welcomePageInEmptyWorkbench')
 		|| startupEditor.value === 'terminal';
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file