diff --git a/apps/web/core/components/navigation/top-nav-power-k.tsx b/apps/web/core/components/navigation/top-nav-power-k.tsx
index 6ca9af0a4a0..054aceaf322 100644
--- a/apps/web/core/components/navigation/top-nav-power-k.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/core/components/navigation/top-nav-power-k.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
-import { useState, useRef, useMemo, useCallback, useEffect } from "react";
+import { useState, useMemo, useCallback, useEffect } from "react";
 import { Command } from "cmdk";
 import { observer } from "mobx-react";
 import { useParams } from "next/navigation";
 // hooks
-import { useOutsideClickDetector } from "@plane/hooks";
 import { CloseIcon, SearchIcon } from "@plane/propel/icons";
 import { cn } from "@plane/utils";
 // power-k
@@ -14,6 +13,7 @@ import { useIssueDetail } from "@/hooks/store/use-issue-detail";
 import { usePowerK } from "@/hooks/store/use-power-k";
 import { useUser } from "@/hooks/store/user";
 import { useAppRouter } from "@/hooks/use-app-router";
+import { useExpandableSearch } from "@/hooks/use-expandable-search";
 
 export const TopNavPowerK = observer(() => {
   // router
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ export const TopNavPowerK = observer(() => {
   const { projectId: routerProjectId, workItem: workItemIdentifier } = params;
 
   // states
-  const [isOpen, setIsOpen] = useState(false);
   const [searchTerm, setSearchTerm] = useState("");
   const [activeCommand, setActiveCommand] = useState<TPowerKCommandConfig | null>(null);
   const [shouldShowContextBasedActions, setShouldShowContextBasedActions] = useState(true);
@@ -32,6 +31,25 @@ export const TopNavPowerK = observer(() => {
   const { activeContext, setActivePage, activePage, setTopNavInputRef } = usePowerK();
   const { data: currentUser } = useUser();
 
+  const handleOnClose = useCallback(() => {
+    setSearchTerm("");
+    setActivePage(null);
+    setActiveCommand(null);
+  }, [setSearchTerm, setActivePage, setActiveCommand]);
+
+  // expandable search hook
+  const {
+    isOpen,
+    containerRef,
+    inputRef,
+    handleClose: closePanel,
+    handleMouseDown,
+    handleFocus,
+    openPanel,
+  } = useExpandableSearch({
+    onClose: handleOnClose,
+  });
+
   // derived values
   const {
     issue: { getIssueById, getIssueIdByIdentifier },
@@ -54,12 +72,7 @@ export const TopNavPowerK = observer(() => {
         projectId,
       },
       router,
-      closePalette: () => {
-        setIsOpen(false);
-        setSearchTerm("");
-        setActivePage(null);
-        setActiveCommand(null);
-      },
+      closePalette: closePanel,
       setActiveCommand,
       setActivePage,
     }),
@@ -72,12 +85,10 @@ export const TopNavPowerK = observer(() => {
       projectId,
       router,
       setActivePage,
+      closePanel,
     ]
   );
 
-  const containerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
-  const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
-
   // Register input ref with PowerK store for keyboard shortcut access
   useEffect(() => {
     setTopNavInputRef(inputRef);
@@ -86,18 +97,6 @@ export const TopNavPowerK = observer(() => {
     };
   }, [setTopNavInputRef]);
 
-  useOutsideClickDetector(containerRef, () => {
-    if (isOpen) {
-      setIsOpen(false);
-      setActivePage(null);
-      setActiveCommand(null);
-    }
-  });
-
-  const handleFocus = () => {
-    setIsOpen(true);
-  };
-
   const handleClear = () => {
     setSearchTerm("");
     inputRef.current?.focus();
@@ -136,10 +135,7 @@ export const TopNavPowerK = observer(() => {
       // Cmd/Ctrl+K closes the search dropdown
       if ((e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey) && e.key.toLowerCase() === "k") {
         e.preventDefault();
-        setIsOpen(false);
-        setSearchTerm("");
-        setActivePage(null);
-        context.setActiveCommand(null);
+        closePanel();
         return;
       }
 
@@ -148,9 +144,7 @@ export const TopNavPowerK = observer(() => {
         if (searchTerm) {
           setSearchTerm("");
         }
-        setIsOpen(false);
-        inputRef.current?.blur();
-
+        closePanel();
         return;
       }
 
@@ -203,7 +197,7 @@ export const TopNavPowerK = observer(() => {
         return;
       }
     },
-    [searchTerm, activePage, context, shouldShowContextBasedActions, setActivePage, isOpen]
+    [searchTerm, activePage, context, shouldShowContextBasedActions, setActivePage, closePanel]
   );
 
   return (
@@ -228,7 +222,11 @@ export const TopNavPowerK = observer(() => {
             ref={inputRef}
             type="text"
             value={searchTerm}
-            onChange={(e) => setSearchTerm(e.target.value)}
+            onChange={(e) => {
+              setSearchTerm(e.target.value);
+              if (!isOpen) openPanel();
+            }}
+            onMouseDown={handleMouseDown}
             onFocus={handleFocus}
             onKeyDown={handleKeyDown}
             placeholder="Search commands..."
diff --git a/apps/web/core/components/navigation/use-responsive-tab-layout.ts b/apps/web/core/components/navigation/use-responsive-tab-layout.ts
index 3e2126ece41..4e91fea85d8 100644
--- a/apps/web/core/components/navigation/use-responsive-tab-layout.ts
+++ b/apps/web/core/components/navigation/use-responsive-tab-layout.ts
@@ -42,9 +42,10 @@ export const useResponsiveTabLayout = ({
   const gap = 4; // gap-1 = 4px
   const overflowButtonWidth = 40;
 
+  const container = containerRef?.current;
+
   // ResizeObserver to measure container width
   useEffect(() => {
-    const container = containerRef.current;
     if (!container) return;
 
     const resizeObserver = new ResizeObserver((entries) => {
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ export const useResponsiveTabLayout = ({
     return () => {
       resizeObserver.disconnect();
     };
-  }, []);
+  }, [container]);
 
   // Calculate how many items can fit
   useEffect(() => {
diff --git a/apps/web/core/components/sidebar/sidebar-wrapper.tsx b/apps/web/core/components/sidebar/sidebar-wrapper.tsx
index c458f74efcc..a80155986e3 100644
--- a/apps/web/core/components/sidebar/sidebar-wrapper.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/core/components/sidebar/sidebar-wrapper.tsx
@@ -49,16 +49,18 @@ export const SidebarWrapper = observer(function SidebarWrapper(props: TSidebarWr
 
           <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2 px-2">
             <span className="text-md text-custom-text-200 font-medium pt-1">{title}</span>
-            <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
-              <button
-                type="button"
-                className="flex items-center justify-center size-6 rounded-md text-custom-text-400 hover:text-custom-primary-100 hover:bg-custom-background-90"
-                onClick={() => setIsCustomizeNavDialogOpen(true)}
-              >
-                <PreferencesIcon className="size-4" />
-              </button>
-              <AppSidebarToggleButton />
-            </div>
+            {title === "Projects" && (
+              <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+                <button
+                  type="button"
+                  className="flex items-center justify-center size-6 rounded-md text-custom-text-400 hover:text-custom-primary-100 hover:bg-custom-background-90"
+                  onClick={() => setIsCustomizeNavDialogOpen(true)}
+                >
+                  <PreferencesIcon className="size-4" />
+                </button>
+                <AppSidebarToggleButton />
+              </div>
+            )}
           </div>
           {/* Quick actions */}
           {quickActions}
diff --git a/apps/web/core/hooks/use-expandable-search.ts b/apps/web/core/hooks/use-expandable-search.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..583a35c3c78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/web/core/hooks/use-expandable-search.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+import { useCallback, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { useOutsideClickDetector } from "@plane/hooks";
+
+type UseExpandableSearchOptions = {
+  onClose?: () => void;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Custom hook for expandable search input behavior
+ * Handles focus management to prevent unwanted opening on programmatic focus restoration
+ */
+export const useExpandableSearch = (options?: UseExpandableSearchOptions) => {
+  const { onClose } = options || {};
+
+  // states
+  const [isOpen, setIsOpen] = useState(false);
+
+  // refs
+  const containerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+  const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
+  const wasClickedRef = useRef<boolean>(false);
+
+  // Handle close
+  const handleClose = useCallback(() => {
+    setIsOpen(false);
+    inputRef.current?.blur();
+    onClose?.();
+  }, [onClose]);
+
+  // Outside click handler - memoized to prevent unnecessary re-registrations
+  const handleOutsideClick = useCallback(() => {
+    if (isOpen) {
+      handleClose();
+    }
+  }, [isOpen, handleClose]);
+
+  // Outside click detection
+  useOutsideClickDetector(containerRef, handleOutsideClick);
+
+  // Track explicit clicks
+  const handleMouseDown = useCallback(() => {
+    wasClickedRef.current = true;
+  }, []);
+
+  // Only open on explicit clicks, not programmatic focus
+  const handleFocus = useCallback(() => {
+    if (wasClickedRef.current) {
+      setIsOpen(true);
+      wasClickedRef.current = false;
+    }
+  }, []);
+
+  // Helper to open panel (for typing/onChange)
+  const openPanel = useCallback(() => {
+    if (!isOpen) {
+      setIsOpen(true);
+    }
+  }, [isOpen]);
+
+  return {
+    // State
+    isOpen,
+    setIsOpen,
+
+    // Refs
+    containerRef,
+    inputRef,
+
+    // Handlers
+    handleClose,
+    handleMouseDown,
+    handleFocus,
+    openPanel,
+  };
+};
diff --git a/packages/i18n/src/locales/de/empty-state.ts b/packages/i18n/src/locales/de/empty-state.ts
index 55dfe580045..087e51e7b47 100644
--- a/packages/i18n/src/locales/de/empty-state.ts
+++ b/packages/i18n/src/locales/de/empty-state.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ export default {
   project_empty_state: {
     no_access: {
       title: "Es scheint, als hätten Sie keinen Zugriff auf dieses Projekt",
-      restricted_description: "Kontaktieren Sie den Administrator, um Zugriff anzufordern, damit Sie hier fortfahren können.",
+      restricted_description:
+        "Kontaktieren Sie den Administrator, um Zugriff anzufordern, damit Sie hier fortfahren können.",
       join_description: "Klicken Sie unten auf die Schaltfläche, um beizutreten.",
       cta_primary: "Projekt beitreten",
       cta_loading: "Projekt wird beigetreten",
diff --git a/packages/i18n/src/locales/pt-BR/empty-state.ts b/packages/i18n/src/locales/pt-BR/empty-state.ts
index 9ceb00fe5d1..697cb3cb7c6 100644
--- a/packages/i18n/src/locales/pt-BR/empty-state.ts
+++ b/packages/i18n/src/locales/pt-BR/empty-state.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ export default {
   project_empty_state: {
     no_access: {
       title: "Parece que você não tem acesso a este projeto",
-      restricted_description: "Entre em contato com o administrador para solicitar acesso e você poderá continuar aqui.",
+      restricted_description:
+        "Entre em contato com o administrador para solicitar acesso e você poderá continuar aqui.",
       join_description: "Clique no botão abaixo para participar.",
       cta_primary: "Participar do projeto",
       cta_loading: "Participando do projeto",