diff --git a/client/e2e/startup-state.spec.ts b/client/e2e/startup-state.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..414ebd3e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/e2e/startup-state.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import { test, expect } from "@playwright/test";
+
+// Adjust the URL if your dev server runs on a different port
+const APP_URL = "http://localhost:6274/";
+
+test.describe("Startup State", () => {
+  test("should not navigate to a tab when Inspector first opens", async ({
+    page,
+  }) => {
+    await page.goto(APP_URL);
+
+    // Check that there is no hash fragment in the URL
+    const url = page.url();
+    expect(url).not.toContain("#");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/client/jest.config.cjs b/client/jest.config.cjs
index 8652eda52..9b793eae6 100644
--- a/client/jest.config.cjs
+++ b/client/jest.config.cjs
@@ -32,4 +32,5 @@ module.exports = {
     "/e2e/",
     "\\.config\\.(js|ts|cjs|mjs)$",
   ],
+  randomize: true,
 };
diff --git a/client/src/App.tsx b/client/src/App.tsx
index c4c89564b..3836aa9b8 100644
--- a/client/src/App.tsx
+++ b/client/src/App.tsx
@@ -465,10 +465,24 @@ const App = () => {
   }, [roots]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!window.location.hash) {
-      window.location.hash = "resources";
+    if (mcpClient && !window.location.hash) {
+      const defaultTab = serverCapabilities?.resources
+        ? "resources"
+        : serverCapabilities?.prompts
+          ? "prompts"
+          : serverCapabilities?.tools
+            ? "tools"
+            : "ping";
+      window.location.hash = defaultTab;
+    } else if (!mcpClient && window.location.hash) {
+      // Clear hash when disconnected - completely remove the fragment
+      window.history.replaceState(
+        null,
+        "",
+        window.location.pathname + window.location.search,
+      );
     }
-  }, []);
+  }, [mcpClient, serverCapabilities]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const handleHashChange = () => {
diff --git a/client/src/__tests__/App.routing.test.tsx b/client/src/__tests__/App.routing.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dbd463f95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/__tests__/App.routing.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+import { render, waitFor } from "@testing-library/react";
+import App from "../App";
+import { useConnection } from "../lib/hooks/useConnection";
+import { Client } from "@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/client/index.js";
+
+// Mock auth dependencies first
+jest.mock("@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/client/auth.js", () => ({
+  auth: jest.fn(),
+}));
+
+jest.mock("../lib/oauth-state-machine", () => ({
+  OAuthStateMachine: jest.fn(),
+}));
+
+jest.mock("../lib/auth", () => ({
+  InspectorOAuthClientProvider: jest.fn().mockImplementation(() => ({
+    tokens: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(null),
+    clear: jest.fn(),
+  })),
+  DebugInspectorOAuthClientProvider: jest.fn(),
+}));
+
+// Mock the config utils
+jest.mock("../utils/configUtils", () => ({
+  ...jest.requireActual("../utils/configUtils"),
+  getMCPProxyAddress: jest.fn(() => "http://localhost:6277"),
+  getMCPProxyAuthToken: jest.fn(() => ({
+    token: "",
+    header: "X-MCP-Proxy-Auth",
+  })),
+  getInitialTransportType: jest.fn(() => "stdio"),
+  getInitialSseUrl: jest.fn(() => "http://localhost:3001/sse"),
+  getInitialCommand: jest.fn(() => "mcp-server-everything"),
+  getInitialArgs: jest.fn(() => ""),
+  initializeInspectorConfig: jest.fn(() => ({})),
+  saveInspectorConfig: jest.fn(),
+}));
+
+// Default connection state is disconnected
+const disconnectedConnectionState = {
+  connectionStatus: "disconnected" as const,
+  serverCapabilities: null,
+  mcpClient: null,
+  requestHistory: [],
+  makeRequest: jest.fn(),
+  sendNotification: jest.fn(),
+  handleCompletion: jest.fn(),
+  completionsSupported: false,
+  connect: jest.fn(),
+  disconnect: jest.fn(),
+};
+
+// Connected state for tests that need an active connection
+const connectedConnectionState = {
+  ...disconnectedConnectionState,
+  connectionStatus: "connected" as const,
+  serverCapabilities: {},
+  mcpClient: {
+    request: jest.fn(),
+    notification: jest.fn(),
+    close: jest.fn(),
+  } as unknown as Client,
+};
+
+// Mock required dependencies, but unrelated to routing.
+jest.mock("../lib/hooks/useDraggablePane", () => ({
+  useDraggablePane: () => ({
+    height: 300,
+    handleDragStart: jest.fn(),
+  }),
+  useDraggableSidebar: () => ({
+    width: 320,
+    isDragging: false,
+    handleDragStart: jest.fn(),
+  }),
+}));
+
+jest.mock("../components/Sidebar", () => ({
+  __esModule: true,
+  default: () => <div>Sidebar</div>,
+}));
+
+// Mock fetch
+global.fetch = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({ json: () => Promise.resolve({}) });
+
+// Use an empty module mock, so that mock state can be reset between tests.
+jest.mock("../lib/hooks/useConnection", () => ({
+  useConnection: jest.fn(),
+}));
+
+describe("App - URL Fragment Routing", () => {
+  const mockUseConnection = jest.mocked(useConnection);
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    jest.restoreAllMocks();
+
+    // Inspector starts disconnected.
+    mockUseConnection.mockReturnValue(disconnectedConnectionState);
+  });
+
+  test("does not set hash when starting disconnected", async () => {
+    render(<App />);
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(window.location.hash).toBe("");
+    });
+  });
+
+  test("sets default hash based on server capabilities priority", async () => {
+    // Tab priority follows UI order: Resources | Prompts | Tools | Ping | Sampling | Roots | Auth
+    //
+    // Server capabilities determine the first three tabs; if none are present, falls back to Ping.
+
+    const testCases = [
+      {
+        capabilities: { resources: { listChanged: true, subscribe: true } },
+        expected: "#resources",
+      },
+      {
+        capabilities: { prompts: { listChanged: true, subscribe: true } },
+        expected: "#prompts",
+      },
+      {
+        capabilities: { tools: { listChanged: true, subscribe: true } },
+        expected: "#tools",
+      },
+      { capabilities: {}, expected: "#ping" },
+    ];
+
+    const { rerender } = render(<App />);
+
+    for (const { capabilities, expected } of testCases) {
+      window.location.hash = "";
+      mockUseConnection.mockReturnValue({
+        ...connectedConnectionState,
+        serverCapabilities: capabilities,
+      });
+
+      rerender(<App />);
+
+      await waitFor(() => {
+        expect(window.location.hash).toBe(expected);
+      });
+    }
+  });
+
+  test("clears hash when disconnected", async () => {
+    // Start with a hash set (simulating a connection)
+    window.location.hash = "#resources";
+
+    // App starts disconnected (default mock)
+    render(<App />);
+
+    // Should clear the hash when disconnected
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(window.location.hash).toBe("");
+    });
+  });
+});