diff --git a/src/features/settings/__tests__/projectDependencies.test.ts b/src/features/settings/__tests__/projectDependencies.test.ts
index 446840e0b..ecc048ced 100644
--- a/src/features/settings/__tests__/projectDependencies.test.ts
+++ b/src/features/settings/__tests__/projectDependencies.test.ts
@@ -30,18 +30,8 @@ describe("project dependencies", () => {
     ).toEqual(["/shared", "/deps/lib"]);
   });
 
-  it("builds the checklist of one root", () => {
-    const rows = dependencyCandidates("/p/root", ["/deps/lib"], {
-      recents: [
-        { path: "/w/other", name: "Other" },
-        { path: "/p/root", name: "Root" },
-        { path: "/p/root/sub", name: "Sub" },
-        { path: "/deps/lib", name: "lib" },
-      ],
-    });
-    expect(rows).toEqual([
-      { path: "/deps/lib", name: "lib", checked: true, disabled: false },
-      { path: "/w/other", name: "Other", checked: false, disabled: false },
-    ]);
+  it("builds the checklist of one root from its configured projects", () => {
+    const rows = dependencyCandidates("/p/root", ["/deps/lib", "/deps/lib", "/p/root", "/p/root/sub"]);
+    expect(rows).toEqual([{ path: "/deps/lib", name: "lib", checked: true, disabled: false }]);
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/features/settings/languages/ProjectStructurePage.tsx b/src/features/settings/languages/ProjectStructurePage.tsx
index d92bb91d6..5fae4be99 100644
--- a/src/features/settings/languages/ProjectStructurePage.tsx
+++ b/src/features/settings/languages/ProjectStructurePage.tsx
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import {
 import { SettingsFormContext } from "@/workbench/contributions";
 import { call, commands, isTauri, nextRequestId, type FileEntry } from "@/platform/ipc";
 import { mergeLibraryGroups } from "@/platform/libraries";
-import type { BuildModel, LibraryGroup, RecentProject, WebArtifact } from "@/bindings";
+import type { BuildModel, LibraryGroup, WebArtifact } from "@/bindings";
 import { relativePath, useProject } from "@/platform/project";
 import { PageContext, useSettingsFormFor } from "../components/context";
 import {
@@ -606,13 +606,10 @@ export interface DependencyCandidate {
 
 /**
  * Rows of the "project dependencies" checklist of a single root (the project folder, or a
- * workspace member): the configured dependencies first, then recent projects as candidates.
+ * workspace member): the configured dependencies. A workspace additionally lists the other
+ * roots attached to the window, in MemberDependencies.
  */
-export function dependencyCandidates(
-  root: string | null,
-  dependencies: readonly string[],
-  options: { recents?: ReadonlyArray<{ path: string; name: string }> } = {},
-): DependencyCandidate[] {
+export function dependencyCandidates(root: string | null, dependencies: readonly string[]): DependencyCandidate[] {
   const out: DependencyCandidate[] = [];
   const listed = new Set<string>();
   const nameOf = (p: string) => p.slice(p.lastIndexOf("/") + 1).replace(/[\\/]+$/, "") || p;
@@ -622,11 +619,6 @@ export function dependencyCandidates(
     listed.add(p);
     out.push({ path: p, name: nameOf(p), checked: true, disabled: false });
   }
-  for (const r of options.recents ?? []) {
-    if (listed.has(r.path) || !attachable(r.path)) continue;
-    listed.add(r.path);
-    out.push({ path: r.path, name: r.name || nameOf(r.path), checked: false, disabled: false });
-  }
   return out;
 }
 
@@ -641,21 +633,9 @@ function ModuleDependenciesTab() {
 function ProjectDependencies() {
   const root = useProject((s) => s.project?.root ?? null);
   const [deps, setDeps] = useProjectSetting<string[] | undefined>("projectStructure.dependencies");
-  const [recents, setRecents] = useState<RecentProject[]>([]);
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    let live = true;
-    void commands
-      .recentProjects()
-      .then((rs) => live && setRecents(rs))
-      .catch(() => {});
-    return () => {
-      live = false;
-    };
-  }, []);
-
   const list = deps ?? [];
-  const candidates = useMemo(() => dependencyCandidates(root, deps ?? [], { recents }), [root, deps, recents]);
+  // Only the configured projects: candidates come from Add Project…, not every recent project.
+  const candidates = useMemo(() => dependencyCandidates(root, deps ?? []), [root, deps]);
 
   const toggle = (path: string, checked: boolean) =>
     setDeps(checked ? [...list, path] : list.filter((x) => x !== path));
@@ -680,7 +660,7 @@ function ProjectDependencies() {
       <div className={styles.entryList} role="group" aria-label={tx("The project depends on these projects")}>
         {candidates.length === 0 && (
           <div className={styles.note}>
-            <T>No candidate projects. Recently opened projects appear here.</T>
+            <T>No candidate projects yet. Use Add Project… to pick one.</T>
           </div>
         )}
         {candidates.map((c) => (
diff --git a/src/platform/locales/text/en.json b/src/platform/locales/text/en.json
index 1ee596913..c4df91fe4 100644
--- a/src/platform/locales/text/en.json
+++ b/src/platform/locales/text/en.json
@@ -883,7 +883,7 @@
   "The project depends on these projects": "The project depends on these projects",
   "The project depends on {name}": "The project depends on {name}",
   "Dependency projects are indexed and navigable together with this project: Go to Declaration, Find Usages and the Project view include them.": "Dependency projects are indexed and navigable together with this project: Go to Declaration, Find Usages and the Project view include them.",
-  "No candidate projects. Recently opened projects appear here.": "No candidate projects. Recently opened projects appear here.",
+  "No candidate projects yet. Use Add Project… to pick one.": "No candidate projects yet. Use Add Project… to pick one.",
   "Roots": "Roots",
   "Dependencies of {name}": "Dependencies of {name}",
   "The root depends on these projects": "The root depends on these projects",
diff --git a/src/platform/locales/text/zh.json b/src/platform/locales/text/zh.json
index 2acab9ac7..e7e1bb949 100644
--- a/src/platform/locales/text/zh.json
+++ b/src/platform/locales/text/zh.json
@@ -7215,7 +7215,7 @@
   "The project depends on these projects": "项目取决于这些项目",
   "The project depends on {name}": "项目取决于 {name}",
   "Dependency projects are indexed and navigable together with this project: Go to Declaration, Find Usages and the Project view include them.": "依赖项目将与本项目一起建立索引并参与导航：“转到声明”、查找用法和项目视图都会包含它们。",
-  "No candidate projects. Recently opened projects appear here.": "暂无候选项目。最近打开的项目会显示在这里。",
+  "No candidate projects yet. Use Add Project… to pick one.": "暂无候选项目。使用「添加项目…」选择。",
   "Add Project…": "添加项目…",
   "Roots": "根",
   "Dependencies of {name}": "{name} 的依赖项",