diff --git a/src/main/ipc/filesystem.ts b/src/main/ipc/filesystem.ts
index 475fcc988b4..e59f9126141 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/filesystem.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/filesystem.ts
@@ -440,8 +440,12 @@ export function registerFilesystemHandlers(store: Store): void {
     ): Promise<string[]> => {
       if (args.connectionId) {
         const provider = getSshFilesystemProvider(args.connectionId)
+        // Why: when the SSH connection is not yet established (cold start) or
+        // temporarily disconnected, return [] so quick-open shows "No matching
+        // files" instead of an error banner. The file list will repopulate when
+        // the user re-opens quick-open after the connection is restored.
         if (!provider) {
-          throw new Error(`No filesystem provider for connection "${args.connectionId}"`)
+          return []
         }
         return provider.listFiles(args.rootPath)
       }
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/worktrees.ts b/src/main/ipc/worktrees.ts
index a96fb70f3d7..134fc4a3e3c 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/worktrees.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/worktrees.ts
@@ -99,11 +99,14 @@ export function registerWorktreeHandlers(mainWindow: BrowserWindow, store: Store
       gitWorktrees = [createFolderWorktree(repo)]
     } else if (repo.connectionId) {
       const provider = getSshGitProvider(repo.connectionId)
-      // Why: when SSH is disconnected the provider is null. Throwing here
-      // makes the renderer's fetchWorktrees catch block preserve its cached
-      // worktree list instead of replacing it with an empty array.
+      // Why: when SSH is disconnected the provider is null. Return [] so the
+      // renderer's fetchWorktrees guard (`worktrees.length === 0 && current.length > 0`)
+      // preserves its cached worktree list. This avoids a console error on every
+      // fetchAllWorktrees cycle while the connection is being (re-)established —
+      // worktrees will be properly populated when the SSH `connected` event fires
+      // and triggers a re-fetch.
       if (!provider) {
-        throw new Error(`SSH connection "${repo.connectionId}" is not active`)
+        return []
       }
       gitWorktrees = await provider.listWorktrees(repo.path)
     } else {
diff --git a/src/relay/fs-handler-readdir-fallback.ts b/src/relay/fs-handler-readdir-fallback.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a0422b7dbf5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/relay/fs-handler-readdir-fallback.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+/**
+ * Plain readdir-based file listing fallback.
+ *
+ * Why: when neither ripgrep nor git is available (e.g. a non-git folder on a
+ * remote machine without rg), we still need to list files for quick-open.
+ * This walks the directory tree using Node's fs.readdir, respecting the same
+ * blocklist and timeout constraints as the git-based fallback.
+ */
+import { readdir } from 'fs/promises'
+import { join, relative } from 'path'
+
+const MAX_FILES = 10_000
+const TIMEOUT_MS = 10_000
+
+const HIDDEN_DIR_BLOCKLIST = new Set([
+  '.git',
+  '.next',
+  '.nuxt',
+  '.cache',
+  '.stably',
+  '.vscode',
+  '.idea',
+  '.yarn',
+  '.pnpm-store',
+  '.terraform',
+  '.docker',
+  '.husky'
+])
+
+function shouldDescend(name: string): boolean {
+  if (name === 'node_modules' || HIDDEN_DIR_BLOCKLIST.has(name)) {
+    return false
+  }
+  // Skip hidden directories (dotfiles other than those in the blocklist
+  // are already covered, but be explicit for any remaining)
+  if (name.startsWith('.') && HIDDEN_DIR_BLOCKLIST.has(name)) {
+    return false
+  }
+  return true
+}
+
+/**
+ * Recursively list files under `rootPath` using fs.readdir.
+ * Returns relative POSIX paths, capped at MAX_FILES with a timeout.
+ */
+export async function listFilesWithReaddir(rootPath: string): Promise<string[]> {
+  const files: string[] = []
+  const deadline = Date.now() + TIMEOUT_MS
+
+  async function walk(dir: string): Promise<void> {
+    if (files.length >= MAX_FILES || Date.now() > deadline) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    let entries
+    try {
+      entries = await readdir(dir, { withFileTypes: true })
+    } catch {
+      // Permission denied, symlink loop, etc. — skip silently.
+      return
+    }
+
+    for (const entry of entries) {
+      if (files.length >= MAX_FILES || Date.now() > deadline) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      const name = entry.name
+      if (entry.isDirectory()) {
+        if (shouldDescend(name)) {
+          await walk(join(dir, name))
+        }
+      } else if (entry.isFile()) {
+        const relPath = relative(rootPath, join(dir, name))
+        files.push(relPath)
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  await walk(rootPath)
+  return files
+}
diff --git a/src/relay/fs-handler.ts b/src/relay/fs-handler.ts
index fd65c5e0c3c..b85e4f93592 100644
--- a/src/relay/fs-handler.ts
+++ b/src/relay/fs-handler.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import {
   checkRgAvailable
 } from './fs-handler-utils'
 import { listFilesWithGit, searchWithGitGrep } from './fs-handler-git-fallback'
+import { listFilesWithReaddir } from './fs-handler-readdir-fallback'
 
 type WatchState = {
   rootPath: string
@@ -228,10 +229,18 @@ export class FsHandler {
     const rootPath = expandTilde(params.rootPath as string)
     await this.context.validatePathResolved(rootPath)
     const rgAvailable = await checkRgAvailable()
-    if (!rgAvailable) {
-      return listFilesWithGit(rootPath)
+    if (rgAvailable) {
+      return listFilesWithRg(rootPath)
     }
-    return listFilesWithRg(rootPath)
+    // Why: git ls-files only works inside git repos. For non-git directories
+    // (e.g. a plain folder added over SSH), the command exits with an error
+    // and returns nothing. Fall back to a recursive readdir walk so quick-open
+    // still populates for non-git folders without ripgrep.
+    const gitFiles = await listFilesWithGit(rootPath)
+    if (gitFiles.length > 0) {
+      return gitFiles
+    }
+    return listFilesWithReaddir(rootPath)
   }
 
   private async watch(params: Record<string, unknown>) {