diff --git a/crates/workspace/src/pane.rs b/crates/workspace/src/pane.rs
index f025131758760d6c4db5250e2bbdb12a50d4ee01..be5c1efbdf7b158e3b8f80828fb75eb4a2307d61 100644
--- a/crates/workspace/src/pane.rs
+++ b/crates/workspace/src/pane.rs
@@ -391,6 +391,7 @@ pub struct Pane {
         Option<Arc<dyn Fn(&mut Self, &dyn Any, &mut Window, &mut Context<Self>) -> bool>>,
     can_toggle_zoom: bool,
     should_display_tab_bar: Rc<dyn Fn(&Window, &mut Context<Pane>) -> bool>,
+    should_display_welcome_page: bool,
     render_tab_bar_buttons: Rc<
         dyn Fn(
             &mut Pane,
@@ -574,6 +575,7 @@ impl Pane {
             can_split_predicate: None,
             can_toggle_zoom: true,
             should_display_tab_bar: Rc::new(|_, cx| TabBarSettings::get_global(cx).show),
+            should_display_welcome_page: false,
             render_tab_bar_buttons: Rc::new(default_render_tab_bar_buttons),
             render_tab_bar: Rc::new(Self::render_tab_bar),
             show_tab_bar_buttons: TabBarSettings::get_global(cx).show_tab_bar_buttons,
@@ -681,7 +683,9 @@ impl Pane {
                 self.last_focus_handle_by_item
                     .insert(active_item.item_id(), focused.downgrade());
             }
-        } else if let Some(welcome_page) = self.welcome_page.as_ref() {
+        } else if self.should_display_welcome_page
+            && let Some(welcome_page) = self.welcome_page.as_ref()
+        {
             if self.focus_handle.is_focused(window) {
                 welcome_page.read(cx).focus_handle(cx).focus(window, cx);
             }
@@ -793,6 +797,10 @@ impl Pane {
         self.should_display_tab_bar = Rc::new(should_display_tab_bar);
     }
 
+    pub fn set_should_display_welcome_page(&mut self, should_display_welcome_page: bool) {
+        self.should_display_welcome_page = should_display_welcome_page;
+    }
+
     pub fn set_can_split(
         &mut self,
         can_split_predicate: Option<
@@ -4391,7 +4399,7 @@ impl Render for Pane {
                                         }
                                     },
                                 ));
-                            if has_worktrees {
+                            if has_worktrees || !self.should_display_welcome_page {
                                 placeholder
                             } else {
                                 if self.welcome_page.is_none() {
diff --git a/crates/workspace/src/workspace.rs b/crates/workspace/src/workspace.rs
index 019329a8a8b932b6f1dddd056322acfad6932f6a..9f242d670d1ca7004c703496346e7bc196f969e5 100644
--- a/crates/workspace/src/workspace.rs
+++ b/crates/workspace/src/workspace.rs
@@ -1446,6 +1446,7 @@ impl Workspace {
                 cx,
             );
             center_pane.set_can_split(Some(Arc::new(|_, _, _, _| true)));
+            center_pane.set_should_display_welcome_page(true);
             center_pane
         });
         cx.subscribe_in(&center_pane, window, Self::handle_pane_event)