diff --git a/src/components/app/AppLayout.tsx b/src/components/app/AppLayout.tsx
index 6fc6858c..71ea845c 100644
--- a/src/components/app/AppLayout.tsx
+++ b/src/components/app/AppLayout.tsx
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import QuickCommands from "@/components/panel/QuickCommands";
 import SerialSendPanel from "@/components/panel/SendCommandPanel";
 import TabWindowsWorkspace from "@/components/terminal/TabWindowsWorkspace";
 import { useTheme } from "@/context/ThemeContext";
+import { hasVisibleActivityBarItems } from "@/lib/appWorkspace";
 import {
   buildBackgroundImageLayerStyle,
   buildSurfaceCssVariables,
@@ -246,14 +247,8 @@ export default function AppLayout({
     }),
     [effectiveAppearance, theme.colors, windowTransparencyEnabled],
   );
-  const hasLeftActivityItems =
-    leftActivityBar.items.length > 0 ||
-    (leftActivityBar.bottomItems?.length ?? 0) > 0 ||
-    (leftActivityBar.hiddenItems?.length ?? 0) > 0;
-  const hasRightActivityItems =
-    rightActivityBar.items.length > 0 ||
-    (rightActivityBar.bottomItems?.length ?? 0) > 0 ||
-    (rightActivityBar.hiddenItems?.length ?? 0) > 0;
+  const hasLeftActivityItems = hasVisibleActivityBarItems(leftActivityBar);
+  const hasRightActivityItems = hasVisibleActivityBarItems(rightActivityBar);
   const leftPanelOpen =
     hasLeftActivityItems &&
     (leftPanelIds.length > 0 || Boolean(leftOverlayPanelId));
diff --git a/src/lib/appWorkspace.test.ts b/src/lib/appWorkspace.test.ts
index aca79643..fea6136f 100644
--- a/src/lib/appWorkspace.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/appWorkspace.test.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {
   getItemSide,
   getSideOpenPanels,
   getVisibleActivityIds,
+  hasVisibleActivityBarItems,
   hideActivityBarItem,
   isActivityBarItemVisible,
   isActivityItemAvailable,
@@ -133,6 +134,18 @@ function uiConfig(overrides: Partial<UiConfig> = {}): UiConfig {
 }
 
 describe("activity bar visibility state", () => {
+  it("does not keep a side visible when it only contains hidden items", () => {
+    expect(
+      hasVisibleActivityBarItems({
+        items: [],
+        bottomItems: [],
+        hiddenItems: ["fileExplorer"],
+      }),
+    ).toBe(false);
+    expect(hasVisibleActivityBarItems({ items: ["savedConnections"] })).toBe(true);
+    expect(hasVisibleActivityBarItems({ items: [], bottomItems: ["settings"] })).toBe(true);
+  });
+
   it("hides, shows, and toggles icons without changing feature availability", () => {
     const ui = uiConfig({
       show_gpu_monitor: true,
diff --git a/src/lib/appWorkspace.ts b/src/lib/appWorkspace.ts
index 56c79de3..24f425b3 100644
--- a/src/lib/appWorkspace.ts
+++ b/src/lib/appWorkspace.ts
@@ -228,6 +228,17 @@ export function getVisibleActivityIds(ids: string[], ui: UiConfig): string[] {
   return ids.filter((id) => isActivityBarItemVisible(id, ui));
 }
 
+export function hasVisibleActivityBarItems({
+  items,
+  bottomItems,
+}: {
+  items: readonly unknown[];
+  bottomItems?: readonly unknown[];
+  hiddenItems?: readonly unknown[];
+}): boolean {
+  return items.length > 0 || (bottomItems?.length ?? 0) > 0;
+}
+
 export function cloneDefaultActivityBarLayout(): ActivityBarLayout {
   return {
     left_top: [...DEFAULT_ACTIVITY_BAR_LAYOUT.left_top],