diff --git a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/AddRepoModal.svelte b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/AddRepoModal.svelte
index 7687507d..ed0e54c5 100644
--- a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/AddRepoModal.svelte
+++ b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/AddRepoModal.svelte
@@ -66,6 +66,12 @@
       const normalizedBranch = branchName.trim() || undefined;
       const prNumber = matchedPr?.number ?? undefined;
 
+      if (excludeRepos?.has(`${selectedRepo}\x00${normalizedSubpath ?? ''}`)) {
+        error = 'This repo + subpath is already in the project';
+        saving = false;
+        return;
+      }
+
       onAdded({
         nameWithOwner: selectedRepo,
         branchName: normalizedBranch,
diff --git a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/ProjectHome.svelte b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/ProjectHome.svelte
index 75e39793..35a6c968 100644
--- a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/ProjectHome.svelte
+++ b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/ProjectHome.svelte
@@ -755,7 +755,7 @@
             excludeRepos={new Set(
               [...reposById.values()]
                 .filter((r) => r.projectId === project.id)
-                .map((r) => r.githubRepo)
+                .map((r) => `${r.githubRepo}\x00${r.subpath ?? ''}`)
             )}
             onRepoSelected={(selection) => handleRepoSelected(project.id, selection)}
             onRetryWorktree={(branchId) => setupBranchWorktree(branchId, project.id)}
diff --git a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/RepoConfigForm.svelte b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/RepoConfigForm.svelte
index 437305bf..5210ea52 100644
--- a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/RepoConfigForm.svelte
+++ b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/RepoConfigForm.svelte
@@ -175,7 +175,9 @@
   });
 
   let filteredRecentRepos = $derived(
-    excludeRepos ? recentRepos.filter((r) => !excludeRepos.has(r.githubRepo)) : recentRepos
+    excludeRepos
+      ? recentRepos.filter((r) => !excludeRepos.has(`${r.githubRepo}\x00${r.subpath ?? ''}`))
+      : recentRepos
   );
 
   const dark = $derived(darkMode.value);
diff --git a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/RepoSearchInput.svelte b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/RepoSearchInput.svelte
index a39bd029..ed02c8ec 100644
--- a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/RepoSearchInput.svelte
+++ b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/RepoSearchInput.svelte
@@ -72,13 +72,13 @@
     const seen = new Set<string>();
     const result: Array<{ type: 'recent' | 'repo'; data: RecentRepo | GitHubRepo }> = [];
 
-    if (directFetchRepo && !excludeRepos.has(directFetchRepo.nameWithOwner)) {
+    if (directFetchRepo) {
       result.push({ type: 'repo', data: directFetchRepo });
       seen.add(directFetchRepo.nameWithOwner);
     }
 
     for (const r of searchResults) {
-      if (!seen.has(r.nameWithOwner) && !excludeRepos.has(r.nameWithOwner)) {
+      if (!seen.has(r.nameWithOwner)) {
         result.push({ type: 'repo', data: r });
         seen.add(r.nameWithOwner);
       }
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@
       : repos;
 
     for (const r of filtered) {
-      if (!seen.has(r.nameWithOwner) && !excludeRepos.has(r.nameWithOwner)) {
+      if (!seen.has(r.nameWithOwner)) {
         result.push({ type: 'repo', data: r });
         seen.add(r.nameWithOwner);
       }
@@ -105,7 +105,9 @@
 
   let filteredRecentRepos = $derived.by(() => {
     const q = query.toLowerCase().trim();
-    const base = recentRepos.filter((r) => !excludeRepos.has(r.githubRepo));
+    const base = recentRepos.filter(
+      (r) => !excludeRepos.has(`${r.githubRepo}\x00${r.subpath ?? ''}`)
+    );
     return q ? base.filter((r) => r.githubRepo.toLowerCase().includes(q)) : base;
   });
 
@@ -125,7 +127,11 @@
 
   onMount(async () => {
     if (autofocus) {
-      inputEl?.focus();
+      // Defer so the click that opened our parent modal finishes bubbling
+      // before we open the dropdown. Otherwise the trailing window-level
+      // handleClickOutside (registered when this component mounted) sees a
+      // target outside our wrapper and closes the dropdown we just opened.
+      setTimeout(() => inputEl?.focus(), 0);
     }
     try {
       recentRepos = await commands.listRecentRepos(10);
@@ -148,6 +154,7 @@
   }
 
   async function handleInput() {
+    dropdownOpen = true;
     const trimmed = query.trim();
 
     const parsed = parseGitHubUrl(trimmed);