diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-fs.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-fs.test.ts
index 9dcada40a..f4dc4fac3 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-fs.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-fs.test.ts
@@ -142,12 +142,22 @@ describe('desktop filesystem facade', () => {
     expect(selectPaths).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
+  it('uses the local Electron picker for remote file selection', async () => {
+    const remoteSelect = vi.fn(async () => ['/remote/project'])
+    $connection.set({ mode: 'remote' } as never)
+    setDesktopFsRemotePicker({ selectPaths: remoteSelect })
+
+    await expect(selectDesktopPaths({ directories: false, multiple: false })).resolves.toEqual(['/local'])
+
+    expect(selectPaths).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ directories: false, multiple: false })
+    expect(remoteSelect).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
   it('limits the remote picker to single-directory selection', async () => {
     const remoteSelect = vi.fn(async () => ['/remote/project'])
     $connection.set({ mode: 'remote' } as never)
     setDesktopFsRemotePicker({ selectPaths: remoteSelect })
 
-    await expect(selectDesktopPaths({ directories: false, multiple: false })).resolves.toEqual([])
     await expect(selectDesktopPaths({ directories: true })).resolves.toEqual(['/remote/project'])
 
     expect(remoteSelect).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ directories: true, multiple: false })
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-fs.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-fs.ts
index d66e02230..3b05031ba 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-fs.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-fs.ts
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ export async function selectDesktopPaths(options?: HermesSelectPathsOptions): Pr
   }
 
   if (!options?.directories) {
-    return []
+    return desktop.selectPaths(options)
   }
 
   return remotePicker ? remotePicker.selectPaths({ ...options, multiple: false }) : []