diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/panels/VariablesPanel.tsx b/packages/studio/src/components/panels/VariablesPanel.tsx
index f61620222a..63369c9f62 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/panels/VariablesPanel.tsx
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/panels/VariablesPanel.tsx
@@ -258,12 +258,9 @@ export const VariablesPanel = memo(function VariablesPanel({
   const { refreshKey } = useStudioPlaybackContext();
   const { readProjectFile, writeProjectFile, fileTree, compositions } = useFileManagerContext();
   const { domEditSelection } = useDomEditContext();
-  // On the master view (no activeCompPath) the panel targets the project's real
-  // main composition — the first composition in the tree — not a hardcoded
-  // index.html that may not exist. This same path is used for the persist write
-  // target (so an edit never lands in a phantom index.html) AND the handoff
-  // render command. Null only when the project has no composition yet, in which
-  // case sdkSession is also null and the panel is inert.
+  // Master view (no activeCompPath) targets the real main composition, not a
+  // hardcoded index.html — used for both the persist write target and the
+  // handoff render command. Null only when the project has no composition.
   const effectiveCompPath = activeCompPath ?? resolveMasterCompositionPath(compositions);
   const previewValues = usePreviewVariablesStore((s) => s.values);
   const setPreviewValues = usePreviewVariablesStore((s) => s.setValues);
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/hooks/useAutoOpenRootComposition.ts b/packages/studio/src/hooks/useAutoOpenRootComposition.ts
index 100b3524e7..d098eba0ef 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/hooks/useAutoOpenRootComposition.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/hooks/useAutoOpenRootComposition.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 import { useEffect, useRef } from "react";
 
 /**
- * Opens the root composition once hydration settles on no selection; fires at most once per
- * `projectId`. Relies on the caller resetting selection on an in-session project switch
- * (see `useResetSelectionOnProjectSwitch`) or a stale selection reads as "already open".
+ * Opens the root composition once hydration settles with no selection, at most once per
+ * `projectId`. Caller must reset selection on a project switch (`useResetSelectionOnProjectSwitch`).
  */
 export function useAutoOpenRootComposition({
   projectId,
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/hooks/useFileTree.test.tsx b/packages/studio/src/hooks/useFileTree.test.tsx
index 44998393bf..e37634492a 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/hooks/useFileTree.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/studio/src/hooks/useFileTree.test.tsx
@@ -156,6 +156,64 @@ describe("useFileTree.refreshFileTree", () => {
     fetchSpy.mockRestore();
   });
 
+  it("aborts the superseded request's fetch when a newer refresh is issued", async () => {
+    let call = 0;
+    const signals: AbortSignal[] = [];
+    const fetchSpy = vi
+      .spyOn(globalThis, "fetch")
+      .mockImplementation(async (_url, init?: RequestInit) => {
+        call += 1;
+        if (call === 1) {
+          return new Response(
+            JSON.stringify({ files: ["index.html"], compositions: ["index.html"] }),
+            { status: 200 },
+          );
+        }
+        if (init?.signal) signals.push(init.signal);
+        return new Promise<Response>(() => {});
+      });
+
+    const handleRef = { current: null as Handle | null };
+    const host = document.createElement("div");
+    document.body.append(host);
+    root = createRoot(host);
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      root?.render(
+        <Harness
+          ref={(h) => {
+            handleRef.current = h;
+          }}
+          projectId="project-a"
+        />,
+      );
+      await Promise.resolve();
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+
+    act(() => {
+      void handleRef.current?.refresh();
+    });
+    await act(async () => {
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+    expect(signals).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(signals[0].aborted).toBe(false);
+
+    act(() => {
+      void handleRef.current?.refresh();
+    });
+    await act(async () => {
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+
+    expect(signals).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(signals[0].aborted).toBe(true);
+    expect(signals[1].aborted).toBe(false);
+
+    fetchSpy.mockRestore();
+  });
+
   it("keeps the prior compositions list when a refresh response omits the field", async () => {
     let call = 0;
     const fetchSpy = vi.spyOn(globalThis, "fetch").mockImplementation(async () => {