diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/ipc/shell.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/ipc/shell.ts
index ebbdb47..c9da8cb 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main/ipc/shell.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main/ipc/shell.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,36 @@
-/**
- * `registerShellIpc` — tiny wrapper around Electron's `shell.showItemInFolder`
- * so the renderer can reveal a scaffolded project (or its log file) in the
- * OS file manager. Kept separate so the success / failure views can reach
- * the same IPC channel.
- */
+import { spawn } from 'node:child_process';
 import { ipcMain, shell } from 'electron';
 
+export type CliRunner = (args: readonly string[]) => Promise<void>;
+
+export async function openInEditor(path: string, runCli: CliRunner): Promise<void> {
+  try {
+    await runCli(['--new-window', path]);
+  } catch {
+    await shell.openExternal(`vscode://file${path}`);
+  }
+}
+
+function spawnCode(args: readonly string[]): Promise<void> {
+  return new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
+    const proc = spawn('code', [...args], { detached: true, stdio: 'ignore' });
+    proc.on('error', reject);
+    proc.on('close', (exitCode) => {
+      if (exitCode === 0) {
+        resolve();
+      } else {
+        reject(new Error(`code exited with ${exitCode ?? 'signal'}`));
+      }
+    });
+    proc.unref();
+  });
+}
+
 export function registerShellIpc(): void {
   ipcMain.handle('shell:reveal', (_evt, path: string) => {
     shell.showItemInFolder(path);
   });
   ipcMain.handle('shell:open-in-editor', async (_evt, path: string) => {
-    await shell.openExternal(`vscode://file${path}`);
+    await openInEditor(path, spawnCode);
   });
 }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/tests/main/shell-ipc.test.ts b/apps/desktop/tests/main/shell-ipc.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c7c8204
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/tests/main/shell-ipc.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import { openInEditor } from '@main/ipc/shell';
+import { shell } from 'electron';
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+
+vi.mock('electron', () => ({
+  shell: { openExternal: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined) },
+  ipcMain: { handle: vi.fn() },
+}));
+
+describe('openInEditor', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it('opens the path in a new VS Code window via the CLI runner', async () => {
+    const runCli = vi.fn(async () => undefined);
+    await openInEditor('/projects/my-app', runCli);
+    expect(runCli).toHaveBeenCalledWith(['--new-window', '/projects/my-app']);
+  });
+
+  it('does not fall back to shell.openExternal when CLI runner succeeds', async () => {
+    const runCli = vi.fn(async () => undefined);
+    await openInEditor('/projects/my-app', runCli);
+    expect(shell.openExternal).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('falls back to shell.openExternal when the CLI runner throws', async () => {
+    const runCli = vi.fn().mockRejectedValue(new Error('ENOENT: code not found'));
+    await openInEditor('/projects/my-app', runCli);
+    expect(shell.openExternal).toHaveBeenCalledWith('vscode://file/projects/my-app');
+  });
+
+  it('passes the path verbatim to the CLI runner', async () => {
+    const runCli = vi.fn(async () => undefined);
+    await openInEditor('/path/with spaces/project', runCli);
+    expect(runCli).toHaveBeenCalledWith(['--new-window', '/path/with spaces/project']);
+  });
+});