diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/context/global-sync.tsx b/packages/desktop/src/context/global-sync.tsx
index 62de028f5..890801611 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/context/global-sync.tsx
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/context/global-sync.tsx
@@ -31,13 +31,20 @@ const PASTEL_COLORS = [
   "#C1E1C1", // pastel mint
 ]
 
-function randomPastelColor() {
-  return PASTEL_COLORS[Math.floor(Math.random() * PASTEL_COLORS.length)]
+function pickAvailableColor(usedColors: Set<string>) {
+  const available = PASTEL_COLORS.filter((c) => !usedColors.has(c))
+  if (available.length === 0) return PASTEL_COLORS[Math.floor(Math.random() * PASTEL_COLORS.length)]
+  return available[Math.floor(Math.random() * available.length)]
 }
 
-async function ensureProjectColor(project: Project, sdk: ReturnType<typeof useGlobalSDK>): Promise<Project> {
+async function ensureProjectColor(
+  project: Project,
+  sdk: ReturnType<typeof useGlobalSDK>,
+  usedColors: Set<string>,
+): Promise<Project> {
   if (project.icon?.color) return project
-  const color = randomPastelColor()
+  const color = pickAvailableColor(usedColors)
+  usedColors.add(color)
   const updated = { ...project, icon: { ...project.icon, color } }
   sdk.client.project.update({ projectID: project.id, icon: { color } })
   return updated
@@ -117,7 +124,8 @@ export const { use: useGlobalSync, provider: GlobalSyncProvider } = createSimple
       if (directory === "global") {
         switch (event.type) {
           case "project.updated": {
-            ensureProjectColor(event.properties, sdk).then((project) => {
+            const usedColors = new Set(globalStore.projects.map((p) => p.icon?.color).filter(Boolean) as string[])
+            ensureProjectColor(event.properties, sdk, usedColors).then((project) => {
               const result = Binary.search(globalStore.projects, project.id, (s) => s.id)
               if (result.found) {
                 setGlobalStore("projects", result.index, reconcile(project))
@@ -209,7 +217,8 @@ export const { use: useGlobalSync, provider: GlobalSyncProvider } = createSimple
     Promise.all([
       sdk.client.project.list().then(async (x) => {
         const filtered = x.data!.filter((p) => !p.worktree.includes("opencode-test") && p.vcs)
-        const projects = await Promise.all(filtered.map((p) => ensureProjectColor(p, sdk)))
+        const usedColors = new Set(filtered.map((p) => p.icon?.color).filter(Boolean) as string[])
+        const projects = await Promise.all(filtered.map((p) => ensureProjectColor(p, sdk, usedColors)))
         setGlobalStore(
           "projects",
           projects.sort((a, b) => a.id.localeCompare(b.id)),