diff --git a/web-admin/src/features/edit-session/EditButton.svelte b/web-admin/src/features/edit-session/EditButton.svelte
index 13364773ce6..9f3d73a0365 100644
--- a/web-admin/src/features/edit-session/EditButton.svelte
+++ b/web-admin/src/features/edit-session/EditButton.svelte
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 <script lang="ts">
   import { goto } from "$app/navigation";
-  import {
-    createAdminServiceGetCurrentUser,
-    V1DeploymentStatus,
-  } from "@rilldata/web-admin/client";
   import {
     injectBranchIntoPath,
     requestSkipBranchInjection,
@@ -19,34 +15,17 @@
   /** The project's primary branch, used as the source for new branches. */
   export let primaryBranch: string | undefined = undefined;
 
-  const user = createAdminServiceGetCurrentUser();
   const devDeployments = useDevDeployments(organization, project);
 
   let dialogOpen = false;
 
-  $: currentUserId = $user.data?.user?.id;
-  $: deployments = $devDeployments.data?.deployments ?? [];
   $: isLoading = $devDeployments.isLoading;
 
-  // If viewing a branch the user owns, clicking the button should go straight
-  // there — no dialog.
-  $: activeBranchDeployment =
-    activeBranch && currentUserId
-      ? deployments.find(
-          (d) =>
-            d.branch === activeBranch &&
-            d.ownerUserId === currentUserId &&
-            d.editable &&
-            d.status !== V1DeploymentStatus.DEPLOYMENT_STATUS_DELETING &&
-            d.status !== V1DeploymentStatus.DEPLOYMENT_STATUS_DELETED,
-        )
-      : undefined;
-
-  $: directEditHref = activeBranchDeployment?.branch
-    ? injectBranchIntoPath(
-        `/${organization}/${project}/-/edit`,
-        activeBranchDeployment.branch,
-      )
+  // On a branch view, jump straight into edit mode for that branch.
+  // On production view, fall through to the dialog so the user can pick
+  // an existing dev branch or create a new one.
+  $: directEditHref = activeBranch
+    ? injectBranchIntoPath(`/${organization}/${project}/-/edit`, activeBranch)
     : undefined;
 
   function handleDirectEdit(e: MouseEvent) {
diff --git a/web-admin/src/features/projects/ProjectHeader.svelte b/web-admin/src/features/projects/ProjectHeader.svelte
index a04f968802a..783e685f931 100644
--- a/web-admin/src/features/projects/ProjectHeader.svelte
+++ b/web-admin/src/features/projects/ProjectHeader.svelte
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@
   $: onPublicURLPage = isPublicURLPage($page);
 
   $: activeBranch = extractBranchFromPath($page.url.pathname);
+  $: isBranchView = !!activeBranch && activeBranch !== primaryBranch;
 
   $: loggedIn = !!$user.data?.user;
   $: rillLogoHref = !loggedIn ? "https://www.rilldata.com" : "/";
@@ -214,7 +215,7 @@
       {#if $cloudEditing && onProjectPage && projectPermissions.manageDev}
         <EditButton {organization} {project} {activeBranch} {primaryBranch} />
       {/if}
-      {#if onProjectPage && projectPermissions.manageProjectMembers}
+      {#if onProjectPage && projectPermissions.manageProjectMembers && !isBranchView}
         <ShareProjectPopover
           {organization}
           {project}
@@ -248,7 +249,7 @@
             {#if $dashboardChat && !onPublicURLPage}
               <ChatToggle />
             {/if}
-            {#if hasUserAccess}
+            {#if hasUserAccess && !isBranchView}
               <ExploreBookmarks
                 {organization}
                 {project}
@@ -274,7 +275,7 @@
       {#if $dashboardChat && !onPublicURLPage}
         <ChatToggle />
       {/if}
-      {#if hasUserAccess}
+      {#if hasUserAccess && !isBranchView}
         <CanvasBookmarks {organization} {project} canvasName={dashboard} />
         <ShareDashboardPopover
           createMagicAuthTokens={projectPermissions.createMagicAuthTokens}
diff --git a/web-admin/src/features/projects/ProjectTabs.svelte b/web-admin/src/features/projects/ProjectTabs.svelte
index 0c951097c68..c3f87e27af7 100644
--- a/web-admin/src/features/projects/ProjectTabs.svelte
+++ b/web-admin/src/features/projects/ProjectTabs.svelte
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 
   const { chat, reports, alerts } = featureFlags;
 
+  $: isBranchView = branchPrefix !== "";
+
   $: tabs = [
     {
       route: `/${organization}/${project}${branchPrefix}`,
@@ -40,12 +42,12 @@
     {
       route: `/${organization}/${project}${branchPrefix}/-/reports`,
       label: "Reports",
-      hasPermission: $reports,
+      hasPermission: $reports && !isBranchView,
     },
     {
       route: `/${organization}/${project}${branchPrefix}/-/alerts`,
       label: "Alerts",
-      hasPermission: $alerts,
+      hasPermission: $alerts && !isBranchView,
     },
     {
       route: `/${organization}/${project}${branchPrefix}/-/status`,
@@ -55,7 +57,7 @@
     {
       route: `/${organization}/${project}${branchPrefix}/-/settings`,
       label: "Settings",
-      hasPermission: projectPermissions.manageProject,
+      hasPermission: projectPermissions.manageProject && !isBranchView,
     },
   ];
 
diff --git a/web-admin/src/routes/[organization]/[project]/+layout.ts b/web-admin/src/routes/[organization]/[project]/+layout.ts
index fddf4fc0aba..3b7d29c9e27 100644
--- a/web-admin/src/routes/[organization]/[project]/+layout.ts
+++ b/web-admin/src/routes/[organization]/[project]/+layout.ts
@@ -1,17 +1,32 @@
 import { type RpcStatus } from "@rilldata/web-admin/client";
 import { hasBlockerIssues } from "@rilldata/web-admin/features/billing/selectors";
+import {
+  branchPathPrefix,
+  extractBranchFromPath,
+} from "@rilldata/web-admin/features/branches/branch-utils";
 import { fetchAllProjectsHibernating } from "@rilldata/web-admin/features/organizations/selectors";
 import { error, redirect } from "@sveltejs/kit";
 import { isAxiosError } from "axios";
 import { maybeRedirectToEditableDeployment } from "@rilldata/web-admin/features/branches/deployment-utils.ts";
 import { isEditPage } from "@rilldata/web-admin/features/navigation/nav-utils.ts";
 
+// Sections hidden on branch views; visiting them redirects to the branch home.
+const BRANCH_HIDDEN_SECTIONS = /\/-\/(alerts|reports|settings)(\/|$)/;
+
 export const load = async ({
   params: { organization, project },
   parent,
   route,
   url,
 }) => {
+  const activeBranch = extractBranchFromPath(url.pathname);
+  if (activeBranch && BRANCH_HIDDEN_SECTIONS.test(url.pathname)) {
+    throw redirect(
+      307,
+      `/${organization}/${project}${branchPathPrefix(activeBranch)}`,
+    );
+  }
+
   const { organizationPermissions, issues } = await parent();
 
   if (!organizationPermissions.manageOrg) return;
diff --git a/web-admin/src/routes/[organization]/[project]/-/status/+layout.svelte b/web-admin/src/routes/[organization]/[project]/-/status/+layout.svelte
index be33a56dc01..92a59f57a0d 100644
--- a/web-admin/src/routes/[organization]/[project]/-/status/+layout.svelte
+++ b/web-admin/src/routes/[organization]/[project]/-/status/+layout.svelte
@@ -4,10 +4,12 @@
   import { page } from "$app/stores";
   import ContentContainer from "@rilldata/web-common/components/layout/ContentContainer.svelte";
   import LeftNav from "@rilldata/web-admin/components/nav/LeftNav.svelte";
+  import { extractBranchFromPath } from "@rilldata/web-admin/features/branches/branch-utils";
 
   $: basePage = `/${$page.params.organization}/${$page.params.project}/-/status`;
+  $: isBranchView = !!extractBranchFromPath($page.url.pathname);
 
-  const navItems = [
+  $: navItems = [
     {
       label: "Overview",
       route: "",
@@ -16,7 +18,7 @@
     {
       label: "Branches",
       route: "/branches",
-      hasPermission: true,
+      hasPermission: !isBranchView,
     },
     {
       label: "Resources",