diff --git a/modules/ui/treemacs/autoload.el b/modules/ui/treemacs/autoload.el
index 06b397b0f..2713f1409 100644
--- a/modules/ui/treemacs/autoload.el
+++ b/modules/ui/treemacs/autoload.el
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ Use `treemacs' command for old functionality."
   (require 'treemacs)
   (pcase (treemacs-current-visibility)
     (`visible (delete-window (treemacs-get-local-window)))
-    (_ (if (treemacs--find-current-user-project)
-           (treemacs-add-and-display-current-project-exclusively)
-         (treemacs)))))
+    (_ (let ((project (treemacs--find-current-user-project)))
+         (if (and project (not (file-equal-p project "~")))
+             (treemacs-add-and-display-current-project-exclusively)
+           (message "No valid project in current buffer; opening last treemacs session")
+           (treemacs))))))