diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/__tests__/savedSql/savedSqlDatabaseTree.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/__tests__/savedSql/savedSqlDatabaseTree.spec.ts
index 19e6d4005a..9a71f62987 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/__tests__/savedSql/savedSqlDatabaseTree.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/__tests__/savedSql/savedSqlDatabaseTree.spec.ts
@@ -65,6 +65,11 @@ describe("database saved SQL tree", () => {
     expect(root).toMatchObject({ id: "conn-1:app:__queries", label: "tree.queries", type: "saved-sql-root", children: [] });
   });
 
+  it("collapses the Queries node by default when opening a connection", () => {
+    expect(buildDatabaseSavedSqlRootNode(database, files)?.isExpanded).toBe(false);
+    expect(buildDatabaseSavedSqlRootNode(database, [])?.isExpanded).toBe(false);
+  });
+
   it("adds Queries after database metadata and preserves its expansion state", () => {
     const existingRoot = { ...buildDatabaseSavedSqlRootNode(database, files)!, isExpanded: false };
     const decorated = decorateDatabaseSavedSqlTreeNodes(
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/savedSql/savedSqlDatabaseTree.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/savedSql/savedSqlDatabaseTree.ts
index b26a85a1a1..1cbe74beb1 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/savedSql/savedSqlDatabaseTree.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/savedSql/savedSqlDatabaseTree.ts
@@ -71,7 +71,9 @@ export function buildDatabaseSavedSqlRootNode(databaseNode: Pick<TreeNode, "id"
     connectionId: databaseNode.connectionId,
     catalog: databaseNode.catalog,
     database: databaseNode.database,
-    isExpanded: existingRoot?.isExpanded ?? true,
+    // Default collapsed: opening a connection should not expand the Queries
+    // node until the user asks for it; an existing node's state is preserved.
+    isExpanded: existingRoot?.isExpanded ?? false,
     children: savedSqlFilesForDatabase(source, {
       connectionId: databaseNode.connectionId,
       catalog: databaseNode.catalog,