diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/App.vue b/apps/desktop/src/App.vue
index 4aeff47a6a..0c0156c59e 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/App.vue
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/App.vue
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ import { uuid } from "@/lib/common/utils";
 import { isMacOS, isWindows } from "@/lib/backend/platform";
 import { isTauriRuntime } from "@/lib/backend/tauriRuntime";
 import { openQueryResultArchiveFile } from "@/lib/query/queryResultArchiveFile";
+import { rememberExternalSqlFileTarget, resolveExternalSqlFileTarget } from "@/lib/sql/externalSqlFileTarget";
 import { externalSqlFileOpenErrorMessage, readBrowserSqlFile, sqlFileTitleFromPath } from "@/lib/sql/sqlFileOpen";
 import type { ConnectionConfig, ObjectSourceKind, QueryTab, SavedSqlFile } from "@/types/database";
 import { parseConnectionDeepLink, type ConnectionDeepLinkDraft } from "@/lib/connection/connectionDeepLink";
@@ -818,6 +819,7 @@ async function saveExternalSqlPath(tab: QueryTab, options: { closeAfterSave?: bo
   if (!tab.externalSqlPath || !isTauriRuntime()) return false;
   try {
     await api.writeExternalSqlFile(tab.externalSqlPath, tab.sql);
+    rememberExternalSqlFileTarget(tab.externalSqlPath, { connectionId: tab.connectionId, database: tab.database });
     queryStore.markTabClean(tab);
     toast(t("savedSql.saved"), 2000);
     if (options.closeAfterSave) queryStore.closeTab(tab.id, { force: true });
@@ -1081,6 +1083,7 @@ async function saveActiveSqlAsLocalFile() {
     const path = await api.saveExternalSqlFile(defaultSavedSqlName(tab.title), tab.sql);
     if (!path) return;
     queryStore.linkExternalSqlPath(tab.id, path, sqlFileTitleFromPath(path));
+    rememberExternalSqlFileTarget(path, { connectionId: tab.connectionId, database: tab.database });
     invalidateSaveSqlFolderSelection();
     showSaveSqlDialog.value = false;
     closePendingSavedTab();
@@ -1090,6 +1093,18 @@ async function saveActiveSqlAsLocalFile() {
   }
 }
 
+function applyExternalSqlFileTarget(tab: QueryTab, path: string) {
+  const target = resolveExternalSqlFileTarget(path, (savedConnectionId) => !!connectionStore.getConfig(savedConnectionId), {
+    connectionId: tab.connectionId,
+    database: tab.database,
+  });
+  if (target.connectionId !== tab.connectionId) {
+    queryStore.updateConnection(tab.id, target.connectionId, target.database);
+  } else if (target.database !== tab.database) {
+    queryStore.updateDatabase(tab.id, target.database);
+  }
+}
+
 async function openSqlFile() {
   const tab = activeTab.value;
   if (!tab) return;
@@ -1105,6 +1120,7 @@ async function openSqlFile() {
         const content = await api.readExternalSqlFile(sqlPath);
         queryStore.updateSql(tab.id, content);
         queryStore.linkExternalSqlPath(tab.id, sqlPath, sqlFileTitleFromPath(sqlPath));
+        applyExternalSqlFileTarget(tab, sqlPath);
       }
     } else {
       const input = document.createElement("input");
@@ -1159,7 +1175,8 @@ async function openSqlFilePath(path: string) {
     const connectionId = connectionStore.activeConnectionId || activeTab.value?.connectionId || connectionStore.connections[0]?.id || "";
     const connection = connectionId ? connectionStore.getConfig(connectionId) : undefined;
     const database = activeTab.value?.database || (connection ? resolveDefaultDatabase(connection, []) : "");
-    queryStore.openExternalSqlFile(connectionId, database, path, content);
+    const target = resolveExternalSqlFileTarget(path, (savedConnectionId) => !!connectionStore.getConfig(savedConnectionId), { connectionId, database });
+    queryStore.openExternalSqlFile(target.connectionId, target.database, path, content);
   } catch (e: any) {
     toast(t("toolbar.sqlOpenFailed", { message: externalSqlFileOpenErrorMessage(e, (key, params) => t(key, params)) }), 5000);
   }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/SqlFilePanel.vue b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/SqlFilePanel.vue
index c97e94850b..d3af6ee4be 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/SqlFilePanel.vue
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/SqlFilePanel.vue
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import { isTauriRuntime } from "@/lib/backend/tauriRuntime";
 import { translateBackendError } from "@/i18n/backend-errors";
 import { resolveDefaultDatabase } from "@/lib/database/defaultDatabase";
 import { copyToClipboard } from "@/lib/common/clipboard";
+import { resolveExternalSqlFileTarget } from "@/lib/sql/externalSqlFileTarget";
 import { externalSqlFileOpenErrorMessage, formatSqlFileSize, isExternalSqlFileTooLargeError } from "@/lib/sql/sqlFileOpen";
 import * as api from "@/lib/backend/api";
 import type { SqlFileEntry } from "@/lib/backend/api";
@@ -211,7 +212,8 @@ async function openFile(path: string) {
     const connectionId = connectionStore.activeConnectionId || connectionStore.connections[0]?.id || "";
     const connection = connectionId ? connectionStore.getConfig(connectionId) : undefined;
     const database = connection ? resolveDefaultDatabase(connection, []) : "";
-    queryStore.openExternalSqlFile(connectionId, database, path, content);
+    const target = resolveExternalSqlFileTarget(path, (savedConnectionId) => !!connectionStore.getConfig(savedConnectionId), { connectionId, database });
+    queryStore.openExternalSqlFile(target.connectionId, target.database, path, content);
   } catch (e: any) {
     if (isExternalSqlFileTooLargeError(e)) {
       executeFile(path);
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/__tests__/sql/externalSqlFileTarget.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/__tests__/sql/externalSqlFileTarget.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3b5aa9d72a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/__tests__/sql/externalSqlFileTarget.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { EXTERNAL_SQL_FILE_TARGETS_STORAGE_KEY, MAX_EXTERNAL_SQL_FILE_TARGETS, rememberExternalSqlFileTarget, resolveExternalSqlFileTarget } from "@/lib/sql/externalSqlFileTarget";
+
+describe("external SQL file targets", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    localStorage.clear();
+  });
+
+  it("restores the saved data source across normalized file paths", () => {
+    rememberExternalSqlFileTarget(" C:\\work\\report.sql ", { connectionId: "saved-connection", database: "analytics" });
+
+    expect(resolveExternalSqlFileTarget("C:/work/report.sql", () => true, { connectionId: "fallback", database: "default" })).toEqual({
+      connectionId: "saved-connection",
+      database: "analytics",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("falls back when the saved connection no longer exists", () => {
+    rememberExternalSqlFileTarget("/work/report.sql", { connectionId: "deleted-connection", database: "analytics" });
+
+    expect(resolveExternalSqlFileTarget("/work/report.sql", () => false, { connectionId: "fallback", database: "default" })).toEqual({
+      connectionId: "fallback",
+      database: "default",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("ignores malformed persisted state", () => {
+    localStorage.setItem(EXTERNAL_SQL_FILE_TARGETS_STORAGE_KEY, "not-json");
+
+    expect(resolveExternalSqlFileTarget("/work/report.sql", () => true, { connectionId: "fallback", database: "default" })).toEqual({
+      connectionId: "fallback",
+      database: "default",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("keeps only the most recently saved targets", () => {
+    for (let index = 0; index <= MAX_EXTERNAL_SQL_FILE_TARGETS; index += 1) {
+      rememberExternalSqlFileTarget(`/work/report-${index}.sql`, { connectionId: `connection-${index}`, database: `database-${index}` });
+    }
+
+    expect(resolveExternalSqlFileTarget("/work/report-0.sql", () => true, { connectionId: "fallback", database: "default" })).toEqual({
+      connectionId: "fallback",
+      database: "default",
+    });
+    expect(resolveExternalSqlFileTarget(`/work/report-${MAX_EXTERNAL_SQL_FILE_TARGETS}.sql`, () => true, { connectionId: "fallback", database: "default" })).toEqual({
+      connectionId: `connection-${MAX_EXTERNAL_SQL_FILE_TARGETS}`,
+      database: `database-${MAX_EXTERNAL_SQL_FILE_TARGETS}`,
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/sql/externalSqlFileTarget.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/sql/externalSqlFileTarget.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..831be5b374
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/sql/externalSqlFileTarget.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+import { normalizeExternalSqlPath } from "@/lib/sql/sqlFileOpen";
+
+export const EXTERNAL_SQL_FILE_TARGETS_STORAGE_KEY = "dbx-external-sql-file-targets-v1";
+export const MAX_EXTERNAL_SQL_FILE_TARGETS = 200;
+
+export interface ExternalSqlFileTarget {
+  connectionId: string;
+  database: string;
+}
+
+interface StoredExternalSqlFileTarget extends ExternalSqlFileTarget {
+  path: string;
+  updatedAt: number;
+}
+
+function loadExternalSqlFileTargets(): StoredExternalSqlFileTarget[] {
+  try {
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(EXTERNAL_SQL_FILE_TARGETS_STORAGE_KEY) || "[]");
+    if (!Array.isArray(parsed)) return [];
+    return parsed.filter((item): item is StoredExternalSqlFileTarget => typeof item?.path === "string" && typeof item?.connectionId === "string" && typeof item?.database === "string" && typeof item?.updatedAt === "number");
+  } catch {
+    return [];
+  }
+}
+
+function saveExternalSqlFileTargets(targets: StoredExternalSqlFileTarget[]) {
+  try {
+    localStorage.setItem(EXTERNAL_SQL_FILE_TARGETS_STORAGE_KEY, JSON.stringify(targets));
+  } catch {}
+}
+
+export function rememberExternalSqlFileTarget(path: string, target: ExternalSqlFileTarget) {
+  const normalizedPath = normalizeExternalSqlPath(path);
+  if (!normalizedPath) return;
+  const remaining = loadExternalSqlFileTargets().filter((item) => item.path !== normalizedPath);
+  if (!target.connectionId) {
+    saveExternalSqlFileTargets(remaining);
+    return;
+  }
+  saveExternalSqlFileTargets([{ path: normalizedPath, ...target, updatedAt: Date.now() }, ...remaining].slice(0, MAX_EXTERNAL_SQL_FILE_TARGETS));
+}
+
+export function resolveExternalSqlFileTarget(path: string, connectionExists: (connectionId: string) => boolean, fallback: ExternalSqlFileTarget): ExternalSqlFileTarget {
+  const normalizedPath = normalizeExternalSqlPath(path);
+  const saved = loadExternalSqlFileTargets().find((item) => item.path === normalizedPath);
+  if (!saved || !connectionExists(saved.connectionId)) return fallback;
+  return { connectionId: saved.connectionId, database: saved.database };
+}
diff --git a/packages/app-tests/externalSqlFileTargetPersistence.test.ts b/packages/app-tests/externalSqlFileTargetPersistence.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6f7ce60fbb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app-tests/externalSqlFileTargetPersistence.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { readFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { test } from "vitest";
+
+const appSource = readFileSync("apps/desktop/src/App.vue", "utf8");
+const sqlFilePanelSource = readFileSync("apps/desktop/src/components/layout/SqlFilePanel.vue", "utf8");
+
+function functionSource(source: string, startMarker: string, endMarker: string) {
+  const start = source.indexOf(startMarker);
+  const end = source.indexOf(endMarker, start);
+  assert.ok(start >= 0 && end > start);
+  return source.slice(start, end);
+}
+
+test("external SQL saves persist their selected data source before closing", () => {
+  const source = functionSource(appSource, "async function saveExternalSqlPath", "function savedSqlTargetForSave");
+  const write = source.indexOf("api.writeExternalSqlFile");
+  const remember = source.indexOf("rememberExternalSqlFileTarget");
+  const close = source.indexOf("queryStore.closeTab");
+
+  assert.ok(write >= 0);
+  assert.ok(write < remember);
+  assert.ok(remember < close);
+});
+
+test("external SQL open entry points restore a saved data source", () => {
+  const startupOpen = functionSource(appSource, "async function openSqlFilePath", "async function openPendingSqlFiles");
+  const startupResolve = startupOpen.indexOf("resolveExternalSqlFileTarget");
+  const startupTabOpen = startupOpen.indexOf("queryStore.openExternalSqlFile");
+  assert.ok(startupResolve >= 0);
+  assert.ok(startupResolve < startupTabOpen);
+
+  const panelOpen = functionSource(sqlFilePanelSource, "async function openFile", "function executeFile");
+  const panelResolve = panelOpen.indexOf("resolveExternalSqlFileTarget");
+  const panelTabOpen = panelOpen.indexOf("queryStore.openExternalSqlFile");
+  assert.ok(panelResolve >= 0);
+  assert.ok(panelResolve < panelTabOpen);
+
+  const pickerOpen = functionSource(appSource, "async function openSqlFile()", "async function importResultArchive");
+  assert.ok(pickerOpen.includes("applyExternalSqlFileTarget(tab, sqlPath)"));
+});