diff --git a/periscope/src/frontend/content/changelog.md b/periscope/src/frontend/content/changelog.md
index 5541cfe..4cfec26 100644
--- a/periscope/src/frontend/content/changelog.md
+++ b/periscope/src/frontend/content/changelog.md
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@
 
 What's new in Periscope.
 
+## 2.60.8 — 2026-09-21 — Folder picker, not Carica file dialog
+
+Apri progetto opened the Mac file list (**Carica**, no row selected) because the control was a React `<input type="file" accept="">` without a working `webkitdirectory`. Empty Carica then looked like “no .kicad_pro”. It now uses `showDirectoryPicker` (Chrome) or a hidden input created with `webkitdirectory=true` and **no accept**. Cancel/empty pick is ignored.
+
+- [Fixed] One folder gesture; `.kicad_pro` from name or webkitRelativePath.
+
 ## 2.60.7 — 2026-09-21 — Detect HubAudio.kicad_pro after folder pick
 
 Apri progetto was rejecting the folder that actually contains `HubAudio.kicad_pro`. Safari/macOS folder pick often puts the real name in `webkitRelativePath` while `File.name` is the stem without `.kicad_pro`, and React was not setting `webkitdirectory` on the input. We match name **or** relative path, sniff JSON if the suffix is missing, and set the folder attribute on the DOM.
diff --git a/periscope/src/frontend/src/components/dashboard/create-project-dialog.tsx b/periscope/src/frontend/src/components/dashboard/create-project-dialog.tsx
index ecae69c..a6212fb 100644
--- a/periscope/src/frontend/src/components/dashboard/create-project-dialog.tsx
+++ b/periscope/src/frontend/src/components/dashboard/create-project-dialog.tsx
@@ -884,6 +884,7 @@ export function CreateProjectDialog({
   }, []);
 
   const onKicadProjectFolder = useCallback((incoming: File[]) => {
+    if (incoming.length === 0) return;
     setBomFromBundle(true);
     setPcbFromBundle(true);
     setPcbFile(null);
@@ -2122,9 +2123,7 @@ export function CreateProjectDialog({
               <div className="space-y-1.5">
                 <FileUploadZone
                   label="Apri progetto KiCad"
-                  accept=""
                   directory
-                  multiple
                   files={netlistFiles}
                   onFilesChange={onKicadProjectFolder}
                 />
diff --git a/periscope/src/frontend/src/components/upload/file-upload-zone.tsx b/periscope/src/frontend/src/components/upload/file-upload-zone.tsx
index 0908f22..90e1da6 100644
--- a/periscope/src/frontend/src/components/upload/file-upload-zone.tsx
+++ b/periscope/src/frontend/src/components/upload/file-upload-zone.tsx
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { useCallback, useState, type ChangeEvent, type DragEvent } from "react";
+import { useCallback, useState, type ChangeEvent, type DragEvent, type MouseEvent } from "react";
 import { FileCheck, Upload } from "lucide-react";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 
 export type FileUploadZoneProps = {
   label: string;
-  accept: string;
+  accept?: string;
   multiple?: boolean;
   directory?: boolean;
   files: File[];
@@ -94,6 +94,64 @@ function mergeSelection(current: File[], incoming: File[], multiple: boolean, di
   return [...current, ...incoming];
 }
 
+async function filesFromDirectoryHandle(
+  handle: FileSystemDirectoryHandle,
+  prefix = "",
+): Promise<File[]> {
+  const out: File[] = [];
+  for await (const [name, child] of handle.entries()) {
+    if (SKIP_DIR.test(name)) continue;
+    if (child.kind === "file") {
+      const file = await child.getFile();
+      out.push(stampRelativePath(file, prefix + name));
+    } else if (child.kind === "directory") {
+      out.push(
+        ...(await filesFromDirectoryHandle(
+          child as FileSystemDirectoryHandle,
+          prefix + name + "/",
+        )),
+      );
+    }
+  }
+  return out;
+}
+
+function pickFolderViaHiddenInput(): Promise<File[]> {
+  return new Promise((resolve) => {
+    const input = document.createElement("input");
+    input.type = "file";
+    input.multiple = true;
+    input.setAttribute("webkitdirectory", "true");
+    input.setAttribute("directory", "true");
+    input.style.display = "none";
+    const finish = (files: File[]) => {
+      input.remove();
+      resolve(files);
+    };
+    input.addEventListener("change", () => finish(Array.from(input.files ?? [])));
+    input.addEventListener("cancel", () => finish([]));
+    document.body.appendChild(input);
+    input.click();
+  });
+}
+
+async function pickProjectFolder(): Promise<File[]> {
+  const picker = (
+    window as Window & {
+      showDirectoryPicker?: () => Promise<FileSystemDirectoryHandle>;
+    }
+  ).showDirectoryPicker;
+  if (typeof picker === "function") {
+    try {
+      const handle = await picker.call(window);
+      return await filesFromDirectoryHandle(handle, `${handle.name}/`);
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (err instanceof DOMException && err.name === "AbortError") return [];
+    }
+  }
+  return pickFolderViaHiddenInput();
+}
+
 export function FileUploadZone({
   label,
   accept,
@@ -111,6 +169,7 @@ export function FileUploadZone({
       event.preventDefault();
       setHover(false);
       void filesFromDropEvent(event).then((dropped) => {
+        if (dropped.length === 0) return;
         onFilesChange(mergeSelection(files, dropped, multiple, directory));
       });
     },
@@ -120,25 +179,32 @@ export function FileUploadZone({
   const onPick = useCallback(
     (event: ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
       const picked = Array.from(event.target.files ?? []);
+      if (picked.length === 0) return;
       onFilesChange(mergeSelection(files, picked, multiple, directory));
     },
     [files, multiple, directory, onFilesChange],
   );
 
-  return (
-    <label
-      className={cn(
-        "flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-2 rounded-lg border-2 border-dashed p-6 cursor-pointer transition-colors",
-        hover ? "border-blue-500 bg-blue-500/5" : "border-border hover:border-foreground/20",
-        filled && "border-emerald-500/40 bg-emerald-500/5",
-      )}
-      onDragOver={(event) => {
-        event.preventDefault();
-        setHover(true);
-      }}
-      onDragLeave={() => setHover(false)}
-      onDrop={onDrop}
-    >
+  const onOpenFolder = useCallback(
+    (event: MouseEvent) => {
+      event.preventDefault();
+      event.stopPropagation();
+      void pickProjectFolder().then((picked) => {
+        if (picked.length === 0) return;
+        onFilesChange(picked);
+      });
+    },
+    [onFilesChange],
+  );
+
+  const boxClass = cn(
+    "flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-2 rounded-lg border-2 border-dashed p-6 cursor-pointer transition-colors",
+    hover ? "border-blue-500 bg-blue-500/5" : "border-border hover:border-foreground/20",
+    filled && "border-emerald-500/40 bg-emerald-500/5",
+  );
+
+  const body = (
+    <>
       {filled ? (
         <FileCheck className="h-6 w-6 text-emerald-600 dark:text-emerald-400" />
       ) : (
@@ -167,7 +233,7 @@ export function FileUploadZone({
             })
           ) : directory ? (
             <span>
-              {files.find((f) => f.name.toLowerCase().includes("kicad_pro") || (f as File & { webkitRelativePath?: string }).webkitRelativePath?.toLowerCase().includes("kicad_pro"))?.name
+              {files.find((f) => relativePath(f).toLowerCase().includes("kicad_pro"))?.name
                 ?? `${files.length} file`}
             </span>
           ) : (
@@ -175,23 +241,44 @@ export function FileUploadZone({
           )}
         </div>
       ) : null}
+    </>
+  );
+
+  if (directory) {
+    return (
+      <button
+        type="button"
+        className={cn(boxClass, "w-full")}
+        onClick={onOpenFolder}
+        onDragOver={(event) => {
+          event.preventDefault();
+          setHover(true);
+        }}
+        onDragLeave={() => setHover(false)}
+        onDrop={onDrop}
+      >
+        {body}
+      </button>
+    );
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <label
+      className={boxClass}
+      onDragOver={(event) => {
+        event.preventDefault();
+        setHover(true);
+      }}
+      onDragLeave={() => setHover(false)}
+      onDrop={onDrop}
+    >
+      {body}
       <input
         type="file"
-        accept={directory ? undefined : accept}
-        multiple={multiple || directory}
+        accept={accept || undefined}
+        multiple={multiple}
         className="hidden"
         onChange={onPick}
-        ref={(el) => {
-          if (!el) return;
-          if (directory) {
-            el.setAttribute("webkitdirectory", "");
-            el.setAttribute("directory", "");
-            el.multiple = true;
-          } else {
-            el.removeAttribute("webkitdirectory");
-            el.removeAttribute("directory");
-          }
-        }}
       />
     </label>
   );
diff --git a/periscope/src/frontend/src/lib/kicad-project-files.ts b/periscope/src/frontend/src/lib/kicad-project-files.ts
index 4a7ce64..001e0e4 100644
--- a/periscope/src/frontend/src/lib/kicad-project-files.ts
+++ b/periscope/src/frontend/src/lib/kicad-project-files.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
-"""Pick KiCad project files from a folder picker FileList (Chrome + Safari).
+/** Pick KiCad project files from a folder picker FileList (Chrome + Safari).
 
-Safari/macOS often puts the real name in ``webkitRelativePath`` while
-``File.name`` is the stem without ``.kicad_pro``. Matching only ``file.name``
-misses ``HubAudio.kicad_pro`` after Apri progetto.
-"""
+Safari/macOS often puts the real name in webkitRelativePath while File.name
+is the stem without .kicad_pro. Matching only file.name misses HubAudio.kicad_pro.
+*/
 
 export type NamedUpload = {
   name: string;
@@ -62,8 +61,8 @@ function isKicadKeep(file: NamedUpload): boolean {
     base.endsWith(".kicad_sch") ||
     base.endsWith(".kicad_pcb") ||
     looksLikeKicadSch(file) ||
-    (file.name.toLowerCase().includes(".kicad_pcb") ||
-      uploadRel(file).toLowerCase().includes(".kicad_pcb"))
+    file.name.toLowerCase().includes(".kicad_pcb") ||
+    uploadRel(file).toLowerCase().includes(".kicad_pcb")
   );
 }