diff --git a/src/features/vcs/__tests__/show-diff-chain.test.ts b/src/features/vcs/__tests__/show-diff-chain.test.ts
index 5a79094fe..b917a11e6 100644
--- a/src/features/vcs/__tests__/show-diff-chain.test.ts
+++ b/src/features/vcs/__tests__/show-diff-chain.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import type { FileStatus } from "@/bindings";
 import { getAction } from "@/platform/actions";
+import { setContext } from "@/platform/context";
 import { registerVcsActions } from "../actions";
 import { useVcs } from "../store";
 import { useCommit } from "../commitStore";
@@ -8,10 +9,11 @@ import { initialChangelists, useChangelists } from "../changelists";
 import { chainNeighbour } from "../diffInput";
 
 const opened = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn());
+const project = vi.hoisted(() => ({ paths: [] as string[] }));
 vi.mock("@/workbench/contributions", async (original) => ({
   ...(await original<typeof import("@/workbench/contributions")>()),
   editorService: () => ({ openInput: opened }),
-  projectViewSelection: () => [],
+  projectViewSelection: () => project.paths,
 }));
 vi.mock("../comparePaths", () => ({ showDirectoryWorkingDiff: async () => false }));
 
@@ -29,9 +31,11 @@ let unregister: () => void;
 
 beforeEach(() => {
   opened.mockClear();
+  project.paths = [];
+  setContext("activeToolWindow", "");
   const files = [status("z.ts"), status("b.ts"), status("a.ts"), status("other.ts")];
   useVcs.setState({ root: "/repo", roots: ["/repo"], status: files, byPath: new Map(files.map((f) => [f.path, f])) });
-  useCommit.setState({ groupByDir: false });
+  useCommit.setState({ groupByDir: false, selection: [] });
   const state = initialChangelists();
   state.lists.push({ id: "other", name: "Other", comment: "" });
   state.files = { "other.ts": "other" };
@@ -41,6 +45,7 @@ beforeEach(() => {
 
 afterEach(() => {
   unregister();
+  setContext("activeToolWindow", "");
   useVcs.setState(vcs);
   useCommit.setState(commit);
   useChangelists.setState(lists);
@@ -90,3 +95,20 @@ it("keeps repository grouping in a changelist's chain", async () => {
     "/repo/module/b.ts",
   ]);
 });
+
+it("shows the selected change rather than a Project view selection kept from earlier", async () => {
+  // The Project view keeps its selection while the Commit window has focus: ⌘D must open
+  // the file selected in the changes tree, not the one still selected there.
+  project.paths = ["/repo/z.ts"];
+  setContext("activeToolWindow", "commit");
+  useCommit.setState({ selection: ["/repo/b.ts"] });
+  await getAction("vcs.showDiff")!.run({ arg: undefined, ctx: { vcsAvailable: true } });
+  expect(opened.mock.calls[0]![0].data.path).toBe("/repo/b.ts");
+});
+
+it("shows a Project view selection outside the changes tree", async () => {
+  project.paths = ["/repo/z.ts"];
+  setContext("activeToolWindow", "project");
+  await getAction("vcs.showDiff")!.run({ arg: undefined, ctx: { vcsAvailable: true } });
+  expect(opened.mock.calls[0]![0].data.path).toBe("/repo/z.ts");
+});
diff --git a/src/features/vcs/actions.tsx b/src/features/vcs/actions.tsx
index 032119654..a1ca25733 100644
--- a/src/features/vcs/actions.tsx
+++ b/src/features/vcs/actions.tsx
@@ -75,16 +75,34 @@ export const commitWindowFocused = () => {
   return active === "commit" || (active === "git" && useGitLog.getState().tab === "changes");
 };
 
-/** Files the current context refers to: argument, commit view selection, or the active file. */
-function contextPaths(arg: unknown): string[] {
+/** The action's own paths, or the changes tree's selection while the tree has focus. */
+function changedPaths(arg: unknown): string[] {
   const explicit = argPaths(arg);
   if (explicit?.length) return explicit;
   const sel = useCommit.getState().selection;
-  if (commitWindowFocused() && sel.length) return sel;
+  return commitWindowFocused() ? sel : [];
+}
+
+/** Files the current context refers to: argument, commit view selection, or the active file. */
+function contextPaths(arg: unknown): string[] {
+  const changed = changedPaths(arg);
+  if (changed.length) return changed;
   const active = maybeEditorService()?.activePath();
   return active ? [active] : [];
 }
 
+/**
+ * Paths a selection-based action targets: the argument, else the changes tree's selection,
+ * else the Project view's — it keeps its selection while another view has focus — else the
+ * active file.
+ */
+function selectedPaths(arg: unknown): string[] {
+  const changed = changedPaths(arg);
+  if (changed.length) return changed;
+  const project = projectViewSelection();
+  return project.length ? project : contextPaths(arg);
+}
+
 function showGitWindow() {
   toolWindowService().show("git", true);
 }
@@ -321,8 +339,7 @@ export function registerVcsActions(): () => void {
         if (ctx.shelfFocus && arg === undefined) return showShelfDiff();
         const line =
           arg && typeof arg === "object" && "line" in arg ? Number((arg as { line: unknown }).line) : undefined;
-        const selection = arg === undefined ? projectViewSelection() : [];
-        const paths = selection.length ? selection : contextPaths(arg);
+        const paths = selectedPaths(arg);
         if (!paths.length) {
           notifications().notify({ group: "vcs", level: "info", title: "Select a changed file to show its diff" });
           return;
@@ -354,8 +371,7 @@ export function registerVcsActions(): () => void {
       icon: "diff",
       when: VCS,
       run: async ({ arg }) => {
-        const selection = arg === undefined ? projectViewSelection() : [];
-        const paths = selection.length ? selection : contextPaths(arg);
+        const paths = selectedPaths(arg);
         if (!paths.length) {
           notifications().notify({ group: "vcs", level: "info", title: "Open or select a file or folder to compare" });
           return;