diff --git a/packages/web/src/App.tsx b/packages/web/src/App.tsx
index a37a0146..8d16ec95 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/App.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/App.tsx
@@ -52,6 +52,14 @@ export function App() {
           </ProtectedRoute>
         }
       />
+      <Route
+        path="/explore"
+        element={
+          <ProtectedRoute>
+            <AppLayout />
+          </ProtectedRoute>
+        }
+      />
       <Route path="/" element={<Navigate to="/channels/@me" replace />} />
       <Route path="*" element={<Navigate to="/channels/@me" replace />} />
     </Routes>
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/chat/ExplorePage.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/chat/ExplorePage.tsx
index 2b5f1815..573f247d 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/chat/ExplorePage.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/chat/ExplorePage.tsx
@@ -2,14 +2,12 @@ import React, { useEffect, useRef, useState, useCallback, useMemo } from 'react'
 import { useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { useExploreStore, type TaggedExploreServer } from '../../stores/exploreStore';
 import { useServerStore } from '../../stores/serverStore';
-import { useUIStore } from '../../stores/uiStore';
 import { LoadingSpinner } from '../ui/LoadingSpinner';
 import { getServerGradient } from '../../utils/gradients';
 
 export function ExplorePage() {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
   const setCurrentServer = useServerStore((s) => s.setCurrentServer);
-  const setShowExplore = useUIStore((s) => s.setShowExplore);
 
   const servers = useExploreStore((s) => s.servers);
   const myRequests = useExploreStore((s) => s.myRequests);
@@ -47,7 +45,6 @@ export function ExplorePage() {
   }, []);
 
   const handleJoinSuccess = (serverId: string) => {
-    setShowExplore(false);
     setCurrentServer(serverId);
     navigate(`/channels/${serverId}`);
   };
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/layout/AppLayout.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/layout/AppLayout.tsx
index d37afa42..f2b85b9a 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/layout/AppLayout.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/layout/AppLayout.tsx
@@ -183,14 +183,15 @@ export function AppLayout() {
   // Handle route params
   useEffect(() => {
     if (serverId === '@me') {
-      if (!useUIStore.getState().showExplore) {
-        setShowDms(true);
-      }
+      setShowDms(true);
       setCurrentServer(null);
     } else if (serverId) {
       setShowDms(false);
       setCurrentServer(serverId);
       loadServerDetail(serverId);
+    } else {
+      setShowDms(false);
+      setCurrentServer(null);
     }
   }, [serverId, setCurrentServer, loadServerDetail, setShowDms]);
 
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/layout/ChannelSidebar.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/layout/ChannelSidebar.tsx
index 20d6f41a..9bf49f2f 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/layout/ChannelSidebar.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/layout/ChannelSidebar.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import React, { useState, useRef, useEffect, useCallback, useMemo } from 'react';
-import { useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom';
+import { useNavigate, useLocation } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { useServerStore, getChannelOrigin } from '../../stores/serverStore';
 import { useChatStore } from '../../stores/chatStore';
 import { useUIStore } from '../../stores/uiStore';
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ export function ChannelSidebar() {
   const toggleMic = useVoiceStore((s) => s.toggleMic);
   const toggleDeafen = useVoiceStore((s) => s.toggleDeafen);
   const navigate = useNavigate();
+  const location = useLocation();
 
   const handleMicToggle = async () => {
     toggleMic();
@@ -142,7 +143,7 @@ export function ChannelSidebar() {
           <div
             onClick={handleHomeClick}
             className={`flex items-center gap-3 px-2 h-[42px] rounded-[4px] cursor-pointer mb-[2px] transition-colors group ${
-              !currentChannelId
+              !currentChannelId && location.pathname !== '/explore'
                 ? 'bg-interactive-selected text-white'
                 : 'text-txt-tertiary hover:bg-interactive-hover hover:text-txt-secondary'
             }`}
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/layout/MainContent.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/layout/MainContent.tsx
index dd212a87..68ac7946 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/layout/MainContent.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/layout/MainContent.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import React, { useEffect, useRef, useState, useCallback } from 'react';
+import { useLocation } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { useServerStore } from '../../stores/serverStore';
 import { useChatStore } from '../../stores/chatStore';
 import { useUIStore } from '../../stores/uiStore';
@@ -30,7 +31,8 @@ export function MainContent() {
   const isLiveKitConnected = useVoiceStore((s) => s.isLiveKitConnected);
   const connectionError = useVoiceStore((s) => s.connectionError);
   const showDms = useUIStore((s) => s.showDms);
-  const showExplore = useUIStore((s) => s.showExplore);
+  const location = useLocation();
+  const isExplorePage = location.pathname === '/explore';
   const activeDmCall = useVoiceStore((s) => s.activeDmCall);
   const outgoingCall = useVoiceStore((s) => s.outgoingCall);
   const dmChannels = useServerStore((s) => s.dmChannels);
@@ -62,9 +64,9 @@ export function MainContent() {
   const channel = channels.find(c => c.id === currentChannelId);
   const isVoiceChannel = channel?.type === 'voice' || channel?.type === 'video';
 
-  if (showDms || showExplore || !currentServerId) {
+  if (showDms || isExplorePage || !currentServerId) {
     if (!currentChannelId) {
-      if (showExplore) return <ExplorePage />;
+      if (isExplorePage) return <ExplorePage />;
       return <FriendsPage />;
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/layout/ServerSidebar.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/layout/ServerSidebar.tsx
index fa35e904..9e7785a9 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/layout/ServerSidebar.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/layout/ServerSidebar.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import React, { useState, useMemo } from 'react';
-import { useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom';
+import { useNavigate, useLocation } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { useServerStore } from '../../stores/serverStore';
 import { useChatStore } from '../../stores/chatStore';
 import { useUIStore } from '../../stores/uiStore';
@@ -120,14 +120,13 @@ export function ServerSidebar() {
   const dmChannels = useServerStore((s) => s.dmChannels);
   const showDms = useUIStore((s) => s.showDms);
   const setShowDms = useUIStore((s) => s.setShowDms);
-  const showExplore = useUIStore((s) => s.showExplore);
-  const setShowExplore = useUIStore((s) => s.setShowExplore);
   const openModal = useUIStore((s) => s.openModal);
   const addToast = useUIStore((s) => s.addToast);
   const setCurrentChannel = useChatStore((s) => s.setCurrentChannel);
   const unreadChannels = useChatStore((s) => s.unreadChannels);
   const instances = useInstanceStore((s) => s.instances);
   const navigate = useNavigate();
+  const location = useLocation();
 
   // Group servers by origin
   const groupedServers = useMemo(() => {
@@ -182,7 +181,6 @@ export function ServerSidebar() {
     }
     setCurrentServer(serverId);
     setShowDms(false);
-    setShowExplore(false);
     navigate(`/channels/${serverId}`);
   };
 
@@ -194,10 +192,9 @@ export function ServerSidebar() {
   };
 
   const handleExploreClick = () => {
-    setShowExplore(true);
     setCurrentServer(null);
     setCurrentChannel(null);
-    navigate('/channels/@me');
+    navigate('/explore');
   };
 
   return (
@@ -276,7 +273,7 @@ export function ServerSidebar() {
       <SidebarItem
         id="explore"
         name="Explore Servers"
-        active={showExplore}
+        active={location.pathname === '/explore'}
         onClick={handleExploreClick}
         type="action"
         actionType="explore"
diff --git a/packages/web/src/stores/uiStore.ts b/packages/web/src/stores/uiStore.ts
index c305a3d5..0f4b981a 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/stores/uiStore.ts
+++ b/packages/web/src/stores/uiStore.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ interface UIState {
   modalData: Record<string, unknown>;
   isMobile: boolean;
   showDms: boolean;
-  showExplore: boolean;
   imagePreviewUrl: string | null;
   userProfilePopout: {
     user: User | null;
@@ -41,7 +40,6 @@ interface UIState {
   closeModal: () => void;
   setIsMobile: (isMobile: boolean) => void;
   setShowDms: (show: boolean) => void;
-  setShowExplore: (show: boolean) => void;
   openImagePreview: (url: string) => void;
   closeImagePreview: () => void;
   openUserProfile: (user: User, position: { top: number; left: number }) => void;
@@ -66,7 +64,6 @@ export const useUIStore = create<UIState>()(
       modalData: {},
       isMobile: false,
       showDms: false,
-      showExplore: false,
       imagePreviewUrl: null,
       userProfilePopout: {
         user: null,
@@ -92,8 +89,7 @@ export const useUIStore = create<UIState>()(
         }
       },
 
-      setShowDms: (show) => set({ showDms: show, ...(show ? { showExplore: false } : {}) }),
-      setShowExplore: (show) => set({ showExplore: show, ...(show ? { showDms: false } : {}) }),
+      setShowDms: (show) => set({ showDms: show }),
 
       openImagePreview: (url) => set({ activeModal: 'imagePreview', imagePreviewUrl: url }),
       closeImagePreview: () => set({ activeModal: null, imagePreviewUrl: null }),