diff --git a/plugins/ssh-terminal/src/frontend/terminal/Terminal.tsx b/plugins/ssh-terminal/src/frontend/terminal/Terminal.tsx
index 53cc181d4..1d50b78bd 100644
--- a/plugins/ssh-terminal/src/frontend/terminal/Terminal.tsx
+++ b/plugins/ssh-terminal/src/frontend/terminal/Terminal.tsx
@@ -1487,13 +1487,7 @@ const TerminalInner = forwardRef<TerminalHandle, SSHTerminalProps>(
           terminal?.modes?.applicationCursorKeysMode ?? false,
         // What the tab menu's share entry needs, read at call time.
         getShareTarget: () => slotApiRef.current?.getShareTarget() ?? null,
-        openFileManager: () => {
-          if (webSocketRef.current?.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
-            webSocketRef.current.send(JSON.stringify({ type: "get_cwd" }));
-          } else {
-            onOpenFileManager?.("/");
-          }
-        },
+        openFileManager: () => openFilesAtCwd(),
       }),
       [isConnected, terminal],
     );
@@ -1502,6 +1496,14 @@ const TerminalInner = forwardRef<TerminalHandle, SSHTerminalProps>(
       return getClientPreference("copyOnSelect") === "true";
     }
 
+    function openFilesAtCwd() {
+      if (webSocketRef.current?.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
+        webSocketRef.current.send(JSON.stringify({ type: "get_cwd" }));
+      } else {
+        onOpenFileManager?.("/");
+      }
+    }
+
     function attemptReconnection() {
       if (
         isUnmountingRef.current ||
@@ -3713,6 +3715,7 @@ const TerminalInner = forwardRef<TerminalHandle, SSHTerminalProps>(
             onPasteImage={() => void handleClipboardImage()}
             isFocused={isFocusedPane}
             slotApi={slotApi}
+            onOpenFiles={onOpenFileManager ? openFilesAtCwd : undefined}
           />
         )}
 
diff --git a/plugins/ssh-terminal/src/frontend/terminal/TerminalToolbar.tsx b/plugins/ssh-terminal/src/frontend/terminal/TerminalToolbar.tsx
index fd78055e6..94bfa7e6d 100644
--- a/plugins/ssh-terminal/src/frontend/terminal/TerminalToolbar.tsx
+++ b/plugins/ssh-terminal/src/frontend/terminal/TerminalToolbar.tsx
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ interface TerminalToolbarProps {
   onUploadImage: (file: File) => void | Promise<void>;
   onPasteImage: () => void | Promise<void>;
   isFocused: boolean;
+  /** Opens the file manager at the shell's working directory. */
+  onOpenFiles?: () => void;
   /** Hides every contributed action, e.g. while the toolbar is measuring. */
   actionsEnabled?: boolean;
   /** Handed to contributed actions when they are invoked. */
@@ -108,6 +110,7 @@ export const TerminalToolbar: React.FC<TerminalToolbarProps> = ({
   isFocused,
   actionsEnabled = true,
   slotApi,
+  onOpenFiles,
 }) => {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   // Drives both the measurement copy and the separator, so the toolbar sizes
@@ -140,7 +143,9 @@ export const TerminalToolbar: React.FC<TerminalToolbarProps> = ({
   }, [hostActions, host]);
   const openHostLink = (action: (typeof hostLinks)[number]) => {
     const record = host as unknown as PluginHostRecord;
-    if (action.run) action.run(record, tabs as unknown as ShellApi);
+    // The file manager opens where the shell is, as in 2.8.
+    if (action.tabType === "files" && onOpenFiles) onOpenFiles();
+    else if (action.run) action.run(record, tabs as unknown as ShellApi);
     else if (action.tabType) tabs.openTab(record, action.tabType);
   };
   const settings = useMemo(() => readToolbarSettings(host), [host]);
diff --git a/plugins/ssh-terminal/tests/frontend/terminal/TerminalToolbar.test.tsx b/plugins/ssh-terminal/tests/frontend/terminal/TerminalToolbar.test.tsx
index 91a8fbe76..9be3f98ef 100644
--- a/plugins/ssh-terminal/tests/frontend/terminal/TerminalToolbar.test.tsx
+++ b/plugins/ssh-terminal/tests/frontend/terminal/TerminalToolbar.test.tsx
@@ -149,6 +149,28 @@ afterEach(() => {
   vi.unstubAllGlobals();
 });
 
+describe("toolbar host links", () => {
+  it("opens the file manager at the shell directory instead of a plain tab", () => {
+    const run = vi.fn();
+    slots.hostActions = [
+      {
+        id: "files",
+        kind: "open",
+        tabType: "files",
+        titleKey: "Files",
+        icon: () => null,
+        when: () => true,
+        run,
+      },
+    ];
+    const onOpenFiles = vi.fn();
+    renderToolbar({ onOpenFiles });
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getAllByRole("button", { name: "Files" })[0]);
+    expect(onOpenFiles).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(run).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});
+
 describe("responsive toolbar density", () => {
   it("enters below 110 percent and restores at 115 percent", () => {
     expect(getResponsiveToolbarDensity("labeled", "labeled", 1099, 1000)).toBe(