diff --git a/packages/views/issues/components/board-card.tsx b/packages/views/issues/components/board-card.tsx
index d4b206e8d2..7a940a5a90 100644
--- a/packages/views/issues/components/board-card.tsx
+++ b/packages/views/issues/components/board-card.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import { useUpdateIssue } from "@multica/core/issues/mutations";
 import { useWorkspacePaths } from "@multica/core/paths";
 import { useWorkspaceId } from "@multica/core/hooks";
 import { projectListOptions } from "@multica/core/projects/queries";
+import { ProjectIcon } from "../../projects/components/project-icon";
 import { PriorityIcon } from "./priority-icon";
 import { PriorityPicker, AssigneePicker, DueDatePicker } from "./pickers";
 import { PRIORITY_CONFIG } from "@multica/core/issues/config";
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ export const BoardCardContent = memo(function BoardCardContent({
           )}
           {showProject && (
             <span className="inline-flex items-center gap-1 rounded-full bg-muted/60 px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[11px] text-muted-foreground max-w-[160px]">
-              <span aria-hidden="true" className="shrink-0">{project!.icon || "📁"}</span>
+              <ProjectIcon project={project} size="sm" />
               <span className="truncate">{project!.title}</span>
             </span>
           )}
diff --git a/packages/views/issues/components/issues-header.tsx b/packages/views/issues/components/issues-header.tsx
index ce945cdaa1..878b6e9482 100644
--- a/packages/views/issues/components/issues-header.tsx
+++ b/packages/views/issues/components/issues-header.tsx
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ import { useQuery } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { useWorkspaceId } from "@multica/core/hooks";
 import { memberListOptions, agentListOptions } from "@multica/core/workspace/queries";
 import { projectListOptions } from "@multica/core/projects/queries";
+import { ProjectIcon } from "../../projects/components/project-icon";
 import { ActorAvatar } from "../../common/actor-avatar";
 import {
   SORT_OPTIONS,
@@ -353,9 +354,7 @@ function ProjectSubContent({
               className={FILTER_ITEM_CLASS}
             >
               <HoverCheck checked={checked} />
-              <span className="size-3.5 flex items-center justify-center shrink-0">
-                {p.icon || <FolderKanban className="size-3.5 text-muted-foreground" />}
-              </span>
+              <ProjectIcon project={p} size="sm" />
               <span className="truncate">{p.title}</span>
               {count > 0 && (
                 <span className="ml-auto text-xs text-muted-foreground">
diff --git a/packages/views/issues/components/list-row.tsx b/packages/views/issues/components/list-row.tsx
index 8d6f20b27f..54d63b3164 100644
--- a/packages/views/issues/components/list-row.tsx
+++ b/packages/views/issues/components/list-row.tsx
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { useWorkspacePaths } from "@multica/core/paths";
 import { useWorkspaceId } from "@multica/core/hooks";
 import { useViewStore } from "@multica/core/issues/stores/view-store-context";
 import { projectListOptions } from "@multica/core/projects/queries";
+import { ProjectIcon } from "../../projects/components/project-icon";
 import { PriorityIcon } from "./priority-icon";
 import { ProgressRing } from "./progress-ring";
 import { IssueActionsContextMenu } from "../actions";
@@ -90,7 +91,7 @@ export const ListRow = memo(function ListRow({
           </span>
           {showProject && (
             <span className="inline-flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground max-w-[140px]">
-              <span aria-hidden="true" className="shrink-0">{project!.icon || "📁"}</span>
+              <ProjectIcon project={project} size="sm" />
               <span className="truncate">{project!.title}</span>
             </span>
           )}
diff --git a/packages/views/layout/app-sidebar.tsx b/packages/views/layout/app-sidebar.tsx
index 748edcaa6c..28220e8e47 100644
--- a/packages/views/layout/app-sidebar.tsx
+++ b/packages/views/layout/app-sidebar.tsx
@@ -78,6 +78,15 @@ import { issueDetailOptions } from "@multica/core/issues/queries";
 import { projectDetailOptions } from "@multica/core/projects/queries";
 import type { PinnedItem } from "@multica/core/types";
 import { useLogout } from "../auth";
+import { ProjectIcon } from "../projects/components/project-icon";
+
+// Top-level nav items stay active when the user is on a child route
+// (e.g. "Projects" stays lit on /:slug/projects/:id). Pinned items keep
+// strict equality elsewhere — a pinned project shouldn't highlight on
+// sub-pages of itself.
+function isNavActive(pathname: string, href: string): boolean {
+  return pathname === href || pathname.startsWith(href + "/");
+}
 
 // Stable empty arrays for query defaults. Using an inline `= []` default on
 // `useQuery` creates a new array reference on every render when `data` is
@@ -269,11 +278,7 @@ function PinRow({
   if (projectQuery.isPending) return <PinSkeleton />;
   if (projectQuery.isError || !projectQuery.data) return null;
   const project = projectQuery.data;
-  const iconNode = (
-    <span className="flex size-3.5 shrink-0 items-center justify-center text-xs leading-none">
-      {project.icon || "📁"}
-    </span>
-  );
+  const iconNode = <ProjectIcon project={project} size="sm" />;
   return (
     <SortablePinItem
       pin={pin}
@@ -588,7 +593,7 @@ export function AppSidebar({ topSlot, searchSlot, headerClassName, headerStyle }
               <SidebarMenu className="gap-0.5">
                 {personalNav.map((item) => {
                   const href = p[item.key]();
-                  const isActive = pathname === href;
+                  const isActive = isNavActive(pathname, href);
                   return (
                     <SidebarMenuItem key={item.key}>
                       <SidebarMenuButton
@@ -658,7 +663,7 @@ export function AppSidebar({ topSlot, searchSlot, headerClassName, headerStyle }
               <SidebarMenu className="gap-0.5">
                 {workspaceNav.map((item) => {
                   const href = p[item.key]();
-                  const isActive = pathname === href;
+                  const isActive = isNavActive(pathname, href);
                   return (
                     <SidebarMenuItem key={item.key}>
                       <SidebarMenuButton
@@ -682,7 +687,7 @@ export function AppSidebar({ topSlot, searchSlot, headerClassName, headerStyle }
               <SidebarMenu className="gap-0.5">
                 {configureNav.map((item) => {
                   const href = p[item.key]();
-                  const isActive = pathname === href;
+                  const isActive = isNavActive(pathname, href);
                   return (
                     <SidebarMenuItem key={item.key}>
                       <SidebarMenuButton
diff --git a/packages/views/projects/components/project-chip.tsx b/packages/views/projects/components/project-chip.tsx
index aaa79f428d..34285ce556 100644
--- a/packages/views/projects/components/project-chip.tsx
+++ b/packages/views/projects/components/project-chip.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import { useQuery } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { projectListOptions, projectDetailOptions } from "@multica/core/projects/queries";
 import { useWorkspaceId } from "@multica/core/hooks";
+import { ProjectIcon } from "./project-icon";
 
 /**
  * Compact presentational representation of a project —
@@ -10,9 +11,6 @@ import { useWorkspaceId } from "@multica/core/hooks";
  *
  * Not a link / button: callers wrap it in whatever interactive shell they
  * need. Pure UI — data is queried internally so callers can pass just an id.
- *
- * `📁` matches the fallback used elsewhere (project-picker, projects-page,
- * project-detail) so project affordances feel consistent across the app.
  */
 export interface ProjectChipProps {
   projectId: string;
@@ -45,7 +43,7 @@ export function ProjectChip({
   if (!project) {
     return (
       <span className={cls}>
-        <span className="shrink-0">📁</span>
+        <ProjectIcon size="md" />
         <span className="text-muted-foreground truncate">
           {fallbackLabel ?? "Project"}
         </span>
@@ -55,7 +53,7 @@ export function ProjectChip({
 
   return (
     <span className={cls}>
-      <span className="shrink-0">{project.icon || "📁"}</span>
+      <ProjectIcon project={project} size="md" />
       <span className="text-foreground truncate">{project.title}</span>
     </span>
   );
diff --git a/packages/views/projects/components/project-icon.tsx b/packages/views/projects/components/project-icon.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a07e9ec9c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/views/projects/components/project-icon.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import type { Project } from "@multica/core/types";
+import { cn } from "@multica/ui/lib/utils";
+
+export type ProjectIconSize = "sm" | "md" | "lg";
+
+export interface ProjectIconProps {
+  project?: Pick<Project, "icon"> | null;
+  size?: ProjectIconSize;
+  className?: string;
+}
+
+const SIZE_CLASS: Record<ProjectIconSize, string> = {
+  sm: "size-3.5 text-xs leading-none",
+  md: "size-4 text-sm leading-none",
+  lg: "size-6 text-2xl leading-none",
+};
+
+export function ProjectIcon({ project, size = "sm", className }: ProjectIconProps) {
+  return (
+    <span
+      aria-hidden="true"
+      className={cn(
+        "inline-flex shrink-0 items-center justify-center",
+        SIZE_CLASS[size],
+        className,
+      )}
+    >
+      {project?.icon || "📁"}
+    </span>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/packages/views/projects/components/project-picker.tsx b/packages/views/projects/components/project-picker.tsx
index 1dff9c1761..6147c12d0e 100644
--- a/packages/views/projects/components/project-picker.tsx
+++ b/packages/views/projects/components/project-picker.tsx
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
   DropdownMenuTrigger,
   DropdownMenuSeparator,
 } from "@multica/ui/components/ui/dropdown-menu";
+import { ProjectIcon } from "./project-icon";
 
 export function ProjectPicker({
   projectId,
@@ -34,13 +35,17 @@ export function ProjectPicker({
         className={triggerRender ? undefined : "flex items-center gap-1.5 cursor-pointer rounded px-1 -mx-1 hover:bg-accent/30 transition-colors overflow-hidden"}
         render={triggerRender}
       >
-        <FolderKanban className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground" />
+        {current ? (
+          <ProjectIcon project={current} size="sm" />
+        ) : (
+          <FolderKanban className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground" />
+        )}
         <span className="truncate">{current ? current.title : "No project"}</span>
       </DropdownMenuTrigger>
       <DropdownMenuContent align={align} className="w-52">
         {projects.map((p) => (
           <DropdownMenuItem key={p.id} onClick={() => onUpdate({ project_id: p.id })}>
-            <span className="mr-1">{p.icon || "📁"}</span>
+            <ProjectIcon project={p} size="md" className="mr-1" />
             <span className="truncate">{p.title}</span>
             {p.id === projectId && <Check className="ml-auto h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0" />}
           </DropdownMenuItem>
diff --git a/packages/views/projects/components/projects-page.tsx b/packages/views/projects/components/projects-page.tsx
index 8f2647c445..3e5a3b9e32 100644
--- a/packages/views/projects/components/projects-page.tsx
+++ b/packages/views/projects/components/projects-page.tsx
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import { Tooltip, TooltipTrigger, TooltipContent } from "@multica/ui/components/
 import type { Project, ProjectStatus, ProjectPriority, UpdateProjectRequest } from "@multica/core/types";
 import { PageHeader } from "../../layout/page-header";
 import { PriorityIcon } from "../../issues/components/priority-icon";
+import { ProjectIcon } from "./project-icon";
 
 function formatRelativeDate(date: string): string {
   const diff = Date.now() - new Date(date).getTime();
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ function ProjectRow({ project }: { project: Project }) {
         href={wsPaths.projectDetail(project.id)}
         className="flex min-w-0 flex-1 items-center gap-2"
       >
-        <span className="shrink-0 w-[24px] text-center text-base">{project.icon || "📁"}</span>
+        <ProjectIcon project={project} size="md" />
         <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate font-medium">{project.title}</span>
       </AppLink>
 
diff --git a/packages/views/search/search-command.tsx b/packages/views/search/search-command.tsx
index 97c6cc0d56..ba63b624ec 100644
--- a/packages/views/search/search-command.tsx
+++ b/packages/views/search/search-command.tsx
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import type { WorkspacePaths } from "@multica/core/paths";
 import { useModalStore } from "@multica/core/modals";
 import { workspaceListOptions } from "@multica/core/workspace/queries";
 import { StatusIcon } from "../issues/components";
+import { ProjectIcon } from "../projects/components/project-icon";
 import { STATUS_CONFIG } from "@multica/core/issues/config";
 import { PROJECT_STATUS_CONFIG } from "@multica/core/projects/config";
 import type { ProjectStatus } from "@multica/core/types";
@@ -573,9 +574,7 @@ export function SearchCommand() {
                     className="flex cursor-default select-none flex-col gap-1 rounded-lg px-3 py-2.5 text-sm outline-none data-[disabled=true]:pointer-events-none data-[disabled=true]:opacity-50 data-selected:bg-accent"
                   >
                     <div className="flex items-center gap-2.5">
-                      <span className="size-4 shrink-0 text-center text-sm leading-4">
-                        {project.icon || <FolderKanban className="size-4 text-muted-foreground" />}
-                      </span>
+                      <ProjectIcon project={project} size="md" />
                       <span className="truncate">
                         <HighlightText text={project.title} query={query} />
                       </span>