diff --git a/desktop/src/features/projects/lib/projectRepoAvailability.test.mjs b/desktop/src/features/projects/lib/projectRepoAvailability.test.mjs
index aa9661dde88..642ac64b4b1 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/projects/lib/projectRepoAvailability.test.mjs
+++ b/desktop/src/features/projects/lib/projectRepoAvailability.test.mjs
@@ -45,6 +45,21 @@ test("classifies branch and network failures", () => {
   );
 });
 
+test("classifies long-path checkout failures as path errors", () => {
+  assert.equal(
+    projectRepoUnavailableReason(
+      new Error(
+        "error: unable to create file <...>/a_file_with_a_long_name.md: Filename too long",
+      ),
+    ),
+    "path",
+  );
+  assert.equal(
+    projectRepoUnavailableReason(new Error("fatal: unable to checkout working tree")),
+    "path",
+  );
+});
+
 test("keeps unmatched failures generic", () => {
   assert.equal(
     projectRepoUnavailableReason(new Error("git exited with status 128")),
@@ -105,6 +120,14 @@ test("never rewrites non-missing reasons", () => {
     }),
     "network",
   );
+  assert.equal(
+    refineRepoUnavailableReason({
+      reason: "path",
+      repositoryChannelId: "22222222-2222-4222-8222-222222222222",
+      memberChannelIds: [],
+    }),
+    "path",
+  );
 });
 
 test("presents access failures without exposing the relay's masked 404", () => {
@@ -114,3 +137,11 @@ test("presents access failures without exposing the relay's masked 404", () => {
     title: "Repository access restricted",
   });
 });
+
+test("presents long-path failures with actionable copy", () => {
+  assert.deepEqual(projectRepoUnavailablePresentation("path"), {
+    description:
+      "The repository contains paths longer than the local filesystem allows (Windows MAX_PATH). Enable long paths in your git config or Windows settings, then retry.",
+    title: "Paths exceed local limit",
+  });
+});
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/projects/lib/projectRepoAvailability.ts b/desktop/src/features/projects/lib/projectRepoAvailability.ts
index d7911a0827f..6ea19d56d0a 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/projects/lib/projectRepoAvailability.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/features/projects/lib/projectRepoAvailability.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ export type ProjectRepoUnavailableReason =
   | "unbound"
   | "authentication"
   | "network"
+  | "path"
   | "ref"
   | "unknown";
 
@@ -42,6 +43,11 @@ const PROJECT_REPO_UNAVAILABLE_PRESENTATIONS: Record<
       "The Buzz git service could not be reached. Check your connection and try again.",
     title: "Couldn’t reach repository",
   },
+  path: {
+    description:
+      "The repository contains paths longer than the local filesystem allows (Windows MAX_PATH). Enable long paths in your git config or Windows settings, then retry.",
+    title: "Paths exceed local limit",
+  },
   ref: {
     description:
       "The selected branch is advertised by the project but is missing from its git remote.",
@@ -100,6 +106,9 @@ export function projectRepoUnavailableReason(
   ) {
     return "network";
   }
+  if (/filename too long|unable to checkout working tree/.test(message)) {
+    return "path";
+  }
   return "unknown";
 }
 
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectCards.tsx b/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectCards.tsx
index b8c3ffd273d..362e2fc1bd9 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectCards.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectCards.tsx
@@ -306,6 +306,11 @@ function RepositoryUnavailableIndicator({
       description: "The Buzz git service could not be reached.",
       label: "Unreachable",
     },
+    path: {
+      description:
+        "The repository contains paths longer than the local filesystem allows.",
+      label: "Path too long",
+    },
     ref: {
       description: "The advertised branch is missing from the git remote.",
       label: "Branch missing",
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectRepositoryUnavailableState.tsx b/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectRepositoryUnavailableState.tsx
index 9fde63b21d0..9e34a37f1b7 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectRepositoryUnavailableState.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/ProjectRepositoryUnavailableState.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {
   LockKeyhole,
   MessageCircle,
   RefreshCw,
+  TriangleAlert,
 } from "lucide-react";
 
 import { useAppNavigation } from "@/app/navigation/useAppNavigation";
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ const UNAVAILABLE_ICONS = {
   access: LockKeyhole,
   unbound: LockKeyhole,
   network: CloudOff,
+  path: TriangleAlert,
   ref: GitBranch,
   unknown: CircleAlert,
 } satisfies Record<ProjectRepoUnavailableReason, typeof CircleAlert>;