diff --git a/src/App.vue b/src/App.vue
index a683db9..937eaca 100644
--- a/src/App.vue
+++ b/src/App.vue
@@ -116,7 +116,9 @@ async function load() {
     const data = await invoke<RepoData | null>("load_repo");
     if (data) await applyRepo(data);
   } catch (e) {
-    error.value = String(e);
+    // A repository already on screen stays, for example when a connection drops.
+    if (repo.value) showToast(`could not reload: ${e}`);
+    else error.value = String(e);
   } finally {
     loading = false;
     started.value = true;
diff --git a/src/components/RepoMenu.vue b/src/components/RepoMenu.vue
index d583d03..2567218 100644
--- a/src/components/RepoMenu.vue
+++ b/src/components/RepoMenu.vue
@@ -1,29 +1,54 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
-import { computed, onMounted, ref } from "vue";
+import { computed, nextTick, onMounted, ref } from "vue";
 
 const props = defineProps<{ recents: string[]; current: string | null }>();
 const emit = defineEmits<{ pick: [path: string]; browse: []; remove: [path: string]; close: [] }>();
 
 // The current repository is not offered: picking it would do nothing.
 const items = computed(() => props.recents.filter((p) => p !== props.current));
-/** Index into items; items.length means the "Open folder…" entry. */
+/** Index into items; items.length is the "Open folder…" entry and items.length + 1 the "Open on another machine…" entry. */
 const active = ref(0);
 const menu = ref<HTMLElement>();
 onMounted(() => menu.value?.focus());
 
+/** True while the "Open on another machine…" entry is a text field. */
+const typing = ref(false);
+const remoteText = ref("");
+const remoteInput = ref<HTMLInputElement>();
+
+async function startTyping() {
+  typing.value = true;
+  await nextTick();
+  remoteInput.value?.focus();
+}
+
 function choose(i: number) {
-  if (i >= items.value.length) emit("browse");
+  if (i === items.value.length + 1) void startTyping();
+  else if (i === items.value.length) emit("browse");
   else emit("pick", items.value[i]);
 }
 
+function onRemoteKey(e: KeyboardEvent) {
+  // Typed letters belong to the field, not to the menu's own keys.
+  e.stopPropagation();
+  if (e.key === "Enter") {
+    const text = remoteText.value.trim();
+    if (text) emit("pick", text);
+  } else if (e.key === "Escape") {
+    typing.value = false;
+    menu.value?.focus();
+  } else return;
+  e.preventDefault();
+}
+
 function onKey(e: KeyboardEvent) {
   // Keys stay in the menu while it is open.
   e.stopPropagation();
-  const last = items.value.length;
+  const last = items.value.length + 1;
   if (e.key === "ArrowDown" || e.key === "j") active.value = Math.min(last, active.value + 1);
   else if (e.key === "ArrowUp" || e.key === "k") active.value = Math.max(0, active.value - 1);
   else if (e.key === "Enter") choose(active.value);
-  else if (e.key === "Delete" && active.value < last) emit("remove", items.value[active.value]);
+  else if (e.key === "Delete" && active.value < items.value.length) emit("remove", items.value[active.value]);
   else if (e.key === "Escape" || e.key === "o") emit("close");
   else return;
   e.preventDefault();
@@ -57,6 +82,23 @@ const name = (p: string) => p.split("/").filter(Boolean).pop() ?? p;
     >
       Open folder…
     </div>
+    <div
+      class="item remote"
+      :class="{ active: active === items.length + 1 }"
+      @mouseenter="active = items.length + 1"
+      @click="!typing && choose(items.length + 1)"
+    >
+      <input
+        v-if="typing"
+        ref="remoteInput"
+        v-model="remoteText"
+        class="remote-input"
+        placeholder="user@host:/path/to/repo"
+        spellcheck="false"
+        @keydown="onRemoteKey"
+      />
+      <template v-else>Open on another machine…</template>
+    </div>
     <div class="foot"><kbd>↑</kbd><kbd>↓</kbd> choose · <kbd>Enter</kbd> open · <kbd>Del</kbd> remove · <kbd>Esc</kbd> close</div>
   </div>
 </template>
@@ -87,5 +129,7 @@ const name = (p: string) => p.split("/").filter(Boolean).pop() ?? p;
 .x { border: none; padding: 0 6px; color: var(--text-dim); opacity: 0; }
 .item.active .x { opacity: 1; }
 .browse { color: var(--accent); border-top: 1px solid var(--border); border-radius: 0 0 6px 6px; margin-top: 4px; }
+.remote { color: var(--accent); }
+.remote-input { flex: 1; min-width: 0; font: 12px ui-monospace, monospace; }
 .foot { padding: 6px 10px 2px; font-size: 11px; color: var(--text-dim); }
 </style>
diff --git a/src/components/Welcome.vue b/src/components/Welcome.vue
index c0b844c..fe4d461 100644
--- a/src/components/Welcome.vue
+++ b/src/components/Welcome.vue
@@ -1,7 +1,27 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
+import { nextTick, ref } from "vue";
+
 defineProps<{ recents: string[] }>();
 const emit = defineEmits<{ pick: [path: string]; browse: []; remove: [path: string] }>();
 
+/** True while the "Open on another machine…" button is a text field. */
+const typing = ref(false);
+const remoteText = ref("");
+const remoteInput = ref<HTMLInputElement>();
+
+async function startTyping() {
+  typing.value = true;
+  await nextTick();
+  remoteInput.value?.focus();
+}
+
+function onRemoteKey(e: KeyboardEvent) {
+  if (e.key === "Enter") {
+    const text = remoteText.value.trim();
+    if (text) emit("pick", text);
+  } else if (e.key === "Escape") typing.value = false;
+}
+
 // Paths on Windows use backslashes.
 const name = (p: string) => p.split(/[\\/]/).filter(Boolean).pop() ?? p;
 </script>
@@ -23,7 +43,19 @@ const name = (p: string) => p.split(/[\\/]/).filter(Boolean).pop() ?? p;
           </div>
         </div>
       </template>
-      <button class="browse" @click="emit('browse')">Choose a folder…</button>
+      <div class="actions">
+        <button class="browse" @click="emit('browse')">Choose a folder…</button>
+        <input
+          v-if="typing"
+          ref="remoteInput"
+          v-model="remoteText"
+          class="remote-input"
+          placeholder="user@host:/path/to/repo"
+          spellcheck="false"
+          @keydown="onRemoteKey"
+        />
+        <button v-else class="browse" @click="startTyping">Open on another machine…</button>
+      </div>
       <p class="hint">You can also start gites with a path: <code>gites ~/code/my-project</code></p>
     </div>
   </div>
@@ -44,6 +76,8 @@ h2 { margin: 0 0 4px; font-size: 20px; }
 .path { flex: 1; min-width: 0; color: var(--text-dim); font: 11.5px ui-monospace, monospace; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; }
 .x { border: none; padding: 2px 10px; color: var(--text-dim); opacity: 0; }
 .item:hover .x, .item:focus-within .x { opacity: 1; }
+.actions { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 10px; flex-wrap: wrap; }
+.remote-input { flex: 1; min-width: 220px; font: 12px ui-monospace, monospace; }
 .browse { align-self: flex-start; padding: 6px 14px; color: var(--accent); border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent) 50%, var(--border)); }
 .hint { margin: 4px 0 0; color: var(--text-dim); font-size: 12px; }
 .hint code { font-family: ui-monospace, monospace; color: var(--text); }