diff --git a/graph-ui/src/galaxy/GalaxyPanel.background.test.tsx b/graph-ui/src/galaxy/GalaxyPanel.background.test.tsx
index 92cbb4e43..55d878cca 100644
--- a/graph-ui/src/galaxy/GalaxyPanel.background.test.tsx
+++ b/graph-ui/src/galaxy/GalaxyPanel.background.test.tsx
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ it('returns a standalone hierarchy selection to the overall Galaxy without stale
     await act(async () => select.click());
     const evidence = JSON.parse(onSelectionEvidence.mock.lastCall![0].text).evidence;
     expect(evidence.selected.scope).toMatchObject({ kind: 'node', id: 1, name: 'node1' });
-    expect(evidence.scope).toMatchObject({ depth: 0, direction: 'both', edgeTypes: 'all' });
+    expect(evidence.scope).toMatchObject({ depth: 1, direction: 'both', edgeTypes: 'all' });
     expect(evidence.limitations.state).not.toBe('complete-indexed-scope');
     await act(async () => host.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>('[data-mode="hierarchy"]')!.click());
     expect(globalThis.__atlasGalaxy?.mode).toBe('hierarchy');
diff --git a/graph-ui/src/galaxy/GalaxyPanel.tsx b/graph-ui/src/galaxy/GalaxyPanel.tsx
index 252030257..3590cc852 100644
--- a/graph-ui/src/galaxy/GalaxyPanel.tsx
+++ b/graph-ui/src/galaxy/GalaxyPanel.tsx
@@ -2215,7 +2215,7 @@ export default function GalaxyPanel(props: GalaxyPanelProps): JSX.Element {
                         <option value="both">Both directions</option><option value="inbound">Incoming</option><option value="outbound">Outgoing</option>
                     </select></label>}
                     {props.workspaceExpanded && <TraceEdgeFilter kinds={traceKinds} availableTypes={kinds.map(kind => kind.type)} selected={traceTypes} onChange={changeTraceTypes} />}
-                    <button type="button" disabled={scope.depth <= (!props.workspaceExpanded && props.focusFilePath ? 1 : 0) || scope.loading}
+                    <button type="button" disabled={scope.depth <= scope.minDepth || scope.loading}
                         onClick={() => scope.setDepth(scope.depth - 1)} aria-label="Remove graph layer">−</button>
                     <span>{scope.depth} {scope.depth === 1 ? 'layer' : 'layers'}</span>
                     <button type="button" disabled={scope.loading || scope.result?.exhausted}
diff --git a/graph-ui/src/galaxy/use-graph-scope.test.tsx b/graph-ui/src/galaxy/use-graph-scope.test.tsx
index 3aa8d2cc9..888c57eda 100644
--- a/graph-ui/src/galaxy/use-graph-scope.test.tsx
+++ b/graph-ui/src/galaxy/use-graph-scope.test.tsx
@@ -127,3 +127,27 @@ it('does not display excluded prior-layer nodes while the filtered request is pe
     await act(async () => root.render(<Probe types={[]} />));
     expect(host.textContent).toBe('1:pending');
 });
+
+it('opens node and symbol scopes one layer deep and keeps them there, while clusters start at their members', async () => {
+    (globalThis as unknown as Record<string, unknown>).IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT = true;
+    const host = document.createElement('div'); document.body.append(host); const root = createRoot(host);
+    dispose = async () => { await act(async () => root.unmount()); host.remove(); };
+    state.load.mockImplementation(async (...args: unknown[]) => scoped([1], Number(args[2])));
+    let latest: ReturnType<typeof useGraphScope> | undefined;
+    function Probe() { latest = useGraphScope({ project: 'p' }); return null; }
+    await act(async () => root.render(<Probe />));
+    await act(async () => latest!.select({ kind: 'node', id: 1, name: 'n1', qualifiedName: 'p.n1' }));
+    expect(latest!.depth).toBe(1); expect(latest!.minDepth).toBe(1);
+    expect(state.load.mock.calls.at(-1)![2]).toBe(1);
+    await act(async () => latest!.setDepth(0));
+    expect(latest!.depth).toBe(1);
+    expect(state.load).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    await act(async () => latest!.select({ kind: 'symbol', qualifiedName: 'p.n2', name: 'n2' }));
+    expect(latest!.depth).toBe(1);
+    expect(state.load.mock.calls.at(-1)![2]).toBe(1);
+    await act(async () => latest!.select({ kind: 'folder', path: 'src', name: 'src/' }));
+    expect(latest!.depth).toBe(0); expect(latest!.minDepth).toBe(0);
+    expect(state.load.mock.calls.at(-1)![2]).toBe(0);
+    await act(async () => latest!.select({ kind: 'file', path: 'src/a.ts', name: 'a.ts' }));
+    expect(latest!.depth).toBe(0);
+});
diff --git a/graph-ui/src/galaxy/use-graph-scope.ts b/graph-ui/src/galaxy/use-graph-scope.ts
index 393c179cc..47aa4668b 100644
--- a/graph-ui/src/galaxy/use-graph-scope.ts
+++ b/graph-ui/src/galaxy/use-graph-scope.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,12 @@ import { readerGraphFocus, type SourceFocusRange } from './reader-graph-focus';
 import type { GraphData } from './types';
 import { graphNeighborhoodCache, graphNeighborhoodTransportKey, peekGraphNeighborhoodCache } from './graph-neighborhood-cache';
 
+/** A node or symbol alone has no relationships to show, so it starts one hop
+ * out. Files and folders already carry their internal edges at depth 0. */
+export function minimumScopeDepth(scope: GraphScope | undefined): number {
+    return scope?.kind === 'node' || scope?.kind === 'symbol' ? 1 : 0;
+}
+
 /** Scoped requests are independent of the whole-repository layout budget. */
 export function useGraphScope({ project, layout, filePath, range, fetch: fetchImpl, edgeTypes }: {
     project: string; layout?: GraphData; filePath?: string; range?: SourceFocusRange; fetch?: typeof globalThis.fetch; edgeTypes?: readonly string[];
@@ -23,7 +29,7 @@ export function useGraphScope({ project, layout, filePath, range, fetch: fetchIm
     const [readerDepth, setReaderDepth] = useState<{ key: string; depth: number }>();
     const actualDepth = filePath ? readerDepth?.key === readerKey ? readerDepth.depth : 1 : depth;
     const scope = useMemo<GraphScope | undefined>(() => filePath ? { kind: 'file', path: filePath,
-        name: `${filePath.split('/').pop()}${range ? `:${range.startLine}–${range.endLine}` : ''}`, ...(range ? { range } : {}) } : chosen,
+        name: `${filePath.split('/').pop()}${range ? `:${range.startLine}-${range.endLine}` : ''}`, ...(range ? { range } : {}) } : chosen,
     [filePath, range?.startLine, range?.endLine, chosen]);
     const edgeTypesKey = graphEdgeTypesKey(edgeTypes);
     const selectedTypes = useMemo<string[] | undefined>(() => edgeTypesKey === 'null' ? undefined : JSON.parse(edgeTypesKey) as string[], [edgeTypesKey]);
@@ -122,13 +128,14 @@ export function useGraphScope({ project, layout, filePath, range, fetch: fetchIm
         return { data: { nodes: layout.nodes.filter(node => ids.has(node.id)), edges: [...edges], total_nodes: ids.size },
             roots, depth: actualDepth, exhausted: false, levels };
     }, [scope, layout, actualDepth, actualDirection, selectedTypes]);
-    return { scope, depth: actualDepth, direction, setDirection,
+    const minDepth = filePath ? 1 : minimumScopeDepth(scope);
+    return { scope, depth: actualDepth, minDepth, direction, setDirection,
         result: complete ?? (cachedPreview?.key === key ? cachedPreview.value : undefined)
             ?? (result?.scopeKey === scopeKey && result.value.depth <= actualDepth ? result.value : fallback), loading: Boolean(scope && !complete && !error), error,
         validating: Boolean(scope && !complete && !error && pendingPhase?.key === key && pendingPhase.validating),
         complete: Boolean(complete), retry: () => setReload(value => value + 1),
-        select: (next: GraphScope) => { setChosen(next); setDepth(0); setDirection('both'); },
+        select: (next: GraphScope) => { setChosen(next); setDepth(minimumScopeDepth(next)); setDirection('both'); },
         reset: () => { setChosen(undefined); setDepth(0); setReaderDepth(undefined); setDirection('both'); },
-        setDepth: (next: number) => filePath ? setReaderDepth({ key: readerKey, depth: Math.max(1, next) }) : setDepth(Math.max(0, next)),
+        setDepth: (next: number) => filePath ? setReaderDepth({ key: readerKey, depth: Math.max(minDepth, next) }) : setDepth(Math.max(minDepth, next)),
     };
 }