diff --git a/src/App.tsx b/src/App.tsx
index b4c4a7d4..a855a581 100644
--- a/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/App.tsx
@@ -505,7 +505,6 @@ function App() {
 
   const aiNoteListFilter = useMemo(() => {
     if (selection.kind === 'sectionGroup') return { type: selection.type, query: '' }
-    if (selection.kind === 'topic') return { type: null, query: selection.entry.title }
     if (selection.kind === 'entity') return { type: null, query: selection.entry.title }
     return { type: null, query: '' }
   }, [selection])
diff --git a/src/components/NoteList.test.tsx b/src/components/NoteList.test.tsx
index 98631dd6..47fcfa04 100644
--- a/src/components/NoteList.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/NoteList.test.tsx
@@ -200,13 +200,14 @@ describe('NoteList', () => {
     expect(screen.getByText('Related to')).toBeInTheDocument()
   })
 
-  it('filters by topic (relatedTo references)', () => {
+  it('shows entity view with relationship groups for topics', () => {
     render(
-      <NoteList {...defaultFilterProps} entries={mockEntries} selection={{ kind: 'topic', entry: mockEntries[4] }} selectedNote={null} onSelectNote={noopSelect} onReplaceActiveTab={noopReplace} onCreateNote={vi.fn()} />
+      <NoteList {...defaultFilterProps} entries={mockEntries} selection={{ kind: 'entity', entry: mockEntries[4] }} selectedNote={null} onSelectNote={noopSelect} onReplaceActiveTab={noopReplace} onCreateNote={vi.fn()} />
     )
-    // Build Laputa App has relatedTo: [[topic/software-development]]
+    // Build Laputa App references this topic via relatedTo — should appear in Referenced By
     expect(screen.getByText('Build Laputa App')).toBeInTheDocument()
-    expect(screen.queryByText('Facebook Ads Strategy')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+    // Entity view shows group headers
+    expect(screen.getByText('Referenced By')).toBeInTheDocument()
   })
 
   it('shows search input when search icon is clicked', () => {
@@ -806,17 +807,9 @@ describe('filterEntries — trash', () => {
     expect(result.find((e) => e.title === 'Old Draft Notes')).toBeUndefined()
   })
 
-  it('topic filter excludes trashed entries', () => {
-    const topicEntry: VaultEntry = { ...mockEntries[4] } // Software Development topic
-    const trashedWithTopic: VaultEntry = {
-      ...trashedEntry,
-      relatedTo: ['[[topic/software-development]]'],
-    }
-    const all = [...mockEntries, trashedWithTopic]
-    const result = filterEntries(all, { kind: 'topic', entry: topicEntry })
-    expect(result.find((e) => e.title === 'Old Draft Notes')).toBeUndefined()
-    // Normal entry with that topic should still appear
-    expect(result.find((e) => e.title === 'Build Laputa App')).toBeDefined()
+  it('entity filter returns empty (entity view uses relationship groups instead)', () => {
+    const result = filterEntries(mockEntries, { kind: 'entity', entry: mockEntries[4] })
+    expect(result).toHaveLength(0)
   })
 })
 
diff --git a/src/components/Sidebar.test.tsx b/src/components/Sidebar.test.tsx
index d498cf92..6e9a733b 100644
--- a/src/components/Sidebar.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Sidebar.test.tsx
@@ -359,13 +359,13 @@ describe('Sidebar', () => {
     expect(screen.getByText('Trading')).toBeInTheDocument()
   })
 
-  it('calls onSelect with topic kind when clicking a topic', () => {
+  it('calls onSelect with entity kind when clicking a topic', () => {
     const onSelect = vi.fn()
     render(<Sidebar entries={mockEntries} selection={defaultSelection} onSelect={onSelect} />)
     fireEvent.click(screen.getByLabelText('Expand Topics'))
     fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Software Development'))
     expect(onSelect).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
-      kind: 'topic',
+      kind: 'entity',
       entry: mockEntries[4],
     })
   })
diff --git a/src/components/SidebarParts.tsx b/src/components/SidebarParts.tsx
index 0a0ca484..064b2800 100644
--- a/src/components/SidebarParts.tsx
+++ b/src/components/SidebarParts.tsx
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ export function isSelectionActive(current: SidebarSelection, check: SidebarSelec
   switch (check.kind) {
     case 'filter': return (current as typeof check).filter === check.filter
     case 'sectionGroup': return (current as typeof check).type === check.type
-    case 'entity':
-    case 'topic': return (current as typeof check).entry.path === check.entry.path
+    case 'entity': return (current as typeof check).entry.path === check.entry.path
     default: return false
   }
 }
@@ -83,8 +82,8 @@ export interface SectionContentProps {
   onRenameCancel?: () => void
 }
 
-function childSelection(type: string, entry: VaultEntry): SidebarSelection {
-  return type === 'Topic' ? { kind: 'topic', entry } : { kind: 'entity', entry }
+function childSelection(entry: VaultEntry): SidebarSelection {
+  return { kind: 'entity', entry }
 }
 
 function resolveCreateHandler(type: string, onCreateType?: (type: string) => void, onCreateNewType?: () => void): (() => void) | undefined {
@@ -123,7 +122,7 @@ export function SectionContent({
       />
       {!isCollapsed && items.length > 0 && (
         <SectionChildList
-          items={items} type={type} selection={selection}
+          items={items} selection={selection}
           sectionColor={sectionColor} sectionLightColor={sectionLightColor}
           onSelect={onSelect} onSelectNote={onSelectNote}
         />
@@ -132,15 +131,15 @@ export function SectionContent({
   )
 }
 
-function SectionChildList({ items, type, selection, sectionColor, sectionLightColor, onSelect, onSelectNote }: {
-  items: VaultEntry[]; type: string; selection: SidebarSelection
+function SectionChildList({ items, selection, sectionColor, sectionLightColor, onSelect, onSelectNote }: {
+  items: VaultEntry[]; selection: SidebarSelection
   sectionColor: string; sectionLightColor: string
   onSelect: (sel: SidebarSelection) => void; onSelectNote?: (entry: VaultEntry) => void
 }) {
   return (
     <div style={{ display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 4 }}>
       {items.map((entry) => {
-        const sel = childSelection(type, entry)
+        const sel = childSelection(entry)
         const active = isSelectionActive(selection, sel)
         return (
           <SectionChildItem
diff --git a/src/types.ts b/src/types.ts
index 5c33f331..988c2309 100644
--- a/src/types.ts
+++ b/src/types.ts
@@ -182,4 +182,3 @@ export type SidebarSelection =
   | { kind: 'filter'; filter: SidebarFilter }
   | { kind: 'sectionGroup'; type: string }
   | { kind: 'entity'; entry: VaultEntry }
-  | { kind: 'topic'; entry: VaultEntry }
diff --git a/src/utils/noteListHelpers.ts b/src/utils/noteListHelpers.ts
index a4751d8c..2a130b68 100644
--- a/src/utils/noteListHelpers.ts
+++ b/src/utils/noteListHelpers.ts
@@ -327,9 +327,6 @@ function filterByKind(entries: VaultEntry[], selection: SidebarSelection, subFil
     const typeEntries = entries.filter((e) => e.isA === selection.type)
     return subFilter ? applySubFilter(typeEntries, subFilter) : typeEntries.filter(isActive)
   }
-  if (selection.kind === 'topic') {
-    return entries.filter((e) => refsMatch(e.relatedTo, selection.entry) && isActive(e))
-  }
   return filterByFilterType(entries, selection.filter)
 }