diff --git a/src/components/WelcomeScreen.test.tsx b/src/components/WelcomeScreen.test.tsx
index d5f78436..33ee502d 100644
--- a/src/components/WelcomeScreen.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/WelcomeScreen.test.tsx
@@ -41,16 +41,18 @@ describe('WelcomeScreen', () => {
       expect(brandIcon).toHaveAttribute('src', tolariaIcon)
     })
 
-    it('shows all three option buttons', () => {
+    it('shows the onboarding actions in the guided-first order', () => {
       render(<WelcomeScreen {...defaultProps} />)
-      expect(screen.getByTestId('welcome-create-new')).toHaveTextContent('Create empty vault')
-      expect(screen.getByTestId('welcome-open-folder')).toHaveTextContent('Open existing vault')
-      expect(screen.getByTestId('welcome-create-vault')).toHaveTextContent('Get started with a template')
+
+      const optionButtons = screen.getAllByRole('button')
+      expect(optionButtons[0]).toBe(screen.getByTestId('welcome-create-vault'))
+      expect(optionButtons[1]).toBe(screen.getByTestId('welcome-create-new'))
+      expect(optionButtons[2]).toBe(screen.getByTestId('welcome-open-folder'))
     })
 
     it('focuses the first action for keyboard users', () => {
       render(<WelcomeScreen {...defaultProps} />)
-      expect(screen.getByTestId('welcome-create-new')).toHaveFocus()
+      expect(screen.getByTestId('welcome-create-vault')).toHaveFocus()
     })
 
     it('shows the simplified template option description', () => {
@@ -109,13 +111,13 @@ describe('WelcomeScreen', () => {
     })
 
     it('cycles onboarding actions with Tab and activates the selected action with Enter', () => {
-      const onOpenFolder = vi.fn()
-      render(<WelcomeScreen {...defaultProps} onOpenFolder={onOpenFolder} />)
+      const onCreateEmptyVault = vi.fn()
+      render(<WelcomeScreen {...defaultProps} onCreateEmptyVault={onCreateEmptyVault} />)
 
       fireEvent.keyDown(window, { key: 'Tab' })
       fireEvent.keyDown(window, { key: 'Enter' })
 
-      expect(onOpenFolder).toHaveBeenCalledOnce()
+      expect(onCreateEmptyVault).toHaveBeenCalledOnce()
     })
 
     it('disables all buttons while creating', () => {
diff --git a/src/components/WelcomeScreen.tsx b/src/components/WelcomeScreen.tsx
index d5365a12..a7cddb67 100644
--- a/src/components/WelcomeScreen.tsx
+++ b/src/components/WelcomeScreen.tsx
@@ -310,18 +310,18 @@ function useWelcomeActionButtons({
 > & {
   busy: boolean
 }) {
-  const primaryActionRef = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null)
-  const openFolderActionRef = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null)
   const templateActionRef = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null)
+  const createEmptyActionRef = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null)
+  const openFolderActionRef = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null)
   const actionButtonRefs = useMemo(
-    () => [primaryActionRef, openFolderActionRef, templateActionRef],
+    () => [templateActionRef, createEmptyActionRef, openFolderActionRef],
     [],
   )
   const actions = useMemo<WelcomeAction[]>(
     () => ([
+      { disabled: isOffline, run: onCreateVault },
       { disabled: false, run: onCreateEmptyVault },
       { disabled: false, run: onOpenFolder },
-      { disabled: isOffline, run: onCreateVault },
     ]),
     [isOffline, onCreateEmptyVault, onCreateVault, onOpenFolder],
   )
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ function useWelcomeActionButtons({
     if (busy) return
 
     // WKWebView can ignore `autoFocus`; move focus explicitly so keyboard-only
-    // onboarding always starts on "Create empty vault".
+    // onboarding always starts on the guided template flow.
     focusWelcomeAction(actionButtonRefs, 0)
   }, [actionButtonRefs, busy, mode])
 
@@ -362,9 +362,9 @@ function useWelcomeActionButtons({
   }, [actionButtonRefs, actions, busy])
 
   return {
-    primaryActionRef,
-    openFolderActionRef,
     templateActionRef,
+    createEmptyActionRef,
+    openFolderActionRef,
   }
 }
 
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ export function WelcomeScreen({
 }: WelcomeScreenProps) {
   const busy = creatingAction !== null
   const presentation = getWelcomeScreenPresentation(mode, defaultVaultPath, isOffline)
-  const { primaryActionRef, openFolderActionRef, templateActionRef } = useWelcomeActionButtons({
+  const { templateActionRef, createEmptyActionRef, openFolderActionRef } = useWelcomeActionButtons({
     mode,
     busy,
     isOffline,
@@ -417,6 +417,21 @@ export function WelcomeScreen({
         <div style={DIVIDER_STYLE} />
 
         <div style={{ width: '100%', display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 10 }}>
+          <OptionButton
+            icon={<Rocket size={18} style={{ color: 'var(--accent-purple)' }} />}
+            iconBg="var(--accent-purple-light, #F3E8FF)"
+            label="Get started with a template"
+            description={presentation.templateDescription}
+            loadingLabel="Downloading template…"
+            loadingDescription="Cloning the Getting Started vault template"
+            onClick={onCreateVault}
+            disabled={busy || isOffline}
+            loading={creatingAction === 'template'}
+            testId="welcome-create-vault"
+            autoFocus
+            buttonRef={templateActionRef}
+          />
+
           <OptionButton
             icon={<Plus size={18} style={{ color: 'var(--accent-blue)' }} />}
             iconBg="var(--accent-blue-light, #EBF4FF)"
@@ -428,8 +443,7 @@ export function WelcomeScreen({
             disabled={busy}
             loading={creatingAction === 'empty'}
             testId="welcome-create-new"
-            autoFocus
-            buttonRef={primaryActionRef}
+            buttonRef={createEmptyActionRef}
           />
 
           <OptionButton
@@ -442,20 +456,6 @@ export function WelcomeScreen({
             testId="welcome-open-folder"
             buttonRef={openFolderActionRef}
           />
-
-          <OptionButton
-            icon={<Rocket size={18} style={{ color: 'var(--accent-purple)' }} />}
-            iconBg="var(--accent-purple-light, #F3E8FF)"
-            label="Get started with a template"
-            description={presentation.templateDescription}
-            loadingLabel="Downloading template…"
-            loadingDescription="Cloning the Getting Started vault template"
-            onClick={onCreateVault}
-            disabled={busy || isOffline}
-            loading={creatingAction === 'template'}
-            testId="welcome-create-vault"
-            buttonRef={templateActionRef}
-          />
         </div>
 
         {creatingAction === 'template' && (
diff --git a/tests/smoke/create-empty-vault-flows.spec.ts b/tests/smoke/create-empty-vault-flows.spec.ts
index f10ecf6c..ac8a74eb 100644
--- a/tests/smoke/create-empty-vault-flows.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/smoke/create-empty-vault-flows.spec.ts
@@ -181,8 +181,10 @@ test('keyboard onboarding can create an empty vault and the first note', async (
 
   await expect(page.getByTestId('welcome-screen')).toBeVisible()
   await expect(page.getByTestId('welcome-create-new')).toContainText('Create empty vault')
-  await expect(page.getByTestId('welcome-create-new')).toBeFocused()
+  await expect(page.getByTestId('welcome-create-vault')).toBeFocused()
 
+  await page.keyboard.press('Tab')
+  await expect(page.getByTestId('welcome-create-new')).toBeFocused()
   await page.keyboard.press('Enter')
 
   await expect(page.getByTestId('note-list-container')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 5_000 })
diff --git a/tests/smoke/fresh-start-telemetry-onboarding.spec.ts b/tests/smoke/fresh-start-telemetry-onboarding.spec.ts
index 472810d7..e0228e4d 100644
--- a/tests/smoke/fresh-start-telemetry-onboarding.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/smoke/fresh-start-telemetry-onboarding.spec.ts
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ test('accepting telemetry consent on a fresh start opens the vault choice wizard
 
   await expect(page.getByTestId('welcome-screen')).toBeVisible()
   await expect(page.getByTestId('welcome-open-folder')).toBeVisible()
-  await expect(page.getByTestId('welcome-create-new')).toBeFocused()
+  await expect(page.getByTestId('welcome-create-vault')).toBeFocused()
 })
 
 test('telemetry consent still leaves the welcome wizard fully keyboard navigable @smoke', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@ test('telemetry consent still leaves the welcome wizard fully keyboard navigable
   await page.keyboard.press('Enter')
 
   await expect(page.getByTestId('welcome-screen')).toBeVisible()
+  await expect(page.getByTestId('welcome-create-vault')).toBeFocused()
+
+  await page.keyboard.press('Tab')
   await expect(page.getByTestId('welcome-create-new')).toBeFocused()
 
   await page.keyboard.press('Tab')
@@ -92,10 +95,10 @@ test('telemetry consent still leaves the welcome wizard fully keyboard navigable
 
   await expect(page.getByTestId('welcome-screen')).toBeVisible()
 
-  await page.keyboard.press('Tab')
-  await expect(page.getByTestId('welcome-create-vault')).toBeFocused()
   await page.keyboard.press('Shift+Tab')
-  await expect(page.getByTestId('welcome-open-folder')).toBeFocused()
+  await expect(page.getByTestId('welcome-create-new')).toBeFocused()
+  await page.keyboard.press('Shift+Tab')
+  await expect(page.getByTestId('welcome-create-vault')).toBeFocused()
 })
 
 for (const action of ['accept', 'decline'] as const) {
diff --git a/tests/smoke/offline-onboarding-status.spec.ts b/tests/smoke/offline-onboarding-status.spec.ts
index bd0aad4d..378dfbab 100644
--- a/tests/smoke/offline-onboarding-status.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/smoke/offline-onboarding-status.spec.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test'
 async function installOnboardingMocks(page: Page, offline: boolean) {
   await page.addInitScript((isOffline: boolean) => {
     localStorage.clear()
+    let createdVaultPath: string | null = null
 
     let ref: Record<string, unknown> | null = null
 
@@ -16,11 +17,12 @@ async function installOnboardingMocks(page: Page, offline: boolean) {
           hidden_defaults: [],
         })
         ref.get_default_vault_path = () => '/Users/mock/Documents/Getting Started'
-        ref.check_vault_exists = () => false
+        ref.check_vault_exists = (args: { path?: string }) => args.path === createdVaultPath
         ref.create_getting_started_vault = (args: { targetPath?: string | null }) => {
           if (args.targetPath !== '/Users/mock/Documents/Getting Started') {
             throw new Error(`Unexpected Getting Started target: ${args.targetPath}`)
           }
+          createdVaultPath = args.targetPath
           return args.targetPath
         }
       },
@@ -65,6 +67,6 @@ test('status bar keeps a Getting Started clone entry available after onboarding'
   await expect(page.getByTestId('claude-onboarding-screen')).toBeVisible()
   await page.getByTestId('claude-onboarding-continue').click()
   await expect(page.locator('[data-testid="note-list-container"]')).toBeVisible()
-  await page.getByTitle('Switch vault').click()
+  await page.getByTestId('status-vault-trigger').click()
   await expect(page.getByTestId('vault-menu-clone-getting-started')).toBeVisible()
 })