diff --git a/pkg/app/app.go b/pkg/app/app.go
index e77d2868c..59730780d 100644
--- a/pkg/app/app.go
+++ b/pkg/app/app.go
@@ -120,6 +120,11 @@ func NewApp(config config.AppConfigurer, common *common.Common) (*App, error) {
 		return app, err
 	}
 
+	// used for testing purposes
+	if os.Getenv("SHOW_RECENT_REPOS") == "true" {
+		showRecentRepos = true
+	}
+
 	app.Gui, err = gui.NewGui(common, config, gitVersion, updater, showRecentRepos, dirName)
 	if err != nil {
 		return app, err
diff --git a/pkg/gui/layout.go b/pkg/gui/layout.go
index 35dbe55b7..88ddeca5f 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/layout.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/layout.go
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) onInitialViewsCreationForRepo() error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	initialContext := gui.c.CurrentSideContext()
+	initialContext := gui.c.CurrentContext()
 	if err := gui.c.ActivateContext(initialContext); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/integration/components/runner.go b/pkg/integration/components/runner.go
index f1f8e3c89..9a787c864 100644
--- a/pkg/integration/components/runner.go
+++ b/pkg/integration/components/runner.go
@@ -187,6 +187,11 @@ func getLazygitCommand(test *IntegrationTest, paths Paths, rootDir string, sandb
 	if sandbox {
 		cmdObj.AddEnvVars(fmt.Sprintf("%s=%s", SANDBOX_ENV_VAR, "true"))
 	}
+	if test.ExtraEnvVars() != nil {
+		for key, value := range test.ExtraEnvVars() {
+			cmdObj.AddEnvVars(fmt.Sprintf("%s=%s", key, value))
+		}
+	}
 
 	if keyPressDelay > 0 {
 		cmdObj.AddEnvVars(fmt.Sprintf("KEY_PRESS_DELAY=%d", keyPressDelay))
diff --git a/pkg/integration/components/test.go b/pkg/integration/components/test.go
index 648c6ed41..464779e38 100644
--- a/pkg/integration/components/test.go
+++ b/pkg/integration/components/test.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ type IntegrationTest struct {
 	name         string
 	description  string
 	extraCmdArgs []string
+	extraEnvVars map[string]string
 	skip         bool
 	setupRepo    func(shell *Shell)
 	setupConfig  func(config *config.AppConfig)
@@ -47,7 +48,8 @@ type NewIntegrationTestArgs struct {
 	// additional args passed to lazygit
 	ExtraCmdArgs []string
 	// for when a test is flakey
-	Skip bool
+	ExtraEnvVars map[string]string
+	Skip         bool
 	// to run a test only on certain git versions
 	GitVersion GitVersionRestriction
 }
@@ -112,6 +114,7 @@ func NewIntegrationTest(args NewIntegrationTestArgs) *IntegrationTest {
 		name:         name,
 		description:  args.Description,
 		extraCmdArgs: args.ExtraCmdArgs,
+		extraEnvVars: args.ExtraEnvVars,
 		skip:         args.Skip,
 		setupRepo:    args.SetupRepo,
 		setupConfig:  args.SetupConfig,
@@ -132,6 +135,10 @@ func (self *IntegrationTest) ExtraCmdArgs() []string {
 	return self.extraCmdArgs
 }
 
+func (self *IntegrationTest) ExtraEnvVars() map[string]string {
+	return self.extraEnvVars
+}
+
 func (self *IntegrationTest) Skip() bool {
 	return self.skip
 }
diff --git a/pkg/integration/tests/misc/recent_repos_on_launch.go b/pkg/integration/tests/misc/recent_repos_on_launch.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dc0287261
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/integration/tests/misc/recent_repos_on_launch.go
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+package misc
+
+import (
+	"github.com/jesseduffield/lazygit/pkg/config"
+	. "github.com/jesseduffield/lazygit/pkg/integration/components"
+)
+
+// Couldn't find an easy way to actually reproduce the situation of opening outside a repo,
+// so I'm introducing a hacky env var to force lazygit to show the recent repos meu upon opening.
+
+var RecentReposOnLaunch = NewIntegrationTest(NewIntegrationTestArgs{
+	Description:  "When opening opening to a menu, focus is correctly given to the menu",
+	ExtraCmdArgs: []string{},
+	ExtraEnvVars: map[string]string{
+		"SHOW_RECENT_REPOS": "true",
+	},
+	Skip:        false,
+	SetupConfig: func(config *config.AppConfig) {},
+	SetupRepo:   func(shell *Shell) {},
+	Run: func(t *TestDriver, keys config.KeybindingConfig) {
+		t.ExpectPopup().Menu().
+			Title(Equals("Recent repositories")).
+			Select(Contains("Cancel")).
+			Confirm()
+
+		t.Views().Files().IsFocused()
+	},
+})
diff --git a/pkg/integration/tests/test_list.go b/pkg/integration/tests/test_list.go
index 222917b0f..7a5ed71b4 100644
--- a/pkg/integration/tests/test_list.go
+++ b/pkg/integration/tests/test_list.go
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ var tests = []*components.IntegrationTest{
 	interactive_rebase.SwapWithConflict,
 	misc.ConfirmOnQuit,
 	misc.InitialOpen,
+	misc.RecentReposOnLaunch,
 	patch_building.Apply,
 	patch_building.ApplyInReverse,
 	patch_building.ApplyInReverseWithConflict,