diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/menus.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/menus.rs
index 26a7b66f..b5d071a2 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/menus.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/menus.rs
@@ -300,6 +300,17 @@ pub fn invoke(app: &mut EffectcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context, id: &str, params: V
     if id == "layer.newText" && no_params(&params) {
         return run_engine(app, ctx, id, json!({"text": "", "edit": true}));
     }
+    // A new folder (File ▸ New, its shortcut, the Project panel's button and context menu) opens
+    // with its name ready to type, as in After Effects (#1658). The command selects it.
+    // `engine.execute` keeps the headless default.
+    if id == "project.newFolder" && no_params(&params) {
+        let r = run_engine(app, ctx, id, params);
+        if r.is_ok() {
+            app.show_panel(PanelKind::Project);
+            crate::panels::project::begin_rename(app, ctx);
+        }
+        return r;
+    }
     if no_params(&params) && app.ui.focused == PanelKind::Project {
         match id {
             "edit.duplicate" => return run_engine(app, ctx, "project.duplicate", json!({})),
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui_project_new_folder.rs b/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui_project_new_folder.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0ee75c7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui_project_new_folder.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+//! #1658: a folder made from the interface (the Project panel's New Folder button and context
+//! menu, File ▸ New ▸ New Folder and its shortcut) opens with its name ready to type, as in After
+//! Effects: Enter keeps the typed name, Escape the default one. `engine.execute` (agents, MCP,
+//! scripts) keeps the headless default and only creates the folder.
+
+use effectcraft_engine::Session;
+use effectcraft_engine::project::ItemId;
+use effectcraft_ui_egui::EffectcraftApp;
+use effectcraft_ui_egui::control::{self, ControlRequest};
+use egui::{Event, Key, Modifiers, PointerButton, Pos2, Rect, pos2};
+use egui_kittest::Harness;
+use serde_json::json;
+
+/// A comp and an open folder holding a solid, nothing selected.
+fn harness(comps: usize) -> (Harness<'static, EffectcraftApp>, ItemId) {
+    let mut s = Session::default();
+    s.execute("comp.new", json!({"name": "Main", "width": 320, "height": 180, "duration": 4})).unwrap();
+    for i in 0..comps {
+        s.execute("comp.new", json!({"name": format!("Comp {i:03}"), "width": 64, "height": 64, "duration": 1})).unwrap();
+    }
+    let folder = ItemId(s.execute("project.newFolder", json!({"name": "Bin"})).unwrap()["item"].as_u64().unwrap());
+    s.execute("project.select", json!({"items": []})).unwrap();
+    let mut h = Harness::builder().with_size(egui::vec2(1600.0, 1000.0)).build_eframe(|_| EffectcraftApp::new(s));
+    h.state_mut().ui.project_open_folders.insert(folder.0);
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    (h, folder)
+}
+
+fn rect(h: &Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>, id: &str) -> Rect {
+    let e = h.state().auto.find(id).unwrap_or_else(|| panic!("no {id}"));
+    Rect::from_min_size(pos2(e.rect[0], e.rect[1]), egui::vec2(e.rect[2], e.rect[3]))
+}
+
+fn click_at(h: &mut Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>, p: Pos2, button: PointerButton) {
+    h.input_mut().events.push(Event::PointerMoved(p));
+    h.step();
+    h.input_mut().events.push(Event::PointerButton { pos: p, button, pressed: true, modifiers: Modifiers::NONE });
+    h.step();
+    h.input_mut().events.push(Event::PointerButton { pos: p, button, pressed: false, modifiers: Modifiers::NONE });
+    h.run_steps(3);
+}
+
+fn key(h: &mut Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>, key: Key) {
+    h.input_mut().events.push(Event::Key { key, physical_key: None, pressed: true, repeat: false, modifiers: Modifiers::NONE });
+    h.input_mut().events.push(Event::Key { key, physical_key: None, pressed: false, repeat: false, modifiers: Modifiers::NONE });
+    h.run_steps(2);
+}
+
+fn type_text(h: &mut Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>, text: &str) {
+    assert!(h.ctx.egui_wants_keyboard_input(), "the name field has the keyboard");
+    h.input_mut().events.push(Event::Text(text.into()));
+    h.step();
+}
+
+/// The folders not in `before`.
+fn new_folders(h: &Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>, before: &[ItemId]) -> Vec<ItemId> {
+    h.state().session.project.items.values().filter(|i| i.is_folder() && !before.contains(&i.id)).map(|i| i.id).collect()
+}
+
+fn folders(h: &Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>) -> Vec<ItemId> {
+    new_folders(h, &[])
+}
+
+fn name(h: &Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>, id: ItemId) -> Option<String> {
+    h.state().session.project.item(id).map(|i| i.name.clone())
+}
+
+fn renaming(h: &Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>, id: ItemId) -> bool {
+    let edit = format!("project.item.{}.nameEdit", id.0);
+    h.state().auto.elements.iter().any(|e| e.id == edit)
+}
+
+/// The panel's button, with a folder selected: the new folder opens its name, Enter keeps the
+/// typed one, and undo takes back the rename, then the folder (two steps, like any rename).
+#[test]
+fn the_new_folder_button_opens_the_name_and_enter_keeps_it() {
+    let (mut h, bin) = harness(0);
+    let p = rect(&h, &format!("project.item.{}.name", bin.0)).center();
+    click_at(&mut h, p, PointerButton::Primary);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().session.state.project_selection, [bin]);
+    let before = folders(&h);
+    let p = rect(&h, "project.newFolder").center();
+    click_at(&mut h, p, PointerButton::Primary);
+    let [folder] = new_folders(&h, &before)[..] else { panic!("one new folder") };
+    assert_eq!(h.state().session.state.project_selection, [folder], "the new folder is selected");
+    assert!(renaming(&h, folder), "its name is open for editing");
+    type_text(&mut h, "Shots");
+    key(&mut h, Key::Enter);
+    assert_eq!(name(&h, folder).as_deref(), Some("Shots"), "Enter keeps the typed name");
+    assert!(!renaming(&h, folder), "Enter closes the field");
+    assert!(!h.ctx.egui_wants_keyboard_input(), "and gives the keyboard back");
+    h.state_mut().session.execute("edit.undo", json!({})).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(name(&h, folder).as_deref(), Some("Untitled Folder"), "the first undo takes back the rename");
+    h.state_mut().session.execute("edit.undo", json!({})).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(name(&h, folder), None, "the second, the folder");
+}
+
+/// Escape keeps the default name: the folder stays, with one undo step.
+#[test]
+fn escape_keeps_the_default_name() {
+    let (mut h, _) = harness(0);
+    let before = folders(&h);
+    let p = rect(&h, "project.newFolder").center();
+    click_at(&mut h, p, PointerButton::Primary);
+    let [folder] = new_folders(&h, &before)[..] else { panic!("one new folder") };
+    type_text(&mut h, "Never mind");
+    key(&mut h, Key::Escape);
+    assert_eq!(name(&h, folder).as_deref(), Some("Untitled Folder"));
+    assert!(!renaming(&h, folder));
+    h.state_mut().session.execute("edit.undo", json!({})).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(name(&h, folder), None, "one undo removes the folder");
+}
+
+/// The context menu of the list's empty area.
+#[test]
+fn the_context_menu_opens_the_name() {
+    let (mut h, _) = harness(0);
+    let list = rect(&h, "project.empty");
+    let before = folders(&h);
+    click_at(&mut h, pos2(list.center().x, list.max.y - 4.0), PointerButton::Secondary);
+    let p = rect(&h, "project.context.newFolder").center();
+    click_at(&mut h, p, PointerButton::Primary);
+    let [folder] = new_folders(&h, &before)[..] else { panic!("one new folder") };
+    assert!(renaming(&h, folder), "the context menu's New Folder opens the name");
+}
+
+/// File ▸ New ▸ New Folder (the menu dispatcher, which its shortcut goes through too): a folder
+/// sorted below the visible rows scrolls into view with its name open.
+#[test]
+fn the_file_menu_opens_the_name_in_view() {
+    let (mut h, _) = harness(80);
+    let list = rect(&h, "project.empty");
+    let before = folders(&h);
+    let ctx = h.ctx.clone();
+    effectcraft_ui_egui::menus::invoke(h.state_mut(), &ctx, "project.newFolder", json!({})).unwrap();
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    let [folder] = new_folders(&h, &before)[..] else { panic!("one new folder") };
+    assert!(renaming(&h, folder), "File ▸ New ▸ New Folder opens the name");
+    let field = rect(&h, &format!("project.item.{}.nameEdit", folder.0));
+    assert!(list.contains_rect(field), "the field is in view: {field:?} in {list:?}");
+    type_text(&mut h, "Renders");
+    key(&mut h, Key::Enter);
+    assert_eq!(name(&h, folder).as_deref(), Some("Renders"));
+}
+
+/// Agents and scripts: `engine.execute` only creates the folder.
+#[test]
+fn engine_execute_only_creates_the_folder() {
+    let (mut h, _) = harness(0);
+    let before = folders(&h);
+    let ctx = h.ctx.clone();
+    let (req, _rx) = ControlRequest::new("engine.execute", json!({"command": "project.newFolder"}));
+    let _ = control::handle(h.state_mut(), &ctx, &req);
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    let [folder] = new_folders(&h, &before)[..] else { panic!("one new folder") };
+    assert!(!renaming(&h, folder), "no name field for an agent's folder");
+    assert!(!h.ctx.egui_wants_keyboard_input());
+}