diff --git a/packages/ui/src/features/browser-tabs/AGENTS.md b/packages/ui/src/features/browser-tabs/AGENTS.md
index 46e3681401..ebedf7f4e8 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/features/browser-tabs/AGENTS.md
+++ b/packages/ui/src/features/browser-tabs/AGENTS.md
@@ -70,8 +70,12 @@ differ. Desktop ships first.
 ## UX
 
 ### The strip
-- Lives in the Channels title bar, after a `#title-bar-left` section sized to the
-  Channels sidebar width so the strip starts flush with the content pane.
+- The browser-style strip is no longer rendered. The title bar uses a centered,
+  Slack-style search trigger that opens the existing command menu for commands,
+  channels, and tasks.
+- `BrowserTabStrip` remains mounted in reconciliation-only mode so persisted tab
+  state and restored routes continue to settle safely while tab-only controls
+  and keyboard shortcuts stay disabled.
 - Each tab is a quill `Button` (variant `default`). The active tab is elevated;
   inactive tabs are muted. Tabs **shrink to fit** — the strip never scrolls
   (`overflow-hidden`, pills `flex-1 basis-[200px]` capped at `max-w-[200px]`).
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/features/browser-tabs/BrowserTabStrip.tsx b/packages/ui/src/features/browser-tabs/BrowserTabStrip.tsx
index f803282b2e..841b5cf68f 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/features/browser-tabs/BrowserTabStrip.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/features/browser-tabs/BrowserTabStrip.tsx
@@ -152,7 +152,11 @@ function isAppView(value: string): value is AppView {
   return value in APP_VIEW_META;
 }
 
-export function BrowserTabStrip() {
+interface BrowserTabStripProps {
+  showTabs?: boolean;
+}
+
+export function BrowserTabStrip({ showTabs = true }: BrowserTabStripProps) {
   const logger = useService<RootLogger>(ROOT_LOGGER);
   const snapshot = useTabsSnapshot();
   const navigate = useNavigate();
@@ -804,7 +808,7 @@ export function BrowserTabStrip() {
     {
       enableOnFormTags: true,
       enableOnContentEditable: true,
-      enabled: !isCloudRun,
+      enabled: showTabs && !isCloudRun,
     },
   );
 
@@ -818,7 +822,11 @@ export function BrowserTabStrip() {
       if (taskHasCloseableEditorTab(params.taskId)) return;
       if (activeTabId) handleClose(activeTabId);
     },
-    { enableOnFormTags: true, enableOnContentEditable: true },
+    {
+      enableOnFormTags: true,
+      enableOnContentEditable: true,
+      enabled: showTabs,
+    },
   );
 
   // With channels on, Cmd/Ctrl+1-9 switches to the Nth browser tab (in the
@@ -839,12 +847,12 @@ export function BrowserTabStrip() {
       enableOnFormTags: true,
       enableOnContentEditable: true,
       preventDefault: true,
-      enabled: channelsEnabled,
+      enabled: showTabs && channelsEnabled,
     },
     [tabs, handleSelect],
   );
 
-  return (
+  return showTabs ? (
     <TabStrip
       tabs={tabs}
       activeTabId={activeTabId}
@@ -856,5 +864,5 @@ export function BrowserTabStrip() {
       onCloseToLeft={handleCloseToLeft}
       onNewTab={isCloudRun ? undefined : handleNewTab}
     />
-  );
+  ) : null;
 }
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/features/command/TitleBarSearch.test.tsx b/packages/ui/src/features/command/TitleBarSearch.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5ce369fd28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/ui/src/features/command/TitleBarSearch.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import { render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
+import userEvent from "@testing-library/user-event";
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { TitleBarSearch } from "./TitleBarSearch";
+
+describe("TitleBarSearch", () => {
+  it("opens global search when activated", async () => {
+    const onClick = vi.fn();
+    render(<TitleBarSearch onClick={onClick} />);
+
+    await userEvent.click(
+      screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Search PostHog Code" }),
+    );
+
+    expect(onClick).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/features/command/TitleBarSearch.tsx b/packages/ui/src/features/command/TitleBarSearch.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6c9e193ec9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/ui/src/features/command/TitleBarSearch.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import { MagnifyingGlass } from "@phosphor-icons/react";
+import { Button, Kbd } from "@posthog/quill";
+import { formatHotkeyParts, SHORTCUTS } from "./keyboard-shortcuts";
+
+interface TitleBarSearchProps {
+  onClick: () => void;
+}
+
+export function TitleBarSearch({ onClick }: TitleBarSearchProps) {
+  return (
+    <div className="no-drag flex min-w-0 flex-1 justify-center px-4">
+      <Button
+        variant="outline"
+        size="sm"
+        className="h-7 w-full max-w-[520px] justify-start gap-2 bg-gray-3/80 px-2.5 text-gray-11 shadow-sm backdrop-blur-sm hover:bg-gray-4 hover:text-gray-12"
+        aria-label="Search PostHog Code"
+        onClick={onClick}
+      >
+        <MagnifyingGlass size={14} className="shrink-0" />
+        <span className="truncate">Search PostHog Code</span>
+        <span className="ml-auto flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1">
+          {formatHotkeyParts(SHORTCUTS.COMMAND_MENU).map((part) => (
+            <Kbd key={part}>{part}</Kbd>
+          ))}
+        </span>
+      </Button>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/router/routes/__root.tsx b/packages/ui/src/router/routes/__root.tsx
index d5544ddc46..5c2a56bd60 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/router/routes/__root.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/router/routes/__root.tsx
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import { useChannelDeepLink } from "@posthog/ui/features/canvas/hooks/useChannel
 import { CommandMenu } from "@posthog/ui/features/command/CommandMenu";
 import { GlobalFilePicker } from "@posthog/ui/features/command/GlobalFilePicker";
 import { KeyboardShortcutsSheet } from "@posthog/ui/features/command/KeyboardShortcutsSheet";
+import { TitleBarSearch } from "@posthog/ui/features/command/TitleBarSearch";
 import { ConnectivityBanner } from "@posthog/ui/features/connectivity/ConnectivityBanner";
 import { useNewTaskDeepLink } from "@posthog/ui/features/deep-links/useNewTaskDeepLink";
 import { useOpenTargetDeepLink } from "@posthog/ui/features/deep-links/useOpenTargetDeepLink";
@@ -418,11 +419,11 @@ function RootLayout() {
               </Flex>
             )}
           </Flex>
-          {/* Tabs work in both spaces: channel tabs under /website and plain
-              task tabs in the Code experience. The strip's route→tab effect
-              noops on param-less routes (inbox, agents, new-task), so it's safe
-              to mount everywhere. */}
-          <BrowserTabStrip />
+          <TitleBarSearch onClick={() => setCommandMenuOpen(true)} />
+          {/* Keep route/tab reconciliation mounted while the old browser-tab
+              chrome is hidden. This preserves restored routes and persisted
+              state without exposing tab-specific controls or shortcuts. */}
+          <BrowserTabStrip showTabs={false} />
           {/* Gated so an empty right-side group can't claim a no-drag rect
               in the title bar for nothing — every pixel without controls
               should drag the window. */}