diff --git a/pkg/gui/arrangement.go b/pkg/gui/arrangement.go
index 744f4467..9aceec70 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/arrangement.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/arrangement.go
@@ -176,23 +176,30 @@ func (gui *Gui) sidePanelChildren(width int, height int) []*boxlayout.Box {
 		}
 
 		// The project panel is compact (Size: 3) when not focused, but expands
-		// when focused to show the list of projects.
-		projectBox := &boxlayout.Box{
-			Window: sideWindowNames[0],
-			Size:   3,
-		}
-		if currentWindow == sideWindowNames[0] {
-			projectBox = &boxlayout.Box{
+		// when focused to show the list of projects. This only applies when the
+		// project panel is actually visible (i.e. we are inside a compose project).
+		if len(sideWindowNames) > 0 && sideWindowNames[0] == "project" {
+			projectBox := &boxlayout.Box{
 				Window: sideWindowNames[0],
-				Weight: 2,
+				Size:   3,
 			}
+			if currentWindow == sideWindowNames[0] {
+				projectBox = &boxlayout.Box{
+					Window: sideWindowNames[0],
+					Weight: 2,
+				}
+			}
+
+			return append([]*boxlayout.Box{
+				projectBox,
+			}, lo.Map(sideWindowNames[1:], func(window string, _ int) *boxlayout.Box {
+				return accordionBox(&boxlayout.Box{Window: window, Weight: 1})
+			})...)
 		}
 
-		return append([]*boxlayout.Box{
-			projectBox,
-		}, lo.Map(sideWindowNames[1:], func(window string, _ int) *boxlayout.Box {
+		return lo.Map(sideWindowNames, func(window string, _ int) *boxlayout.Box {
 			return accordionBox(&boxlayout.Box{Window: window, Weight: 1})
-		})...)
+		})
 	} else {
 		squashedHeight := 1
 		if height >= 21 {
diff --git a/pkg/gui/containers_panel.go b/pkg/gui/containers_panel.go
index 4bde93ec..cf4b082c 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/containers_panel.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/containers_panel.go
@@ -94,14 +94,19 @@ func (gui *Gui) getContainersPanel() *panels.SideListPanel[*commands.Container]
 				return false
 			}
 
-			// Filter by selected project. Containers with no project (truly
-			// standalone, not from any compose project) are always shown.
-			selectedProject := gui.getSelectedProjectName()
-			if selectedProject == "" {
-				selectedProject = gui.DockerCommand.LocalProjectName
-			}
-			if selectedProject != "" && container.ProjectName != "" && container.ProjectName != selectedProject {
-				return false
+			// Only apply project filtering when we are inside a docker-compose
+			// project. Outside of a compose project all containers are shown in
+			// a flat list regardless of which compose project they belong to.
+			if gui.DockerCommand.InDockerComposeProject {
+				// Filter by selected project. Containers with no project (truly
+				// standalone, not from any compose project) are always shown.
+				selectedProject := gui.getSelectedProjectName()
+				if selectedProject == "" {
+					selectedProject = gui.DockerCommand.LocalProjectName
+				}
+				if selectedProject != "" && container.ProjectName != "" && container.ProjectName != selectedProject {
+					return false
+				}
 			}
 
 			return true
diff --git a/pkg/gui/project_panel.go b/pkg/gui/project_panel.go
index ca9acf28..a7c6ef55 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/project_panel.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/project_panel.go
@@ -58,6 +58,14 @@ func (gui *Gui) getProjectPanel() *panels.SideListPanel[*commands.Project] {
 			// containers to show only those belonging to the selected project.
 			return gui.renderContainersAndServices()
 		},
+		Hide: func() bool {
+			// Only show the project panel when we are inside a docker-compose
+			// project directory. When launched outside of a compose project
+			// there is no meaningful local project to display, so we hide the
+			// panel and let the containers panel show all containers in a flat
+			// list (matching the behaviour from before v0.25).
+			return !gui.DockerCommand.InDockerComposeProject
+		},
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/gui/services_panel.go b/pkg/gui/services_panel.go
index fb768a74..878eaa4b 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/services_panel.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/services_panel.go
@@ -90,8 +90,12 @@ func (gui *Gui) getServicesPanel() *panels.SideListPanel[*commands.Service] {
 			return presentation.GetServiceDisplayStrings(&gui.Config.UserConfig.Gui, service)
 		},
 		Hide: func() bool {
-			// Show services panel if there are any compose projects (local or discovered)
-			return !gui.DockerCommand.InDockerComposeProject && len(gui.Panels.Services.List.GetAllItems()) == 0
+			// Only show the services panel when we are inside a docker-compose
+			// project directory. When launched outside of a compose project
+			// there is no local project context, so the panel is hidden and
+			// all containers are shown in a flat list (matching pre-v0.25
+			// behaviour).
+			return !gui.DockerCommand.InDockerComposeProject
 		},
 	}
 }