diff --git a/src/app/api/workflow/route.ts b/src/app/api/workflow/route.ts
index ce2e83c8..08d994e8 100644
--- a/src/app/api/workflow/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/workflow/route.ts
@@ -141,12 +141,14 @@ export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
   }
 }
 
-// GET: Validate directory path
+// GET: Validate directory path, or load workflow from directory
 export async function GET(request: NextRequest) {
   const directoryPath = request.nextUrl.searchParams.get("path");
+  const shouldLoad = request.nextUrl.searchParams.get("load") === "true";
 
-  logger.info('file.load', 'Directory validation request received', {
+  logger.info('file.load', 'Directory request received', {
     directoryPath,
+    shouldLoad,
   });
 
   if (!directoryPath) {
@@ -173,6 +175,54 @@ export async function GET(request: NextRequest) {
   try {
     const stats = await fs.stat(directoryPath);
     const isDirectory = stats.isDirectory();
+
+    if (!isDirectory) {
+      return NextResponse.json({
+        success: true,
+        exists: true,
+        isDirectory: false,
+      });
+    }
+
+    // If load=true, find and return a workflow JSON from the directory
+    if (shouldLoad) {
+      const entries = await fs.readdir(directoryPath);
+      const jsonFiles = entries.filter(f => f.endsWith(".json"));
+
+      for (const jsonFile of jsonFiles) {
+        try {
+          const filePath = path.join(directoryPath, jsonFile);
+          const content = await fs.readFile(filePath, "utf-8");
+          const parsed = JSON.parse(content);
+
+          if (parsed.version && parsed.nodes && parsed.edges) {
+            const filename = path.basename(jsonFile, ".json");
+            logger.info('file.load', 'Workflow loaded from directory', {
+              directoryPath,
+              filename: jsonFile,
+            });
+            return NextResponse.json({
+              success: true,
+              workflow: parsed,
+              filename,
+            });
+          }
+        } catch {
+          // Skip files that can't be read or parsed
+          continue;
+        }
+      }
+
+      logger.warn('file.load', 'No valid workflow file found in directory', {
+        directoryPath,
+        jsonFilesChecked: jsonFiles.length,
+      });
+      return NextResponse.json(
+        { success: false, error: "No workflow file found in directory" },
+        { status: 404 }
+      );
+    }
+
     logger.info('file.load', 'Directory validation successful', {
       directoryPath,
       exists: true,
diff --git a/src/components/Header.tsx b/src/components/Header.tsx
index baf1ebda..9e049aa1 100644
--- a/src/components/Header.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Header.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { useState, useRef, useMemo, useCallback } from "react";
+import { useState, useMemo, useCallback } from "react";
 import { useWorkflowStore, WorkflowFile } from "@/store/workflowStore";
 import { useShallow } from "zustand/shallow";
 import { ProjectSetupModal } from "./ProjectSetupModal";
@@ -93,7 +93,6 @@ export function Header() {
 
   const [showProjectModal, setShowProjectModal] = useState(false);
   const [projectModalMode, setProjectModalMode] = useState<"new" | "settings">("new");
-  const fileInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
 
   const isProjectConfigured = !!workflowName;
   const canSave = !!(workflowId && workflowName && saveDirectoryPath);
@@ -115,31 +114,36 @@ export function Header() {
     setShowProjectModal(true);
   };
 
-  const handleOpenFile = () => {
-    fileInputRef.current?.click();
-  };
+  const handleOpenFile = async () => {
+    try {
+      // Open native OS directory picker
+      const browseRes = await fetch("/api/browse-directory");
+      const browseResult = await browseRes.json();
 
-  const handleFileChange = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
-    const file = e.target.files?.[0];
-    if (!file) return;
-
-    const reader = new FileReader();
-    reader.onload = async (event) => {
-      try {
-        const workflow = JSON.parse(event.target?.result as string) as WorkflowFile;
-        if (workflow.version && workflow.nodes && workflow.edges) {
-          await loadWorkflow(workflow);
-        } else {
-          alert("Invalid workflow file format");
+      if (!browseResult.success || browseResult.cancelled || !browseResult.path) {
+        if (!browseResult.success && !browseResult.cancelled) {
+          alert(browseResult.error || "Failed to open directory picker");
         }
-      } catch {
-        alert("Failed to parse workflow file");
+        return;
       }
-    };
-    reader.readAsText(file);
 
-    // Reset input so same file can be loaded again
-    e.target.value = "";
+      const dirPath = browseResult.path;
+
+      // Load workflow JSON from that directory
+      const loadRes = await fetch(`/api/workflow?path=${encodeURIComponent(dirPath)}&load=true`);
+      const loadResult = await loadRes.json();
+
+      if (!loadResult.success) {
+        alert(loadResult.error || "No workflow file found in directory");
+        return;
+      }
+
+      const workflow = loadResult.workflow as WorkflowFile;
+      await loadWorkflow(workflow, dirPath);
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error("Failed to open workflow:", error);
+      alert("Failed to open workflow. Please try again.");
+    }
   };
 
   const handleProjectSave = async (id: string, name: string, path: string) => {
@@ -226,13 +230,6 @@ export function Header() {
         onSave={handleProjectSave}
         mode={projectModalMode}
       />
-      <input
-        ref={fileInputRef}
-        type="file"
-        accept=".json"
-        onChange={handleFileChange}
-        className="hidden"
-      />
       <header className="h-11 bg-neutral-900 border-b border-neutral-800 flex items-center justify-between px-4 shrink-0">
         <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
           <button
diff --git a/src/components/__tests__/Header.test.tsx b/src/components/__tests__/Header.test.tsx
index 670cb791..4962bff3 100644
--- a/src/components/__tests__/Header.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/__tests__/Header.test.tsx
@@ -250,24 +250,18 @@ describe("Header", () => {
       expect(openButton).toBeInTheDocument();
     });
 
-    it("should have hidden file input for loading workflows", () => {
-      const { container } = render(<Header />);
-      const fileInput = container.querySelector('input[type="file"]');
-      expect(fileInput).toBeInTheDocument();
-      expect(fileInput).toHaveAttribute("accept", ".json");
-      expect(fileInput).toHaveClass("hidden");
-    });
+    it("should call browse-directory API when open button is clicked", async () => {
+      const mockFetch = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({
+        ok: true,
+        json: () => Promise.resolve({ success: true, cancelled: true }),
+      });
+      global.fetch = mockFetch;
 
-    it("should trigger file input click when open button is clicked", () => {
-      const { container } = render(<Header />);
+      render(<Header />);
       const openButton = screen.getByTitle("Open project");
-      const fileInput = container.querySelector('input[type="file"]') as HTMLInputElement;
-
-      // Mock click on file input
-      const clickSpy = vi.spyOn(fileInput, "click");
       fireEvent.click(openButton);
 
-      expect(clickSpy).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(mockFetch).toHaveBeenCalledWith("/api/browse-directory");
     });
   });
 
@@ -405,23 +399,45 @@ describe("Header", () => {
     });
   });
 
-  describe("File Loading", () => {
-    it("should not call loadWorkflow when no file is selected", () => {
-      const { container } = render(<Header />);
-      const fileInput = container.querySelector('input[type="file"]') as HTMLInputElement;
+  describe("File Loading via Directory Picker", () => {
+    it("should not call loadWorkflow when directory picker is cancelled", async () => {
+      const mockFetch = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({
+        ok: true,
+        json: () => Promise.resolve({ success: true, cancelled: true }),
+      });
+      global.fetch = mockFetch;
 
-      // Trigger file change with empty files
-      fireEvent.change(fileInput, { target: { files: [] } });
+      render(<Header />);
+      const openButton = screen.getByTitle("Open project");
+      fireEvent.click(openButton);
 
+      // Wait for the async handler to settle
+      await vi.waitFor(() => {
+        expect(mockFetch).toHaveBeenCalledWith("/api/browse-directory");
+      });
       expect(mockLoadWorkflow).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
 
-    it("should reset file input value after file selection to allow re-selecting same file", () => {
-      const { container } = render(<Header />);
-      const fileInput = container.querySelector('input[type="file"]') as HTMLInputElement;
+    it("should load workflow from selected directory", async () => {
+      const mockWorkflow = { version: "1.0", nodes: [], edges: [], name: "Test" };
+      const mockFetch = vi.fn()
+        .mockResolvedValueOnce({
+          ok: true,
+          json: () => Promise.resolve({ success: true, path: "/path/to/project" }),
+        })
+        .mockResolvedValueOnce({
+          ok: true,
+          json: () => Promise.resolve({ success: true, workflow: mockWorkflow, filename: "Test" }),
+        });
+      global.fetch = mockFetch;
+
+      render(<Header />);
+      const openButton = screen.getByTitle("Open project");
+      fireEvent.click(openButton);
 
-      // File input should accept .json files
-      expect(fileInput).toHaveAttribute("accept", ".json");
+      await vi.waitFor(() => {
+        expect(mockLoadWorkflow).toHaveBeenCalledWith(mockWorkflow, "/path/to/project");
+      });
     });
   });