diff --git a/app/src/main/java/net/jeena/jtubetv/ui/screens/HomeScreen.kt b/app/src/main/java/net/jeena/jtubetv/ui/screens/HomeScreen.kt
index e14554d..019e2ff 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/net/jeena/jtubetv/ui/screens/HomeScreen.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/net/jeena/jtubetv/ui/screens/HomeScreen.kt
@@ -114,19 +114,15 @@ fun HomeScreen(viewModel: AppViewModel = androidx.lifecycle.viewmodel.compose.vi
         }
     }
 
-    // BACK order (TV standard): player (own handler) → drawer close → channel
-    // drilldown → non-Home destination → Home; from Home: double-press exits.
+    // BACK order (issue #26): the sidebar is the root of a list view, reached
+    // with one BACK press instead of scrolling all the way left.
+    //   player            → its own handler
+    //   drawer open, Home → double-press exits (the sidebar is the root)
+    //   drawer open, else → close the drawer
+    //   channel drilldown → back up to the list that opened it
+    //   any list view     → open the sidebar
     BackHandler(enabled = drawerOpen && playingVideo == null) {
-        dismissDrawer()
-    }
-    BackHandler(enabled = !drawerOpen && playingVideo == null && channelDetails != null) {
-        channelDetails = null
-    }
-    BackHandler(enabled = !drawerOpen && playingVideo == null && channelDetails == null) {
-        if (destination != Destination.Home) {
-            channelDetails = null
-            destination = Destination.Home
-        } else {
+        if (destination == Destination.Home && channelDetails == null) {
             val now = System.currentTimeMillis()
             if (now - lastBackAt < 2500) {
                 (context as? android.app.Activity)?.finish()
@@ -134,8 +130,16 @@ fun HomeScreen(viewModel: AppViewModel = androidx.lifecycle.viewmodel.compose.vi
             }
             lastBackAt = now
             android.widget.Toast.makeText(context, "Press BACK again to exit", android.widget.Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show()
+        } else {
+            dismissDrawer()
         }
     }
+    BackHandler(enabled = !drawerOpen && playingVideo == null && channelDetails != null) {
+        channelDetails = null
+    }
+    BackHandler(enabled = !drawerOpen && playingVideo == null && channelDetails == null) {
+        drawerOpen = true
+    }
 
     Box(
         modifier = Modifier
@@ -151,7 +155,9 @@ fun HomeScreen(viewModel: AppViewModel = androidx.lifecycle.viewmodel.compose.vi
                     when {
                         drawerOpen -> { dismissDrawer(); true }
                         channelDetails != null -> { channelDetails = null; true }
-                        else -> false
+                        // Mirror the D-pad BACK model (issue #26): Esc opens the
+                        // sidebar from a top-level list view too.
+                        else -> { drawerOpen = true; true }
                     }
                 } else false
             },