diff --git a/internal/app/workspace.go b/internal/app/workspace.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3b5be4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/app/workspace.go
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+package app
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+
+	"github.com/vstockwell/wraith/internal/settings"
+)
+
+type WorkspaceSnapshot struct {
+	Tabs         []WorkspaceTab `json:"tabs"`
+	SidebarWidth int            `json:"sidebarWidth"`
+	SidebarMode  string         `json:"sidebarMode"`
+	ActiveTab    int            `json:"activeTab"`
+}
+
+type WorkspaceTab struct {
+	ConnectionID int64  `json:"connectionId"`
+	Protocol     string `json:"protocol"`
+	Position     int    `json:"position"`
+}
+
+type WorkspaceService struct {
+	settings *settings.SettingsService
+}
+
+func NewWorkspaceService(s *settings.SettingsService) *WorkspaceService {
+	return &WorkspaceService{settings: s}
+}
+
+// Save serializes the workspace snapshot to settings
+func (w *WorkspaceService) Save(snapshot *WorkspaceSnapshot) error {
+	data, err := json.Marshal(snapshot)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return w.settings.Set("workspace_snapshot", string(data))
+}
+
+// Load reads the last saved workspace snapshot
+func (w *WorkspaceService) Load() (*WorkspaceSnapshot, error) {
+	data, err := w.settings.Get("workspace_snapshot")
+	if err != nil || data == "" {
+		return nil, nil // no saved workspace
+	}
+	var snapshot WorkspaceSnapshot
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(data), &snapshot); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return &snapshot, nil
+}
+
+// MarkCleanShutdown saves a flag indicating clean exit
+func (w *WorkspaceService) MarkCleanShutdown() error {
+	return w.settings.Set("clean_shutdown", "true")
+}
+
+// WasCleanShutdown checks if last exit was clean
+func (w *WorkspaceService) WasCleanShutdown() bool {
+	val, _ := w.settings.Get("clean_shutdown")
+	return val == "true"
+}
+
+// ClearCleanShutdown removes the clean shutdown flag (called on startup)
+func (w *WorkspaceService) ClearCleanShutdown() error {
+	return w.settings.Delete("clean_shutdown")
+}
diff --git a/internal/app/workspace_test.go b/internal/app/workspace_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2f6906f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/app/workspace_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+package app
+
+import (
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/vstockwell/wraith/internal/db"
+	"github.com/vstockwell/wraith/internal/settings"
+)
+
+func setupWorkspaceService(t *testing.T) *WorkspaceService {
+	t.Helper()
+	d, err := db.Open(filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "test.db"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := db.Migrate(d); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { d.Close() })
+	return NewWorkspaceService(settings.NewSettingsService(d))
+}
+
+func TestSaveAndLoadWorkspace(t *testing.T) {
+	svc := setupWorkspaceService(t)
+	snapshot := &WorkspaceSnapshot{
+		Tabs: []WorkspaceTab{
+			{ConnectionID: 1, Protocol: "ssh", Position: 0},
+			{ConnectionID: 5, Protocol: "rdp", Position: 1},
+		},
+		SidebarWidth: 240,
+		SidebarMode:  "connections",
+		ActiveTab:    0,
+	}
+	if err := svc.Save(snapshot); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	loaded, err := svc.Load()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(loaded.Tabs) != 2 {
+		t.Errorf("len(Tabs) = %d, want 2", len(loaded.Tabs))
+	}
+	if loaded.SidebarWidth != 240 {
+		t.Errorf("SidebarWidth = %d, want 240", loaded.SidebarWidth)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestLoadEmptyWorkspace(t *testing.T) {
+	svc := setupWorkspaceService(t)
+	loaded, err := svc.Load()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if loaded != nil {
+		t.Error("should return nil for empty workspace")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCleanShutdownFlag(t *testing.T) {
+	svc := setupWorkspaceService(t)
+	if svc.WasCleanShutdown() {
+		t.Error("should not be clean initially")
+	}
+	svc.MarkCleanShutdown()
+	if !svc.WasCleanShutdown() {
+		t.Error("should be clean after marking")
+	}
+	svc.ClearCleanShutdown()
+	if svc.WasCleanShutdown() {
+		t.Error("should not be clean after clearing")
+	}
+}