diff --git a/app/(home-pages)/layout.tsx b/app/(home-pages)/layout.tsx
index 5e402858..13135142 100644
--- a/app/(home-pages)/layout.tsx
+++ b/app/(home-pages)/layout.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { getIdentityData } from "actions/getIdentityData";
 import { EntitySetProvider } from "components/EntitySetProvider";
+import { NavStateTracker } from "components/NavStateTracker";
 import {
   ThemeProvider,
   ThemeBackgroundProvider,
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ export default async function HomePagesLayout(props: {
   if (!identityData?.home_leaflet)
     return (
       <>
+        <NavStateTracker />
         <ThemeProvider entityID={""}>{props.children}</ThemeProvider>
       </>
     );
@@ -34,6 +36,7 @@ export default async function HomePagesLayout(props: {
       >
         <ThemeProvider entityID={root_entity}>
           <ThemeBackgroundProvider entityID={root_entity}>
+            <NavStateTracker />
             {props.children}
           </ThemeBackgroundProvider>
         </ThemeProvider>
diff --git a/app/(home-pages)/page.tsx b/app/(home-pages)/page.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..036e9562
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/(home-pages)/page.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import { cookies } from "next/headers";
+import ReaderLayout from "./reader/layout";
+import ReaderPage from "./reader/page";
+import HomePage from "./home/page";
+
+export default async function RootPage() {
+  const cookieStore = await cookies();
+  const hasAuth =
+    cookieStore.has("auth_token") ||
+    cookieStore.has("external_auth_token");
+
+  if (!hasAuth) {
+    return (
+      <ReaderLayout>
+        <ReaderPage />
+      </ReaderLayout>
+    );
+  }
+
+  const navState = cookieStore.get("nav-state")?.value;
+
+  if (navState === "reader") {
+    return (
+      <ReaderLayout>
+        <ReaderPage />
+      </ReaderLayout>
+    );
+  }
+
+  return <HomePage />;
+}
diff --git a/app/(home-pages)/reader/layout.tsx b/app/(home-pages)/reader/layout.tsx
index 76bee57b..29e6695c 100644
--- a/app/(home-pages)/reader/layout.tsx
+++ b/app/(home-pages)/reader/layout.tsx
@@ -27,8 +27,13 @@ export default function ReaderLayout({
   const tabs = allTabs.filter((tab) => !tab.requiresAuth || isLoggedIn);
 
   const isActive = (href: string) => {
-    if (href === "/reader") return pathname === "/reader";
-    if (href === "/reader/hot" && !isLoggedIn && pathname === "/reader")
+    if (href === "/reader")
+      return pathname === "/reader" || pathname === "/";
+    if (
+      href === "/reader/hot" &&
+      !isLoggedIn &&
+      (pathname === "/reader" || pathname === "/")
+    )
       return true;
     return pathname.startsWith(href);
   };
@@ -62,7 +67,7 @@ export default function ReaderLayout({
               ))}
             </div>
             <div className="sm:block grow">
-              {pathname === "/reader" && (
+              {(pathname === "/reader" || pathname === "/") && (
                 <div className="place-self-end text text-tertiary text-sm">
                   Publications
                 </div>
diff --git a/app/api/update-nav-state/route.ts b/app/api/update-nav-state/route.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3e496e82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/api/update-nav-state/route.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from "next/server";
+
+export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
+  const { state } = (await request.json()) as { state: string };
+  if (state !== "home" && state !== "reader") {
+    return NextResponse.json({ error: "Invalid state" }, { status: 400 });
+  }
+
+  const response = NextResponse.json({ ok: true });
+  response.cookies.set("nav-state", state, {
+    path: "/",
+    sameSite: "lax",
+    maxAge: 60 * 60 * 24 * 365,
+  });
+  return response;
+}
diff --git a/app/route.ts b/app/route.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 9bc9116d..00000000
--- a/app/route.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-import { createNewLeaflet } from "actions/createNewLeaflet";
-import { cookies } from "next/headers";
-import { redirect } from "next/navigation";
-
-export const preferredRegion = ["sfo1"];
-export const dynamic = "force-dynamic";
-export const fetchCache = "force-no-store";
-
-export async function GET() {
-  redirect("/home");
-}
diff --git a/components/NavStateTracker.tsx b/components/NavStateTracker.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4bdf6fb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/NavStateTracker.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { usePathname } from "next/navigation";
+import { useEffect, useRef } from "react";
+
+export function NavStateTracker() {
+  const pathname = usePathname();
+  const lastState = useRef<string | null>(null);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    let state: string | null = null;
+    if (pathname === "/home") state = "home";
+    else if (pathname === "/reader" || pathname.startsWith("/reader/"))
+      state = "reader";
+
+    if (state && state !== lastState.current) {
+      lastState.current = state;
+      fetch("/api/update-nav-state", {
+        method: "POST",
+        headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+        body: JSON.stringify({ state }),
+      });
+    }
+  }, [pathname]);
+
+  return null;
+}