diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index cf2d9780..cdaa7ec5 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/)
 ## [Unreleased]
 * feat: multiple select and bulk pane actions (https://github.com/zellij-org/zellij/pull/4169 and https://github.com/zellij-org/zellij/pull/4171 and https://github.com/zellij-org/zellij/pull/4221)
 * feat: add an optional key tooltip to show the current keybindings for the compact bar (https://github.com/zellij-org/zellij/pull/4225)
-* feat: web-client, allowing users to share sessions in the browser (https://github.com/zellij-org/zellij/pull/4242 and https://github.com/zellij-org/zellij/pull/4257)
+* feat: web-client, allowing users to share sessions in the browser (https://github.com/zellij-org/zellij/pull/4242, https://github.com/zellij-org/zellij/pull/4257 and https://github.com/zellij-org/zellij/pull/4278)
 * performance: consolidate renders (https://github.com/zellij-org/zellij/pull/4245)
 * feat: add plugin API to replace a pane with another existing pane (https://github.com/zellij-org/zellij/pull/4246)
 * feat: add "stack" keybinding and CLI action to add a stacked pane to the current pane (https://github.com/zellij-org/zellij/pull/4255)
diff --git a/zellij-client/src/web_client/server_listener.rs b/zellij-client/src/web_client/server_listener.rs
index 2ce91ea2..3c5ff504 100644
--- a/zellij-client/src/web_client/server_listener.rs
+++ b/zellij-client/src/web_client/server_listener.rs
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ pub fn zellij_server_listener(
             move || {
                 let mut client_connection_bus =
                     ClientConnectionBus::new(&web_client_id, &connection_table);
-                let mut reconnect_to_session = match build_initial_connection(session_name) {
+                let mut reconnect_to_session = match build_initial_connection(session_name, &config)
+                {
                     Ok(initial_session_connection) => initial_session_connection,
                     Err(e) => {
                         log::error!("{}", e);
diff --git a/zellij-client/src/web_client/session_management.rs b/zellij-client/src/web_client/session_management.rs
index cd3e5c7a..718d3f7d 100644
--- a/zellij-client/src/web_client/session_management.rs
+++ b/zellij-client/src/web_client/session_management.rs
@@ -18,8 +18,11 @@ use zellij_utils::{
 
 pub fn build_initial_connection(
     session_name: Option<String>,
+    config: &Config,
 ) -> Result<Option<ConnectToSession>, &'static str> {
     let should_start_with_welcome_screen = session_name.is_none();
+    let default_layout_from_config =
+        LayoutInfo::from_config(&config.options.layout_dir, &config.options.default_layout);
     if should_start_with_welcome_screen {
         let Some(initial_session_name) = session_name.clone().or_else(generate_unique_session_name)
         else {
@@ -33,6 +36,12 @@ pub fn build_initial_connection(
     } else if let Some(session_name) = session_name {
         Ok(Some(ConnectToSession {
             name: Some(session_name.clone()),
+            layout: default_layout_from_config,
+            ..Default::default()
+        }))
+    } else if default_layout_from_config.is_some() {
+        Ok(Some(ConnectToSession {
+            layout: default_layout_from_config,
             ..Default::default()
         }))
     } else {
diff --git a/zellij-utils/src/data.rs b/zellij-utils/src/data.rs
index 190011f9..91f2c713 100644
--- a/zellij-utils/src/data.rs
+++ b/zellij-utils/src/data.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use crate::home::default_layout_dir;
 use crate::input::actions::Action;
 use crate::input::config::ConversionError;
 use crate::input::keybinds::Keybinds;
@@ -1672,6 +1673,34 @@ impl LayoutInfo {
             LayoutInfo::Stringified(_stringified) => false,
         }
     }
+    pub fn from_config(
+        layout_dir: &Option<PathBuf>,
+        default_layout: &Option<PathBuf>,
+    ) -> Option<Self> {
+        match default_layout {
+            Some(default_layout) => {
+                if default_layout.extension().is_some() || default_layout.components().count() > 1 {
+                    let Some(layout_dir) = layout_dir
+                        .as_ref()
+                        .map(|l| l.clone())
+                        .or_else(default_layout_dir)
+                    else {
+                        return None;
+                    };
+                    Some(LayoutInfo::File(
+                        layout_dir.join(default_layout).display().to_string(),
+                    ))
+                } else if default_layout.starts_with("http://")
+                    || default_layout.starts_with("https://")
+                {
+                    Some(LayoutInfo::Url(default_layout.display().to_string()))
+                } else {
+                    Some(LayoutInfo::BuiltIn(default_layout.display().to_string()))
+                }
+            },
+            None => None,
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 use std::hash::{Hash, Hasher};
diff --git a/zellij-utils/src/input/layout.rs b/zellij-utils/src/input/layout.rs
index 67124be1..e29ad94d 100644
--- a/zellij-utils/src/input/layout.rs
+++ b/zellij-utils/src/input/layout.rs
@@ -1163,15 +1163,20 @@ impl Layout {
                 let mut available_layouts = vec![];
                 for file in layout_files {
                     if let Ok(file) = file {
-                        if Layout::from_path_or_default_without_config(
-                            Some(&file.path()),
-                            layout_dir.clone(),
-                        )
-                        .is_ok()
+                        if file.path().extension().map(|e| e.to_ascii_lowercase())
+                            == Some(std::ffi::OsString::from("kdl"))
                         {
-                            if let Some(file_name) = file.path().file_stem() {
-                                available_layouts
-                                    .push(LayoutInfo::File(file_name.to_string_lossy().to_string()))
+                            if Layout::from_path_or_default_without_config(
+                                Some(&file.path()),
+                                layout_dir.clone(),
+                            )
+                            .is_ok()
+                            {
+                                if let Some(file_name) = file.path().file_stem() {
+                                    available_layouts.push(LayoutInfo::File(
+                                        file_name.to_string_lossy().to_string(),
+                                    ))
+                                }
                             }
                         }
                     }