diff --git a/lua/git/diff.lua b/lua/git/diff.lua
index 8f1a28a..ec41b88 100644
--- a/lua/git/diff.lua
+++ b/lua/git/diff.lua
@@ -3,19 +3,6 @@ local util = require("git.util")
 
 local M = {}
 
----Name a buffer and re-run filetype detection from the (re-)set name.
----Wrapped in `pcall` because a buffer with that name may already exist
----(E95).
----@param buf integer
----@param name string
-local function set_buf_name_and_filetype(buf, name)
-    pcall(vim.api.nvim_buf_set_name, buf, name)
-    local ft = vim.filetype.match({ buf = buf })
-    if ft then
-        vim.bo[buf].filetype = ft
-    end
-end
-
 ---Toggle a window into or out of Vim's diff mode. Goes through the
 ---`:diffthis` / `:diffoff` commands rather than `vim.wo[win].diff = X`.
 ---The command path runs Vim's full `diff_win_options` setup, which sets
@@ -25,7 +12,7 @@ end
 ---tabpage's diff group and corrupting its render.
 ---@param win integer
 ---@param enabled boolean
-local function set_diff(win, enabled)
+function M.set_diff(win, enabled)
     vim.api.nvim_win_call(win, function()
         vim.cmd(enabled and "diffthis" or "diffoff")
     end)
@@ -46,10 +33,9 @@ function M.open(left, right, vertical)
     vim.api.nvim_set_current_buf(right)
     vim.cmd.diffsplit({
         args = { left_name },
-        mods = { split = "aboveleft", vertical = vertical },
+        mods = { split = "aboveleft", vertical = vertical, keepjumps = true },
         magic = { file = false },
     })
-    vim.cmd("clearjumps")
 end
 
 ---Repoint two existing diff windows at a new pair of buffers.
@@ -63,17 +49,19 @@ end
 ---@param right_win integer
 ---@param pair ow.Git.DiffPair
 function M.update_pair(left_win, right_win, pair)
-    set_diff(left_win, false)
-    set_diff(right_win, false)
+    M.set_diff(left_win, false)
+    M.set_diff(right_win, false)
     vim.api.nvim_win_set_buf(left_win, pair.left.buf)
     vim.api.nvim_win_set_buf(right_win, pair.right.buf)
     for _, side in ipairs({ pair.left, pair.right }) do
         if side.name then
-            set_buf_name_and_filetype(side.buf, side.name)
+            util.set_buf_name(side.buf, side.name)
         end
     end
-    set_diff(left_win, true)
-    set_diff(right_win, true)
+    M.set_diff(left_win, true)
+    M.set_diff(right_win, true)
+    vim.api.nvim_win_set_cursor(left_win, { 1, 0 })
+    vim.api.nvim_win_set_cursor(right_win, { 1, 0 })
     vim.cmd.syncbind()
 end
 
@@ -92,7 +80,7 @@ local function place_pair(buf_a, buf_b, a_left, vertical)
 end
 
 ---Dispatch for `M.split` when the current buffer is a `git://<revspec>`
----URI. Placement is writable-on-the-left via `place_pair`.
+---URI. Placement follows the older-on-left convention.
 ---
 ---gd/gh: pair cur with the worktree file at the URI's path.
 ---
@@ -121,7 +109,6 @@ local function uri_split(opts, cur_buf, cur_revspec)
     end
     -- Lazy-required to break the load-time cycle with `git.object`.
     local object = require("git.object")
-    local cur_writable = cur.stage == 0
 
     if opts.revspec ~= "" and opts.revspec:find(":", 1, true) then
         local content = util.exec(
@@ -135,16 +122,21 @@ local function uri_split(opts, cur_buf, cur_revspec)
         place_pair(
             cur_buf,
             object.buf_for(worktree, opts.revspec, content),
-            cur_writable,
+            false,
             opts.vertical
         )
         return
     end
 
     if opts.revspec == "" then
-        local worktree_buf = vim.fn.bufadd(vim.fs.joinpath(worktree, cur.path))
+        local worktree_path = vim.fs.joinpath(worktree, cur.path)
+        if not vim.uv.fs_stat(worktree_path) then
+            util.warning("worktree file does not exist: %s", cur.path)
+            return
+        end
+        local worktree_buf = vim.fn.bufadd(worktree_path)
         vim.fn.bufload(worktree_buf)
-        place_pair(cur_buf, worktree_buf, cur_writable, opts.vertical)
+        place_pair(cur_buf, worktree_buf, true, opts.vertical)
         return
     end
 
@@ -153,16 +145,13 @@ local function uri_split(opts, cur_buf, cur_revspec)
         return
     end
 
-    local other_revspec
-    if cur.stage == 2 then
-        other_revspec = ":3:" .. cur.path
-    elseif cur.stage == 3 then
-        other_revspec = ":2:" .. cur.path
-    elseif cur.stage == 0 then
-        other_revspec = "HEAD:" .. cur.path
-    else
-        other_revspec = ":0:" .. cur.path
-    end
+    local mapping = {
+        [2] = { ":3:" .. cur.path, true },
+        [3] = { ":2:" .. cur.path, false },
+        [0] = { "HEAD:" .. cur.path, false },
+    }
+    local m = mapping[cur.stage] or { ":0:" .. cur.path, true }
+    local other_revspec, cur_left = m[1], m[2]
     local content = util.exec(
         { "git", "cat-file", "-p", other_revspec },
         { cwd = worktree, silent = true }
@@ -174,7 +163,7 @@ local function uri_split(opts, cur_buf, cur_revspec)
     place_pair(
         cur_buf,
         object.buf_for(worktree, other_revspec, content),
-        cur.stage ~= nil,
+        cur_left,
         opts.vertical
     )
 end
@@ -230,8 +219,8 @@ function M.split(opts)
     end
     local object = require("git.object")
     local buf = object.buf_for(worktree, revspec, content)
-    local other_writable = util.parse_revspec(revspec).stage == 0
-    place_pair(buf, cur_buf, other_writable, opts.vertical)
+    -- Revspec snapshot is older than the worktree, so it goes left.
+    place_pair(buf, cur_buf, true, opts.vertical)
 end
 
 return M
diff --git a/lua/git/object.lua b/lua/git/object.lua
index cdcc3ac..6a9847b 100644
--- a/lua/git/object.lua
+++ b/lua/git/object.lua
@@ -275,19 +275,24 @@ function M.read_uri(buf)
     vim.api.nvim_exec_autocmds("BufReadPost", { buffer = buf })
 end
 
----Buffer for the file at `<ref>:<path>`. A zero/nil blob (file absent on
----this side of the diff) yields an empty placeholder.
+---Buffer for the file at `<ref>:<path>`. A zero/nil blob (file absent
+---on this side of the diff) maps to `/dev/null`, mirroring git's diff
+---headers.
 ---@param worktree string
 ---@param blob string?
 ---@param path string
 ---@param ref string  the commit ref the blob represents (e.g. `<sha>` or `<sha>^`)
 ---@return integer
 local function blob_buf(worktree, blob, path, ref)
-    local revspec = ref .. ":" .. path
     if is_zero(blob) then
-        return util.empty_buf({ name = util.uri(revspec) })
+        local buf = vim.fn.bufnr("/dev/null")
+        if buf == -1 then
+            buf = vim.api.nvim_create_buf(true, true)
+            pcall(vim.api.nvim_buf_set_name, buf, "/dev/null")
+        end
+        return buf
     end
-    return M.buf_for(worktree, revspec)
+    return M.buf_for(worktree, ref .. ":" .. path)
 end
 
 ---@param worktree string
@@ -308,8 +313,6 @@ local function open_section(ctx, section)
         return
     end
     local parent = ctx.parent_ref or "0"
-    -- An empty buffer for zero blobs keeps `:diffsplit` from
-    -- BufReadCmd-loading a non-existent revspec.
     local left =
         blob_buf(ctx.worktree, section.pre_blob, section.pre_path, parent)
     local right =
diff --git a/lua/git/sidebar.lua b/lua/git/sidebar.lua
index 48c4e65..1cadfda 100644
--- a/lua/git/sidebar.lua
+++ b/lua/git/sidebar.lua
@@ -488,18 +488,6 @@ local function head_pane(worktree, path)
     }
 end
 
----@param worktree string
----@param path string
----@param kind "index"|"HEAD"|"worktree"
----@return ow.Git.DiffSide
-local function absent_pane(worktree, path, kind)
-    local rel = vim.fn.fnamemodify(vim.fs.joinpath(worktree, path), ":.")
-    return {
-        buf = util.empty_buf(),
-        name = string.format("[absent %s] %s", kind, rel),
-    }
-end
-
 ---@param worktree string
 ---@param path string
 ---@return ow.Git.DiffSide
@@ -513,13 +501,6 @@ end
 ---@param entry ow.Git.FileEntry
 ---@return ow.Git.DiffSide
 local function index_pane(s, entry)
-    local in_index = not (
-        entry.section == "Untracked"
-        or (entry.section == "Staged" and entry.x == "D")
-    )
-    if not in_index then
-        return absent_pane(s.worktree, entry.path, "index")
-    end
     return {
         buf = object.buf_for(s.worktree, ":0:" .. entry.path),
         name = util.uri(":0:" .. entry.path),
@@ -529,39 +510,40 @@ end
 ---@param s ow.Git.SidebarState
 ---@param entry ow.Git.FileEntry
 ---@return ow.Git.DiffSide?
-local function other_pane(s, entry)
-    local p = entry.path
-    local worktree = s.worktree
+local function older_pane(s, entry)
     if entry.section == "Staged" then
         if entry.x == "A" then
-            return absent_pane(worktree, p, "HEAD")
-        end
-        if entry.x == "D" then
-            return head_pane(worktree, p)
+            return nil
         end
         -- HEAD holds the pre-rename path
-        return head_pane(worktree, entry.orig or p)
+        return head_pane(s.worktree, entry.orig or entry.path)
     end
     if entry.section == "Unstaged" then
-        if entry.y == "D" then
-            return absent_pane(worktree, p, "worktree")
-        end
-        return worktree_pane(worktree, p)
-    end
-    if entry.section == "Untracked" then
-        return worktree_pane(worktree, p)
+        return index_pane(s, entry)
     end
+    return nil
 end
 
 ---@param s ow.Git.SidebarState
 ---@param entry ow.Git.FileEntry
----@return ow.Git.DiffPair?
-local function compute_pair(s, entry)
-    local other = other_pane(s, entry)
-    if not other then
-        return nil
+---@return ow.Git.DiffSide?
+local function newer_pane(s, entry)
+    if entry.section == "Staged" then
+        if entry.x == "D" then
+            return nil
+        end
+        return index_pane(s, entry)
     end
-    return { left = index_pane(s, entry), right = other }
+    if entry.section == "Unstaged" then
+        if entry.y == "D" then
+            return nil
+        end
+        return worktree_pane(s.worktree, entry.path)
+    end
+    if entry.section == "Untracked" then
+        return worktree_pane(s.worktree, entry.path)
+    end
+    return nil
 end
 
 ---@param win integer
@@ -642,10 +624,32 @@ local function vsplit_at(target_win, dir)
         true,
         { split = dir, win = target_win }
     )
-    vim.cmd("clearjumps")
+    vim.cmd.clearjumps()
     return win
 end
 
+---Make sure `right_win` exists, repurposing the invocation window or
+---splitting the sidebar. Returns the right window.
+---@param s ow.Git.SidebarState
+---@param sidebar_win integer
+---@param right_win integer?
+---@return integer
+local function ensure_right_win(s, sidebar_win, right_win)
+    if right_win then
+        return right_win
+    end
+    local target = invocation_win_for(s)
+    if target then
+        right_win = target
+    else
+        -- Sidebar-only case: split steals from sidebar, restore width.
+        right_win = vsplit_at(sidebar_win, "right")
+        vim.api.nvim_win_set_width(sidebar_win, SIDEBAR_WIDTH)
+    end
+    reset_diff_win(right_win)
+    return right_win
+end
+
 ---@param s ow.Git.SidebarState
 ---@param entry ow.Git.SidebarEntry
 ---@param focus_left boolean
@@ -659,22 +663,49 @@ local function view_entry(s, entry, focus_left)
         return
     end
 
-    local left_win, right_win = adopt_diff_wins(s, sidebar_win)
+    local left = older_pane(s, entry)
+    local right = newer_pane(s, entry)
+    if not left and not right then
+        util.warning("no content for %s entry: %s", entry.section, entry.path)
+        return
+    end
+
     local key = entry_key(entry)
+    local left_win, right_win = adopt_diff_wins(s, sidebar_win)
+    local want_pair = left and right
 
-    if s.last_shown_key == key and left_win and right_win then
-        if focus_left then
-            vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(left_win)
-        else
-            vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(sidebar_win)
+    if s.last_shown_key == key then
+        local intact = (want_pair and left_win and right_win)
+            or (not want_pair and right_win and not left_win)
+        if intact then
+            local target = focus_left and (left_win or right_win) or sidebar_win
+            vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(target)
+            return
         end
-        return
     end
 
-    local pair = compute_pair(s, entry)
-    if not pair then
+    if not want_pair then
+        if left_win and vim.api.nvim_win_is_valid(left_win) then
+            pcall(vim.api.nvim_win_close, left_win, false)
+            left_win = nil
+            s.diff_left_win = nil
+        end
+        right_win = ensure_right_win(s, sidebar_win, right_win)
+        s.diff_right_win = right_win
+        vim.w[right_win].git_diff_role = "right"
+        local side = left or right
+        ---@cast side ow.Git.DiffSide
+        diff.set_diff(right_win, false)
+        vim.api.nvim_win_set_buf(right_win, side.buf)
+        if side.name then
+            util.set_buf_name(side.buf, side.name)
+        end
+        s.last_shown_key = key
+        vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(focus_left and right_win or sidebar_win)
         return
     end
+    ---@cast left ow.Git.DiffSide
+    ---@cast right ow.Git.DiffSide
 
     if left_win and not right_win then
         right_win = vsplit_at(left_win, "right")
@@ -683,25 +714,9 @@ local function view_entry(s, entry, focus_left)
         left_win = vsplit_at(right_win, "left")
         reset_diff_win(left_win)
     elseif not (left_win or right_win) then
-        local target = invocation_win_for(s)
-        if target then
-            right_win = target
-            reset_diff_win(right_win)
-            left_win = vsplit_at(right_win, "left")
-            reset_diff_win(left_win)
-        else
-            -- Invocation window is gone (closed or in another tabpage).
-            -- Open the diff pair by splitting from the sidebar. winfixwidth
-            -- keeps the sidebar at 50 when there are other windows to
-            -- absorb the split. If the sidebar is the only window in the
-            -- tab, the split has to take from the sidebar itself, so
-            -- restore the width explicitly.
-            right_win = vsplit_at(sidebar_win, "right")
-            reset_diff_win(right_win)
-            left_win = vsplit_at(right_win, "left")
-            reset_diff_win(left_win)
-            vim.api.nvim_win_set_width(sidebar_win, SIDEBAR_WIDTH)
-        end
+        right_win = ensure_right_win(s, sidebar_win, nil)
+        left_win = vsplit_at(right_win, "left")
+        reset_diff_win(left_win)
         local combined = vim.api.nvim_win_get_width(left_win)
             + vim.api.nvim_win_get_width(right_win)
         vim.api.nvim_win_set_width(left_win, math.floor(combined / 2))
@@ -713,14 +728,10 @@ local function view_entry(s, entry, focus_left)
     s.diff_left_win = left_win
     s.diff_right_win = right_win
 
-    diff.update_pair(left_win, right_win, pair)
+    diff.update_pair(left_win, right_win, { left = left, right = right })
     s.last_shown_key = key
 
-    if focus_left then
-        vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(left_win)
-    else
-        vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(sidebar_win)
-    end
+    vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(focus_left and left_win or sidebar_win)
 end
 
 ---@param focus_left boolean
diff --git a/lua/git/util.lua b/lua/git/util.lua
index 11d4d15..4f5eb0d 100644
--- a/lua/git/util.lua
+++ b/lua/git/util.lua
@@ -62,22 +62,16 @@ local function setup_scratch(buf, opts)
     end
 end
 
----Build a read-only scratch buffer, optionally naming it. When `opts.name`
----is set and a loaded buffer with that name already exists, returns it
----instead of creating a duplicate.
----@param opts ow.Git.ScratchOpts?
----@return integer
-function M.empty_buf(opts)
-    opts = opts or {}
-    if opts.name then
-        local existing = vim.fn.bufnr(opts.name)
-        if existing ~= -1 and vim.api.nvim_buf_is_loaded(existing) then
-            return existing
-        end
+---Set a buffer's name and re-run filetype detection from it. Wrapped
+---in `pcall` because a buffer with that name may already exist (E95).
+---@param buf integer
+---@param name string
+function M.set_buf_name(buf, name)
+    pcall(vim.api.nvim_buf_set_name, buf, name)
+    local ft = vim.filetype.match({ buf = buf })
+    if ft then
+        vim.bo[buf].filetype = ft
     end
-    local buf = vim.api.nvim_create_buf(false, true)
-    setup_scratch(buf, opts)
-    return buf
 end
 
 ---Place a buffer in the current window or a new split per `split`.
@@ -96,7 +90,7 @@ function M.place_buf(buf, split)
     local win = vim.api.nvim_open_win(buf, true, {
         split = split or (vim.o.splitbelow and "below" or "above"),
     })
-    vim.cmd("clearjumps")
+    vim.cmd.clearjumps()
     return win
 end