diff --git a/web_external/index.js b/web_external/index.js
index 3ed32e7..fdd44e4 100644
--- a/web_external/index.js
+++ b/web_external/index.js
@@ -107,14 +107,13 @@ observeStore(next => {
   }
 }, s => s.get('mode'));
 
-// Update start screen with login/logout changes.
-observeStore(
-  next => startScreen.render({
-    username: next.getIn(['user', 'login']),
-    openProject: !!next.getIn(['project', 'id'])
-  }),
-  s => s.get('user')
-);
+// Update start screen with login/logout/project changes.
+const updateStartScreen = state => startScreen.render({
+  username: state.getIn(['user', 'login']),
+  openProject: !!state.getIn(['project', 'id'])
+});
+observeStore(updateStartScreen, s => s.get('user'));
+observeStore(updateStartScreen, s => s.getIn(['project', 'id']));
 
 // Open a project.
 observeStore(next => {
diff --git a/web_external/view/overlay/StartScreen/index.jade b/web_external/view/overlay/StartScreen/index.jade
index 7bf8c9c..f36fd64 100644
--- a/web_external/view/overlay/StartScreen/index.jade
+++ b/web_external/view/overlay/StartScreen/index.jade
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
       .side-menu
         .menu-item.new-project.clickable New Project
         .menu-item.open-project.clickable Open Project
+        .menu-item.close-project.clickable Close Project
 
         hr
 
diff --git a/web_external/view/overlay/StartScreen/index.js b/web_external/view/overlay/StartScreen/index.js
index c30bd74..51f4813 100644
--- a/web_external/view/overlay/StartScreen/index.js
+++ b/web_external/view/overlay/StartScreen/index.js
@@ -68,6 +68,10 @@ class StartScreen {
       }
     });
 
+    this.el.select('.close-project').on('click', () => {
+      store.dispatch(action.closeProject());
+    });
+
     this.el.select('.log-in').on('click', () => {
       store.dispatch(action.switchMode(appMode.loginDialog));
     });
@@ -106,6 +110,11 @@ class StartScreen {
       .classed('disabled', !loggedIn)
       .classed('clickable', loggedIn);
 
+    // Gray out the close project button if there's no open project.
+    this.el.select('.close-project')
+      .classed('disabled', !openProject)
+      .classed('clickable', openProject);
+
     // Only display the "close" button if there's already a project open.
     this.el.select('.close-overlay')
       .style('display', openProject ? null : 'none');