diff --git a/apps/apollo-vertex/content/docs/patterns/shell.mdx b/apps/apollo-vertex/content/docs/patterns/shell.mdx
index ba6e070f7..9d57eff84 100644
--- a/apps/apollo-vertex/content/docs/patterns/shell.mdx
+++ b/apps/apollo-vertex/content/docs/patterns/shell.mdx
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ const projects = {
 
 Labels are translation keys. A key in the app's default catalog is used first, including keys that are not in Apollo Vertex. Vertex keys such as `dashboard` still resolve when the app catalog does not define them.
 
+When one item's path is a prefix of another's, only the most specific match is highlighted. A landing page such as `/acme` stays inactive while `/acme/projects` is open.
+
 ### App translations
 
 Pass `configureI18n` to `ApolloShell` or `LocaleProvider` when the app initializes i18next itself. The shell then runs that function instead of replacing the app catalog with the Vertex one.
@@ -121,6 +123,50 @@ function App() {
 }
 ```
 
+## Bringing your own authentication
+
+Apps that already authenticate another way, such as with a session cookie set by their platform, can provide `AuthContext` themselves instead of mounting `ShellAuthProvider`. The shell gate reads `isLoading` and `isAuthenticated`, the user profile reads `user`, and sign-out calls `logout`. Leave `accessToken` as `null` when the app has no bearer token to share.
+
+Pass `unauthenticatedElement` to replace the sign-in screen. For example, render an element that redirects to the platform login:
+
+```tsx
+import { useEffect } from 'react';
+import { ApolloShell, AuthContext, type AuthContextValue } from '@uipath/apollo-vertex';
+
+function RedirectToLogin() {
+  useEffect(() => {
+    window.location.assign(`/login?returnTo=${encodeURIComponent(window.location.href)}`);
+  }, []);
+  return null;
+}
+
+function App() {
+  const session = useSession(); // the app's own session hook
+
+  const auth: AuthContextValue = {
+    user: session.user,
+    isAuthenticated: session.user != null,
+    isLoading: session.isLoading,
+    login: async () => session.login(),
+    logout: session.logout,
+    accessToken: null,
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <AuthContext.Provider value={auth}>
+      <ApolloShell
+        companyName="Your Company"
+        productName="Your Product"
+        navItems={navItems}
+        unauthenticatedElement={<RedirectToLogin />}
+      >
+        <YourApp />
+      </ApolloShell>
+    </AuthContext.Provider>
+  );
+}
+```
+
 ## Gating access by group membership
 
 Use `GroupMembershipGuard` to restrict the application to members of one or more
diff --git a/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell-auth-provider.tsx b/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell-auth-provider.tsx
index b4aa366f6..53c87b25a 100644
--- a/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell-auth-provider.tsx
+++ b/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell-auth-provider.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ import {
 import { z } from "zod";
 import { ensureValidToken, getTokenQueryKey, login, logout } from "@/lib/auth";
 
+// Apps that authenticate outside the shell (a session cookie, their own IdP)
+// can provide this context themselves instead of mounting ShellAuthProvider.
+// The shell gate reads isAuthenticated; accessToken stays null when the app
+// has no bearer token to share.
 export interface AuthContextValue {
   user: UserInfo | null;
   isAuthenticated: boolean;
diff --git a/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell-nav-active.test.tsx b/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell-nav-active.test.tsx
index 6b9e4ba1b..3ee6eaa02 100644
--- a/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell-nav-active.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell-nav-active.test.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import { VERTEX_NAMESPACE } from "@/lib/vertex-translation";
 import {
+  activeNavItemPath,
   mostSpecificActivePath,
   navItemIsCurrent,
   navItemState,
@@ -106,6 +107,37 @@ describe("mostSpecificActivePath", () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe("activeNavItemPath", () => {
+  const sidebar = [
+    { path: "/acme" },
+    { path: "/acme/projects", childPaths: ["/acme/projects/archive"] },
+    { path: "/work", childPaths: ["/invoices"] },
+  ];
+
+  it("keeps a landing page off while a section under it is open", () => {
+    expect(activeNavItemPath("/acme/projects", sidebar)).toBe("/acme/projects");
+    expect(activeNavItemPath("/acme/projects/42", sidebar)).toBe(
+      "/acme/projects",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("selects the landing page on its own route", () => {
+    expect(activeNavItemPath("/acme", sidebar)).toBe("/acme");
+    expect(activeNavItemPath("/acme/unlisted", sidebar)).toBe("/acme");
+  });
+
+  it("gives a child page to its group", () => {
+    expect(activeNavItemPath("/acme/projects/archive", sidebar)).toBe(
+      "/acme/projects",
+    );
+    expect(activeNavItemPath("/invoices/abc", sidebar)).toBe("/work");
+  });
+
+  it("returns null when no item matches", () => {
+    expect(activeNavItemPath("/elsewhere", sidebar)).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+
 describe("navItemState", () => {
   it("links a group to its default child and keeps the prefix active", () => {
     expect(
diff --git a/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell-nav-active.ts b/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell-nav-active.ts
index 8c5639991..18298c35a 100644
--- a/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell-nav-active.ts
+++ b/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell-nav-active.ts
@@ -44,3 +44,24 @@ export function navItemState(
     current: navItemIsCurrent(pathname, item.path, childPaths),
   };
 }
+
+// The sidebar keeps one item active: the one that owns the most specific match
+// among item and child paths. A landing page such as `/<workspace>` prefixes
+// every section under it and would otherwise stay active on all of them.
+export function activeNavItemPath(
+  pathname: string,
+  items: readonly { path: string; childPaths?: readonly string[] }[],
+): string | null {
+  let owner: string | null = null;
+  let matchLength = -1;
+  for (const item of items) {
+    for (const path of [item.path, ...(item.childPaths ?? [])]) {
+      if (!navPathIsActive(pathname, path)) continue;
+      if (path.length > matchLength) {
+        owner = item.path;
+        matchLength = path.length;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return owner;
+}
diff --git a/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell-sidebar.tsx b/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell-sidebar.tsx
index 58e1e3f93..eb35d78ee 100644
--- a/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell-sidebar.tsx
+++ b/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell-sidebar.tsx
@@ -35,7 +35,11 @@ import {
 import { Company } from "./shell-company";
 import { MinimalCompany } from "./shell-minimal-company";
 import { MinimalNavItem } from "./shell-minimal-nav-item";
-import { mostSpecificActivePath, navItemState } from "./shell-nav-active";
+import {
+  activeNavItemPath,
+  mostSpecificActivePath,
+  navItemState,
+} from "./shell-nav-active";
 import { navCatalogFromHook, readNavLabel } from "./shell-nav-label";
 import { Text } from "./shell-text";
 import type { ShellNavLabel } from "./shell-translation-key";
@@ -174,6 +178,14 @@ function SidebarNav({
     });
   };
 
+  const activePath = activeNavItemPath(
+    pathname,
+    navItems.map((item) => ({
+      path: item.path,
+      childPaths: item.subItems?.map((sub) => sub.path),
+    })),
+  );
+
   const getTooltipText = (label: ShellNavLabel): string => {
     if (typeof label === "string") return readNavLabel(catalog, label);
     return t(label.i18nKey, label.values);
@@ -204,11 +216,15 @@ function SidebarNav({
                 const Icon = item.icon;
                 const isExpanded = expandedItems.has(item.path);
                 const childPaths = item.subItems?.map((sub) => sub.path) ?? [];
-                const row = navItemState(pathname, {
+                const isActiveItem = item.path === activePath;
+                const itemState = navItemState(pathname, {
                   path: item.path,
                   to: item.to,
                   childPaths,
                 });
+                const row = isActiveItem
+                  ? itemState
+                  : { ...itemState, prefixActive: false, current: false };
 
                 if (item.subItems && item.subItems.length > 0) {
                   return (
diff --git a/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell.test.tsx b/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c3259c3f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+import {
+  createMemoryHistory,
+  createRootRoute,
+  createRouter,
+  RouterProvider,
+} from "@tanstack/react-router";
+import { cleanup, render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { Home } from "lucide-react";
+import type { ReactNode } from "react";
+import { afterEach, beforeAll, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { ApolloShell } from "./shell";
+import { AuthContext, type AuthContextValue } from "./shell-auth-provider";
+import { ThemeProvider } from "./shell-theme-provider";
+
+afterEach(cleanup);
+
+beforeAll(() => {
+  // jsdom has no matchMedia; the sidebar reads it to detect mobile.
+  window.matchMedia = (query: string) =>
+    ({
+      matches: false,
+      media: query,
+      onchange: null,
+      addEventListener: vi.fn(),
+      removeEventListener: vi.fn(),
+      addListener: vi.fn(),
+      removeListener: vi.fn(),
+      dispatchEvent: () => false,
+    }) satisfies MediaQueryList;
+});
+
+const signedOut: AuthContextValue = {
+  user: null,
+  isAuthenticated: false,
+  isLoading: false,
+  login: () => Promise.resolve(),
+  logout: vi.fn(),
+  accessToken: null,
+};
+
+const configureI18n = () => Promise.resolve();
+
+function renderShell(
+  auth: AuthContextValue,
+  props: { unauthenticatedElement?: ReactNode } = {},
+) {
+  // The shell layout renders router links, so mount it as a route.
+  const rootRoute = createRootRoute({
+    component: () => (
+      <ThemeProvider>
+        <AuthContext.Provider value={auth}>
+          <ApolloShell
+            companyName="UiPath"
+            productName="Invoices"
+            navItems={[{ path: "/", label: "dashboard", icon: Home }]}
+            configureI18n={configureI18n}
+            {...props}
+          >
+            <p>{"app content"}</p>
+          </ApolloShell>
+        </AuthContext.Provider>
+      </ThemeProvider>
+    ),
+  });
+  const router = createRouter({
+    routeTree: rootRoute,
+    history: createMemoryHistory({ initialEntries: ["/"] }),
+  });
+  return render(<RouterProvider router={router} />);
+}
+
+describe("ApolloShell auth gate", () => {
+  it("shows the sign-in screen while signed out", async () => {
+    renderShell(signedOut);
+
+    expect(await screen.findByRole("button")).toBeDefined();
+    expect(screen.queryByText("app content")).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("renders unauthenticatedElement instead of the sign-in screen", async () => {
+    renderShell(signedOut, {
+      unauthenticatedElement: <p>{"redirecting"}</p>,
+    });
+
+    expect(await screen.findByText("redirecting")).toBeDefined();
+    expect(screen.queryByRole("button")).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("renders the app for a session without an access token", async () => {
+    renderShell({
+      ...signedOut,
+      isAuthenticated: true,
+      user: { name: "Ada Lovelace", email: "ada@example.com", sub: "ada" },
+    });
+
+    expect(await screen.findByText("app content")).toBeDefined();
+    expect(screen.getByText("ada@example.com")).toBeDefined();
+  });
+
+  it("does not show the sign-in screen while loading", async () => {
+    renderShell(
+      { ...signedOut, isLoading: true },
+      { unauthenticatedElement: <p>{"redirecting"}</p> },
+    );
+
+    // Let LocaleProvider finish configuring before asserting.
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(screen.queryByText("redirecting")).toBeNull();
+    expect(screen.queryByRole("button")).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell.tsx b/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell.tsx
index f7fef7543..5a443cd7c 100644
--- a/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell.tsx
+++ b/packages/apollo-vertex/registry/shell/shell.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 "use client";
 
 import type { LucideIcon } from "lucide-react";
-import type { FC, PropsWithChildren } from "react";
+import type { FC, PropsWithChildren, ReactNode } from "react";
 import { useContext } from "react";
 import { Skeleton } from "@/components/ui/skeleton";
 import { AuthContext, useAuth } from "./shell-auth-provider";
@@ -48,6 +48,12 @@ export interface ApolloShellProps extends PropsWithChildren {
   companyLogo?: CompanyLogo;
   navItems: ShellNavItem[];
   loginDescription?: string;
+  /**
+   * Rendered instead of the shell while an auth provider reports the user as
+   * signed out. Defaults to the "Sign in with UiPath" screen. Apps whose
+   * provider signs in by redirecting can render an element that does that.
+   */
+  unauthenticatedElement?: ReactNode;
   configureI18n?: () => Promise<void>;
 }
 
@@ -59,16 +65,21 @@ const ApolloShellContent: FC<ApolloShellProps> = ({
   variant,
   navItems,
   loginDescription,
+  unauthenticatedElement,
 }) => {
   const authContext = useContext(AuthContext);
-  const { accessToken, isLoading } = useAuth();
+  const { isAuthenticated, isLoading } = useAuth();
 
   if (authContext && isLoading) {
     return <ShellLoadingSkeleton />;
   }
 
-  if (authContext && !accessToken) {
-    return <ShellLogin title={productName} description={loginDescription} />;
+  if (authContext && !isAuthenticated) {
+    return (
+      unauthenticatedElement ?? (
+        <ShellLogin title={productName} description={loginDescription} />
+      )
+    );
   }
 
   return (
@@ -94,6 +105,7 @@ export const ApolloShell: FC<ApolloShellProps> = ({
   variant,
   navItems,
   loginDescription,
+  unauthenticatedElement,
   configureI18n,
 }) => {
   return (
@@ -108,6 +120,7 @@ export const ApolloShell: FC<ApolloShellProps> = ({
         variant={variant}
         navItems={navItems}
         loginDescription={loginDescription}
+        unauthenticatedElement={unauthenticatedElement}
       >
         {children}
       </ApolloShellContent>
diff --git a/packages/apollo-vertex/vitest.config.ts b/packages/apollo-vertex/vitest.config.ts
index 5f63b1ed2..4ceb2d933 100644
--- a/packages/apollo-vertex/vitest.config.ts
+++ b/packages/apollo-vertex/vitest.config.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-import { resolve } from "node:path";
 import { defineConfig } from "vitest/config";
 
 export default defineConfig({
   resolve: {
-    alias: { "@": resolve(__dirname, ".") },
+    // tsconfig maps `@/*` and each `@/components/ui/*` import to its registry
+    // folder, so component tests can render components that import siblings.
+    tsconfigPaths: true,
   },
   test: {
     environment: "jsdom",