diff --git a/src/js/components/BentoAppRouter.tsx b/src/js/components/BentoAppRouter.tsx
index d40e7973..e5041bd8 100644
--- a/src/js/components/BentoAppRouter.tsx
+++ b/src/js/components/BentoAppRouter.tsx
@@ -31,21 +31,21 @@ const ScopedRoute = () => {
   useEffect(() => {
     // Update selectedScope based on URL parameters
     const valid = validProjectDataset(projects, projectId, datasetId);
-    if (datasetId === valid.dataset && projectId === valid.project) {
-      dispatch(selectScope(valid));
+    if (datasetId === valid.scope.dataset && projectId === valid.scope.project) {
+      dispatch(selectScope(valid.scope));
     } else {
-      const oldpath = location.pathname.split('/').filter(Boolean);
-      const newPath = [oldpath[0]];
+      const oldPath = location.pathname.split('/').filter(Boolean);
+      const newPath = [oldPath[0]];
 
-      if (valid.dataset) {
-        newPath.push('p', valid.project as string, 'd', valid.dataset);
-      } else if (valid.project) {
-        newPath.push('p', valid.project);
+      if (valid.scope.dataset) {
+        newPath.push('p', valid.scope.project as string, 'd', valid.scope.dataset);
+      } else if (valid.scope.project) {
+        newPath.push('p', valid.scope.project);
       }
 
-      const oldPathLength = oldpath.length;
-      if (oldpath[oldPathLength - 3] === 'p' || oldpath[oldPathLength - 3] === 'd') {
-        newPath.push(oldpath[oldPathLength - 1]);
+      const oldPathLength = oldPath.length;
+      if (oldPath[oldPathLength - 3] === 'p' || oldPath[oldPathLength - 3] === 'd') {
+        newPath.push(oldPath[oldPathLength - 1]);
       }
       const newPathString = '/' + newPath.join('/');
       navigate(newPathString, { replace: true });
diff --git a/src/js/components/ChooseProjectModal.tsx b/src/js/components/ChooseProjectModal.tsx
deleted file mode 100644
index 0f77f076..00000000
--- a/src/js/components/ChooseProjectModal.tsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,82 +0,0 @@
-import React, { useState } from 'react';
-import { Tabs, List, Avatar, Modal, Button, Space, Typography } from 'antd';
-import { useAppSelector, useTranslationCustom, useTranslationDefault } from '@/hooks';
-import { Link, useLocation } from 'react-router-dom';
-import { FaDatabase } from 'react-icons/fa';
-import { getCurrentPage } from '@/utils/router';
-
-const ChooseProjectModal = ({ isModalOpen, setIsModalOpen }: ChooseProjectModalProps) => {
-  const td = useTranslationDefault();
-  const t = useTranslationCustom();
-  const location = useLocation();
-  const { projects, selectedScope } = useAppSelector((state) => state.metadata);
-  const [selectedProject, setSelectedProject] = useState<string | undefined>(
-    selectedScope.project ?? projects[0]?.identifier ?? undefined
-  );
-
-  const baseURL = '/' + location.pathname.split('/')[1];
-  const page = getCurrentPage();
-
-  const closeModal = () => setIsModalOpen(false);
-
-  return (
-    <Modal title={td('Select Scope')} open={isModalOpen} onCancel={closeModal} footer={null} width={800}>
-      <Tabs
-        tabPosition="left"
-        activeKey={selectedProject}
-        onChange={(key) => setSelectedProject(key)}
-        tabBarExtraContent={
-          <Link to={baseURL}>
-            <Button>{td('Clear')}</Button>
-          </Link>
-        }
-        items={projects.map(({ identifier, title, datasets, description }) => {
-          return {
-            key: identifier,
-            label: t(title),
-            children: (
-              <Space direction="vertical">
-                <Space align="baseline" size="large">
-                  <Typography.Title level={4} className="no-margin-top">
-                    {td('About')} {t(title)}
-                  </Typography.Title>
-                  <Link to={`${baseURL}/p/${selectedProject}/${page}`} key="3">
-                    <Typography.Link>{td('Select')}</Typography.Link>
-                  </Link>
-                </Space>
-                <Typography.Text>{t(description)}</Typography.Text>
-                <Typography.Title level={5} className="no-margin-top">
-                  {td('Datasets')}
-                </Typography.Title>
-                <List
-                  dataSource={datasets}
-                  bordered
-                  renderItem={(item) => (
-                    <Link to={`${baseURL}/p/${identifier}/d/${item.identifier}/${page}`}>
-                      <List.Item className="select-dataset-hover" key={item.identifier}>
-                        <List.Item.Meta
-                          avatar={<Avatar style={{ backgroundColor: '#33ccff' }} icon={<FaDatabase />} />}
-                          title={
-                            <Link to={`${baseURL}/p/${identifier}/d/${item.identifier}/${page}`}>{t(item.title)}</Link>
-                          }
-                          description={t(item.description)}
-                        />
-                      </List.Item>
-                    </Link>
-                  )}
-                />
-              </Space>
-            ),
-          };
-        })}
-      />
-    </Modal>
-  );
-};
-
-interface ChooseProjectModalProps {
-  isModalOpen: boolean;
-  setIsModalOpen: (isOpen: boolean) => void;
-}
-
-export default ChooseProjectModal;
diff --git a/src/js/components/Overview/Chart.tsx b/src/js/components/Overview/Chart.tsx
index e7ed6331..5f7106f2 100644
--- a/src/js/components/Overview/Chart.tsx
+++ b/src/js/components/Overview/Chart.tsx
@@ -19,17 +19,17 @@ interface ChartEvent {
 const Chart = memo(({ chartConfig, data, units, id, isClickable }: ChartProps) => {
   const { t, i18n } = useTranslation();
   const navigate = useNavigate();
-  const { selectedScope } = useAppSelector((state) => state.metadata);
+  const { scope } = useAppSelector((state) => state.metadata.selectedScope);
   const translateMap = ({ x, y }: { x: string; y: number }) => ({ x: t(x), y });
   const removeMissing = ({ x }: { x: string }) => x !== 'missing';
 
   const barChartOnChartClickHandler: BarChartProps['onChartClick'] = (e: ChartEvent) => {
     if (e.activePayload.length === 0) return;
     const d = e.activePayload[0];
-    navigate(`/${i18n.language}${scopeToUrl(selectedScope)}/search?${id}=${d.payload.x}`);
+    navigate(`/${i18n.language}${scopeToUrl(scope)}/search?${id}=${d.payload.x}`);
   };
   const pieChartOnClickHandler = (d: { name: string }) => {
-    navigate(`/${i18n.language}${scopeToUrl(selectedScope)}/search?${id}=${d.name}`);
+    navigate(`/${i18n.language}${scopeToUrl(scope)}/search?${id}=${d.name}`);
   };
 
   const { chart_type: type } = chartConfig;
diff --git a/src/js/components/Scope/DatasetScopePicker.tsx b/src/js/components/Scope/DatasetScopePicker.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3a8744a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/js/components/Scope/DatasetScopePicker.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+import React, { useMemo } from 'react';
+import { List, Avatar, Space, Typography } from 'antd';
+import { useAppSelector, useTranslationCustom, useTranslationDefault } from '@/hooks';
+import { Link, useLocation, useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom';
+import { FaDatabase } from 'react-icons/fa';
+import { getCurrentPage } from '@/utils/router';
+import type { Project } from '@/types/metadata';
+
+type DatasetScopePickerProps = {
+  parentProject: Project;
+};
+
+const DatasetScopePicker = ({ parentProject }: DatasetScopePickerProps) => {
+  const td = useTranslationDefault();
+  const t = useTranslationCustom();
+  const location = useLocation();
+  const baseURL = '/' + location.pathname.split('/')[1];
+  const navigate = useNavigate();
+  const page = getCurrentPage();
+
+  const { selectedScope } = useAppSelector((state) => state.metadata);
+  const scopeObj = selectedScope.scope;
+
+  const showClearDataset = useMemo(
+    () =>
+      // only show the clear dataset option if the selected dataset belongs to the parentProject
+      scopeObj.dataset && parentProject.datasets.some((d) => d.identifier == scopeObj.dataset),
+    [scopeObj, parentProject]
+  );
+  const showSelectProject = !selectedScope.fixedProject && parentProject.identifier != scopeObj.project;
+
+  const projectURL = `${baseURL}/p/${parentProject.identifier}/${page}`;
+
+  return (
+    <Space direction="vertical" style={{ display: 'flex' }}>
+      <Space align="baseline" size="large">
+        <Typography.Title level={4} className="no-margin-top">
+          {td('Project')}: {t(parentProject.title)}
+        </Typography.Title>
+        {showSelectProject && <Link to={projectURL}>{td('Select')}</Link>}
+      </Space>
+      <Typography.Text>{t(parentProject.description)}</Typography.Text>
+      <Space align="baseline" size="large">
+        <Typography.Title level={5} className="no-margin-top">
+          {td('Datasets')}
+        </Typography.Title>
+        {showClearDataset && <Link to={projectURL}>{td('Clear dataset selection')}</Link>}
+      </Space>
+      <List
+        dataSource={parentProject.datasets}
+        bordered
+        renderItem={(dataset) => {
+          const datasetURL = `${baseURL}/p/${parentProject.identifier}/d/${dataset.identifier}/${page}`;
+          const selected = scopeObj.dataset && dataset.identifier === scopeObj.dataset;
+          return (
+            <List.Item
+              className={`select-dataset-item${selected ? ' selected' : ''}`}
+              key={dataset.identifier}
+              onClick={() => navigate(datasetURL)}
+              style={{ cursor: 'pointer' }}
+            >
+              <List.Item.Meta
+                avatar={<Avatar icon={<FaDatabase />} />}
+                title={t(dataset.title)}
+                description={t(dataset.description)}
+              />
+            </List.Item>
+          );
+        }}
+      />
+    </Space>
+  );
+};
+
+export default DatasetScopePicker;
diff --git a/src/js/components/Scope/ProjectScopePicker.tsx b/src/js/components/Scope/ProjectScopePicker.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..599f3fe7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/js/components/Scope/ProjectScopePicker.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+import React, { type CSSProperties, useCallback, useMemo, useState } from 'react';
+import { Tabs, Button } from 'antd';
+import { useAppSelector, useTranslationCustom, useTranslationDefault } from '@/hooks';
+import { useLocation, useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom';
+import DatasetScopePicker from './DatasetScopePicker';
+
+const styles: Record<string, CSSProperties> = {
+  tabs: {
+    // Cancel out padding from modal on left side for button and item alignment
+    marginLeft: -24,
+  },
+};
+
+const ProjectScopePicker = () => {
+  const td = useTranslationDefault();
+  const t = useTranslationCustom();
+
+  const location = useLocation();
+  const baseURL = '/' + location.pathname.split('/')[1];
+
+  const navigate = useNavigate();
+
+  const { projects, selectedScope } = useAppSelector((state) => state.metadata);
+  const { scope: scopeObj, fixedProject } = selectedScope;
+
+  const [selectedProject, setSelectedProject] = useState<string | undefined>(
+    scopeObj.project ?? projects[0]?.identifier ?? undefined
+  );
+
+  const onProjectClear = useCallback(() => navigate(baseURL), [baseURL, navigate]);
+  const onTabChange = useCallback((key: string) => setSelectedProject(key), []);
+  const tabItems = useMemo(
+    () =>
+      projects.map((p) => ({
+        key: p.identifier,
+        label: t(p.title),
+        children: <DatasetScopePicker parentProject={p} />,
+      })),
+    [projects, t]
+  );
+
+  return (
+    <>
+      {fixedProject ? (
+        <DatasetScopePicker parentProject={projects[0]} />
+      ) : (
+        // Project tabs if multiple projects
+        <Tabs
+          tabPosition="left"
+          activeKey={selectedProject}
+          onChange={onTabChange}
+          tabBarExtraContent={<Button onClick={onProjectClear}>{td('Clear')}</Button>}
+          items={tabItems}
+          style={styles.tabs}
+        />
+      )}
+    </>
+  );
+};
+
+export default ProjectScopePicker;
diff --git a/src/js/components/Scope/ScopePickerModal.tsx b/src/js/components/Scope/ScopePickerModal.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f9b2c2f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/js/components/Scope/ScopePickerModal.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import React from 'react';
+import { Modal } from 'antd';
+import { useTranslationDefault } from '@/hooks';
+import ProjectScopePicker from './ProjectScopePicker';
+
+interface ScopePickerModalProps {
+  isModalOpen: boolean;
+  setIsModalOpen: (isOpen: boolean) => void;
+}
+const ScopePickerModal = ({ isModalOpen, setIsModalOpen }: ScopePickerModalProps) => {
+  const td = useTranslationDefault();
+  const closeModal = () => setIsModalOpen(false);
+  return (
+    <Modal title={td('Select Scope')} open={isModalOpen} onCancel={closeModal} footer={null} width={700}>
+      <ProjectScopePicker />
+    </Modal>
+  );
+};
+
+export default ScopePickerModal;
diff --git a/src/js/components/SiteHeader.tsx b/src/js/components/SiteHeader.tsx
index b7bd4035..bf2624e9 100644
--- a/src/js/components/SiteHeader.tsx
+++ b/src/js/components/SiteHeader.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import React, { useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react';
 import { useNavigate, useLocation } from 'react-router-dom';
 
 import { Button, Flex, Layout, Typography, Space } from 'antd';
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import { scopeToUrl } from '@/utils/router';
 import { DEFAULT_TRANSLATION, LNG_CHANGE, LNGS_FULL_NAMES } from '@/constants/configConstants';
 import { CLIENT_NAME, PORTAL_URL, TRANSLATED } from '@/config';
 
-import ChooseProjectModal from '@/components/ChooseProjectModal';
+import ScopePickerModal from './Scope/ScopePickerModal';
 
 const { Header } = Layout;
 
@@ -28,15 +28,21 @@ const SiteHeader = () => {
   const { isFetching: openIdConfigFetching } = useOpenIdConfig();
   const { isHandingOffCodeForToken } = useAuthState();
   const { projects, selectedScope } = useAppSelector((state) => state.metadata);
-
-  const scopeProps = {
-    projectTitle: projects.find((project) => project.identifier === selectedScope.project)?.title,
-    datasetTitle: selectedScope.dataset
-      ? projects
-          .find((project) => project.identifier === selectedScope.project)
-          ?.datasets.find((dataset) => dataset.identifier === selectedScope.dataset)?.title
-      : null,
-  };
+  const { scope: scopeObj } = selectedScope;
+
+  const scopeSelectionEnabled = !(selectedScope.fixedProject && selectedScope.fixedDataset);
+
+  const scopeProps = useMemo(
+    () => ({
+      projectTitle: projects.find((project) => project.identifier === scopeObj.project)?.title,
+      datasetTitle: scopeObj.dataset
+        ? projects
+            .find((project) => project.identifier === scopeObj.project)
+            ?.datasets.find((dataset) => dataset.identifier === scopeObj.dataset)?.title
+        : null,
+    }),
+    [projects, scopeObj]
+  );
 
   const [isModalOpen, setIsModalOpen] = useState(false);
 
@@ -64,7 +70,7 @@ const SiteHeader = () => {
             src="/public/assets/branding.png"
             alt="logo"
             style={{ height: '32px', verticalAlign: 'middle', transform: 'translateY(-3px)' }}
-            onClick={() => navigate(`/${i18n.language}${scopeToUrl(selectedScope)}`)}
+            onClick={() => navigate(`/${i18n.language}${scopeToUrl(scopeObj)}`)}
           />
           <Typography.Title
             level={1}
@@ -73,18 +79,20 @@ const SiteHeader = () => {
           >
             {CLIENT_NAME}
           </Typography.Title>
-          <Typography.Title
-            className="select-project-title"
-            level={5}
-            style={{ fontSize: '16px', margin: 0, lineHeight: '64px', color: 'lightgray' }}
-            onClick={() => setIsModalOpen(true)}
-          >
-            <ProfileOutlined style={{ marginRight: '5px', fontSize: '16px' }} />
+          {scopeSelectionEnabled && (
+            <Typography.Title
+              className="select-project-title"
+              level={5}
+              style={{ fontSize: '16px', margin: 0, lineHeight: '64px', color: 'lightgray' }}
+              onClick={() => setIsModalOpen(true)}
+            >
+              <ProfileOutlined style={{ marginRight: '5px', fontSize: '16px' }} />
 
-            {selectedScope.project && scopeProps.projectTitle}
-            {scopeProps.datasetTitle ? ` / ${scopeProps.datasetTitle}` : ''}
-          </Typography.Title>
-          <ChooseProjectModal isModalOpen={isModalOpen} setIsModalOpen={setIsModalOpen} />
+              {scopeObj.project && scopeProps.projectTitle}
+              {scopeProps.datasetTitle ? ` / ${scopeProps.datasetTitle}` : ''}
+            </Typography.Title>
+          )}
+          <ScopePickerModal isModalOpen={isModalOpen} setIsModalOpen={setIsModalOpen} />
         </Space>
 
         <Space size="small">
diff --git a/src/js/features/metadata/metadata.store.ts b/src/js/features/metadata/metadata.store.ts
index 3d3fceac..2c5143b9 100644
--- a/src/js/features/metadata/metadata.store.ts
+++ b/src/js/features/metadata/metadata.store.ts
@@ -7,12 +7,21 @@ import { printAPIError } from '@/utils/error.util';
 import { validProjectDataset } from '@/utils/router';
 import { projectsUrl } from '@/constants/configConstants';
 
+export type DiscoveryScope =
+  | { project: undefined; dataset: undefined }
+  | { project: string; dataset: undefined }
+  | {
+      project: string;
+      dataset: string;
+    };
+
 export interface MetadataState {
   projects: Project[];
   isFetching: boolean;
   selectedScope: {
-    project: string | undefined;
-    dataset: string | undefined;
+    scope: DiscoveryScope;
+    fixedProject: boolean;
+    fixedDataset: boolean;
   };
 }
 
@@ -20,8 +29,9 @@ const initialState: MetadataState = {
   projects: [],
   isFetching: true,
   selectedScope: {
-    project: undefined,
-    dataset: undefined,
+    scope: { project: undefined, dataset: undefined },
+    fixedProject: false,
+    fixedDataset: false,
   },
 };
 
@@ -41,6 +51,9 @@ const metadata = createSlice({
   initialState,
   reducers: {
     selectScope: (state, { payload }: PayloadAction<{ project?: string; dataset?: string }>) => {
+      // Defaults to the narrowest possible scope if there is only 1 project and only 1 dataset.
+      // This forces Katsu to resolve the Discovery config with fallbacks from the bottom-up:
+      // dataset -> project -> whole node
       state.selectedScope = validProjectDataset(state.projects, payload.project, payload.dataset);
     },
   },
diff --git a/src/js/features/search/query.store.ts b/src/js/features/search/query.store.ts
index a732f9d2..138fa176 100644
--- a/src/js/features/search/query.store.ts
+++ b/src/js/features/search/query.store.ts
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ const query = createSlice({
     builder.addCase(makeGetKatsuPublic.fulfilled, (state, { payload }: PayloadAction<KatsuSearchResponse>) => {
       state.isFetchingData = false;
       state.attemptedFetch = true;
-      if ('message' in payload) {
+      if (payload && 'message' in payload) {
         state.message = payload.message;
         return;
       }
diff --git a/src/js/utils/requests.ts b/src/js/utils/requests.ts
index 18400129..c4c1d0e3 100644
--- a/src/js/utils/requests.ts
+++ b/src/js/utils/requests.ts
@@ -11,5 +11,5 @@ export const scopedAuthorizedRequestConfig = (
   extraParams: Record<string, string> | undefined = undefined
 ): AxiosRequestConfig => ({
   ...authorizedRequestConfig(state),
-  params: { ...state.metadata.selectedScope, ...extraParams },
+  params: { ...state.metadata.selectedScope.scope, ...extraParams },
 });
diff --git a/src/js/utils/router.ts b/src/js/utils/router.ts
index 9700aceb..2b1cf659 100644
--- a/src/js/utils/router.ts
+++ b/src/js/utils/router.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { BentoRoute } from '@/types/routes';
-import type { MetadataState } from '@/features/metadata/metadata.store';
+import type { DiscoveryScope, MetadataState } from '@/features/metadata/metadata.store';
 
 export const getCurrentPage = (): string => {
   const pathArray = window.location.pathname.split('/');
@@ -17,26 +17,40 @@ export const validProjectDataset = (
   datasetId?: string
 ): MetadataState['selectedScope'] => {
   const valid: MetadataState['selectedScope'] = {
-    project: undefined,
-    dataset: undefined,
+    scope: { project: undefined, dataset: undefined },
+    fixedProject: false,
+    fixedDataset: false,
   };
 
+  if (projects.length === 1) {
+    // automatic project scoping if only 1
+    const defaultProj = projects[0];
+    valid.scope.project = defaultProj.identifier;
+    valid.fixedProject = true;
+    if (defaultProj.datasets.length === 1) {
+      // automatic dataset scoping if only 1
+      valid.scope.dataset = defaultProj.datasets[0].identifier;
+      valid.fixedDataset = true;
+      // early return to ignore redundant projectId and datasetId
+      return valid;
+    }
+  }
   if (projectId && projects.find(({ identifier }) => identifier === projectId)) {
-    valid.project = projectId;
+    valid.scope.project = projectId;
     if (datasetId) {
       if (
         projects
           .find(({ identifier }) => identifier === projectId)!
           .datasets.find(({ identifier }) => identifier === datasetId)
       ) {
-        valid.dataset = datasetId;
+        valid.scope.dataset = datasetId;
       }
     }
   }
   return valid;
 };
 
-export const scopeToUrl = (scope: MetadataState['selectedScope']): string => {
+export const scopeToUrl = (scope: DiscoveryScope): string => {
   if (scope.project && scope.dataset) {
     return `/p/${scope.project}/d/${scope.dataset}`;
   } else if (scope.project) {
diff --git a/src/styles.css b/src/styles.css
index a9faaa22..6ab5c840 100644
--- a/src/styles.css
+++ b/src/styles.css
@@ -36,11 +36,26 @@ body {
   cursor: pointer;
 }
 
-.select-dataset-hover {
+.select-dataset-item {
   transition: all 0.2s;
   border-radius: 7px;
+  cursor: pointer;
+}
+.select-dataset-item .ant-avatar {
+  background-color: #8c8c8c;
+}
+
+.select-dataset-item:hover {
+  background-color: #e6f4ff;
+}
+.select-dataset-item:hover .ant-avatar {
+  color: #e6f4ff;
 }
 
-.select-dataset-hover:hover {
-  background-color: aliceblue !important;
+.select-dataset-item.selected, .select-dataset-item.selected:hover {
+  background-color: #91caff;
+}
+.select-dataset-item.selected .ant-avatar {
+  background-color: #0958d9;
+  color: #91caff;
 }