diff --git a/client/src/store/vacayStore.test.ts b/client/src/store/vacayStore.test.ts
index ef8536eb6..4c8b558ee 100644
--- a/client/src/store/vacayStore.test.ts
+++ b/client/src/store/vacayStore.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// FE-STORE-VCY-001 to FE-STORE-VCY-018
+// FE-STORE-VCY-001 to FE-STORE-VCY-023
 // Complements tests/unit/stores/vacayStore.test.ts: optimistic toggles and their
 // rollbacks, the leave-year window plumbing and the holiday-marker merge rules.
 import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, vi } from 'vitest';
@@ -366,3 +366,60 @@ describe('vacayStore holiday markers', () => {
     expect(useVacayStore.getState().holidays).toEqual({});
   });
 });
+
+describe('vacayStore year selection', () => {
+  it('FE-STORE-VCY-019: the first load opens on the current period, not on the highest year', async () => {
+    const current = new Date().getFullYear();
+    server.use(http.get('/api/addons/vacay/years', () =>
+      HttpResponse.json({ years: [current - 1, current, current + 4] })));
+
+    await useVacayStore.getState().loadYears();
+
+    expect(useVacayStore.getState().selectedYear).toBe(current);
+  });
+
+  it('FE-STORE-VCY-020: with no year for the current period the closest one is opened', async () => {
+    const current = new Date().getFullYear();
+    server.use(http.get('/api/addons/vacay/years', () =>
+      HttpResponse.json({ years: [current - 3, current + 1] })));
+
+    await useVacayStore.getState().loadYears();
+
+    expect(useVacayStore.getState().selectedYear).toBe(current + 1);
+  });
+
+  it('FE-STORE-VCY-021: a reload keeps the year the viewer is looking at', async () => {
+    const current = new Date().getFullYear();
+    useVacayStore.setState({ years: [current, current + 1], selectedYear: current + 1 });
+    server.use(http.get('/api/addons/vacay/years', () =>
+      HttpResponse.json({ years: [current, current + 1] })));
+
+    await useVacayStore.getState().loadYears();
+
+    expect(useVacayStore.getState().selectedYear).toBe(current + 1);
+  });
+
+  it('FE-STORE-VCY-022: a reload that lost the selected year falls back to the current period', async () => {
+    const current = new Date().getFullYear();
+    useVacayStore.setState({ years: [current, current + 1], selectedYear: current + 1 });
+    server.use(http.get('/api/addons/vacay/years', () =>
+      HttpResponse.json({ years: [current] })));
+
+    await useVacayStore.getState().loadYears();
+
+    expect(useVacayStore.getState().selectedYear).toBe(current);
+  });
+
+  it('FE-STORE-VCY-023: removing the open year drops back to the current period', async () => {
+    const current = new Date().getFullYear();
+    useVacayStore.setState({ years: [current, current + 1], selectedYear: current + 1 });
+    server.use(
+      http.delete('/api/addons/vacay/years/:year', () => HttpResponse.json({ years: [current] })),
+      http.get('/api/addons/vacay/stats/:year', () => HttpResponse.json({ stats: [] })),
+    );
+
+    await useVacayStore.getState().removeYear(current + 1);
+
+    expect(useVacayStore.getState().selectedYear).toBe(current);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/client/src/store/vacayStore.ts b/client/src/store/vacayStore.ts
index bebc647cd..3ed6161cd 100644
--- a/client/src/store/vacayStore.ts
+++ b/client/src/store/vacayStore.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import type {
   VacayShareOutgoing, VacayShareIncoming, SharedVacayCalendar, VacayYearSettings,
 } from '../types'
 import { isSchoolHolidayCountrySupported } from '../vacay/schoolHolidayCountries'
-import { DEFAULT_YEAR_SETTINGS, currentPeriodYear, inGridWindow, windowCalendarYears } from '../vacay/yearWindow'
+import { DEFAULT_YEAR_SETTINGS, defaultPeriodYear, inGridWindow, windowCalendarYears } from '../vacay/yearWindow'
 import type {
   VacaySetColorRequest, VacayInviteRequest, VacayInviteActionRequest,
   VacayAddYearRequest, VacayToggleEntryRequest, VacayCompanyHolidayRequest,
@@ -302,12 +302,15 @@ export const useVacayStore = create<VacayState>((set, get) => ({
 
   loadYears: async () => {
     const data = await api.getYears()
-    set({ years: data.years })
-    if (data.years.length > 0) {
-      set({ selectedYear: data.years[data.years.length - 1] })
-    } else {
-      set({ selectedYear: currentPeriodYear(get().yearSettings) })
-    }
+    // Opening Vacay lands on the period we are in, not on whichever year sorts
+    // last. A reload (invite, live settings update) keeps the year the viewer is
+    // looking at as long as it still exists — only the first load picks one.
+    const previous = get().selectedYear
+    const keepSelection = get().years.length > 0 && data.years.includes(previous)
+    set({
+      years: data.years,
+      selectedYear: keepSelection ? previous : defaultPeriodYear(data.years, get().yearSettings),
+    })
   },
 
   addYear: async (year: number) => {
@@ -320,9 +323,7 @@ export const useVacayStore = create<VacayState>((set, get) => ({
     const data = await api.removeYear(year)
     const updates: Partial<VacayState> = { years: data.years }
     if (get().selectedYear === year) {
-      updates.selectedYear = data.years.length > 0
-        ? data.years[data.years.length - 1]
-        : currentPeriodYear(get().yearSettings)
+      updates.selectedYear = defaultPeriodYear(data.years, get().yearSettings)
     }
     set(updates)
     await get().loadStats()
diff --git a/client/src/vacay/yearWindow.test.ts b/client/src/vacay/yearWindow.test.ts
index 1e72ea724..d3a5cf6d4 100644
--- a/client/src/vacay/yearWindow.test.ts
+++ b/client/src/vacay/yearWindow.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest'
 import {
   DEFAULT_YEAR_SETTINGS,
   currentPeriodYear,
+  defaultPeriodYear,
   gridWindow,
   inGridWindow,
   resolveYearWindow,
@@ -125,3 +126,31 @@ describe('currentPeriodYear', () => {
     expect(currentPeriodYear(fiscal(7), new Date(2026, 6, 1))).toBe(2026)
   })
 })
+
+describe('defaultPeriodYear', () => {
+  // FE-VACAY-YEARWINDOW-014
+  it('picks the current period when the plan has it', () => {
+    const today = new Date(2026, 2, 15)
+    expect(defaultPeriodYear([2024, 2025, 2026, 2030], DEFAULT_YEAR_SETTINGS, today)).toBe(2026)
+  })
+
+  // FE-VACAY-YEARWINDOW-015
+  it('falls back to the closest year and prefers the coming one on a tie', () => {
+    const today = new Date(2026, 2, 15)
+    expect(defaultPeriodYear([2022, 2024], DEFAULT_YEAR_SETTINGS, today)).toBe(2024)
+    expect(defaultPeriodYear([2028, 2030], DEFAULT_YEAR_SETTINGS, today)).toBe(2028)
+    expect(defaultPeriodYear([2024, 2028], DEFAULT_YEAR_SETTINGS, today)).toBe(2028)
+  })
+
+  // FE-VACAY-YEARWINDOW-016
+  it('is the current period for an empty plan', () => {
+    expect(defaultPeriodYear([], DEFAULT_YEAR_SETTINGS, new Date(2026, 2, 15))).toBe(2026)
+  })
+
+  // FE-VACAY-YEARWINDOW-017
+  it('follows a shifted leave year rather than the calendar year', () => {
+    const today = new Date(2026, 2, 15)
+    expect(defaultPeriodYear([2025, 2026], fiscal(7), today)).toBe(2025)
+    expect(defaultPeriodYear([2026], fiscal(7), today)).toBe(2026)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/client/src/vacay/yearWindow.ts b/client/src/vacay/yearWindow.ts
index 5d4bf770a..bad8e071d 100644
--- a/client/src/vacay/yearWindow.ts
+++ b/client/src/vacay/yearWindow.ts
@@ -100,3 +100,19 @@ export function currentPeriodYear(s: VacayYearSettings = DEFAULT_YEAR_SETTINGS,
   const iso = `${year}-${pad2(today.getMonth() + 1)}-${pad2(today.getDate())}`
   return iso < resolveYearWindow(year, s).start ? year - 1 : year
 }
+
+/**
+ * The year Vacay opens on. The period we are actually in wins; adding 2030 to plan
+ * ahead should not make 2030 the year the page lands on from then on. When that
+ * period has no year yet, the closest one the plan does have is used, and a tie
+ * goes to the later year because planning looks forward.
+ */
+export function defaultPeriodYear(years: number[], s: VacayYearSettings = DEFAULT_YEAR_SETTINGS, today = new Date()): number {
+  const current = currentPeriodYear(s, today)
+  if (years.length === 0 || years.includes(current)) return current
+  return years.reduce((best, year) => {
+    const distance = Math.abs(year - current)
+    const bestDistance = Math.abs(best - current)
+    return distance < bestDistance || (distance === bestDistance && year > best) ? year : best
+  })
+}