diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9f3b5e6f02..ce005cae19 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ and this project adheres to
 
 - ♿(frontend) improve accessibility:
   - ♿(frontend) improve share modal button accessibility #1626
+- 🐛(frontend) prevent duplicate as first character in title #1595
+
 
 ## [3.10.0] - 2025-11-18
 
@@ -46,7 +48,6 @@ and this project adheres to
 
 - 🔥(backend) remove api managing templates
 
-
 ## [3.9.0] - 2025-11-10
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/src/frontend/apps/e2e/__tests__/app-impress/doc-header.spec.ts b/src/frontend/apps/e2e/__tests__/app-impress/doc-header.spec.ts
index 99635176fd..1b748705e2 100644
--- a/src/frontend/apps/e2e/__tests__/app-impress/doc-header.spec.ts
+++ b/src/frontend/apps/e2e/__tests__/app-impress/doc-header.spec.ts
@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@ test.describe('Doc Header', () => {
 
     await verifyDocName(page, docChild);
 
-    // Emoji picker should be hidden initially
-    await expect(emojiPicker).toBeHidden();
+    // Emoji picker is now always visible for sub-docs (button shows default icon)
+    await expect(emojiPicker).toBeVisible();
 
     // Add emoji
     await optionMenu.click();
@@ -119,7 +119,8 @@ test.describe('Doc Header', () => {
     await optionMenu.click();
     await expect(addEmojiMenuItem).toBeHidden();
     await removeEmojiMenuItem.click();
-    await expect(emojiPicker).toBeHidden();
+    // Emoji button remains visible even after removing the emoji
+    await expect(emojiPicker).toBeVisible();
   });
 
   test('it deletes the doc', async ({ page, browserName }) => {
diff --git a/src/frontend/apps/e2e/__tests__/app-impress/doc-tree.spec.ts b/src/frontend/apps/e2e/__tests__/app-impress/doc-tree.spec.ts
index 0e3bf49cc5..4c313407d8 100644
--- a/src/frontend/apps/e2e/__tests__/app-impress/doc-tree.spec.ts
+++ b/src/frontend/apps/e2e/__tests__/app-impress/doc-tree.spec.ts
@@ -352,7 +352,8 @@ test.describe('Doc Tree', () => {
     await page.getByRole('menuitem', { name: 'Remove emoji' }).click();
 
     await expect(row.getByText('😀')).toBeHidden();
-    await expect(titleEmojiPicker).toBeHidden();
+    // Emoji button remains visible in the header even with no icon set
+    await expect(titleEmojiPicker).toBeVisible();
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/src/frontend/apps/impress/src/features/docs/doc-header/components/DocTitle.tsx b/src/frontend/apps/impress/src/features/docs/doc-header/components/DocTitle.tsx
index 33905caa73..23a55f6978 100644
--- a/src/frontend/apps/impress/src/features/docs/doc-header/components/DocTitle.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/apps/impress/src/features/docs/doc-header/components/DocTitle.tsx
@@ -55,10 +55,6 @@ const DocTitleEmojiPicker = ({ doc }: DocTitleProps) => {
   const { colorsTokens } = useCunninghamTheme();
   const { emoji } = getEmojiAndTitle(doc.title ?? '');
 
-  if (!emoji) {
-    return null;
-  }
-
   return (
     <Tooltip
       content={t('Edit document emoji')}
@@ -122,11 +118,17 @@ const DocTitleInput = ({ doc }: DocTitleProps) => {
       if (isTopRoot) {
         const sanitizedTitle = updateDocTitle(doc, inputText);
         setTitleDisplay(sanitizedTitle);
+        return sanitizedTitle;
       } else {
-        const sanitizedTitle = updateDocTitle(
-          doc,
-          emoji ? `${emoji} ${inputText}` : inputText,
-        );
+        const { emoji: pastedEmoji } = getEmojiAndTitle(inputText);
+        const textPreservingPastedEmoji = pastedEmoji
+          ? `\u200B${inputText}`
+          : inputText;
+        const finalTitle = emoji
+          ? `${emoji} ${textPreservingPastedEmoji}`
+          : textPreservingPastedEmoji;
+
+        const sanitizedTitle = updateDocTitle(doc, finalTitle);
         const { titleWithoutEmoji: sanitizedTitleWithoutEmoji } =
           getEmojiAndTitle(sanitizedTitle);
 
diff --git a/src/frontend/apps/impress/src/features/docs/doc-management/utils.ts b/src/frontend/apps/impress/src/features/docs/doc-management/utils.ts
index 2d43b68fc2..c126cc8a4a 100644
--- a/src/frontend/apps/impress/src/features/docs/doc-management/utils.ts
+++ b/src/frontend/apps/impress/src/features/docs/doc-management/utils.ts
@@ -26,12 +26,13 @@ export const getEmojiAndTitle = (title: string) => {
   // Use emoji-regex library for comprehensive emoji detection compatible with ES5
   const regex = emojiRegex();
 
-  // Check if the title starts with an emoji
-  const match = title.match(regex);
+  // Ignore leading spaces when checking for a leading emoji
+  const trimmedTitle = title.trimStart();
+  const match = trimmedTitle.match(regex);
 
-  if (match && title.startsWith(match[0])) {
+  if (match && trimmedTitle.startsWith(match[0])) {
     const emoji = match[0];
-    const titleWithoutEmoji = title.substring(emoji.length).trim();
+    const titleWithoutEmoji = trimmedTitle.substring(emoji.length).trim();
     return { emoji, titleWithoutEmoji };
   }