diff --git a/packages/cli/src/config/config.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/config/config.test.ts
index 57d1a150f8..a94d1f0a28 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/config/config.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/config/config.test.ts
@@ -763,6 +763,48 @@ describe('loadCliConfig', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it('should add IDE workspace folders from GEMINI_CLI_IDE_WORKSPACE_PATH to include directories', async () => {
+    vi.stubEnv(
+      'GEMINI_CLI_IDE_WORKSPACE_PATH',
+      ['/project/folderA', '/project/folderB'].join(path.delimiter),
+    );
+    process.argv = ['node', 'script.js'];
+    const argv = await parseArguments(createTestMergedSettings());
+    const settings = createTestMergedSettings();
+    const config = await loadCliConfig(settings, 'test-session', argv);
+    const dirs = config.getPendingIncludeDirectories();
+    expect(dirs).toContain('/project/folderA');
+    expect(dirs).toContain('/project/folderB');
+  });
+
+  it('should skip inaccessible workspace folders from GEMINI_CLI_IDE_WORKSPACE_PATH', async () => {
+    const resolveToRealPathSpy = vi
+      .spyOn(ServerConfig, 'resolveToRealPath')
+      .mockImplementation((p) => {
+        if (p.toString().includes('restricted')) {
+          const err = new Error('EACCES: permission denied');
+          (err as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code = 'EACCES';
+          throw err;
+        }
+        return p.toString();
+      });
+    vi.stubEnv(
+      'GEMINI_CLI_IDE_WORKSPACE_PATH',
+      ['/project/folderA', '/nonexistent/restricted/folder'].join(
+        path.delimiter,
+      ),
+    );
+    process.argv = ['node', 'script.js'];
+    const argv = await parseArguments(createTestMergedSettings());
+    const settings = createTestMergedSettings();
+    const config = await loadCliConfig(settings, 'test-session', argv);
+    const dirs = config.getPendingIncludeDirectories();
+    expect(dirs).toContain('/project/folderA');
+    expect(dirs).not.toContain('/nonexistent/restricted/folder');
+
+    resolveToRealPathSpy.mockRestore();
+  });
+
   it('should use default fileFilter options when unconfigured', async () => {
     process.argv = ['node', 'script.js'];
     const argv = await parseArguments(createTestMergedSettings());
@@ -798,6 +840,7 @@ describe('loadCliConfig', () => {
 describe('Hierarchical Memory Loading (config.ts) - Placeholder Suite', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     vi.resetAllMocks();
+    vi.stubEnv('GEMINI_CLI_IDE_WORKSPACE_PATH', '');
     // Restore ExtensionManager mocks that were reset
     ExtensionManager.prototype.getExtensions = vi.fn().mockReturnValue([]);
     ExtensionManager.prototype.loadExtensions = vi
@@ -809,6 +852,7 @@ describe('Hierarchical Memory Loading (config.ts) - Placeholder Suite', () => {
   });
 
   afterEach(() => {
+    vi.unstubAllEnvs();
     vi.restoreAllMocks();
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/config/config.ts b/packages/cli/src/config/config.ts
index b4c8c9ca2e..010e6d8d99 100755
--- a/packages/cli/src/config/config.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/config/config.ts
@@ -475,10 +475,32 @@ export async function loadCliConfig(
     ...settings.context?.fileFiltering,
   };
 
+  //changes the includeDirectories to be absolute paths based on the cwd, and also include any additional directories specified via CLI args
   const includeDirectories = (settings.context?.includeDirectories || [])
     .map(resolvePath)
     .concat((argv.includeDirectories || []).map(resolvePath));
 
+  // When running inside VSCode with multiple workspace folders,
+  // automatically add the other folders as include directories
+  // so Gemini has context of all open folders, not just the cwd.
+  const ideWorkspacePath = process.env['GEMINI_CLI_IDE_WORKSPACE_PATH'];
+  if (ideWorkspacePath) {
+    const realCwd = resolveToRealPath(cwd);
+    const ideFolders = ideWorkspacePath.split(path.delimiter).filter((p) => {
+      const trimmedPath = p.trim();
+      if (!trimmedPath) return false;
+      try {
+        return resolveToRealPath(trimmedPath) !== realCwd;
+      } catch (e) {
+        debugLogger.debug(
+          `[IDE] Skipping inaccessible workspace folder: ${trimmedPath} (${e instanceof Error ? e.message : String(e)})`,
+        );
+        return false;
+      }
+    });
+    includeDirectories.push(...ideFolders);
+  }
+
   const extensionManager = new ExtensionManager({
     settings,
     requestConsent: requestConsentNonInteractive,