diff --git a/.gitpod.yml b/.gitpod.yml
index 6d12b9fff9..97ce81997b 100644
--- a/.gitpod.yml
+++ b/.gitpod.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ tasks:
       pnpm install
       pnpm run build
     command: |
-      [[ ! -z "$ASTRO_NEW" ]] && gp await-port 23000 && cd "$GITPOD_REPO_ROOT"/examples/"$ASTRO_NEW" && code src/pages/index.astro && pnpm start
+      .gitpod/gitpod-setup.sh
 vscode:
   extensions:
     - astro-build.astro-vscode
diff --git a/.gitpod/gitpod-setup.sh b/.gitpod/gitpod-setup.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..883b3b1c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitpod/gitpod-setup.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# Convert context URL to an array
+mapfile -t CONTEXT_URL_ITEMS < <(echo "$GITPOD_WORKSPACE_CONTEXT_URL" | tr '/' '\n')
+
+# Check if Gitpod started from a specific example directory in the repository
+if [ "${CONTEXT_URL_ITEMS[7]}" = "examples" ]; then
+    EXAMPLE_PROJECT=${CONTEXT_URL_ITEMS[8]}
+# Check it Gitpod started with $ASTRO_NEW environment variable
+elif [ -n "$ASTRO_NEW" ]; then
+    EXAMPLE_PROJECT="$ASTRO_NEW"
+# Otherwise, set the default example project - 'starter'
+else
+    EXAMPLE_PROJECT="starter"
+fi
+
+# Wait for VSCode to be ready (port 23000)
+gp await-port 23000 > /dev/null 2>&1
+
+echo "Loading example project:" $EXAMPLE_PROJECT
+
+# Go to the requested example project
+cd "$GITPOD_REPO_ROOT"/examples/"$EXAMPLE_PROJECT" || exit
+# Open the main page in VSCode
+code src/pages/index.astro
+# Start Astro
+pnpm start