The mass–period or radius–period distribution of close-in exoplanets shows a paucity of intermediate mass/size (sub-Jovian) planets with periods ≲3 d. We show that this sub-Jovian desert can be explained by the photoevaporation of highly irradiated sub-Neptunes and the tidal disruption barrier for gas giants undergoing high-eccentricity migration. The distinctive triangular shape of the sub-Jovain desert results from the fact that photoevaporation is more effective closer to the host star, and that in order for a gas giant to tidally circularize closer to the star without tidal disruption it needs to be more massive. Our work indicates that super-Earths/mini-Neptunes and hot-Jupiters had distinctly separate formation channels and arrived at their present locations at different times.