fix(#4385): keep archived cron sessions hidden after list refresh

A stale sidecar with is_cli_session=true could make an archived
cron/tool/API session resurface in the Sessions tab on refresh. The
session loader now treats explicit cron/tool/api source metadata as
non-CLI even when the sidecar claims is_cli_session, and preserves cron
identity when the archive/materialization fallback creates a session.

Co-authored-by: TomBanksAU <246584738+TomBanksAU@users.noreply.github.com>

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [v0.51.482] — 2026-06-17 — Release QR (archived cron sessions stay hidden)
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **Archived cron sessions no longer reappear in the Sessions tab after the list refreshes (#4385).** A stale sidecar with `is_cli_session: true` could make an archived cron/tool/API session resurface on refresh. The session loader now treats explicit cron/tool/API source metadata as non-CLI even when the sidecar claims otherwise, and preserves cron identity when the archive/materialization fallback creates a session, so archived cron rows stay hidden. Thanks @TomBanksAU.
+
 ## [v0.51.481] — 2026-06-17 — Release QP (gateway start/stop/restart controls in Settings)
 
 ### Added

api/agent_sessions.py

@@ -173,6 +173,9 @@ def is_cli_session_row(row: dict) -> bool:
     source_label = _safe_lower(row.get("source_label"))
     if "webui" in {source, source_tag, raw_source, source_name, source_label}:
         return False
+    non_cli_sources = MESSAGING_SOURCES | {"cron", "tool", "api", "api_server"}
+    if {source, source_tag, raw_source, source_name, source_label} & non_cli_sources:
+        return False
     if source == "messaging":
         return False
     if source == "cli":

api/routes.py

@@ -2593,7 +2593,7 @@ def _get_or_materialize_session(sid: str):
 
     # Preserve source metadata fields
     def _apply_source_meta(s):
-        s.is_cli_session = True
+        s.is_cli_session = is_cli_session_row(cli_meta)
         s.source_tag = cli_meta.get("source_tag")
         s.raw_source = cli_meta.get("raw_source") or cli_meta.get("source_tag")
         s.session_source = cli_meta.get("session_source")
@@ -9936,7 +9936,7 @@ def handle_post(handler, parsed) -> bool:
                     created_at=cli_meta.get("created_at"),
                     updated_at=cli_meta.get("updated_at"),
                 )
-                s.is_cli_session = True
+                s.is_cli_session = is_cli_session_row(cli_meta)
                 s.source_tag = cli_meta.get("source_tag")
                 s.raw_source = cli_meta.get("raw_source") or cli_meta.get("source_tag")
                 s.session_source = cli_meta.get("session_source")
@@ -9961,7 +9961,7 @@ def handle_post(handler, parsed) -> bool:
                     created_at=cli_meta.get("created_at"),
                     updated_at=cli_meta.get("updated_at"),
                 )
-                s.is_cli_session = True
+                s.is_cli_session = is_cli_session_row(cli_meta)
                 s.source_tag = cli_meta.get("source_tag")
                 s.raw_source = cli_meta.get("raw_source") or cli_meta.get("source_tag")
                 s.session_source = cli_meta.get("session_source")

tests/test_issue4385_cron_archive_reappears.py

@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+"""Regression coverage for #4385: archived cron sessions reappearing."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+
+def test_cron_rows_are_not_cli_even_with_stale_cli_flag():
+    """A stale sidecar flag must not turn a cron row into an external CLI row."""
+    from api.agent_sessions import is_cli_session_row
+
+    row = {
+        "session_id": "cron_job123_20260618",
+        "title": "Cron Session",
+        "source_tag": "cron",
+        "raw_source": "cron",
+        "session_source": "cron",
+        "source_label": "Cron",
+        "is_cli_session": True,
+    }
+
+    assert is_cli_session_row(row) is False
+
+
+def test_materializing_cron_session_preserves_non_cli_identity(monkeypatch):
+    """Cron materialization must not stamp the sidecar as CLI-imported."""
+    import api.routes as routes
+
+    sid = "cron_job123_20260618"
+    cron_meta = {
+        "session_id": sid,
+        "title": "Cron Session",
+        "model": "test-model",
+        "source_tag": "cron",
+        "raw_source": "cron",
+        "session_source": "cron",
+        "source_label": "Cron",
+        "read_only": False,
+        "profile": "default",
+    }
+
+    class FakeSession:
+        def __init__(self):
+            self.session_id = sid
+            self.title = "Cron Session"
+            self.profile = "default"
+            self.model = "test-model"
+            self.archived = False
+            self.is_cli_session = False
+            self.source_tag = None
+            self.raw_source = None
+            self.session_source = None
+            self.source_label = None
+            self.read_only = False
+
+        def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
+            pass
+
+    def fake_import_cli_session(*args, **kwargs):
+        return FakeSession()
+
+    with (
+        patch.object(routes, "get_session", side_effect=KeyError(sid)),
+        patch.object(routes, "_lookup_cli_session_metadata", return_value=cron_meta),
+        patch.object(
+            routes,
+            "get_cli_session_messages",
+            return_value=[
+                {"role": "user", "content": "run"},
+                {"role": "assistant", "content": "done"},
+            ],
+        ),
+        patch.object(routes, "import_cli_session", side_effect=fake_import_cli_session),
+    ):
+        session = routes._get_or_materialize_session(sid)
+
+    assert session.session_source == "cron"
+    assert session.source_tag == "cron"
+    assert session.is_cli_session is False
+
+
+def test_archived_cron_sidecar_suppresses_raw_unarchived_cron_row(monkeypatch):
+    """An archived cron sidecar should keep the raw state.db cron row hidden."""
+    import api.routes as routes
+
+    sid = "cron_job123_20260618"
+    archived_sidecar = {
+        "session_id": sid,
+        "title": "Cron Session",
+        "profile": "default",
+        "updated_at": 20,
+        "last_message_at": 20,
+        "message_count": 1,
+        "user_message_count": 1,
+        "archived": True,
+        "source_tag": "cron",
+        "raw_source": "cron",
+        "session_source": "cron",
+        "source_label": "Cron",
+        "is_cli_session": True,
+    }
+    raw_cron_row = {
+        "session_id": sid,
+        "title": "Cron Session",
+        "profile": "default",
+        "updated_at": 20,
+        "last_message_at": 20,
+        "message_count": 1,
+        "user_message_count": 1,
+        "archived": False,
+        "project_id": "cron-project",
+        "source_tag": "cron",
+        "raw_source": "cron",
+        "session_source": "cron",
+        "source_label": "Cron",
+        "is_cli_session": False,
+    }
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(routes, "all_sessions", lambda diag=None: [archived_sidecar])
+    monkeypatch.setattr(routes, "get_cli_sessions", lambda source_filter=None, all_profiles=False: [raw_cron_row])
+    monkeypatch.setattr(routes, "_reconcile_stale_stream_state_for_session_rows", lambda _sessions: False)
+
+    payload = routes._build_session_list_cache_payload(
+        active_profile="default",
+        all_profiles=False,
+        show_cli_sessions=True,
+        show_previous_messaging_sessions=False,
+        show_cron_sessions=True,
+    )
+
+    rows = payload["sessions"]
+    matching = [row for row in rows if row["session_id"] == sid]
+    assert len(matching) == 1
+    assert matching[0]["archived"] is True
+    assert matching[0]["is_cli_session"] is False