tighten session refresh invalidation

api/routes.py

@@ -4640,7 +4640,8 @@ def handle_post(handler, parsed) -> bool:
             project_id=body.get("project_id") or None,
             worktree_info=worktree_info,
         )
-        publish_session_list_changed("session_new")
+        if worktree_info:
+            publish_session_list_changed("session_new")
         return j(handler, {"session": s.compact() | {"messages": s.messages}})
 
     if parsed.path == "/api/session/duplicate":
@@ -8028,6 +8029,16 @@ def _prepare_chat_start_session_for_stream(
     s.save()
 
 
+def _is_hidden_empty_session(s) -> bool:
+    return (
+        getattr(s, "title", "Untitled") == "Untitled"
+        and not getattr(s, "messages", None)
+        and not getattr(s, "active_stream_id", None)
+        and not getattr(s, "pending_user_message", None)
+        and not getattr(s, "worktree_path", None)
+    )
+
+
 def _start_chat_stream_for_session(
     s,
     *,
@@ -8074,6 +8085,7 @@ def _start_chat_stream_for_session(
     diag.stage("session_lock_wait") if diag else None
     with session_lock:
         diag.stage("save_pending_state") if diag else None
+        was_hidden_empty_session = _is_hidden_empty_session(s)
         _prepare_chat_start_session_for_stream(
             s,
             msg=msg,
@@ -8083,6 +8095,8 @@ def _start_chat_stream_for_session(
             model_provider=model_provider,
             stream_id=stream_id,
         )
+    if was_hidden_empty_session:
+        publish_session_list_changed("session_new")
     diag.stage("turn_journal_submitted") if diag else None
     journal_event = {}
     try:

static/sessions.js

@@ -2138,6 +2138,7 @@ function ensureActiveSessionExternalRefreshPoll(){
 
 async function refreshSessionList(reason='manual', opts={}){
   const force = !!(opts && opts.force);
+  const refreshActive = !!(opts && opts.refreshActive);
   if(!force && typeof document !== 'undefined' && document.hidden) return;
   if(_sessionListRefreshInFlight){
     _sessionListRefreshPendingReason = reason || 'session-list';
@@ -2146,7 +2147,7 @@ async function refreshSessionList(reason='manual', opts={}){
   _sessionListRefreshInFlight = true;
   try{
     await renderSessionList({deferWhileInteracting:!force});
-    await refreshActiveSessionIfExternallyUpdated(reason||'session-list');
+    if(refreshActive) await refreshActiveSessionIfExternallyUpdated(reason||'session-list');
   }finally{
     _sessionListRefreshInFlight = false;
     const pendingReason = _sessionListRefreshPendingReason;

static/ui.js

@@ -2013,7 +2013,7 @@ if(typeof window!=='undefined') window._resetScrollDirectionTracker=_resetScroll
   el.addEventListener('touchend',function(){
     if(_ptrState===2){
       if(typeof window.refreshSessionList==='function'){
-        Promise.resolve(window.refreshSessionList('pull', {force:true})).catch(()=>{}).finally(_ptrReset);
+        Promise.resolve(window.refreshSessionList('pull', {force:true, refreshActive:true})).catch(()=>{}).finally(_ptrReset);
       }else{
         window.location.reload();
       }

tests/test_session_events.py

@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ def test_session_events_publish_for_minimal_sidebar_mutations():
     ):
         assert f'publish_session_list_changed("{reason}")' in ROUTES
 
+    assert 'if worktree_info:\n            publish_session_list_changed("session_new")' in ROUTES
+    assert "was_hidden_empty_session = _is_hidden_empty_session(s)" in ROUTES
+    assert 'if was_hidden_empty_session:\n        publish_session_list_changed("session_new")' in ROUTES
     assert 'publish_session_list_changed("chat_start")' not in ROUTES
     assert 'publish_session_list_changed("cron_complete")' in ROUTES
     assert 'publish_session_list_changed("cron_complete")' in PROFILES

tests/test_webui_external_refresh_frontend.py

@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ def test_session_list_external_refresh_uses_sse_invalidation_not_polling():
     assert "_sessionEventsNeedsRefreshOnOpen = true" in SESSIONS_JS
     assert "void refreshSessionList('reconnect')" in SESSIONS_JS
     assert "renderSessionList({deferWhileInteracting:!force})" in SESSIONS_JS
+    assert "const refreshActive = !!(opts && opts.refreshActive)" in SESSIONS_JS
+    assert "if(refreshActive) await refreshActiveSessionIfExternallyUpdated(reason||'session-list')" in SESSIONS_JS
     assert "_sessionListRefreshPendingReason = reason || 'session-list'" in SESSIONS_JS
     assert "if(pendingReason) _scheduleSessionEventsRefresh(pendingReason)" in SESSIONS_JS
     assert "ensureSessionEventsSSE();" in SESSIONS_JS
@@ -48,8 +50,8 @@ def test_session_list_external_refresh_uses_sse_invalidation_not_polling():
 
 
 def test_pwa_pull_to_refresh_refreshes_session_list_not_page_when_available():
-    assert "window.refreshSessionList('pull', {force:true})" in UI_JS
-    assert "Promise.resolve(window.refreshSessionList('pull', {force:true})).catch(()=>{}).finally(_ptrReset)" in UI_JS
+    assert "window.refreshSessionList('pull', {force:true, refreshActive:true})" in UI_JS
+    assert "Promise.resolve(window.refreshSessionList('pull', {force:true, refreshActive:true})).catch(()=>{}).finally(_ptrReset)" in UI_JS
 
 
 def test_force_reload_clears_stale_blocking_prompts_immediately():