diff --git a/static/sessions.js b/static/sessions.js
index 36a3e365..0de9a277 100644
--- a/static/sessions.js
+++ b/static/sessions.js
@@ -7725,6 +7725,7 @@ function renderSessionListFromCache(){
       }
     };
     const _finishSessionGesture=(clientX,clientY,target,pointerType)=>{
+      if(_gestureState==='idle') return false;  // press never began on this row
       const wasDragging=_gestureState==='dragging'||_swipeTracking;
       _clearLongPressTimer();
       if(_renamingSid){_gestureState='idle';return false;}
diff --git a/tests/test_session_touch_actions.py b/tests/test_session_touch_actions.py
index a9a8f2af..ce4d8ae8 100644
--- a/tests/test_session_touch_actions.py
+++ b/tests/test_session_touch_actions.py
@@ -283,3 +283,33 @@ def test_touch_session_rows_preserve_vertical_scroll():
     assert "user-select:none" in item_rule
     assert "-webkit-user-select:none" in item_rule
     assert "-webkit-touch-callout:none" in item_rule
+
+
+def test_session_gesture_finish_ignores_idle_state():
+    """Test that _finishSessionGesture bails early when _gestureState is 'idle'.
+    
+    This prevents unintended session switches when a drag starts outside the
+    session row and ends on top of it. The gesture must have begun with a
+    pointerdown on the row itself (_gestureState='pressing'), otherwise the
+    pointerup should be ignored.
+    
+    See: https://github.com/nesquena/hermes-webui/issues/5462
+    """
+    # Find the _finishSessionGesture function
+    fn_start = SESSIONS_JS.find("const _finishSessionGesture=(clientX,clientY,target,pointerType)=>{")
+    assert fn_start != -1, "_finishSessionGesture function not found"
+    
+    # Extract the first ~200 characters of the function body
+    fn_body_start = SESSIONS_JS[fn_start:fn_start+200]
+    
+    # Verify the idle-state guard is present at the beginning
+    assert "if(_gestureState==='idle') return false;" in fn_body_start, \
+        "Missing idle-state guard at the beginning of _finishSessionGesture"
+    
+    # Also verify that the fork row handler has the same guard (consistency check)
+    # Fork handler pattern: rowEl.onpointerup followed by pointerType/button check, then idle guard
+    fork_handler_start = SESSIONS_JS.find("rowEl.onpointerup=(e)=>{")
+    assert fork_handler_start != -1, "Fork row pointerup handler not found"
+    fork_handler_snippet = SESSIONS_JS[fork_handler_start:fork_handler_start+200]
+    assert "if(_gestureState==='idle') return;" in fork_handler_snippet, \
+        "Fork row pointerup handler should have idle guard"