diff --git a/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/chat-session.test.ts b/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/chat-session.test.ts
index 03ba83fe4b..0cef83b15b 100644
--- a/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/chat-session.test.ts
+++ b/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/chat-session.test.ts
@@ -1679,7 +1679,7 @@ describe("first-send connection updates", () => {
 		};
 	}
 
-	it("preserves an observed idle session when attach reports a resident running process", async () => {
+	it("preserves a newer Hub idle event over a running attach reply", async () => {
 		const { ctx, sessionId } = createContext({ attachedViaHub: true });
 		const binding = ctx.runtimeBindings.get("local");
 		if (!binding) throw new Error("missing binding");
@@ -1687,8 +1687,15 @@ describe("first-send connection updates", () => {
 			handleHubLiveEvent(ctx, {
 				event: "session.attached",
 				sessionId,
+				sequence: 1,
 				payload: { session: { status: "running" } },
 			});
+			handleHubLiveEvent(ctx, {
+				event: "session.updated",
+				sessionId,
+				sequence: 2,
+				payload: { session: { status: "idle" } },
+			});
 			return {
 				version: "v1",
 				ok: true,
diff --git a/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/chat-session.ts b/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/chat-session.ts
index 80cc84553d..aaf2223d83 100644
--- a/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/chat-session.ts
+++ b/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/chat-session.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ import {
 } from "./attachments";
 import { createDesktopExtensionContext } from "./client-context";
 import {
+	assertCloudHandoffCreationResolved,
 	beginActiveSessionSend,
 	handleHandoff,
 	handlePrepareHandoff,
@@ -368,7 +369,8 @@ async function withWorkspaceRestoreLock<T>(
 		const sessionWorkspace = workspacePathKey(session.config);
 		if (
 			sessionWorkspace &&
-			(hasActiveWorkspaceTurn(session) || hasActiveSessionSend(ctx, sessionId)) &&
+			(hasActiveWorkspaceTurn(session) ||
+				hasActiveSessionSend(ctx, sessionId)) &&
 			workspacePathsOverlap(sessionWorkspace, key, environment)
 		) {
 			throw new Error(WORKSPACE_RESTORE_BUSY_ERROR);
@@ -1713,9 +1715,9 @@ async function handleSendOnce(
 		readEnvironmentId(request.config),
 	);
 	const manager = binding.sessionManager;
-	const handoff = readCloudHandoffMetadata(
-		await readHandoffSessionMetadata(binding, sessionId),
-	);
+	const metadata = await readHandoffSessionMetadata(binding, sessionId);
+	assertCloudHandoffCreationResolved(metadata);
+	const handoff = readCloudHandoffMetadata(metadata);
 	if (handoff?.status === "pending") {
 		throw new Error(
 			`Cloud handoff is still pending. Retry /cloud or continue here: ${handoff.dashboardUrl ?? buildCloudHandoffDashboardUrl(getClineEnvironmentConfig().appBaseUrl, handoff.toCloudSessionId)}`,
@@ -2126,11 +2128,13 @@ async function handleFork(
 		throw new Error(WORKSPACE_RESTORE_BUSY_ERROR);
 	}
 	const sourceSession = await manager.get(sourceSessionId);
-	const sourceHandoff = readCloudHandoffMetadata(
+	const sourceMetadata =
 		binding.kind === "local"
 			? (sourceSession?.metadata ?? readSessionMetadata(sourceSessionId))
-			: undefined,
-	);
+			: undefined;
+	if (forkBeforeRunCount !== undefined)
+		assertCloudHandoffCreationResolved(sourceMetadata);
+	const sourceHandoff = readCloudHandoffMetadata(sourceMetadata);
 	if (sourceHandoff?.status === "pending") {
 		throw new Error(
 			`Cloud handoff is still pending. Retry /cloud or continue here: ${sourceHandoff.dashboardUrl ?? buildCloudHandoffDashboardUrl(getClineEnvironmentConfig().appBaseUrl, sourceHandoff.toCloudSessionId)}`,
@@ -2429,11 +2433,12 @@ async function handleRestoreCheckpoint(
 	const manager = binding.sessionManager;
 	const persisted =
 		binding.kind === "local" ? await manager.get(sourceSessionId) : undefined;
-	const completedHandoff = readCloudHandoffMetadata(
+	const handoffMetadata =
 		binding.kind === "local"
 			? (persisted?.metadata ?? readSessionMetadata(sourceSessionId))
-			: undefined,
-	);
+			: undefined;
+	const completedHandoff = readCloudHandoffMetadata(handoffMetadata);
+	assertCloudHandoffCreationResolved(handoffMetadata);
 	if (completedHandoff?.status === "pending") {
 		throw new Error(
 			`Cloud handoff is still pending. Retry /cloud or continue here: ${completedHandoff.dashboardUrl ?? buildCloudHandoffDashboardUrl(getClineEnvironmentConfig().appBaseUrl, completedHandoff.toCloudSessionId)}`,
diff --git a/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/cloud-handoff.test.ts b/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/cloud-handoff.test.ts
index 7456db4af0..c0d1efadc9 100644
--- a/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/cloud-handoff.test.ts
+++ b/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/cloud-handoff.test.ts
@@ -777,10 +777,13 @@ describe("cloud handoff gates", () => {
 		await expect(handingOff).rejects.toThrow();
 	});
 
-	it("trusts an authoritative idle live session over a legacy running record", async () => {
+	it.each([
+		"running",
+		"pending",
+	])("rejects handoff when Hub reports %s despite an idle Desktop cache", async (persistedStatus) => {
 		const { ctx, sessionId } = createHandoffGateContext({
 			busy: false,
-			persistedStatus: "running",
+			persistedStatus,
 		});
 
 		await expect(
@@ -788,7 +791,8 @@ describe("cloud handoff gates", () => {
 				action: "prepare_handoff",
 				sessionId,
 			}),
-		).rejects.not.toThrow("Stop the current run");
+		).rejects.toThrow("Stop the current run");
+		expect(ctx.cloudSessionManager).toBeFalsy();
 	});
 
 	it("rejects an empty source before provisioning", async () => {
@@ -1288,6 +1292,21 @@ describe("cloud handoff transaction", () => {
 		);
 		expect(first.getPersistedMetadata()).toHaveProperty("cloudHandoffIntent");
 		const restarted = createHandoffFixture(true, first.getPersistedMetadata());
+		const restore = vi.fn();
+		Object.assign(localSessionManager(restarted.ctx), { restore });
+		for (const action of ["restore_checkpoint", "send", "fork"] as const) {
+			await expect(
+				handleChatSessionCommand(restarted.ctx, {
+					action,
+					sessionId: request.sessionId,
+					prompt: "Change this workspace",
+					checkpointRunCount: 1,
+					forkBeforeRunCount: 1,
+					config: { cwd: "/workspace/project" },
+				}),
+			).rejects.toThrow("Cloud handoff creation is still unconfirmed");
+		}
+		expect(restore).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
 		await expect(
 			assertSessionDeleteAllowedDuringHandoff(
 				restarted.ctx,
diff --git a/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/cloud-handoff.ts b/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/cloud-handoff.ts
index 21495c8320..c1d877d404 100644
--- a/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/cloud-handoff.ts
+++ b/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/cloud-handoff.ts
@@ -134,8 +134,7 @@ async function assertHandoffIdle(
 		live?.status === "running" ||
 		live?.status === "stopping";
 	const persistedIsBusy =
-		!live &&
-		(persisted?.status === "running" || persisted?.status === "pending");
+		persisted?.status === "running" || persisted?.status === "pending";
 	if (liveIsBusy || persistedIsBusy) {
 		throw new Error("Stop the current run before handing off to cloud.");
 	}
@@ -1094,6 +1093,20 @@ export function beginSessionMetadataUpdate(
 	);
 }
 
+export function assertCloudHandoffCreationResolved(metadata: unknown): void {
+	if (
+		!readCloudHandoffMetadata(metadata) &&
+		metadata &&
+		typeof metadata === "object" &&
+		"cloudHandoffIntent" in metadata &&
+		metadata.cloudHandoffIntent
+	) {
+		throw new Error(
+			"Cloud handoff creation is still unconfirmed. Retry /cloud to recover it before changing this session.",
+		);
+	}
+}
+
 /**
  * Deleting a source session while its cloud handoff is in flight can remove
  * the only durable recovery record for an already-created sandbox. Keep this
@@ -1130,11 +1143,7 @@ export async function assertSessionDeleteAllowedDuringHandoff(
 			}
 		}
 		const handoff = readCloudHandoffMetadata(metadata);
-		if (!handoff && metadata?.cloudHandoffIntent) {
-			throw new Error(
-				"Cloud handoff creation is still unconfirmed. Retry /cloud to recover it before deleting this session.",
-			);
-		}
+		assertCloudHandoffCreationResolved(metadata);
 		if (handoff?.status === "pending") {
 			throw new Error(
 				`Cloud handoff is still pending. Retry /cloud or continue here: ${handoff.dashboardUrl ?? buildCloudHandoffDashboardUrl(getClineEnvironmentConfig().appBaseUrl, handoff.toCloudSessionId)}`,
diff --git a/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/context.test.ts b/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/context.test.ts
index 75d8b44f25..a5e6d5513f 100644
--- a/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/context.test.ts
+++ b/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/context.test.ts
@@ -923,57 +923,6 @@ describe("Code sidecar runtime capabilities", () => {
 		expect(readEvents(ctx)).toEqual([]);
 	});
 
-	it.each([
-		"session.attached",
-		"session.updated",
-	])("keeps a resident process idle until run.started after %s", async (event) => {
-		const { createSidecarContext, handleHubLiveEvent } = await import(
-			"./context"
-		);
-		const ctx = createSidecarContext("/workspace/project");
-		ctx.wsClients.add({ send: vi.fn() });
-		ctx.liveSessions.set("idle-session", {
-			config: {},
-			messages: [],
-			promptsInQueue: [],
-			busy: false,
-			startedAt: Date.now(),
-			status: "idle",
-			attachedViaHub: true,
-		});
-		handleHubLiveEvent(ctx, {
-			event,
-			sessionId: "idle-session",
-			payload: { session: { status: "running" } },
-		});
-		expect(ctx.liveSessions.get("idle-session")).toMatchObject({
-			status: "idle",
-			busy: false,
-		});
-		expect(readEvents(ctx)).toEqual([]);
-		handleHubLiveEvent(ctx, {
-			event: "run.started",
-			sessionId: "idle-session",
-		});
-		expect(ctx.liveSessions.get("idle-session")).toMatchObject({
-			status: "running",
-			busy: true,
-		});
-		expect(readEvents(ctx)).toEqual([
-			{
-				type: "event",
-				event: {
-					name: "chat_session_status",
-					payload: {
-						environmentId: "local",
-						sessionId: "idle-session",
-						status: "running",
-					},
-				},
-			},
-		]);
-	});
-
 	it("resolves askQuestion through the websocket request/response protocol", async () => {
 		const { createSidecarContext, initializeSessionManager } = await import(
 			"./context"
diff --git a/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/context.ts b/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/context.ts
index f256ef8b0d..04289d340b 100644
--- a/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/context.ts
+++ b/apps/examples/desktop-app/sidecar/context.ts
@@ -1149,15 +1149,7 @@ export function handleHubLiveEvent(
 			);
 			return;
 		}
-		case "run.started": {
-			const statusChanged = session.status !== "running";
-			session.status = "running";
-			session.busy = true;
-			if (statusChanged) {
-				sendEvent(ctx, "chat_session_status", { sessionId, status: "running" });
-			}
-			return;
-		}
+		case "run.started":
 		case "session.attached":
 		case "session.updated": {
 			const payloadSession =
@@ -1169,7 +1161,9 @@ export function handleHubLiveEvent(
 			const runtimeStatus =
 				typeof payloadSession?.status === "string"
 					? payloadSession.status
-					: session.status;
+					: event.event === "run.started"
+						? "running"
+						: session.status;
 			// Hub "pending" is still active; map it to running so follow-ups stay queued.
 			const status = runtimeStatus === "pending" ? "running" : runtimeStatus;
 			if (
@@ -1180,14 +1174,6 @@ export function handleHubLiveEvent(
 			) {
 				return;
 			}
-			// A resident interactive process can be idle; run.started marks an active turn.
-			if (
-				runtimeStatus === "running" &&
-				session.status !== "running" &&
-				session.config.executionTarget !== "cloud"
-			) {
-				return;
-			}
 			// Pods emit periodic session.updated snapshots; re-broadcasting an
 			// unchanged status marks the session unread in the sidebar every time.
 			const statusChanged = session.status !== status;
diff --git a/apps/examples/desktop-app/webview/lib/desktop-app-state.test.ts b/apps/examples/desktop-app/webview/lib/desktop-app-state.test.ts
index b54accac81..b594de714c 100644
--- a/apps/examples/desktop-app/webview/lib/desktop-app-state.test.ts
+++ b/apps/examples/desktop-app/webview/lib/desktop-app-state.test.ts
@@ -203,6 +203,9 @@ describe("desktopAppReducer", () => {
 		});
 		const reopened = desktopAppReducer(state, open);
 		expect(reopened.navigation.current.view).toBe("chat");
+		expect(reopened.navigation.back).toHaveLength(
+			state.navigation.back.length + (view === "chat" ? 0 : 1),
+		);
 		expect(
 			reopened.threads.find((thread) => thread.id === threadId),
 		).toMatchObject({
diff --git a/apps/examples/desktop-app/webview/lib/desktop-app-state.ts b/apps/examples/desktop-app/webview/lib/desktop-app-state.ts
index 6c796ec1ff..68c17ff485 100644
--- a/apps/examples/desktop-app/webview/lib/desktop-app-state.ts
+++ b/apps/examples/desktop-app/webview/lib/desktop-app-state.ts
@@ -225,7 +225,11 @@ export function desktopAppReducer<SettingsSection extends string>(
 			return {
 				threads,
 				navigation: navigationHistoryReducer(state.navigation, {
-					type: "navigate",
+					type:
+						state.navigation.current.view === "chat" &&
+						state.navigation.current.activeThreadId === threadId
+							? "replace"
+							: "navigate",
 					destination: {
 						...state.navigation.current,
 						activeThreadId: threadId,