diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/hooks/use-desktop-integrations.test.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/hooks/use-desktop-integrations.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..1eaeefaff566
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/hooks/use-desktop-integrations.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+import { renderHook } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { beforeEach, expect, test, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+import { NEW_CHAT_ROUTE } from '../../routes'
+
+import { useDesktopIntegrations } from './use-desktop-integrations'
+
+const sessionStore = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  $sessions: { get: vi.fn(() => []) },
+  getRememberedRoute: vi.fn<() => null | string>(),
+  getRememberedSessionId: vi.fn<(_profile?: null | string) => null | string>(),
+  rememberedSessionProfile: vi.fn((_sessions: unknown[], _sessionId: null | string, profile: null | string) => profile),
+  setRememberedRoute: vi.fn(),
+  setRememberedSessionId: vi.fn()
+}))
+
+const profileStore = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  $activeGatewayProfile: { get: vi.fn(() => 'default') }
+}))
+
+vi.mock('@/app/chat/close-tab', () => ({ closeActiveTab: vi.fn() }))
+vi.mock('@/store/native-notifications', () => ({ respondToApprovalAction: vi.fn() }))
+vi.mock('@/store/profile', () => profileStore)
+vi.mock('@/store/session', () => sessionStore)
+vi.mock('@/store/session-sync', () => ({ onSessionsChanged: vi.fn(() => vi.fn()) }))
+vi.mock('@/store/updates', () => ({
+  openUpdatesWindow: vi.fn(),
+  startUpdatePoller: vi.fn(),
+  stopUpdatePoller: vi.fn()
+}))
+vi.mock('@/store/windows', () => ({ isSecondaryWindow: vi.fn(() => false) }))
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  vi.clearAllMocks()
+  sessionStore.getRememberedRoute.mockReturnValue(NEW_CHAT_ROUTE)
+  sessionStore.getRememberedSessionId.mockReturnValue('old-session')
+})
+
+test('an explicitly remembered new chat clears stale session identity instead of restoring it', () => {
+  const navigate = vi.fn()
+
+  renderHook(() =>
+    useDesktopIntegrations({
+      chatOpen: true,
+      hasPreview: false,
+      locationPathname: NEW_CHAT_ROUTE,
+      navigate,
+      refreshSessions: vi.fn(),
+      resumeExhaustedSessionId: null,
+      routedSessionId: null,
+      runtimeIdByStoredSessionId: { current: new Map() }
+    })
+  )
+
+  expect(sessionStore.setRememberedSessionId).toHaveBeenCalledWith(null, 'default')
+  expect(navigate).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+})
+
+test('restoring a remembered session does not clear its identity during the initial new-route render', () => {
+  const navigate = vi.fn()
+
+  sessionStore.getRememberedRoute.mockReturnValue('/old-session')
+
+  renderHook(() =>
+    useDesktopIntegrations({
+      chatOpen: true,
+      hasPreview: false,
+      locationPathname: NEW_CHAT_ROUTE,
+      navigate,
+      refreshSessions: vi.fn(),
+      resumeExhaustedSessionId: null,
+      routedSessionId: null,
+      runtimeIdByStoredSessionId: { current: new Map() }
+    })
+  )
+
+  expect(navigate).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/old-session', { replace: true })
+  expect(sessionStore.setRememberedSessionId).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(null, 'default')
+})
+
+test('a fresh draft clears only the active profile remembered session', () => {
+  const navigate = vi.fn()
+
+  profileStore.$activeGatewayProfile.get.mockReturnValue('work')
+
+  renderHook(() =>
+    useDesktopIntegrations({
+      chatOpen: true,
+      hasPreview: false,
+      locationPathname: NEW_CHAT_ROUTE,
+      navigate,
+      refreshSessions: vi.fn(),
+      resumeExhaustedSessionId: null,
+      routedSessionId: null,
+      runtimeIdByStoredSessionId: { current: new Map() }
+    })
+  )
+
+  expect(sessionStore.setRememberedSessionId).toHaveBeenCalledWith(null, 'work')
+})
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/hooks/use-desktop-integrations.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/hooks/use-desktop-integrations.ts
index cff5d86f4d54..1abacdeabaaf 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/hooks/use-desktop-integrations.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/hooks/use-desktop-integrations.ts
@@ -67,26 +67,8 @@ export function useDesktopIntegrations({
     window.hermesDesktop?.setPreviewShortcutActive?.(true)
   }, [])
 
-  // Remember the open chat (session id for notifications/resume) AND the last
-  // non-overlay route (a page like /skills, or a session route) so a relaunch
-  // lands where you were. Overlays (settings/command-center/…) aren't stored —
-  // you don't want to boot into a modal.
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const routeProfile = rememberedSessionProfile($sessions.get(), routedSessionId, $activeGatewayProfile.get())
-
-    if (routedSessionId) {
-      setRememberedSessionId(routedSessionId, routeProfile)
-    }
-
-    if (!isOverlayView(appViewForPath(locationPathname))) {
-      // Keyed by the same owner as the id above: a session route embeds a
-      // session id, so remembering it globally would restore another profile's
-      // conversation on cold start.
-      setRememberedRoute(locationPathname, routeProfile)
-    }
-  }, [locationPathname, routedSessionId])
-
   const restoredRef = useRef(false)
+  const restoringRememberedRouteRef = useRef(false)
 
   // Restore once on cold start — only when the renderer booted at the default
   // route (a hidden-then-shown window keeps its own route). Prefer the full
@@ -103,7 +85,15 @@ export function useDesktopIntegrations({
     const activeProfile = $activeGatewayProfile.get()
     const route = getRememberedRoute(activeProfile)
 
+    // An explicitly remembered fresh draft outranks the legacy last-session
+    // fallback. Falling through here reopened that older session and painted
+    // its title over every new chat after a relaunch.
+    if (route === NEW_CHAT_ROUTE) {
+      return
+    }
+
     if (route && route !== NEW_CHAT_ROUTE && !isOverlayView(appViewForPath(route))) {
+      restoringRememberedRouteRef.current = true
       navigate(route, { replace: true })
 
       return
@@ -112,10 +102,41 @@ export function useDesktopIntegrations({
     const last = getRememberedSessionId(activeProfile)
 
     if (last) {
+      restoringRememberedRouteRef.current = true
       navigate(sessionRoute(last), { replace: true })
     }
   }, [locationPathname, navigate])
 
+  // Remember the open chat (session id for notifications/resume) AND the last
+  // non-overlay route (a page like /skills, or a session route) so a relaunch
+  // lands where you were. Overlays (settings/command-center/…) aren't stored —
+  // you don't want to boot into a modal.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    // The app boots at the new-chat route before restore navigation lands. Do
+    // not let that transient render erase the session we are actively restoring.
+    if (restoringRememberedRouteRef.current && locationPathname === NEW_CHAT_ROUTE) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    restoringRememberedRouteRef.current = false
+
+    if (routedSessionId) {
+      setRememberedSessionId(
+        routedSessionId,
+        rememberedSessionProfile($sessions.get(), routedSessionId, $activeGatewayProfile.get())
+      )
+    } else if (locationPathname === NEW_CHAT_ROUTE) {
+      // A deliberate fresh draft is durable intent too. Clear the older chat
+      // identity so neither cold-start restore nor title lookup can revive it.
+      setRememberedSessionId(null, $activeGatewayProfile.get())
+    }
+
+    if (!isOverlayView(appViewForPath(locationPathname))) {
+      const routeProfile = rememberedSessionProfile($sessions.get(), routedSessionId, $activeGatewayProfile.get())
+      setRememberedRoute(locationPathname, routeProfile)
+    }
+  }, [locationPathname, routedSessionId])
+
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!resumeExhaustedSessionId) {
       return