diff --git a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/App.tsx b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/App.tsx
index 61a5a471..8b2a32f4 100644
--- a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/App.tsx
+++ b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/App.tsx
@@ -2728,6 +2728,13 @@ function App() {
     handlePromptSubmitRef.current?.({ text: `${name} connected successfully.`, files: [] })
   }, [])
 
+  // A failed session load must be visible, not a blank chat.
+  const sessionLoadErrorItems = React.useMemo<ConversationItem[]>(() => (
+    sessionChat.error
+      ? [{ id: 'session-load-error', kind: 'error', message: `Failed to load chat: ${sessionChat.error}`, timestamp: 0 }]
+      : []
+  ), [sessionChat.error])
+
   // Active tab renders from the sessions hook; background tabs keep the
   // legacy cached view state until stage 7 retires it.
   const chatTabStatesForRender = React.useMemo(() => {
@@ -6303,7 +6310,7 @@ function App() {
                 }}
                 onOpenChatHistory={() => void navigateToView({ type: 'chat-history' })}
                 onOpenFullScreen={toggleRightPaneMaximize}
-                conversation={sessionChat.chatState?.conversation ?? conversation}
+                conversation={sessionChat.chatState?.conversation ?? (sessionLoadErrorItems.length > 0 ? sessionLoadErrorItems : conversation)}
                 currentAssistantMessage={sessionChat.chatState?.currentAssistantMessage ?? currentAssistantMessage}
                 chatTabStates={chatTabStatesForRender}
                 viewportAnchors={chatViewportAnchorByTab}
@@ -6338,10 +6345,11 @@ function App() {
                     ? { title: activeCodeSession.session.title }
                     : null
                 }
-                pendingAskHumanRequests={pendingAskHumanRequests}
-                allPermissionRequests={allPermissionRequests}
-                permissionResponses={permissionResponses}
-                autoPermissionDecisions={autoPermissionDecisions}
+                pendingAskHumanRequests={sessionChat.chatState?.pendingAskHumanRequests ?? pendingAskHumanRequests}
+                allPermissionRequests={sessionChat.chatState?.allPermissionRequests ?? allPermissionRequests}
+                permissionResponses={sessionChat.chatState?.permissionResponses ?? permissionResponses}
+                autoPermissionDecisions={sessionChat.chatState?.autoPermissionDecisions ?? autoPermissionDecisions}
+                isThinking={sessionChat.chatState?.isThinking}
                 onPermissionResponse={handlePermissionResponse}
                 onAskHumanResponse={handleAskHumanResponse}
                 isToolOpenForTab={isToolOpenForTab}
diff --git a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/chat-sidebar.tsx b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/chat-sidebar.tsx
index a9d6d9f7..976f9684 100644
--- a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/chat-sidebar.tsx
+++ b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/chat-sidebar.tsx
@@ -142,6 +142,10 @@ interface ChatSidebarProps {
   chatTabStates?: Record<string, ChatTabViewState>
   viewportAnchors?: Record<string, ChatViewportAnchorState>
   isProcessing: boolean
+  // Actively working (sessions runtime). When provided, drives the shimmer
+  // instead of isProcessing so waiting on a permission/ask-human doesn't
+  // render a "Thinking…" under the card.
+  isThinking?: boolean
   isStopping?: boolean
   onStop?: () => void
   onSubmit: (message: PromptInputMessage, mentions?: FileMention[], attachments?: StagedAttachment[], searchEnabled?: boolean, codeMode?: 'claude' | 'codex', permissionMode?: PermissionMode) => void
@@ -211,6 +215,7 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
   chatTabStates = {},
   viewportAnchors = {},
   isProcessing,
+  isThinking,
   isStopping,
   onStop,
   onSubmit,
@@ -754,7 +759,7 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
                                 </Message>
                               )}
 
-                              {isActive && isProcessing && !tabState.currentAssistantMessage && (
+                              {isActive && (isThinking ?? isProcessing) && !tabState.currentAssistantMessage && (
                                 <Message from="assistant">
                                   <MessageContent>
                                     <Shimmer duration={1}>Thinking...</Shimmer>
diff --git a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/lib/session-chat/store.ts b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/lib/session-chat/store.ts
index 42408d4c..2bd0b4b4 100644
--- a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/lib/session-chat/store.ts
+++ b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/lib/session-chat/store.ts
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ export class SessionChatStore {
       this.emit()
     } catch (error) {
       if (generation !== this.generation) return
+      console.error('[session-chat] failed to load session', sessionId, error)
       this.loading = false
       this.error = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)
       this.emit()
@@ -164,8 +165,9 @@ export class SessionChatStore {
       }
       this.latestEvents = turn.events
       this.emit()
-    } catch {
+    } catch (error) {
       // The next snapshot-worthy event will retry.
+      console.error('[session-chat] failed to reload turn', turnId, error)
     }
   }