diff --git a/apps/staged/src-tauri/src/session_commands.rs b/apps/staged/src-tauri/src/session_commands.rs
index d4d5bad81..cf37cce0e 100644
--- a/apps/staged/src-tauri/src/session_commands.rs
+++ b/apps/staged/src-tauri/src/session_commands.rs
@@ -741,6 +741,22 @@ pub async fn start_branch_session(
     }
     store.create_session(&session).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
 
+    // Emit a "running" event so the frontend can register the session in its
+    // state stores (project list spinner, unread badges, etc.) regardless of
+    // which UI surface started the session.
+    let session_type_str = match session_type {
+        BranchSessionType::Commit => "commit",
+        BranchSessionType::Note => "note",
+        BranchSessionType::Review => "review",
+    };
+    session_runner::emit_session_running(
+        &app_handle,
+        &session.id,
+        &branch_id,
+        &branch.project_id,
+        session_type_str,
+    );
+
     // Create artifact stub and compute pre-head SHA
     let (artifact_id, pre_head_sha) = match session_type {
         BranchSessionType::Note => {
diff --git a/apps/staged/src-tauri/src/session_runner.rs b/apps/staged/src-tauri/src/session_runner.rs
index 26c9c73b9..8ac6e68f6 100644
--- a/apps/staged/src-tauri/src/session_runner.rs
+++ b/apps/staged/src-tauri/src/session_runner.rs
@@ -393,15 +393,18 @@ pub fn start_session(
             )
             .unwrap_or(false);
 
-        if transitioned {
-            emit_status(
-                &app_handle,
-                &session_id_for_status,
-                new_status,
-                error_msg,
-                Some(&completion_reason),
-            );
+        // Always emit the terminal status event, even if the DB row was already
+        // deleted (e.g. user deleted the pending commit). This lets the frontend
+        // clean up sidebar "running" state as a safety net.
+        emit_status(
+            &app_handle,
+            &session_id_for_status,
+            new_status,
+            error_msg,
+            Some(&completion_reason),
+        );
 
+        if transitioned {
             let branch_id = store_for_status
                 .get_branch_id_for_session(&session_id_for_status)
                 .ok()
@@ -509,15 +512,14 @@ pub fn recover_dead_sessions(
                     Some(&CompletionReason::AppQuit),
                 )
                 .unwrap_or(false);
+            emit_status(
+                &app_handle,
+                &session.id,
+                "error",
+                None,
+                Some(&CompletionReason::AppQuit),
+            );
             if transitioned {
-                emit_status(
-                    &app_handle,
-                    &session.id,
-                    "error",
-                    None,
-                    Some(&CompletionReason::AppQuit),
-                );
-
                 let branch_id = store.get_branch_id_for_session(&session.id).ok().flatten();
                 if let Some(branch_id) = branch_id {
                     let store_for_follow_up = Arc::clone(&store);
diff --git a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCard.svelte b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCard.svelte
index 1b50253f7..8dc341c05 100644
--- a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCard.svelte
+++ b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCard.svelte
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
   import RemoteWorkspaceStatusView from './RemoteWorkspaceStatusView.svelte';
   import { alerts } from '../../shared/alerts.svelte';
   import { timelineToHashtagItems, projectNotesToHashtagItems } from '../sessions/hashtagItems';
+  import { sessionRegistry } from '../../stores/sessionRegistry.svelte';
 
   interface Props {
     branch: Branch;
@@ -707,6 +708,9 @@
           }
         }
         await commands.deleteNote(noteId, !!sessionId);
+        if (sessionId) {
+          sessionRegistry.cleanupSession(sessionId);
+        }
         loadTimeline();
         // Drain the next queued session now that this one has been removed.
         commands
@@ -742,6 +746,9 @@
           }
         }
         await commands.deleteReview(reviewId, !!sessionId);
+        if (sessionId) {
+          sessionRegistry.cleanupSession(sessionId);
+        }
         loadTimeline();
         // Drain the next queued session now that this one has been removed.
         commands
@@ -776,6 +783,9 @@
         }
       }
       await commands.deletePendingCommit(commitId, !!sessionId);
+      if (sessionId) {
+        sessionRegistry.cleanupSession(sessionId);
+      }
       await loadTimeline();
       // Drain the next queued session now that this one has been removed.
       commands
diff --git a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCardSessionManager.svelte.ts b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCardSessionManager.svelte.ts
index aed767613..429555bdb 100644
--- a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCardSessionManager.svelte.ts
+++ b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCardSessionManager.svelte.ts
@@ -276,8 +276,6 @@ export default class BranchCardSessionManager {
         throw new Error('Failed to start session: no session ID returned');
       }
 
-      this.registerRunningSession(result.sessionId, branch.projectId, mode, branch.id);
-
       this.pendingSessionItems = this.pendingSessionItems.map((item) =>
         item.key === pendingKey
           ? {
diff --git a/apps/staged/src/lib/listeners/sessionStatusListener.ts b/apps/staged/src/lib/listeners/sessionStatusListener.ts
index d9feb5608..f2c101228 100644
--- a/apps/staged/src/lib/listeners/sessionStatusListener.ts
+++ b/apps/staged/src/lib/listeners/sessionStatusListener.ts
@@ -73,11 +73,6 @@ async function handleSessionEnd(sessionId: string, status: string) {
     projectStateStore.markAsUnread(sessionProjectId);
   }
 
-  // Always remove the running session from its project.
-  if (sessionProjectId) {
-    projectStateStore.removeRunningSession(sessionProjectId, sessionId);
-  }
-
   if (sessionType === 'pr' && branchId) {
     await handlePrCompletion(sessionId, branchId, status);
     prStateStore.clearSessionTracking(branchId);
@@ -88,8 +83,8 @@ async function handleSessionEnd(sessionId: string, status: string) {
     pushStateStore.clearSessionTracking(branchId);
   }
 
-  // Clean up the session from the unified registry (single point of cleanup).
-  sessionRegistry.unregister(sessionId);
+  // Remove running state from projectStateStore and unregister from the registry.
+  sessionRegistry.cleanupSession(sessionId);
 }
 
 async function handlePrCompletion(sessionId: string, branchId: string, status: string) {
diff --git a/apps/staged/src/lib/stores/sessionRegistry.svelte.ts b/apps/staged/src/lib/stores/sessionRegistry.svelte.ts
index 85faa0ca7..b7089015b 100644
--- a/apps/staged/src/lib/stores/sessionRegistry.svelte.ts
+++ b/apps/staged/src/lib/stores/sessionRegistry.svelte.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
  * But they delegate session metadata tracking to this central registry.
  */
 
+import { projectStateStore } from './projectState.svelte';
+
 export type SessionType = 'commit' | 'pr' | 'push' | 'note' | 'review' | 'other';
 
 interface SessionMetadata {
@@ -133,6 +135,21 @@ class SessionRegistry {
     this.version++;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Clean up a session's running state from projectStateStore and unregister it.
+   *
+   * This is the symmetric counterpart to register() — it removes the session
+   * from both the project-level running session tracking and this registry.
+   * Idempotent: safe to call even if the session is already gone.
+   */
+  cleanupSession(sessionId: string): void {
+    const projectId = this.getProjectId(sessionId);
+    if (projectId) {
+      projectStateStore.removeRunningSession(projectId, sessionId);
+    }
+    this.unregister(sessionId);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Clean up stale sessions to prevent memory leaks
    * Removes sessions older than SESSION_TTL_MS or beyond MAX_REGISTRY_SIZE