diff --git a/frontend/app/app/assistant.tsx b/frontend/app/app/assistant.tsx
index f03613e..f423acb 100644
--- a/frontend/app/app/assistant.tsx
+++ b/frontend/app/app/assistant.tsx
@@ -34,6 +34,14 @@ export const Assistant = () => {
 					const lastSessionId = getLastSessionId(messages);
 					const selectedResumeSessionId =
 						messages.length > 1 ? selectedSessionId : null;
+					const outgoingSessionId =
+						lastSessionId ?? selectedResumeSessionId ?? options.id;
+					if (typeof window !== "undefined" && outgoingSessionId) {
+						window.localStorage.setItem(
+							"claw.activeSessionId",
+							outgoingSessionId,
+						);
+					}
 
 					return {
 						body: {
diff --git a/frontend/app/components/assistant-ui/activity-panel.tsx b/frontend/app/components/assistant-ui/activity-panel.tsx
index 561f028..8c506e1 100644
--- a/frontend/app/components/assistant-ui/activity-panel.tsx
+++ b/frontend/app/components/assistant-ui/activity-panel.tsx
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ type ActivityContextValue = {
 	mode: "activity" | "files";
 	selectedId: string | null;
 	sessionId: string | null;
+	filesRefreshToken: number;
 	openItem: (id: string) => void;
 	openFiles: (sessionId?: string | null) => void;
 	close: () => void;
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ export function ActivityProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
 	const [mode, setMode] = useState<"activity" | "files">("activity");
 	const [selectedId, setSelectedId] = useState<string | null>(null);
 	const [sessionId, setSessionId] = useState<string | null>(null);
+	const [filesRefreshToken, setFilesRefreshToken] = useState(0);
 	const openItem = useCallback((id: string) => {
 		setMode("activity");
 		setSelectedId(id);
@@ -67,6 +69,7 @@ export function ActivityProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
 					? window.localStorage.getItem("claw.activeSessionId")
 					: null),
 		);
+		setFilesRefreshToken((value) => value + 1);
 		setOpen(true);
 	}, []);
 	const close = useCallback(() => setOpen(false), []);
@@ -76,11 +79,21 @@ export function ActivityProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
 			mode,
 			selectedId,
 			sessionId,
+			filesRefreshToken,
 			openItem,
 			openFiles,
 			close,
 		}),
-		[open, mode, selectedId, sessionId, openItem, openFiles, close],
+		[
+			open,
+			mode,
+			selectedId,
+			sessionId,
+			filesRefreshToken,
+			openItem,
+			openFiles,
+			close,
+		],
 	);
 
 	return (
@@ -112,8 +125,15 @@ type ActivityItem = {
 };
 
 export function ActivityPanel() {
-	const { open, mode, selectedId, sessionId, openItem, close } =
-		useActivityPanel();
+	const {
+		open,
+		mode,
+		selectedId,
+		sessionId,
+		filesRefreshToken,
+		openItem,
+		close,
+	} = useActivityPanel();
 	const messages = useAuiState((s) => s.thread.messages);
 	const items = useMemo(() => collectActivityItems(messages), [messages]);
 	const selectedMessageId = selectedId ? activityMessageId(selectedId) : null;
@@ -137,7 +157,13 @@ export function ActivityPanel() {
 	if (!open) return null;
 
 	if (mode === "files") {
-		return <SessionFilesPanel sessionId={sessionId} onClose={close} />;
+		return (
+			<SessionFilesPanel
+				key={`${sessionId ?? "active"}:${filesRefreshToken}`}
+				sessionId={sessionId}
+				onClose={close}
+			/>
+		);
 	}
 
 	return (
@@ -245,8 +271,17 @@ function SessionFilesPanel({
 			}
 		}
 		loadFiles();
+		const handleRefresh = () => {
+			loadFiles();
+		};
+		window.addEventListener("claw-sessions-changed", handleRefresh);
+		window.addEventListener("claw-session-files-changed", handleRefresh);
+		window.addEventListener("focus", handleRefresh);
 		return () => {
 			cancelled = true;
+			window.removeEventListener("claw-sessions-changed", handleRefresh);
+			window.removeEventListener("claw-session-files-changed", handleRefresh);
+			window.removeEventListener("focus", handleRefresh);
 		};
 	}, [sessionId]);