diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/layout/ContextPanel.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/layout/ContextPanel.tsx
index 1a395639..de5e3026 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/layout/ContextPanel.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/layout/ContextPanel.tsx
@@ -1306,6 +1306,7 @@ const IframeBrowserPane: React.FC<DesktopBrowserPaneProps> = ({ initialUrl, dire
   const startUrl = normalized !== 'about:blank' ? normalized : '';
   const [urlInput, setUrlInput] = React.useState(startUrl);
   const [currentUrl, setCurrentUrl] = React.useState(startUrl);
+  const [loadedUrl, setLoadedUrl] = React.useState(startUrl);
   const [history, setHistory] = React.useState<string[]>(() => startUrl ? [startUrl] : []);
   const [historyIndex, setHistoryIndex] = React.useState(() => startUrl ? 0 : -1);
   const [reloadNonce, bumpReload] = React.useReducer((value: number) => value + 1, 0);
@@ -1324,12 +1325,17 @@ const IframeBrowserPane: React.FC<DesktopBrowserPaneProps> = ({ initialUrl, dire
     setContextPanelTabTargetPath(directory, tabID, url);
   }, [directory, tabID, setContextPanelTabTargetPath]);
 
-  const applyUrl = React.useCallback((url: string, options?: { replaceHistory?: boolean }) => {
+  const applyUrl = React.useCallback((url: string, options?: { replaceHistory?: boolean; inFrame?: boolean }) => {
     const normalizedUrl = normalizeBrowserUrl(url);
     const nextUrl = normalizedUrl !== 'about:blank' ? normalizedUrl : '';
     setCurrentUrl(nextUrl);
     setUrlInput(nextUrl);
-    setIsLoading(Boolean(nextUrl));
+    if (!options?.inFrame) {
+      setLoadedUrl(nextUrl);
+      setIsLoading(Boolean(nextUrl));
+    } else {
+      setIsLoading(false);
+    }
     persistUrl(nextUrl);
 
     setHistory((current) => {
@@ -1360,6 +1366,7 @@ const IframeBrowserPane: React.FC<DesktopBrowserPaneProps> = ({ initialUrl, dire
     if (!nextUrl) return;
     setHistoryIndex(nextIndex);
     setCurrentUrl(nextUrl);
+    setLoadedUrl(nextUrl);
     setUrlInput(nextUrl);
     setIsLoading(true);
     persistUrl(nextUrl);
@@ -1376,12 +1383,12 @@ const IframeBrowserPane: React.FC<DesktopBrowserPaneProps> = ({ initialUrl, dire
   }, [currentUrl]);
 
   React.useEffect(() => {
-    if (!currentUrl) {
+    if (!loadedUrl) {
       setProxyState({ status: 'idle' });
       return;
     }
 
-    const proxyTargetKey = getBrowserProxyTargetKey(currentUrl);
+    const proxyTargetKey = getBrowserProxyTargetKey(loadedUrl);
     const cached = getCachedProxyTarget(proxyTargetKey);
     if (cached?.previewToken) {
       setProxyState({ status: 'ready', proxyBasePath: cached.proxyBasePath, previewToken: cached.previewToken, expiresAt: cached.expiresAt });
@@ -1401,7 +1408,7 @@ const IframeBrowserPane: React.FC<DesktopBrowserPaneProps> = ({ initialUrl, dire
           method: 'POST',
           headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
           credentials: 'include',
-          body: JSON.stringify({ url: currentUrl, allowExternal: true }),
+          body: JSON.stringify({ url: loadedUrl, allowExternal: true }),
         });
 
         if (!response.ok) {
@@ -1441,9 +1448,9 @@ const IframeBrowserPane: React.FC<DesktopBrowserPaneProps> = ({ initialUrl, dire
     return () => {
       cancelled = true;
     };
-  }, [currentUrl, t]);
+  }, [loadedUrl, t]);
 
-  const proxyUrlAuthKey = currentUrl && proxyState.status === 'ready'
+  const proxyUrlAuthKey = loadedUrl && proxyState.status === 'ready'
     ? `${proxyState.proxyBasePath}|${proxyState.previewToken || ''}|${reloadNonce}`
     : '';
 
@@ -1468,9 +1475,9 @@ const IframeBrowserPane: React.FC<DesktopBrowserPaneProps> = ({ initialUrl, dire
 
   const proxySrc = React.useMemo(() => {
     if (urlAuthReadyKey !== proxyUrlAuthKey) return '';
-    if (!currentUrl || proxyState.status !== 'ready') return '';
+    if (!loadedUrl || proxyState.status !== 'ready') return '';
     try {
-      const parsed = new URL(currentUrl);
+      const parsed = new URL(loadedUrl);
       const path = parsed.pathname || '/';
       const searchParams = new URLSearchParams(parsed.search);
       searchParams.delete('oc_url_token');
@@ -1482,12 +1489,12 @@ const IframeBrowserPane: React.FC<DesktopBrowserPaneProps> = ({ initialUrl, dire
     } catch {
       return '';
     }
-  }, [currentUrl, proxyState, proxyUrlAuthKey, reloadNonce, urlAuthReadyKey]);
+  }, [loadedUrl, proxyState, proxyUrlAuthKey, reloadNonce, urlAuthReadyKey]);
 
-  const iframeSrc = proxySrc || (proxyState.status === 'error' ? currentUrl : '');
+  const iframeSrc = proxySrc || (proxyState.status === 'error' ? loadedUrl : '');
 
   const getCurrentUrlFromFrameUrl = React.useCallback((frameUrl: string): string => {
-    if (!frameUrl || !currentUrl || proxyState.status !== 'ready') return '';
+    if (!frameUrl || !loadedUrl || proxyState.status !== 'ready') return '';
     try {
       const parsedFrameUrl = new URL(frameUrl, window.location.origin);
       const proxyBasePath = proxyState.proxyBasePath.endsWith('/')
@@ -1498,18 +1505,18 @@ const IframeBrowserPane: React.FC<DesktopBrowserPaneProps> = ({ initialUrl, dire
       }
 
       const rest = parsedFrameUrl.pathname.slice(proxyBasePath.length) || '/';
-      const upstreamOrigin = new URL(currentUrl).origin;
+      const upstreamOrigin = new URL(loadedUrl).origin;
       return stripPreviewQueryParams(new URL(`${rest}${parsedFrameUrl.search}${parsedFrameUrl.hash}`, upstreamOrigin).toString());
     } catch {
       return '';
     }
-  }, [currentUrl, proxyState]);
+  }, [loadedUrl, proxyState]);
 
   const getUpstreamUrlFromLocalFrameUrl = React.useCallback((frameUrl: string): string => {
-    if (!frameUrl || !currentUrl || proxyState.status !== 'ready') return '';
+    if (!frameUrl || !loadedUrl || proxyState.status !== 'ready') return '';
     try {
       const parsedFrameUrl = new URL(frameUrl, window.location.origin);
-      const upstreamOrigin = new URL(currentUrl).origin;
+      const upstreamOrigin = new URL(loadedUrl).origin;
       if (parsedFrameUrl.origin !== window.location.origin || upstreamOrigin === window.location.origin) {
         return '';
       }
@@ -1525,7 +1532,7 @@ const IframeBrowserPane: React.FC<DesktopBrowserPaneProps> = ({ initialUrl, dire
     } catch {
       return '';
     }
-  }, [currentUrl, proxyState]);
+  }, [loadedUrl, proxyState]);
 
   const postInspectMode = React.useCallback((enabled: boolean) => {
     const frameWindow = iframeRef.current?.contentWindow;
@@ -1614,7 +1621,7 @@ const IframeBrowserPane: React.FC<DesktopBrowserPaneProps> = ({ initialUrl, dire
         const frameUrl = typeof data.url === 'string' ? data.url : '';
         const nextUrl = getCurrentUrlFromFrameUrl(frameUrl);
         if (nextUrl && nextUrl !== currentUrl) {
-          applyUrl(nextUrl);
+          applyUrl(nextUrl, { inFrame: true });
         }
         return;
       }
@@ -1685,8 +1692,7 @@ const IframeBrowserPane: React.FC<DesktopBrowserPaneProps> = ({ initialUrl, dire
       const frameUrl = iframeRef.current?.contentWindow?.location.href || '';
       const upstreamUrl = getUpstreamUrlFromLocalFrameUrl(frameUrl);
       if (upstreamUrl) {
-        setIsLoading(true);
-        applyUrl(upstreamUrl);
+        applyUrl(upstreamUrl, { inFrame: true });
         return;
       }
     } catch {
@@ -1739,7 +1745,7 @@ const IframeBrowserPane: React.FC<DesktopBrowserPaneProps> = ({ initialUrl, dire
         {iframeSrc ? (
           <div className="absolute inset-0">
             <iframe
-              key={`${iframeSrc}:${reloadNonce}`}
+              key={`${tabID}:${reloadNonce}`}
               ref={iframeRef}
               src={iframeSrc}
               title={t('contextPanel.browser.empty')}
@@ -1788,6 +1794,7 @@ const DesktopBrowserPane: React.FC<DesktopBrowserPaneProps> = ({ initialUrl, dir
   const setContextPanelTabTargetPath = useUIStore((state) => state.setContextPanelTabTargetPath);
   const normalized = normalizeBrowserUrl(initialUrl);
   const startUrl = normalized !== 'about:blank' ? normalized : '';
+  const initialWebviewSrcRef = React.useRef(normalizeBrowserUrl(initialUrl));
   const [urlInput, setUrlInput] = React.useState(startUrl);
   const [currentUrl, setCurrentUrl] = React.useState(startUrl);
   const [isInspecting, setIsInspecting] = React.useState(false);
@@ -2027,7 +2034,7 @@ const DesktopBrowserPane: React.FC<DesktopBrowserPaneProps> = ({ initialUrl, dir
       <div className="relative min-h-0 flex-1 bg-background">
         <webview
           ref={webviewRef}
-          src={normalizeBrowserUrl(initialUrl)}
+          src={initialWebviewSrcRef.current}
           partition="persist:openchamber-browser"
           allowpopups
           style={{ width: '100%', height: '100%', border: 'none' }}
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/hooks/useRouter.ts b/packages/ui/src/hooks/useRouter.ts
index a34095d8..5b39594e 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/hooks/useRouter.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/hooks/useRouter.ts
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ export function useRouter(): void {
         if (route.sessionId) {
           const currentSessionId = useSessionUIStore.getState().currentSessionId;
           if (route.sessionId !== currentSessionId) {
-            await setCurrentSession(route.sessionId);
+            const directoryHint = useSessionUIStore.getState().getDirectoryForSession(route.sessionId);
+            setCurrentSession(route.sessionId, directoryHint);
           }
         }
 
@@ -143,14 +144,23 @@ export function useRouter(): void {
     const initializeRoute = async () => {
       await applyRoute(route);
 
-      // After applying, update URL to normalized form (use replaceState)
+      // After applying, update URL to normalized form (use replaceState).
+      // Use the parsed route values instead of an immediate store snapshot so
+      // deep links do not briefly normalize `?session=...` back to `/` while
+      // the session's directory/message bootstrap is still catching up.
       if (!isVSCode) {
-        syncURLFromState({ replace: true });
+        updateBrowserURL({
+          ...getCurrentAppState(),
+          sessionId: route.sessionId ?? useSessionUIStore.getState().currentSessionId,
+          tab: route.tab ?? useUIStore.getState().activeMainTab,
+          settingsPath: route.settingsPath ?? useUIStore.getState().settingsPage,
+          diffFile: route.diffFile ?? useUIStore.getState().pendingDiffFile,
+        }, { replace: true, force: true });
       }
     };
 
     void initializeRoute();
-  }, [applyRoute, isVSCode, syncURLFromState]);
+  }, [applyRoute, getCurrentAppState, isVSCode]);
 
   // Subscribe to session changes
   React.useEffect(() => {