diff --git a/app/src/main/index.ts b/app/src/main/index.ts
index dbfa692..c44344a 100644
--- a/app/src/main/index.ts
+++ b/app/src/main/index.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import { acquireWriterLease, writerLockPathFor } from '../../../packages/core/sr
 import type {
   SessionPatchCursor,
   SessionPatchSnapshot,
+  SessionMetadata,
   SourceQueryOptions,
 } from '../shared/ipc-types.ts';
 import type {
@@ -463,10 +464,31 @@ function querySessionDisplaySnapshot(sessionId: string): SessionPatchSnapshot {
   };
 }
 
+const SESSION_METADATA_COLUMNS = [
+  'id',
+  'title',
+  'project',
+  'project_path',
+  'started_at',
+  'ended_at',
+  'git_branch',
+  'version',
+  'message_count',
+  'jsonl_path',
+  'source',
+].join(', ');
+
+function querySessionMetadata(sessionId: string): SessionMetadata | null {
+  if (!db) return null;
+  return (
+    db.prepare(`SELECT ${SESSION_METADATA_COLUMNS} FROM sessions WHERE id = ?`).get(sessionId) as SessionMetadata | undefined
+  ) || null;
+}
+
 ipcMain.handle('db:getSessions', (_, opts = {}) => {
   if (!db) return [];
   const { project, limit = 200 } = opts;
-  let sql = `SELECT id, title, project, project_path, started_at, ended_at, git_branch, version, message_count, jsonl_path, source FROM sessions`;
+  let sql = `SELECT ${SESSION_METADATA_COLUMNS} FROM sessions`;
   const params: unknown[] = [];
   const sourceFilter = sourceWhereClause(opts);
   if (sourceFilter.sql) {
@@ -505,7 +527,10 @@ ipcMain.handle('db:getSessionPatch', (
   cursor: SessionPatchCursor,
 ) => {
   if (!db) return null;
-  return createSessionPatch(querySessionDisplaySnapshot(sessionId), cursor);
+  return {
+    ...createSessionPatch(querySessionDisplaySnapshot(sessionId), cursor),
+    session: querySessionMetadata(sessionId),
+  };
 });
 
 ipcMain.handle('db:getSubagentMessages', (_, agentId) => {
diff --git a/app/src/renderer/src/App.vue b/app/src/renderer/src/App.vue
index a6c2d53..29e8c05 100644
--- a/app/src/renderer/src/App.vue
+++ b/app/src/renderer/src/App.vue
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { computed, watch, ref, provide, onMounted, onUnmounted } from 'vue';
 import { useRouter, useRoute } from 'vue-router';
 import {
   state,
+  getSessionSummary,
   FOLDER_SVG,
   resetListState,
   setView,
@@ -21,6 +22,10 @@ const router = useRouter();
 const route = useRoute();
 let searchTimer = null;
 
+const routeSession = computed(() => {
+  return getSessionSummary(route.params.id);
+});
+
 // --- Sidebar data ---
 
 const activeCount = computed(() => state.memories.filter(m => !m.archived).length);
@@ -84,7 +89,7 @@ const windowTitle = computed(() => {
     scopeText = 'Settings';
   } else if (route.name?.startsWith('Session')) {
     if (route.name === 'SessionDetail' || route.name === 'SubagentDetail') {
-      const s = state.sessions.find(x => x.id === route.params.id);
+      const s = routeSession.value;
       scopeText = s ? `Sessions · ${s.title}` : 'Sessions';
     } else {
       const proj = state.projectFilter !== 'all' ? ` · ${formatProjectLabel(state.projectFilter)}` : '';
@@ -470,13 +475,13 @@ provide('recapGenerateOpen', recapGenerateOpen);
               <template v-if="route.name === 'SubagentDetail'">
                 <span class="crumb-sep">/</span>
                 <router-link class="crumb" :to="`/sessions/${route.params.id}`">
-                  {{ (state.sessions.find(s => s.id === route.params.id)?.title || '').slice(0, 30) || route.params.id }}
+                  {{ (routeSession?.title || '').slice(0, 30) || route.params.id }}
                 </router-link>
               </template>
               <template v-if="route.name === 'SessionDetail'">
                 <span class="crumb-sep">/</span>
                 <span class="crumb terminal">
-                  {{ state.sessions.find(s => s.id === route.params.id)?.title || route.params.id }}
+                  {{ routeSession?.title || route.params.id }}
                 </span>
               </template>
               <template v-if="route.name === 'SubagentDetail'">
diff --git a/app/src/renderer/src/data.js b/app/src/renderer/src/data.js
index 9b9b8a5..964a2ef 100644
--- a/app/src/renderer/src/data.js
+++ b/app/src/renderer/src/data.js
@@ -20,23 +20,39 @@ function rememberSessionMessageSnapshot(sessionId, entry) {
   }
 }
 
-function invalidateStoredSessionMessages(sessionId) {
+function sessionMetadata(session) {
+  if (!session) return null;
+  const metadata = { ...session };
+  delete metadata.messages;
+  delete metadata.workflow;
+  return markRaw(metadata);
+}
+
+function commitStoredSessionMetadata(sessionId, metadata) {
   const session = state.sessions.find(candidate => candidate.id === sessionId);
   if (session?.messages?.length) session.messages = markRaw([]);
+  const visibleTitle = state.sessionTitleOverrides.get(sessionId) ?? session?.title;
+  if (metadata?.title !== undefined && metadata.title !== visibleTitle) {
+    state.sessionTitleOverrides.set(sessionId, metadata.title);
+  }
 }
 
 /**
- * Load initial data from the DB and populate state.memories, state.sessions,
- * and state.projects.
+ * Fetch the global catalogue without mutating renderer state. Navigation can
+ * then gate a reply that started before SessionDetail became active.
  */
-export async function loadInitialData() {
+export async function fetchInitialData() {
   const [rawMemories, rawSessions, stats, projects] = await Promise.all([
     window.obelisk.getMemories(),
     window.obelisk.getSessions({ source: 'all', limit: 1000 }),
     window.obelisk.getStats(),
     window.obelisk.getProjects()
   ]);
+  return { rawMemories, rawSessions, stats, projects };
+}
 
+/** Commit a fetched global catalogue snapshot to shared renderer state. */
+export function commitInitialData({ rawMemories, rawSessions, stats, projects }) {
   // Transform memories: DB records -> render-layer shape
   state.memories = (rawMemories || []).map(m => ({
     ...m,
@@ -47,6 +63,9 @@ export async function loadInitialData() {
     markdown: null  // loaded on demand via loadMemoryMarkdown
   }));
 
+  // The catalogue now owns the latest metadata; route overlays can retire.
+  state.sessionTitleOverrides.clear();
+
   // Sessions: merge with existing data to preserve already-loaded messages
   const existingSessions = new Map(state.sessions.map(s => [s.id, s]));
   state.sessions = (rawSessions || []).map(s => {
@@ -81,26 +100,36 @@ export async function loadSessionDetail(sessionId) {
     messages: assembleSessionMessages({ messages, toolCalls, toolResults, subagents, workflows }),
     workflows,
   };
+  const metadata = sessionMetadata(state.sessions.find(candidate => candidate.id === sessionId));
   rememberSessionMessageSnapshot(sessionId, {
     snapshot,
     cursor: createSessionPatchCursor(snapshot),
+    session: metadata,
   });
-  return commitSessionDetail(sessionId, snapshot, { updateStore: true });
+  return commitSessionDetail(sessionId, snapshot, { updateStore: true, metadata });
 }
 
-export async function loadSessionDetailPatch(sessionId) {
+export async function fetchSessionDetailPatch(sessionId) {
   const current = sessionMessageSnapshots.get(sessionId);
   if (!current || typeof window.obelisk.getSessionPatch !== 'function') {
-    return loadSessionDetail(sessionId);
+    return { sessionId, current: null, patch: null };
   }
   const patch = await window.obelisk.getSessionPatch(sessionId, current.cursor);
-  if (!patch) return loadSessionDetail(sessionId);
+  return { sessionId, current, patch };
+}
+
+export async function materializeSessionDetailPatch({ sessionId, current, patch }) {
+  if (!current || !patch) return loadSessionDetail(sessionId);
   const next = applySessionPatch(current.snapshot, current.cursor, patch);
-  const latest = commitSessionDetail(sessionId, next.snapshot, { updateStore: false });
+  const metadata = sessionMetadata(patch.session) || current.session;
+  const latest = commitSessionDetail(sessionId, next.snapshot, {
+    updateStore: false,
+    metadata,
+  });
   latest.acceptMessagePatch = () => {
     if (sessionMessageSnapshots.get(sessionId) !== current) return false;
-    rememberSessionMessageSnapshot(sessionId, next);
-    invalidateStoredSessionMessages(sessionId);
+    rememberSessionMessageSnapshot(sessionId, { ...next, session: metadata });
+    commitStoredSessionMetadata(sessionId, metadata);
     return true;
   };
   latest.messagePatch = {
@@ -119,13 +148,17 @@ export async function loadSessionDetailPatch(sessionId) {
 export function getCachedSessionDetail(sessionId) {
   const current = sessionMessageSnapshots.get(sessionId);
   if (!current) return null;
-  return commitSessionDetail(sessionId, current.snapshot, { updateStore: false });
+  return commitSessionDetail(sessionId, current.snapshot, {
+    updateStore: false,
+    metadata: current.session,
+  });
 }
 
-function commitSessionDetail(sessionId, { messages, workflows = [] }, { updateStore }) {
+function commitSessionDetail(sessionId, { messages, workflows = [] }, { updateStore, metadata = null }) {
   const session = state.sessions.find(candidate => candidate.id === sessionId);
   const assembled = {
     ...(session || {}),
+    ...(metadata || {}),
     id: sessionId,
     messages: markRaw(messages),
   };
diff --git a/app/src/renderer/src/main.js b/app/src/renderer/src/main.js
index 9051684..51b05a1 100644
--- a/app/src/renderer/src/main.js
+++ b/app/src/renderer/src/main.js
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@
 import { createApp } from 'vue';
 import App from './App.vue';
 import router from './router.js';
-import { loadInitialData } from './data.js';
+import { commitInitialData, fetchInitialData } from './data.js';
 import { noteSessionUpdated, sessionLiveState } from './session-live.mjs';
+import { createGlobalDataRefreshCoordinator } from './session-global-refresh.mjs';
 
 // Import shared renderer CSS globally
 import '../styles/base.css';
@@ -17,20 +18,39 @@ const app = createApp(App);
 
 app.use(router);
 
+const globalDataRefresh = createGlobalDataRefreshCoordinator({
+  isDeferred: () => {
+    const routeName = router.currentRoute.value.name;
+    return routeName === 'SessionDetail';
+  },
+  load: fetchInitialData,
+  commit: commitInitialData,
+});
+
+function reportGlobalRefreshFailure(request) {
+  void request.catch(error => {
+    console.error('Failed to refresh Obelisk catalogues:', error);
+  });
+}
+
 // Load data on startup
 router.isReady().then(() => {
-  loadInitialData();
+  reportGlobalRefreshFailure(globalDataRefresh.initialize());
+});
+
+router.afterEach(() => {
+  reportGlobalRefreshFailure(globalDataRefresh.flush());
 });
 
 // Refresh data when window regains focus
 document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', () => {
   if (document.visibilityState === 'visible') {
-    loadInitialData();
+    reportGlobalRefreshFailure(globalDataRefresh.invalidate());
   }
 });
 
 window.obelisk?.onIndexUpdated?.(() => {
-  loadInitialData();
+  reportGlobalRefreshFailure(globalDataRefresh.invalidate());
 });
 
 window.obelisk?.onSessionUpdated?.(({ sessionId } = {}) => {
diff --git a/app/src/renderer/src/session-global-refresh.mjs b/app/src/renderer/src/session-global-refresh.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..437678d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/renderer/src/session-global-refresh.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+/**
+ * Keeps global catalogue snapshots out of the active SessionDetail view.
+ * SessionDetail receives its own incremental stream; the catalogue is an
+ * eventually-consistent projection that can catch up after the route exits.
+ */
+export function createGlobalDataRefreshCoordinator({ isDeferred, load, commit }) {
+  let dirty = false;
+  let inFlight = null;
+  let fetchedSnapshot = null;
+  let hasFetchedSnapshot = false;
+
+  async function commitOrRetain(snapshot) {
+    try {
+      await commit(snapshot);
+    } catch (error) {
+      fetchedSnapshot = snapshot;
+      hasFetchedSnapshot = true;
+      throw error;
+    }
+  }
+
+  async function process({ allowDeferred = false } = {}) {
+    let mayCommitWhileDeferred = allowDeferred;
+    while (dirty || hasFetchedSnapshot) {
+      if (!mayCommitWhileDeferred && isDeferred()) return;
+
+      let snapshot;
+      if (dirty) {
+        dirty = false;
+        fetchedSnapshot = null;
+        hasFetchedSnapshot = false;
+        try {
+          snapshot = await load();
+        } catch (error) {
+          dirty = true;
+          throw error;
+        }
+
+        if (mayCommitWhileDeferred) {
+          await commitOrRetain(snapshot);
+          mayCommitWhileDeferred = false;
+          continue;
+        }
+
+        // A newer invalidation supersedes the snapshot that just loaded.
+        if (dirty) continue;
+        if (isDeferred()) {
+          fetchedSnapshot = snapshot;
+          hasFetchedSnapshot = true;
+          return;
+        }
+      } else {
+        snapshot = fetchedSnapshot;
+        fetchedSnapshot = null;
+        hasFetchedSnapshot = false;
+      }
+
+      await commitOrRetain(snapshot);
+    }
+  }
+
+  function drain(options) {
+    if (inFlight) return inFlight;
+    if (!options?.allowDeferred && isDeferred()) return Promise.resolve();
+    if (!dirty && !hasFetchedSnapshot) return Promise.resolve();
+    const operation = process(options);
+    inFlight = operation;
+    return operation.finally(() => {
+      if (inFlight === operation) inFlight = null;
+    });
+  }
+
+  return {
+    invalidate() {
+      dirty = true;
+      return drain();
+    },
+    flush() {
+      return drain();
+    },
+    initialize() {
+      dirty = true;
+      return drain({ allowDeferred: true });
+    },
+  };
+}
diff --git a/app/src/renderer/src/session-live-reload.mjs b/app/src/renderer/src/session-live-reload.mjs
index 6cb1c98..8ffc0a2 100644
--- a/app/src/renderer/src/session-live-reload.mjs
+++ b/app/src/renderer/src/session-live-reload.mjs
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ export function createSessionLiveReloadCoordinator({ isScrolling, load, commit }
 
   async function processPending() {
     if (stopped || (!pending && !loadedSnapshot)) return inFlight;
+    // Do not start more IPC/deserialization work during an active wheel
+    // gesture. Coalesce notifications and fetch the latest state once.
+    if (isScrolling()) return inFlight;
     if (inFlight) return inFlight;
     inFlight = drain();
     try {
diff --git a/app/src/renderer/src/session-timeline-viewport.mjs b/app/src/renderer/src/session-timeline-viewport.mjs
index bddb3e9..fc152f7 100644
--- a/app/src/renderer/src/session-timeline-viewport.mjs
+++ b/app/src/renderer/src/session-timeline-viewport.mjs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { computed, ref } from 'vue';
-import { elementScroll, useVirtualizer } from '@tanstack/vue-virtual';
+import { defaultRangeExtractor, elementScroll, useVirtualizer } from '@tanstack/vue-virtual';
 import { createSessionTimelineScrollPolicy } from './session-timeline-scroll-policy.mjs';
 
 function estimatedTextHeight(text = '') {
@@ -26,6 +26,37 @@ export function estimateTimelineItemSize(item) {
     + (message._thinking ? 34 : 0);
 }
 
+export function createViewportRangeExtractor({
+  getScrollElement,
+  getVirtualizer,
+  bufferViewports = 4,
+}) {
+  return range => {
+    const element = getScrollElement();
+    const instance = getVirtualizer();
+    const viewportSize = element?.clientHeight || 0;
+    if (!instance || viewportSize <= 0) return defaultRangeExtractor(range);
+
+    // The compositor can advance wheel scrolling before the renderer receives
+    // the scroll event. Buffer in pixels so short rows do not collapse a
+    // count-based overscan into less than one trackpad gesture.
+    const bufferSize = viewportSize * bufferViewports;
+    const scrollOffset = element.scrollTop || 0;
+    const first = instance.getVirtualItemForOffset(Math.max(0, scrollOffset - bufferSize));
+    const last = instance.getVirtualItemForOffset(
+      scrollOffset + viewportSize + bufferSize,
+    );
+    if (!first || !last) return defaultRangeExtractor(range);
+
+    const startIndex = Math.max(0, Math.min(first.index, range.startIndex));
+    const endIndex = Math.min(range.count - 1, Math.max(last.index, range.endIndex));
+    return Array.from(
+      { length: endIndex - startIndex + 1 },
+      (_, offset) => startIndex + offset,
+    );
+  };
+}
+
 export function useSessionTimelineViewport({
   items,
   scrollElement,
@@ -40,7 +71,12 @@ export function useSessionTimelineViewport({
     isUserScrolling: () => userScroll?.isActive() ?? false,
     writeScroll: elementScroll,
   });
-  const virtualizer = useVirtualizer(computed(() => ({
+  let virtualizer = null;
+  const rangeExtractor = createViewportRangeExtractor({
+    getScrollElement: () => scrollElement.value,
+    getVirtualizer: () => virtualizer?.value,
+  });
+  virtualizer = useVirtualizer(computed(() => ({
     count: items.value.length,
     getScrollElement: () => scrollElement.value,
     estimateSize: index => estimateTimelineItemSize(items.value[index]),
@@ -48,6 +84,7 @@ export function useSessionTimelineViewport({
     scrollMargin: scrollMargin.value,
     scrollPaddingEnd,
     overscan,
+    rangeExtractor,
     gap,
     anchorTo: 'end',
     followOnAppend: false,
@@ -133,6 +170,27 @@ export function useSessionTimelineViewport({
     tailFollowReady.value = true;
   }
 
+  async function waitForStableLayout({ maxFrames = 8, isCurrent = () => true } = {}) {
+    const targetWindow = scrollElement.value?.ownerDocument?.defaultView;
+    if (!targetWindow || items.value.length === 0) return true;
+    for (let frame = 0; frame < maxFrames; frame++) {
+      await new Promise(resolve => targetWindow.requestAnimationFrame(resolve));
+      if (!isCurrent()) return false;
+      const rows = [...virtualizer.value.elementsCache.values()]
+        .filter(element => element.isConnected)
+        .sort((left, right) => (
+          Number(left.dataset.index) - Number(right.dataset.index)
+        ))
+        .map(element => element.getBoundingClientRect())
+        .filter(rect => rect.height > 0);
+      const overlaps = rows.some((rect, index) => (
+        index > 0 && rect.top < rows[index - 1].bottom - 1
+      ));
+      if (rows.length > 0 && !overlaps) return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+  }
+
   return {
     virtualRows,
     totalSize,
@@ -143,5 +201,6 @@ export function useSessionTimelineViewport({
     isFollowingTail,
     resetForInitialSnapshot,
     completeInitialSnapshot,
+    waitForStableLayout,
   };
 }
diff --git a/app/src/renderer/src/session-user-scroll.mjs b/app/src/renderer/src/session-user-scroll.mjs
index 81a52ab..d513f53 100644
--- a/app/src/renderer/src/session-user-scroll.mjs
+++ b/app/src/renderer/src/session-user-scroll.mjs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 export function createSessionUserScroll({
   quietMs = 450,
+  scrollEndGraceMs = 100,
   setTimeout: schedule = globalThis.setTimeout.bind(globalThis),
   clearTimeout: cancel = globalThis.clearTimeout.bind(globalThis),
   onEnd = () => {},
@@ -22,12 +23,12 @@ export function createSessionUserScroll({
     if (notify) onEnd();
   }
 
-  function scheduleFallback() {
+  function scheduleFallback(delay = quietMs) {
     clearQuietTimer();
     quietTimer = schedule(() => {
       quietTimer = null;
       finish();
-    }, quietMs);
+    }, delay);
   }
 
   function begin() {
@@ -51,7 +52,10 @@ export function createSessionUserScroll({
   }
 
   function handleScrollEnd() {
-    finish();
+    // Chromium can emit scrollend between wheel packets even though the user
+    // is still in one physical trackpad gesture. A short grace period lets the
+    // next packet keep ownership without waiting for the full watchdog.
+    scheduleFallback(scrollEndGraceMs);
   }
 
   function detach() {
diff --git a/app/src/renderer/src/store.js b/app/src/renderer/src/store.js
index 3b0070c..2de99ec 100644
--- a/app/src/renderer/src/store.js
+++ b/app/src/renderer/src/store.js
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 // Shared renderer state. Navigation state belongs to Vue Router; this store
 // holds only data and cross-view UI preferences.
 
-import { reactive, markRaw } from 'vue';
+import { reactive, shallowReactive, markRaw } from 'vue';
 
 export const state = reactive({
   memories: [],
   sessions: [],
+  sessionTitleOverrides: shallowReactive(new Map()),
   projects: [],
   stats: {},
   view: 'active',          // 'active' | 'archived'
@@ -21,6 +22,14 @@ export const state = reactive({
   loaded: false
 });
 
+export function getSessionSummary(sessionId) {
+  const id = String(sessionId || '');
+  const session = state.sessions.find(candidate => candidate.id === id);
+  const title = state.sessionTitleOverrides.get(id);
+  if (title === undefined) return session;
+  return { ...(session || { id }), title };
+}
+
 // SVG icon constants
 export const FOLDER_SVG = `<svg viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.4" stroke-linejoin="round"><path d="M2.5 4h4l1.5 1.5h5.5v7a1 1 0 0 1-1 1h-10a1 1 0 0 1-1-1v-8z"/></svg>`;
 
diff --git a/app/src/renderer/src/views/SessionDetail.vue b/app/src/renderer/src/views/SessionDetail.vue
index f87c93b..65a704d 100644
--- a/app/src/renderer/src/views/SessionDetail.vue
+++ b/app/src/renderer/src/views/SessionDetail.vue
@@ -1,8 +1,14 @@
 <script setup>
 import { ref, shallowRef, computed, reactive, onMounted, onUnmounted, nextTick, onActivated, onDeactivated, watch } from 'vue';
 import { useRouter, useRoute } from 'vue-router';
-import { state, FOLDER_SVG } from '../store.js';
-import { getCachedSessionDetail, loadSessionDetail, loadSessionDetailPatch, loadFullText } from '../data.js';
+import { state, FOLDER_SVG, getSessionSummary } from '../store.js';
+import {
+  fetchSessionDetailPatch,
+  getCachedSessionDetail,
+  loadSessionDetail,
+  loadFullText,
+  materializeSessionDetailPatch,
+} from '../data.js';
 import { clearSessionDirty, consumeGlobalSessionDirty, markSessionDirty } from '../session-live.mjs';
 import { applySnapshot } from '../session-timeline.mjs';
 import { reconcileTimelineItems } from '../session-timeline-items.mjs';
@@ -24,10 +30,14 @@ const router = useRouter();
 const route = useRoute();
 
 // --- Reactive state ---
-const session = computed(() => state.sessions.find(s => s.id === props.id));
+const liveSessionMetadata = shallowRef(null);
+const session = computed(() => (
+  liveSessionMetadata.value || getSessionSummary(props.id)
+));
 const messages = shallowRef([]);
 const timelineItems = shallowRef([]);
 const loading = ref(false);
+const timelineReady = ref(false);
 const progressPct = ref(0);
 const active = ref(false);
 const focusedItemKey = ref(null);
@@ -37,6 +47,7 @@ let removeSessionUpdated = null;
 let keydownAttached = false;
 let focusTimer = null;
 let loadRevision = 0;
+let initialMountComplete = false;
 
 // DOM refs
 const wrapRef = ref(null);
@@ -55,7 +66,7 @@ const timelineViewport = useSessionTimelineViewport({
   scrollPaddingEnd: NAV_HEIGHT,
   userScroll,
 });
-const { virtualRows, totalSize, measureElement } = timelineViewport;
+const { virtualRows, totalSize, measureElement, waitForStableLayout } = timelineViewport;
 const liveReloadCoordinator = createSessionLiveReloadCoordinator({
   isScrolling: () => userScroll.isActive(),
   load: loadLiveSnapshot,
@@ -141,16 +152,23 @@ onMounted(async () => {
     localStorage.setItem(HINT_KEY, '1');
     setTimeout(() => { showFontHint.value = false; }, 4000);
   }
-  await loadMessages({ force: consumeGlobalSessionDirty(props.id) });
-  await nextTick();
-  syncTimelineScrollMargin();
-  observeSessionHeader();
+  try {
+    await loadMessages({ force: consumeGlobalSessionDirty(props.id) });
+    await nextTick();
+    syncTimelineScrollMargin();
+    observeSessionHeader();
+  } finally {
+    initialMountComplete = true;
+  }
 });
 
 onActivated(async () => {
   active.value = true;
   userScroll.attach(wrapRef.value);
   attachKeydown();
+  // KeepAlive invokes onActivated during the initial mount as well. The
+  // onMounted path already owns that first load and layout reveal.
+  if (!initialMountComplete) return;
   if (route.query.focus) {
     state.pendingFocusUuid = route.query.focus;
   }
@@ -192,8 +210,10 @@ watch(() => props.id, async (newId, oldId) => {
     loadRevision++;
     userScroll.clearUpwardIntent();
     timelineViewport.resetForInitialSnapshot();
+    liveSessionMetadata.value = null;
     messages.value = [];
     timelineItems.value = [];
+    timelineReady.value = false;
     disclosures.retainMessages(new Set());
     expandedMessageText.clear();
     fullTextLoading.clear();
@@ -214,17 +234,38 @@ async function loadMessages({ force = false } = {}) {
   if (!requestedSessionId) return;
   const revision = ++loadRevision;
   const hadContent = messages.value.length > 0;
-  let latest;
+  let committed = false;
 
   loading.value = !hadContent;
+  if (!hadContent) timelineReady.value = false;
   try {
-    latest = await fetchSessionSnapshot(requestedSessionId, { force });
+    const latest = await fetchSessionSnapshot(requestedSessionId, { force });
+    if (revision !== loadRevision || requestedSessionId !== props.id) return;
+    await commitSessionSnapshot(latest);
+    committed = true;
   } finally {
-    if (revision === loadRevision) loading.value = false;
+    if (revision === loadRevision) {
+      loading.value = false;
+      if (!committed) timelineReady.value = true;
+    }
+  }
+  if (!hadContent) await revealColdTimeline(revision, requestedSessionId);
+}
+
+async function revealColdTimeline(revision, sessionId) {
+  await nextTick();
+  if (revision !== loadRevision || sessionId !== props.id) return;
+  syncTimelineScrollMargin();
+  if (timelineItems.value.length === 0) {
+    timelineReady.value = true;
+    return;
   }
 
-  if (revision !== loadRevision || requestedSessionId !== props.id) return;
-  await commitSessionSnapshot(latest);
+  await waitForStableLayout({
+    isCurrent: () => revision === loadRevision && sessionId === props.id,
+  });
+  if (revision !== loadRevision || sessionId !== props.id) return;
+  timelineReady.value = true;
 }
 
 async function fetchSessionSnapshot(sessionId, { force = false } = {}) {
@@ -241,8 +282,8 @@ async function loadLiveSnapshot() {
   const sessionId = props.id;
   if (!sessionId) return null;
   const revision = ++loadRevision;
-  const latest = await loadSessionDetailPatch(sessionId);
-  return { sessionId, revision, latest };
+  const patchRequest = await fetchSessionDetailPatch(sessionId);
+  return { sessionId, revision, patchRequest };
 }
 
 async function commitLiveSnapshot(snapshot) {
@@ -250,8 +291,13 @@ async function commitLiveSnapshot(snapshot) {
     markSessionDirty(snapshot.sessionId);
     return;
   }
-  await commitSessionSnapshot(snapshot.latest);
-  const accepted = snapshot.latest?.acceptMessagePatch?.() ?? true;
+  const latest = await materializeSessionDetailPatch(snapshot.patchRequest);
+  if (snapshot.revision !== loadRevision || snapshot.sessionId !== props.id) {
+    markSessionDirty(snapshot.sessionId);
+    return;
+  }
+  await commitSessionSnapshot(latest);
+  const accepted = latest?.acceptMessagePatch?.() ?? true;
   if (accepted) clearSessionDirty(snapshot.sessionId);
   else markSessionDirty(snapshot.sessionId);
 }
@@ -260,6 +306,7 @@ async function commitSessionSnapshot(latest) {
   // The route can mount before the initial session list arrives. Keep
   // first-snapshot tail following disabled until an actual session exists.
   if (!latest) return;
+  liveSessionMetadata.value = latest;
   const incoming = latest?.messages || [];
   const tailPatch = latest.messagePatch?.tailOnly
     ? {
@@ -417,13 +464,13 @@ function navigateToSubagent(agentId) {
       </div>
 
       <!-- Loading state -->
-      <div v-if="loading" class="empty" style="padding: 60px 0; text-align: center; color: var(--muted);">
+      <div v-if="loading || !timelineReady" class="empty first-open-loading">
         Loading session...
       </div>
 
       <!-- Session header -->
       <template v-if="session && !loading">
-        <div class="session-header" ref="headerRef">
+        <div class="session-header" :class="{ 'is-preparing': !timelineReady }" ref="headerRef">
           <div class="session-eyebrow">
             <span class="project-icon" v-html="FOLDER_SVG"></span>
             <span class="project-name">{{ formatProjectLabel(session.project) }}</span>
@@ -452,6 +499,7 @@ function navigateToSubagent(agentId) {
         <div
           ref="timelineRef"
           class="timeline virtual-timeline"
+          :class="{ 'is-preparing': !timelineReady }"
           :style="{ height: `${totalSize}px` }"
         >
           <div
@@ -503,12 +551,27 @@ function navigateToSubagent(agentId) {
 </template>
 
 <style scoped>
+.detail {
+  position: relative;
+}
 .detail-wrap {
   flex: 1;
   overflow-y: auto;
   min-height: 0;
   position: relative;
 }
+.first-open-loading {
+  position: absolute;
+  inset: 0;
+  z-index: 2;
+  padding: 60px 0;
+  text-align: center;
+  color: var(--muted);
+}
+.session-header.is-preparing,
+.virtual-timeline.is-preparing {
+  visibility: hidden;
+}
 .virtual-timeline {
   display: block;
   position: relative;
diff --git a/app/src/shared/ipc-types.ts b/app/src/shared/ipc-types.ts
index 0bb5b3f..4cdd2b4 100644
--- a/app/src/shared/ipc-types.ts
+++ b/app/src/shared/ipc-types.ts
@@ -16,11 +16,26 @@ export type SessionPatchRow = Record<string, unknown>;
 export type SessionPatchSnapshot = Partial<Record<SessionPatchTable, SessionPatchRow[]>>;
 export type SessionPatchCursor = Record<SessionPatchTable, Record<string, string>>;
 
+export interface SessionMetadata {
+  id: string;
+  title?: string | null;
+  project?: string | null;
+  project_path?: string | null;
+  started_at?: string | null;
+  ended_at?: string | null;
+  git_branch?: string | null;
+  version?: string | null;
+  message_count?: number | null;
+  jsonl_path?: string | null;
+  source?: string | null;
+}
+
 export interface SessionPatch {
   changes: Record<SessionPatchTable, SessionPatchRow[]>;
   removed: Record<SessionPatchTable, string[]>;
   hashes: Record<SessionPatchTable, Record<string, string>>;
   positions: Record<SessionPatchTable, Record<string, number>>;
+  session?: SessionMetadata | null;
 }
 
 export interface AppliedSessionPatch {
diff --git a/app/tests/electron-session-virtualization.mjs b/app/tests/electron-session-virtualization.mjs
index 10cee86..371c377 100644
--- a/app/tests/electron-session-virtualization.mjs
+++ b/app/tests/electron-session-virtualization.mjs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 // Production renderer integration test for the dynamic SessionDetail timeline.
 // Run: npm run test:electron:timeline
-import { app, BrowserWindow, ipcMain } from 'electron';
+import { app, BrowserWindow, ipcMain, nativeImage } from 'electron';
 import { dirname, join } from 'node:path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
 import { setTimeout as delay } from 'node:timers/promises';
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ const channels = [
 
 let failures = 0;
 let firstSessionListRead = true;
+let nextPatchDelayMs = 0;
+let stressGlobalCatalogue = false;
+let currentSessionTitle = 'Virtualized timeline integration';
 const ipcReads = {
   messages: 0,
   toolCalls: 0,
@@ -46,6 +49,12 @@ const ipcReads = {
   patches: 0,
   patchMessageRows: [],
 };
+const globalReads = {
+  sessions: 0,
+  memories: 0,
+  projects: 0,
+  stats: 0,
+};
 const messages = Array.from({ length: messageCount }, (_, index) => ({
   uuid: `message-${index}`,
   type: index % 2 === 0 ? 'user' : 'assistant',
@@ -60,6 +69,10 @@ messages[focusMessageIndex].type = 'assistant';
 messages[focusMessageIndex].text = `Truncated preview ${'indexed content '.repeat(700)}`;
 const fullTextSentinel = `FULL TEXT SENTINEL ${'complete content '.repeat(80)}`;
 const codexExecSource = 'const result = { ok: true };\nreturn result;';
+const liveBashToolInput = {
+  command: "cat > /tmp/q_jul15b.mjs <<'EOF'\nconst codex = sessions({ source: 'codex', project: '%quiet-zero%', limit: 3 });\n\nconst tail = sql(`\n  SELECT substr(text, 1, 500) as snippet, timestamp, role\n  FROM messages\n  WHERE session_id = ?\n    AND timestamp > '2026-07-14T18:20:00'\n    AND text IS NOT NULL\n    AND COALESCE(is_meta, 0) = 0\n    AND length(text) > 30\n  ORDER BY timestamp DESC\n  LIMIT 5\n`, codex[0]?.id);\n\n// Any new codex sessions for quiet-zero\nconst newer = sql(`\n  SELECT id, title, started_at, ended_at, message_count\n  FROM sessions\n  WHERE COALESCE(source,'claude') = 'codex'\n    AND project LIKE '%quiet-zero%'\n    AND started_at > '2026-07-14T18:00:00'\n  ORDER BY started_at DESC\n  LIMIT 5\n`);\n\nreturn {\n  main: { id: codex[0]?.id, ended: codex[0]?.ended_at, msgs: codex[0]?.message_count },\n  afterLastSync: tail,\n  newerSessions: newer,\n};\nEOF\nnode /Users/tomiya/.claude/skills/obelisk/scripts/runtime.js --query /tmp/q_jul15b.mjs",
+  description: 'Query for activity since last sync',
+};
 let codexExecOutput = JSON.stringify([{
   type: 'input_text',
   text: 'Script completed\nWall time 0.1 seconds\nOutput:\n{"ok":true}',
@@ -88,7 +101,7 @@ const toolResults = [{
 function sessionSummary() {
   return {
     id: sessionId,
-    title: 'Virtualized timeline integration',
+    title: currentSessionTitle,
     project: 'quiet-zero',
     project_path: '/tmp/quiet-zero',
     source: 'claude',
@@ -99,6 +112,17 @@ function sessionSummary() {
   };
 }
 
+function sessionSummaries() {
+  return [sessionSummary(), ...Array.from({ length: 999 }, (_, index) => ({
+    ...sessionSummary(),
+    id: `background-session-${index}`,
+    title: `Background session ${index}`,
+    project: `project-${index % 250}`,
+    project_path: `/tmp/project-${index % 250}`,
+    message_count: index % 200,
+  }))];
+}
+
 function assert(condition, message) {
   if (condition) console.log(`PASS: ${message}`);
   else {
@@ -116,7 +140,7 @@ async function waitFor(webContents, expression, message, timeoutMs = 8000) {
   throw new Error(`Timed out waiting for ${message}`);
 }
 
-async function startRendererTrace(win) {
+async function startRendererTrace(win, { captureScreenshots = false } = {}) {
   const traceEvents = [];
   let completeTrace;
   const traceComplete = new Promise(resolve => { completeTrace = resolve; });
@@ -127,7 +151,13 @@ async function startRendererTrace(win) {
   win.webContents.debugger.attach('1.3');
   win.webContents.debugger.on('message', onMessage);
   await win.webContents.debugger.sendCommand('Tracing.start', {
-    categories: 'devtools.timeline,disabled-by-default-devtools.timeline,blink.user_timing,toplevel',
+    categories: [
+      'devtools.timeline',
+      'disabled-by-default-devtools.timeline',
+      'blink.user_timing',
+      'toplevel',
+      captureScreenshots ? 'disabled-by-default-devtools.screenshot' : '',
+    ].filter(Boolean).join(','),
     options: 'record-as-much-as-possible',
     transferMode: 'ReportEvents',
   });
@@ -140,6 +170,139 @@ async function startRendererTrace(win) {
   };
 }
 
+function screenshotContentDeviation(event) {
+  const image = nativeImage.createFromBuffer(Buffer.from(event.args.snapshot, 'base64'));
+  const size = image.getSize();
+  const crop = image.crop({
+    x: Math.floor(size.width * 0.32),
+    y: Math.floor(size.height * 0.2),
+    width: Math.max(1, Math.floor(size.width * 0.5)),
+    height: Math.max(1, Math.floor(size.height * 0.6)),
+  });
+  const bitmap = crop.toBitmap();
+  let sum = 0;
+  let sumSquares = 0;
+  let samples = 0;
+  for (let offset = 0; offset + 3 < bitmap.length; offset += 4) {
+    const value = (bitmap[offset] + bitmap[offset + 1] + bitmap[offset + 2]) / 3;
+    sum += value;
+    sumSquares += value * value;
+    samples++;
+  }
+  const mean = sum / samples;
+  return Math.sqrt(Math.max(0, sumSquares / samples - mean * mean)) / 255;
+}
+
+let wheelTraceRun = 0;
+async function traceWheelPaintContinuity(win, { updateTool = false } = {}) {
+  const runId = wheelTraceRun++;
+  const startMark = `obelisk-wheel-${runId}-start`;
+  const endMark = `obelisk-wheel-${runId}-end`;
+  win.showInactive();
+  await delay(180);
+  await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(`(() => {
+    const tool = document.querySelector('[data-view-key="tool:call-1"]');
+    if (tool && !tool.classList.contains('open')) tool.querySelector('.toolcall-toggle')?.click();
+  })()`, true);
+  await delay(120);
+  const before = await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(
+    `document.querySelector('.detail-wrap')?.scrollTop || 0`,
+    true,
+  );
+  const stopRendererTrace = await startRendererTrace(win, { captureScreenshots: true });
+  await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(`(() => {
+    const wrap = document.querySelector('.detail-wrap');
+    const tool = document.querySelector('[data-view-key="tool:call-1"]');
+    const probe = {
+      gaps: [],
+      previous: performance.now(),
+      stop: false,
+      wheels: 0,
+      updateVisibleAtWheel: null,
+    };
+    const recordWheel = () => { probe.wheels++; };
+    const observer = new MutationObserver(() => {
+      if (
+        probe.updateVisibleAtWheel === null
+        && tool?.querySelector('.prompt-cmd')?.textContent.includes('/tmp/q_jul15b.mjs')
+      ) probe.updateVisibleAtWheel = probe.wheels;
+    });
+    wrap?.addEventListener('wheel', recordWheel, { passive: true });
+    if (tool) observer.observe(tool, { childList: true, characterData: true, subtree: true });
+    probe.cleanup = () => {
+      wrap?.removeEventListener('wheel', recordWheel);
+      observer.disconnect();
+    };
+    window.__wheelFrameProbe = probe;
+    function frame(now) {
+      probe.gaps.push(now - probe.previous);
+      probe.previous = now;
+      if (!probe.stop) requestAnimationFrame(frame);
+    }
+    requestAnimationFrame(frame);
+  })()`, true);
+  if (updateTool) {
+    nextPatchDelayMs = 80;
+    replaceToolInput(win, 'call-1', liveBashToolInput, { notify: false });
+  }
+  await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(
+    `performance.mark(${JSON.stringify(startMark)})`,
+    true,
+  );
+  for (let index = 0; index < 8; index++) {
+    win.webContents.sendInputEvent({
+      type: 'mouseWheel',
+      x: 800,
+      y: 400,
+      deltaX: 0,
+      deltaY: -120,
+      canScroll: true,
+    });
+    if (updateTool && index === 2) {
+      // Production sends both notifications for one daemon build. The global
+      // catalogue invalidation must not reload 1000 sessions into the renderer
+      // while the current conversation owns the scroll gesture.
+      win.webContents.send('obelisk:index-updated', { affectedSessionIds: [sessionId] });
+      win.webContents.send('obelisk:session-updated', { sessionId });
+    }
+    await delay(45);
+  }
+  // Stop inside the scrollend grace window. Any patch preparation or DOM
+  // mutation seen here competed with the physical wheel burst.
+  await delay(60);
+  const after = await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(
+    `document.querySelector('.detail-wrap')?.scrollTop || 0`,
+    true,
+  );
+  const frameProbe = await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(`(() => {
+    performance.mark(${JSON.stringify(endMark)});
+    const probe = window.__wheelFrameProbe;
+    probe.stop = true;
+    probe.cleanup();
+    delete window.__wheelFrameProbe;
+    return { gaps: probe.gaps, updateVisibleAtWheel: probe.updateVisibleAtWheel };
+  })()`, true);
+  const traceEvents = await stopRendererTrace();
+  const screenshots = traceEvents
+    .filter(event => event.name === 'Screenshot' && event.args?.snapshot);
+  const deviations = screenshots.map(screenshotContentDeviation);
+  const taskMetrics = rendererTaskMetrics(traceEvents, startMark, endMark);
+  return {
+    before,
+    after,
+    screenshots: screenshots.length,
+    minDeviation: Math.min(Infinity, ...deviations),
+    maxFrameGap: Math.max(0, ...frameProbe.gaps),
+    maxTaskMs: taskMetrics.maxTaskMs,
+    maxFunctionCallMs: taskMetrics.maxFunctionCallMs,
+    updateVisibleAtWheel: frameProbe.updateVisibleAtWheel,
+    slowestChildren: taskMetrics.slowestChildren,
+    // A blank content crop is almost uniform (< 0.035); rendered fixture rows
+    // stay comfortably above 0.06 even while the compositor is scrolling.
+    blankFrames: deviations.filter(value => value < 0.035).length,
+  };
+}
+
 function rendererTaskMetrics(traceEvents, startMark, endMark) {
   const start = traceEvents.find(event => event.name === startMark);
   const end = [...traceEvents].reverse().find(event => event.name === endMark);
@@ -173,6 +336,16 @@ function rendererTaskMetrics(traceEvents, startMark, endMark) {
   return {
     tasks: taskDurations.length,
     maxTaskMs: Math.max(0, ...taskDurations),
+    maxFunctionCallMs: Math.max(0, ...traceEvents
+      .filter(event => (
+        event.name === 'FunctionCall'
+        && event.ph === 'X'
+        && event.pid === start.pid
+        && event.tid === start.tid
+        && event.ts >= start.ts
+        && event.ts <= end.ts
+      ))
+      .map(event => (event.dur || 0) / 1000)),
     slowestChildren,
   };
 }
@@ -211,31 +384,38 @@ async function traceStationaryAppend(win, index, expectedTotal, runIndex) {
 
 function registerHandlers() {
   ipcMain.handle('db:getSessions', async () => {
+    globalReads.sessions++;
     if (firstSessionListRead) {
       firstSessionListRead = false;
       await delay(120);
     }
-    return [sessionSummary()];
+    return stressGlobalCatalogue ? sessionSummaries() : [sessionSummary()];
   });
   ipcMain.handle('db:getSessionMessages', () => { ipcReads.messages++; return messages; });
   ipcMain.handle('db:getSessionToolCalls', () => { ipcReads.toolCalls++; return toolCalls; });
   ipcMain.handle('db:getSessionToolResults', () => { ipcReads.toolResults++; return toolResults; });
-  ipcMain.handle('db:getSessionPatch', (_event, _sessionId, cursor) => {
+  ipcMain.handle('db:getSessionPatch', async (_event, _sessionId, cursor) => {
     ipcReads.patches++;
+    const delayMs = nextPatchDelayMs;
+    nextPatchDelayMs = 0;
+    if (delayMs > 0) await delay(delayMs);
     const patch = createSessionPatch({
       messages: assembleSessionMessages({ messages, toolCalls, toolResults, subagents: [], workflows: [] }),
       workflows: [],
     }, cursor);
     ipcReads.patchMessageRows.push(patch.changes.messages.length);
-    return patch;
+    return { ...patch, session: sessionSummary() };
   });
   ipcMain.handle('db:getSessionSubagents', () => { ipcReads.subagents++; return []; });
   ipcMain.handle('db:getSessionWorkflows', () => { ipcReads.workflows++; return []; });
   ipcMain.handle('db:getSessionSummaries', () => { ipcReads.summaries++; return []; });
   ipcMain.handle('db:getMessageFullText', (_event, uuid) => uuid === focusMessageUuid ? fullTextSentinel : null);
-  ipcMain.handle('db:getMemories', () => []);
-  ipcMain.handle('db:getProjects', () => [{ project: 'quiet-zero', count: 1 }]);
-  ipcMain.handle('db:getStats', () => ({}));
+  ipcMain.handle('db:getMemories', () => { globalReads.memories++; return []; });
+  ipcMain.handle('db:getProjects', () => {
+    globalReads.projects++;
+    return [{ project: 'quiet-zero', count: 1 }];
+  });
+  ipcMain.handle('db:getStats', () => { globalReads.stats++; return {}; });
   ipcMain.handle('settings:get', () => ({}));
 }
 
@@ -265,6 +445,13 @@ function replaceToolResult(win, toolUseId, content) {
   win.webContents.send('obelisk:session-updated', { sessionId });
 }
 
+function replaceToolInput(win, toolUseId, input, { notify = true } = {}) {
+  const index = toolCalls.findIndex(toolCall => toolCall.id === toolUseId);
+  if (index < 0) throw new Error(`Cannot update missing tool call ${toolUseId}`);
+  toolCalls[index] = { ...toolCalls[index], input_json: JSON.stringify(input) };
+  if (notify) win.webContents.send('obelisk:session-updated', { sessionId });
+}
+
 async function run() {
   registerHandlers();
   const win = new BrowserWindow({
@@ -279,13 +466,72 @@ async function run() {
   });
 
   await win.loadFile(join(appRoot, 'out', 'renderer', 'index.html'), {
-    hash: `/sessions/${sessionId}`,
+    hash: '/sessions',
   });
+  await waitFor(
+    win.webContents,
+    `document.body.textContent.includes('Virtualized timeline integration')`,
+    'the session list before cold open',
+  );
+  await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(`(() => {
+    const probe = {
+      maxOverlaps: 0,
+      framesWithOverlap: 0,
+      samples: 0,
+      examples: [],
+      stop: false,
+    };
+    window.__coldOpenOverlapProbe = probe;
+    function sample() {
+      if (probe.stop) return;
+      const timeline = document.querySelector('.virtual-timeline');
+      const rows = timeline && getComputedStyle(timeline).visibility !== 'hidden'
+        ? [...timeline.querySelectorAll('.virtual-timeline-row')]
+        .map(row => row.getBoundingClientRect())
+        .filter(rect => rect.height > 0)
+        : [];
+      let overlaps = 0;
+      for (let index = 1; index < rows.length; index++) {
+        if (rows[index].top < rows[index - 1].bottom - 1) overlaps++;
+      }
+      probe.maxOverlaps = Math.max(probe.maxOverlaps, overlaps);
+      if (overlaps > 0) {
+        probe.framesWithOverlap++;
+        if (probe.examples.length < 2) {
+          probe.examples.push({
+            overlaps,
+            totalSize: document.querySelector('.virtual-timeline')?.style.height,
+            rows: [...document.querySelectorAll('.virtual-timeline-row')].slice(0, 4).map(row => ({
+              index: row.dataset.index,
+              transform: row.style.transform,
+              top: row.getBoundingClientRect().top,
+              height: row.getBoundingClientRect().height,
+            })),
+          });
+        }
+      }
+      probe.samples++;
+      requestAnimationFrame(sample);
+    }
+    requestAnimationFrame(sample);
+    window.location.hash = ${JSON.stringify(`/sessions/${sessionId}`)};
+  })()`, true);
   await waitFor(
     win.webContents,
     `document.querySelector('.flap-number')?.getAttribute('aria-label') === '${messageCount}'`,
     'the cold-start session snapshot',
   );
+  await delay(100);
+  const coldOpenOverlap = await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(`(() => {
+    const probe = window.__coldOpenOverlapProbe;
+    probe.stop = true;
+    delete window.__coldOpenOverlapProbe;
+    return probe;
+  })()`, true);
+  assert(
+    coldOpenOverlap.maxOverlaps === 0,
+    `cold-open timeline never paints intersecting message rows (${JSON.stringify(coldOpenOverlap)})`,
+  );
 
   const initial = await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(`(() => ({
     current: Number(document.querySelector('.msg-nav-current')?.textContent),
@@ -362,8 +608,55 @@ async function run() {
   await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(`document.querySelector('button[title="First"]')?.click()`, true);
   await delay(350);
 
+  const wheelBaseline = await traceWheelPaintContinuity(win);
+  await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(`document.querySelector('button[title="First"]')?.click()`, true);
+  await delay(350);
+  const globalReadsBeforeWheelUpdate = { ...globalReads };
+  stressGlobalCatalogue = true;
+  const wheelPaint = await traceWheelPaintContinuity(win, { updateTool: true });
+  stressGlobalCatalogue = false;
+  assert(
+    Math.abs(wheelPaint.after - wheelPaint.before) > 500 && wheelPaint.screenshots >= 4,
+    `wheel trace exercises compositor scrolling (${JSON.stringify(wheelPaint)})`,
+  );
+  assert(
+    wheelPaint.blankFrames === 0,
+    `fast wheel scrolling never presents a blank timeline frame (${JSON.stringify(wheelPaint)})`,
+  );
+  assert(
+    wheelPaint.maxFrameGap < 50,
+    `Bash tool update avoids a multi-frame renderer stall while scrolling (${JSON.stringify(wheelPaint)})`,
+  );
+  assert(
+    wheelPaint.maxFunctionCallMs <= wheelBaseline.maxFunctionCallMs + 2,
+    `Bash patch preparation stays off the scrolling renderer task budget (baseline ${wheelBaseline.maxFunctionCallMs.toFixed(2)}ms, update ${wheelPaint.maxFunctionCallMs.toFixed(2)}ms)`,
+  );
+  assert(
+    wheelPaint.updateVisibleAtWheel === null,
+    `Bash tool update stays out of the timeline DOM for the complete wheel burst (became visible after wheel ${wheelPaint.updateVisibleAtWheel})`,
+  );
+  assert(
+    JSON.stringify(globalReads) === JSON.stringify(globalReadsBeforeWheelUpdate),
+    `conversation updates do not reload global catalogues while scrolling (${JSON.stringify(globalReads)})`,
+  );
+  await waitFor(
+    win.webContents,
+    `Boolean(document.querySelector('[data-view-key="tool:call-1"] .prompt-cmd')?.textContent.includes('/tmp/q_jul15b.mjs'))`,
+    'post-scroll Bash tool update',
+  );
+
   await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(`window.location.hash = '#/sessions'`, true);
   await waitFor(win.webContents, `!document.querySelector('.virtual-timeline')`, 'session detail deactivation');
+  for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 100 && globalReads.sessions === globalReadsBeforeWheelUpdate.sessions; attempt++) {
+    await delay(20);
+  }
+  const expectedGlobalReadsAfterLeaving = Object.fromEntries(
+    Object.entries(globalReadsBeforeWheelUpdate).map(([key, value]) => [key, value + 1]),
+  );
+  assert(
+    JSON.stringify(globalReads) === JSON.stringify(expectedGlobalReadsAfterLeaving),
+    `leaving conversation detail flushes one coalesced global refresh (${JSON.stringify(globalReads)})`,
+  );
   await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(`(async () => {
     const search = document.querySelector('#search');
     search.value = 'SENTINEL';
@@ -494,6 +787,13 @@ async function run() {
     ));
     await delay(250);
   }
+  const liveHeaderMetadata = await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(`(() => ({
+    text: document.querySelector('.session-meta-inline')?.textContent || '',
+  }))()`, true);
+  assert(
+    liveHeaderMetadata.text.includes(`${messageCount + stationaryAppendRuns} messages`),
+    `session header metadata follows incremental patches without a global refresh (${liveHeaderMetadata.text.trim()})`,
+  );
   const stationaryAnchorSelector = `[data-uuid="${stationaryAnchorBefore?.uuid}"]`;
   const stationaryAnchorAfter = await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(`(() => {
     const wrap = document.querySelector('.detail-wrap');
@@ -525,6 +825,20 @@ async function run() {
     assert(trace.maxTaskMs < 8.33, `stationary live commit ${runIndex + 1} stays inside a 120Hz renderer task budget (${trace.maxTaskMs.toFixed(2)}ms across ${trace.tasks} tasks)`);
   }
 
+  await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(`(() => {
+    const probe = { minRows: Infinity, zeroFrames: 0, samples: 0, stop: false };
+    window.__liveTimelineRowProbe = probe;
+    function sample() {
+      if (probe.stop) return;
+      const rows = document.querySelectorAll('.virtual-timeline-row').length;
+      probe.minRows = Math.min(probe.minRows, rows);
+      if (rows === 0) probe.zeroFrames++;
+      probe.samples++;
+      requestAnimationFrame(sample);
+    }
+    requestAnimationFrame(sample);
+  })()`, true);
+  currentSessionTitle = 'Live metadata title';
   setTimeout(() => appendMessage(win, scrollingAppendIndex), 250);
   const scrollProbe = await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(`new Promise(resolve => {
     const wrap = document.querySelector('.detail-wrap');
@@ -587,6 +901,25 @@ async function run() {
     `document.querySelector('.flap-slot.flipping')`,
     'post-scrollend flap animation',
   );
+  await waitFor(
+    win.webContents,
+    `document.title.includes('Live metadata title') && document.querySelector('.breadcrumb')?.textContent.includes('Live metadata title')`,
+    'shared route metadata update',
+  );
+  const sharedMetadataState = await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(`(() => ({
+    windowTitle: document.title.includes('Live metadata title'),
+    breadcrumb: document.querySelector('.breadcrumb')?.textContent.includes('Live metadata title'),
+  }))()`, true);
+  assert(
+    sharedMetadataState.windowTitle && sharedMetadataState.breadcrumb,
+    'session title patch updates the breadcrumb and window title without a catalogue reload',
+  );
+  const liveTimelineContinuity = await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(`(() => {
+    const probe = window.__liveTimelineRowProbe;
+    probe.stop = true;
+    delete window.__liveTimelineRowProbe;
+    return { minRows: probe.minRows, zeroFrames: probe.zeroFrames, samples: probe.samples };
+  })()`, true);
   const readerState = await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(`(() => {
     const wrap = document.querySelector('.detail-wrap');
     const anchorElement = document.querySelector(
@@ -601,7 +934,11 @@ async function run() {
       },
     };
   })()`, true);
-  assert(scrollProbe.rows < 60, `live scrolling keeps mounted rows bounded (${scrollProbe.rows})`);
+  assert(scrollProbe.rows < 80, `live scrolling keeps mounted rows bounded (${scrollProbe.rows})`);
+  assert(
+    liveTimelineContinuity.minRows > 0 && liveTimelineContinuity.zeroFrames === 0,
+    `live update never clears the mounted timeline (${JSON.stringify(liveTimelineContinuity)})`,
+  );
   assert(
     scrollProbe.totalBeforeScrollEnd === scrollProbe.totalBeforeGesture,
     `wheel-to-scrollend freezes the visible timeline (${scrollProbe.totalBeforeGesture} -> ${scrollProbe.totalBeforeScrollEnd})`,
@@ -664,9 +1001,9 @@ async function run() {
       && ipcReads.subagents === 1
       && ipcReads.workflows === 1
       && ipcReads.summaries === 1
-      && ipcReads.patches === 6
+      && ipcReads.patches === 7
       && ipcReads.patchMessageRows.every(count => count === 1),
-    `live updates use six single-message patches after one full snapshot (${JSON.stringify(ipcReads)})`,
+    `live updates use seven single-message patches after one full snapshot (${JSON.stringify(ipcReads)})`,
   );
 
   await win.webContents.executeJavaScript(`document.querySelector('button[title="Last"]')?.click()`, true);
diff --git a/tests/session-global-refresh.test.mjs b/tests/session-global-refresh.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a1ee1a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/session-global-refresh.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+import { test } from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+
+import { createGlobalDataRefreshCoordinator } from '../app/src/renderer/src/session-global-refresh.mjs';
+
+test('conversation detail defers and coalesces global catalogue invalidations until route exit', async () => {
+  let conversationDetailActive = true;
+  let loads = 0;
+  const coordinator = createGlobalDataRefreshCoordinator({
+    isDeferred: () => conversationDetailActive,
+    load: async () => ++loads,
+    commit: () => {},
+  });
+
+  await coordinator.invalidate();
+  await coordinator.invalidate();
+  await coordinator.invalidate();
+  assert.equal(loads, 0, 'detail updates never start a global catalogue IPC');
+
+  conversationDetailActive = false;
+  await coordinator.flush();
+  assert.equal(loads, 1, 'route exit loads the latest invalidation exactly once');
+
+  await coordinator.flush();
+  assert.equal(loads, 1, 'an idle route flush is a no-op');
+});
+
+test('initial catalogue load is allowed on a cold conversation route', async () => {
+  let loads = 0;
+  const coordinator = createGlobalDataRefreshCoordinator({
+    isDeferred: () => true,
+    load: async () => ++loads,
+    commit: () => {},
+  });
+
+  await coordinator.initialize();
+  assert.equal(loads, 1, 'deep links still receive the catalogue needed to resolve the session');
+
+  await coordinator.invalidate();
+  assert.equal(loads, 1, 'later daemon invalidations remain deferred');
+});
+
+test('an invalidation arriving during a load is retained without overlapping loads', async () => {
+  let deferred = false;
+  let loads = 0;
+  let activeLoads = 0;
+  let maxActiveLoads = 0;
+  let releaseFirstLoad;
+  const firstLoadGate = new Promise(resolve => { releaseFirstLoad = resolve; });
+  const coordinator = createGlobalDataRefreshCoordinator({
+    isDeferred: () => deferred,
+    load: async () => {
+      loads++;
+      activeLoads++;
+      maxActiveLoads = Math.max(maxActiveLoads, activeLoads);
+      if (loads === 1) await firstLoadGate;
+      activeLoads--;
+      return loads;
+    },
+    commit: () => {},
+  });
+
+  const first = coordinator.invalidate();
+  const second = coordinator.invalidate();
+  deferred = true;
+  releaseFirstLoad();
+  await Promise.all([first, second]);
+
+  assert.equal(loads, 1, 'detail activation prevents the queued reload');
+  assert.equal(maxActiveLoads, 1, 'global snapshots never overlap');
+
+  deferred = false;
+  await coordinator.flush();
+  assert.equal(loads, 2, 'route exit catches up with the retained invalidation');
+});
+
+test('a failed catalogue load remains dirty for the next flush', async () => {
+  let loads = 0;
+  const coordinator = createGlobalDataRefreshCoordinator({
+    isDeferred: () => false,
+    load: async () => {
+      loads++;
+      if (loads === 1) throw new Error('temporary IPC failure');
+      return loads;
+    },
+    commit: () => {},
+  });
+
+  await assert.rejects(coordinator.invalidate(), /temporary IPC failure/);
+  await coordinator.flush();
+  assert.equal(loads, 2, 'the failed invalidation is retried instead of being lost');
+});
+
+test('a catalogue fetched before navigation never commits inside conversation detail', async () => {
+  let deferred = false;
+  let loads = 0;
+  let releaseLoad;
+  const loadGate = new Promise(resolve => { releaseLoad = resolve; });
+  const commits = [];
+  const coordinator = createGlobalDataRefreshCoordinator({
+    isDeferred: () => deferred,
+    load: async () => {
+      loads++;
+      await loadGate;
+      return 'catalogue-snapshot';
+    },
+    commit: snapshot => { commits.push(snapshot); },
+  });
+
+  const request = coordinator.invalidate();
+  deferred = true;
+  releaseLoad();
+  await request;
+
+  assert.equal(loads, 1);
+  assert.deepEqual(commits, [], 'route activation gates the reactive commit after IPC resolves');
+
+  deferred = false;
+  await coordinator.flush();
+  assert.equal(loads, 1, 'the already-fetched snapshot is reused');
+  assert.deepEqual(commits, ['catalogue-snapshot']);
+});
diff --git a/tests/session-live-reload.test.mjs b/tests/session-live-reload.test.mjs
index dc5b991..4aec3b6 100644
--- a/tests/session-live-reload.test.mjs
+++ b/tests/session-live-reload.test.mjs
@@ -4,14 +4,15 @@ import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import { createSessionLiveReloadCoordinator } from '../app/src/renderer/src/session-live-reload.mjs';
 import { state } from '../app/src/renderer/src/store.js';
 import {
+  fetchSessionDetailPatch,
   getCachedSessionDetail,
   loadSessionDetail,
-  loadSessionDetailPatch,
+  materializeSessionDetailPatch,
 } from '../app/src/renderer/src/data.js';
 import { assembleSessionMessages } from '../app/src/shared/session-detail-assembly.mjs';
 import { createSessionPatch } from '../app/src/shared/session-patch.mjs';
 
-test('live snapshots keep loading while scrolling and commit only the latest after scroll end', async () => {
+test('live updates coalesce while scrolling and load only the latest after scroll end', async () => {
   let scrolling = true;
   let loads = 0;
   const commits = [];
@@ -24,16 +25,16 @@ test('live snapshots keep loading while scrolling and commit only the latest aft
   await coordinator.request();
   await coordinator.request();
   await coordinator.request();
-  assert.equal(loads, 3, 'patches are loaded into the pending snapshot while the timeline is frozen');
+  assert.equal(loads, 0, 'patch preparation stays off the scrolling renderer task budget');
   assert.deepEqual(commits, []);
 
   scrolling = false;
   await coordinator.flush();
-  assert.equal(loads, 3, 'scroll end reuses the freshest pending snapshot');
-  assert.deepEqual(commits, [3]);
+  assert.equal(loads, 1, 'scroll end loads the latest coalesced state once');
+  assert.deepEqual(commits, [1]);
 
   await coordinator.flush();
-  assert.equal(loads, 3, 'an idle flush without another update is a no-op');
+  assert.equal(loads, 1, 'an idle flush without another update is a no-op');
 });
 
 test('an update arriving during an in-flight load skips the stale snapshot without overlap', async () => {
@@ -101,6 +102,7 @@ test('a skipped live patch does not advance the visible patch baseline', async t
   const previousSessions = state.sessions;
   t.after(() => {
     state.sessions = previousSessions;
+    state.sessionTitleOverrides.delete(sessionId);
     delete globalThis.window;
   });
   let rows = [
@@ -133,21 +135,30 @@ test('a skipped live patch does not advance the visible patch baseline', async t
           firstPatchStarted();
           await firstPatchGate;
         }
-        return createSessionPatch(snapshotAtCall, cursor);
+        return {
+          ...createSessionPatch(snapshotAtCall, cursor),
+          session: {
+            id: sessionId,
+            title: 'Live session title',
+            message_count: rows.length,
+          },
+        };
       },
     },
   };
-  state.sessions = [{ id: sessionId, messages: [] }];
+  state.sessions = [{ id: sessionId, title: 'Initial title', message_count: 1, messages: [] }];
   await loadSessionDetail(sessionId);
 
   const commits = [];
   const coordinator = createSessionLiveReloadCoordinator({
     isScrolling: () => false,
-    load: () => loadSessionDetailPatch(sessionId),
+    load: async () => materializeSessionDetailPatch(await fetchSessionDetailPatch(sessionId)),
     commit: async latest => {
       commits.push({
         messages: latest.messages.map(message => message.uuid),
         changedIds: latest.messagePatch.changedIds,
+        title: latest.title,
+        messageCount: latest.message_count,
       });
       latest.acceptMessagePatch?.();
     },
@@ -164,17 +175,32 @@ test('a skipped live patch does not advance the visible patch baseline', async t
   assert.deepEqual(commits, [{
     messages: ['message-1', 'message-2', 'message-3'],
     changedIds: ['message-2', 'message-3'],
+    title: 'Live session title',
+    messageCount: 3,
   }]);
   assert.deepEqual(
     getCachedSessionDetail(sessionId).messages.map(message => message.uuid),
     ['message-1', 'message-2', 'message-3'],
     'accepted patches become the reusable session-detail snapshot',
   );
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    {
+      title: getCachedSessionDetail(sessionId).title,
+      messageCount: getCachedSessionDetail(sessionId).message_count,
+    },
+    { title: 'Live session title', messageCount: 3 },
+    'accepted patches retain the current session metadata without a global catalogue reload',
+  );
   assert.deepEqual(
     state.sessions.find(session => session.id === sessionId).messages,
     [],
     'the stale full-snapshot copy is invalidated after patch acceptance',
   );
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    state.sessionTitleOverrides.get(sessionId),
+    'Live session title',
+    'accepted title changes update the shared breadcrumb/window-title overlay after the visible commit',
+  );
 
   const evictionSessionIds = ['eviction-session-1', 'eviction-session-2', 'eviction-session-3'];
   state.sessions.push(...evictionSessionIds.map(id => ({ id, messages: [] })));
diff --git a/tests/session-timeline-virtualization.test.mjs b/tests/session-timeline-virtualization.test.mjs
index 081ce1c..f1aebe1 100644
--- a/tests/session-timeline-virtualization.test.mjs
+++ b/tests/session-timeline-virtualization.test.mjs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { test } from 'node:test';
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { createViewportRangeExtractor } from '../app/src/renderer/src/session-timeline-viewport.mjs';
 
 const sessionDetail = readFileSync(
   new URL('../app/src/renderer/src/views/SessionDetail.vue', import.meta.url),
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ test('timeline viewport owns measurement and anchoring while SessionDetail alone
   assert.equal(appPackage.devDependencies['@tanstack/vue-virtual'], '^3.13.32');
   assert.match(viewportModule, /useVirtualizer/);
   assert.match(viewportModule, /overscan/);
+  assert.match(viewportModule, /rangeExtractor/);
   assert.match(viewportModule, /anchorTo:\s*'end'/);
   assert.match(viewportModule, /followOnAppend:\s*false/);
   assert.match(viewportModule, /resetForInitialSnapshot/);
@@ -62,6 +64,26 @@ test('timeline viewport owns measurement and anchoring while SessionDetail alone
   );
 });
 
+test('timeline viewport buffers by rendered pixels instead of a fixed row count', () => {
+  const rangeExtractor = createViewportRangeExtractor({
+    getScrollElement: () => ({ clientHeight: 700, scrollTop: 5000 }),
+    getVirtualizer: () => ({
+      getVirtualItemForOffset: offset => ({ index: Math.floor(offset / 50) }),
+    }),
+  });
+
+  const indexes = rangeExtractor({
+    startIndex: 100,
+    endIndex: 113,
+    overscan: 6,
+    count: 1000,
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(indexes[0], 44);
+  assert.equal(indexes.at(-1), 170);
+  assert.equal(indexes.length, 127);
+});
+
 test('timeline count and disclosure classes come from renderer state rather than DOM state', () => {
   assert.match(sessionDetail, /const totalMsgs = computed\(\(\) => timelineItems\.value\.length\)/);
   assert.match(timelineRow, /disclosures\.isOpen/);
@@ -90,9 +112,10 @@ test('live patch state advances only after the visible snapshot commit is accept
   const commitLiveSnapshot = sessionDetail.match(/async function commitLiveSnapshot\(snapshot\) \{([\s\S]*?)\n\}/)?.[1] || '';
 
   assert.doesNotMatch(loadLiveSnapshot, /clearSessionDirty|acceptMessagePatch/);
+  assert.match(loadLiveSnapshot, /fetchSessionDetailPatch\(sessionId\)/);
   assert.match(
     commitLiveSnapshot,
-    /await commitSessionSnapshot\(snapshot\.latest\);[\s\S]*acceptMessagePatch[\s\S]*clearSessionDirty/,
+    /materializeSessionDetailPatch\(snapshot\.patchRequest\);[\s\S]*await commitSessionSnapshot\(latest\);[\s\S]*acceptMessagePatch[\s\S]*clearSessionDirty/,
   );
   assert.match(commitLiveSnapshot, /markSessionDirty\(snapshot\.sessionId\)/);
 });
diff --git a/tests/session-user-scroll.test.mjs b/tests/session-user-scroll.test.mjs
index 5cf2fc5..afb98bd 100644
--- a/tests/session-user-scroll.test.mjs
+++ b/tests/session-user-scroll.test.mjs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ function dispatch(target, type, properties = {}) {
   target.dispatchEvent(event);
 }
 
-test('native scrollend, not the virtualizer 150ms reset, ends a user scroll', () => {
+test('native scrollend ends a user scroll after a short wheel-burst grace period', () => {
   const scheduler = createScheduler();
   const target = new EventTarget();
   target.scrollTop = 100;
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ test('native scrollend, not the virtualizer 150ms reset, ends a user scroll', ()
   let ended = 0;
   const userScroll = createSessionUserScroll({
     quietMs: 450,
+    scrollEndGraceMs: 100,
     setTimeout: scheduler.setTimeout,
     clearTimeout: scheduler.clearTimeout,
     onEnd: () => { ended++; },
@@ -61,6 +62,9 @@ test('native scrollend, not the virtualizer 150ms reset, ends a user scroll', ()
   assert.equal(ended, 0);
 
   dispatch(target, 'scrollend');
+  scheduler.advance(99);
+  assert.equal(userScroll.isActive(), true, 'a following wheel packet can retain scroll ownership');
+  scheduler.advance(1);
   assert.equal(userScroll.isActive(), false);
   assert.equal(ended, 1);