diff --git a/src/__tests__/web/hooks/useMobileSessionManagement.test.ts b/src/__tests__/web/hooks/useMobileSessionManagement.test.ts
index d6c5a144..cd878ed8 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/web/hooks/useMobileSessionManagement.test.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/web/hooks/useMobileSessionManagement.test.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  */
 
 import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from 'vitest';
-import { renderHook, act, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { renderHook, act } from '@testing-library/react';
 import { useMobileSessionManagement, type UseMobileSessionManagementDeps } from '../../../web/hooks/useMobileSessionManagement';
 import type { Session } from '../../../web/hooks/useSessions';
 
@@ -82,9 +82,8 @@ describe('useMobileSessionManagement', () => {
       savedActiveTabId: 'tab-1',
     }));
 
-    await waitFor(() => {
-      expect(result.current.activeSessionIdRef.current).toBe('session-1');
-    });
+    // Refs should be initialized immediately with saved values (no race condition)
+    expect(result.current.activeSessionIdRef.current).toBe('session-1');
 
     act(() => {
       result.current.sessionsHandlers.onSessionOutput('session-1', 'hello', 'ai', 'tab-1');
diff --git a/src/web/hooks/useMobileSessionManagement.ts b/src/web/hooks/useMobileSessionManagement.ts
index bb1fbc11..8132b4a0 100644
--- a/src/web/hooks/useMobileSessionManagement.ts
+++ b/src/web/hooks/useMobileSessionManagement.ts
@@ -198,9 +198,11 @@ export function useMobileSessionManagement(
   const previousSessionStatesRef = useRef<Map<string, string>>(new Map());
 
   // Ref to track activeSessionId for use in callbacks (avoids stale closure issues)
-  const activeSessionIdRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
+  // Initialize with same value as state to avoid race condition where WebSocket
+  // messages arrive before useEffect syncs the ref
+  const activeSessionIdRef = useRef<string | null>(urlSessionId || savedActiveSessionId);
   // Ref to track activeTabId for use in callbacks (avoids stale closure issues)
-  const activeTabIdRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
+  const activeTabIdRef = useRef<string | null>(urlTabId || savedActiveTabId);
 
   // Keep activeSessionIdRef in sync with state
   useEffect(() => {