diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/components/ChatSessionsContainer.tsx b/ui/desktop/src/components/ChatSessionsContainer.tsx
index d7d34566..f429e2f4 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/components/ChatSessionsContainer.tsx
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/components/ChatSessionsContainer.tsx
@@ -23,17 +23,18 @@ export default function ChatSessionsContainer({
   const [searchParams] = useSearchParams();
   const currentSessionId = searchParams.get('resumeSessionId') ?? undefined;
 
-  if (!currentSessionId) {
+  // Always render active sessions to keep SSE connections alive, even when not on /pair route
+  if (!currentSessionId && activeSessions.length === 0) {
     return null;
   }
 
-  const isActiveSession = activeSessions.some((s) => s.sessionId === currentSessionId);
-
-  // If the current session isn't in active sessions, we need to render it anyway
-  // (handles page refresh case)
-  const sessionsToRender = isActiveSession
-    ? activeSessions
-    : [...activeSessions, { sessionId: currentSessionId }];
+  // Build the list of sessions to render
+  let sessionsToRender = activeSessions;
+  
+  // If we have a currentSessionId that's not in activeSessions, add it (handles page refresh)
+  if (currentSessionId && !activeSessions.some((s) => s.sessionId === currentSessionId)) {
+    sessionsToRender = [...activeSessions, { sessionId: currentSessionId }];
+  }
 
   return (
     <div className="relative w-full h-full">
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/components/Layout/AppLayout.tsx b/ui/desktop/src/components/Layout/AppLayout.tsx
index 99f72136..4490dd51 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/components/Layout/AppLayout.tsx
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/components/Layout/AppLayout.tsx
@@ -116,14 +116,12 @@ const AppLayoutContent: React.FC<AppLayoutContentProps> = ({ activeSessions }) =
         />
       </Sidebar>
       <SidebarInset>
-        {isOnPairRoute ? (
-          <>
-            <Outlet />
-            <ChatSessionsContainer setChat={setChat} activeSessions={activeSessions} />
-          </>
-        ) : (
-          <Outlet />
-        )}
+        <Outlet />
+        {/* Always render ChatSessionsContainer to keep SSE connections alive.
+            When navigating away from /pair */}
+        <div className={isOnPairRoute ? 'contents' : 'hidden'}>
+          <ChatSessionsContainer setChat={setChat} activeSessions={activeSessions} />
+        </div>
       </SidebarInset>
     </div>
   );