diff --git a/hermes_state_sessions.py b/hermes_state_sessions.py
index 2f2c6b2e9d..1e44841716 100644
--- a/hermes_state_sessions.py
+++ b/hermes_state_sessions.py
@@ -1218,7 +1218,11 @@ class SessionSessionsMixin:
             exclude_sources=exclude_sources, cwd_prefix=cwd_prefix, min_message_count=min_message_count,
             archived_only=archived_only, include_archived=include_archived,
         )
-        if not include_hidden:
+        # The archived-only view is the recovery surface for rows that dropped out of every
+        # default list: a session that is archived AND hidden (Bot Mode marks its sessions
+        # hidden) must still be reachable there, or nothing but direct DB access can bring
+        # it back (#90946).
+        if not include_hidden and not archived_only:
             where_clauses.append("s.hidden = 0")
         where_sql = _where_sql(where_clauses)
         base_where_params = list(params)  # pinned back-fill reuses the WHERE before LIMIT/OFFSET
diff --git a/tests/hermes_state/test_session_archiving.py b/tests/hermes_state/test_session_archiving.py
index 36ecb95a17..2d5fbac1eb 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_state/test_session_archiving.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_state/test_session_archiving.py
@@ -49,3 +49,18 @@ def test_unarchiving_compression_tip_unarchives_projected_root(db):
     assert db.get_session("root")["archived"] == 0
     assert db.get_session("tip")["archived"] == 0
     assert [s["id"] for s in db.list_sessions_rich(order_by_last_active=True)] == ["tip"]
+
+
+def test_archived_only_view_includes_hidden_archived_sessions(db):
+    """The archived-only view is the recovery surface: a session that is both
+    archived and hidden (Bot Mode marks its sessions hidden) must appear
+    there, otherwise it is unreachable from every UI list (#90946)."""
+    db.create_session("plain", source="cli")
+    db.create_session("both", source="cli")
+    assert db.set_session_hidden("both", True) is True
+    assert db.set_session_archived("both", True) is True
+
+    # Default list: hidden rows stay excluded (unchanged behaviour)...
+    assert [s["id"] for s in db.list_sessions_rich(order_by_last_active=True)] == ["plain"]
+    # ...and the archived-only view must surface the archived+hidden row.
+    assert [s["id"] for s in db.list_sessions_rich(order_by_last_active=True, archived_only=True)] == ["both"]