diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/session-tile-gone.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/session-tile-gone.test.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 70e55ad54b..0000000000
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/session-tile-gone.test.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,195 +0,0 @@
-import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
-
-import { getSession } from '@/hermes'
-import { probeStoredSession } from '@/app/session/hooks/use-session-actions/utils'
-import { setApiRequestConnection } from '@/api/client'
-import { stashSessionDraft, clearSessionDraft, takeSessionDraft } from '@/store/composer'
-import { $gatewaySwitching } from '@/store/gateway-switch'
-import { $activeGatewayProfile, $profiles } from '@/store/profile'
-import { $connection, $gatewayState, $sessions } from '@/store/session'
-import { $sessionTiles, openSessionTile, reopenLastClosedTile, closeSessionTile } from '@/store/session-states'
-
-import { startUnrestoredTileTitleBackfill } from './session-tile'
-
-vi.mock('@/hermes', async importActual => ({
-  ...(await importActual<typeof import('@/hermes')>()),
-  getSession: vi.fn()
-}))
-
-const get = vi.mocked(getSession)
-let stop: (() => void) | undefined
-
-beforeEach(() => {
-  $gatewayState.set('idle')
-  $activeGatewayProfile.set('default')
-  $profiles.set([{ name: 'default' }, { name: 'writer' }] as never)
-  $connection.set({ connectionId: 'local', mode: 'local' } as never)
-  $sessions.set([])
-  $sessionTiles.set([])
-  get.mockReset()
-})
-
-afterEach(() => {
-  stop?.()
-  $gatewayState.set('idle')
-  $sessionTiles.set([])
-  $sessions.set([])
-  $profiles.set([])
-  $connection.set(null)
-  $gatewaySwitching.set(false)
-  clearSessionDraft('deleted-chat')
-  window.localStorage.clear()
-})
-
-describe('restored dead tile backfill', () => {
-  it('does not resurrect a dead tile ahead of a user-closed tab on reopen', async () => {
-    openSessionTile('user-closed')
-    closeSessionTile('user-closed')
-    openSessionTile('deleted-chat')
-    get.mockRejectedValue(new Error('404: Session not found'))
-    stop = startUnrestoredTileTitleBackfill()
-    $gatewayState.set('open')
-    await vi.waitFor(() => expect($sessionTiles.get()).toEqual([]))
-    reopenLastClosedTile()
-    expect($sessionTiles.get().map(tile => tile.storedSessionId)).toEqual(['user-closed'])
-  })
-
-  it('releases scope subscriptions on cancellation even while lookup is pending', async () => {
-    openSessionTile('deleted-chat')
-    const released = vi.fn()
-    const listen = $connection.listen.bind($connection)
-    const spy = vi.spyOn($connection, 'listen').mockImplementation(listener => {
-      const off = listen(listener)
-      return () => { released(); off() }
-    })
-    let resolve!: (result: { status: 'gone' }) => void
-    const pending = new Promise<{ status: 'gone' }>(yes => { resolve = yes })
-    try {
-      stop = startUnrestoredTileTitleBackfill(() => pending)
-      $gatewayState.set('open')
-      expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
-      stop()
-      expect(released).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
-      resolve({ status: 'gone' })
-      await pending
-      await new Promise(yes => setTimeout(yes, 0))
-      expect(released).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
-      expect($sessionTiles.get()).toHaveLength(1)
-    } finally {
-      resolve({ status: 'gone' })
-      spy.mockRestore()
-    }
-  })
-
-  it('persists each dead tile removal without dropping a surviving owned tile', async () => {
-    openSessionTile('gone-one')
-    openSessionTile('gone-two')
-    openSessionTile('survivor', 'right', undefined, undefined, {
-      workspaceMode: 'sessions', ownerRoute: { connectionId: 'local', profile: 'writer' }
-    })
-    get.mockImplementation(async (id: string) => {
-      if (id === 'survivor') return { id, title: 'Still here' } as never
-      throw new Error('404: Session not found')
-    })
-    stop = startUnrestoredTileTitleBackfill()
-    $gatewayState.set('open')
-    await vi.waitFor(() => expect($sessionTiles.get().map(tile => tile.storedSessionId)).toEqual(['survivor']))
-    const persisted = window.localStorage.getItem('hermes.desktop.sessionTiles.v2') ?? ''
-    expect(persisted).toContain('survivor')
-    expect(persisted).not.toContain('gone-one')
-    expect(persisted).not.toContain('gone-two')
-    expect($sessionTiles.get()[0].ownerRoute).toEqual({ connectionId: 'local', profile: 'writer' })
-  })
-  it('uses the real REST scope ladder and preserves caller-selected ownership', async () => {
-    const actual = await vi.importActual<typeof import('@/hermes')>('@/hermes')
-    const previous = window.hermesDesktop
-    const api = vi.fn(async (_request: { path: string }) => { throw new Error('404: {"detail":"Session not found"}') })
-    window.hermesDesktop = { ...previous, api } as never
-    setApiRequestConnection('local')
-    get.mockImplementation(actual.getSession)
-    try {
-      expect(await probeStoredSession('deleted-chat')).toEqual({ status: 'gone' })
-      expect(api.mock.calls.map(([request]) => (request as { path: string }).path)).toEqual([
-        '/api/sessions/deleted-chat?profile=default', '/api/sessions/deleted-chat?profile=writer'
-      ])
-      api.mockClear()
-      expect(await probeStoredSession('deleted-chat', { connectionId: 'remote', profile: 'alias', targetProfile: 'actual' })).toEqual({ status: 'gone' })
-      expect(api).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith(expect.objectContaining({ connectionId: 'remote', profile: 'actual', path: '/api/sessions/deleted-chat?profile=actual' }))
-    } finally {
-      window.hermesDesktop = previous
-      setApiRequestConnection(null)
-    }
-  })
-
-  it.each(['500: Session not found', '404: endpoint unavailable', 'network disconnected'])(
-    'keeps inconclusive misses: %s',
-    async message => {
-      openSessionTile('deleted-chat')
-      get.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error(message)).mockRejectedValue(new Error('404: Session not found'))
-      stop = startUnrestoredTileTitleBackfill()
-      $gatewayState.set('open')
-      await vi.waitFor(() => expect(get).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2))
-      expect($sessionTiles.get()).toHaveLength(1)
-    }
-  )
-
-  it('preserves a working cross-profile fallback and fills its title', async () => {
-    openSessionTile('deleted-chat')
-    get
-      .mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error('network disconnected'))
-      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ id: 'deleted-chat', title: 'Found' } as never)
-    stop = startUnrestoredTileTitleBackfill()
-    $gatewayState.set('open')
-    await vi.waitFor(() => expect($sessions.get()[0]?.title).toBe('Found'))
-    expect($sessionTiles.get()).toHaveLength(1)
-  })
-
-  it.each(['draft', 'switch', 'profile ABA', 'cancel', 'bound', 'no inventory', 'other backend'])(
-    'preserves tiles when unsafe: %s',
-    async reason => {
-      openSessionTile(
-        'deleted-chat',
-        'right',
-        undefined,
-        undefined,
-        reason === 'other backend' ? { workspaceMode: 'sessions', ownerRoute: { connectionId: 'remote', profile: 'writer' } } : undefined
-      )
-      if (reason === 'draft') stashSessionDraft('deleted-chat', 'keep my words', [])
-      if (reason === 'switch') $gatewaySwitching.set(true)
-      if (reason === 'no inventory') $profiles.set([])
-      let reject!: (error: Error) => void
-      get.mockRejectedValue(new Error('404: Session not found')).mockImplementationOnce(
-        () =>
-          new Promise((_resolve, no) => {
-            reject = no
-          })
-      )
-      stop = startUnrestoredTileTitleBackfill()
-      $gatewayState.set('open')
-      if (reason === 'profile ABA') {
-        $activeGatewayProfile.set('writer')
-        $activeGatewayProfile.set('default')
-      }
-      if (reason === 'cancel') stop()
-      if (reason === 'bound') $sessionTiles.set($sessionTiles.get().map(tile => ({ ...tile, runtimeId: 'live' })))
-      reject(new Error('404: Session not found'))
-      await vi.waitFor(() =>
-        expect(get).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(reason === 'other backend' || reason === 'no inventory' ? 1 : 2)
-      )
-      expect($sessionTiles.get()).toHaveLength(1)
-      if (reason === 'draft') expect(takeSessionDraft('deleted-chat').text).toBe('keep my words')
-    }
-  )
-
-  it('persistently closes an empty tile after every profile confirms the session is gone', async () => {
-    openSessionTile('deleted-chat')
-    get.mockRejectedValue(new Error('404: Session not found'))
-    stop = startUnrestoredTileTitleBackfill()
-    $gatewayState.set('open')
-
-    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(get).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2))
-    await vi.waitFor(() => expect($sessionTiles.get()).toEqual([]))
-    expect(window.localStorage.getItem('hermes.desktop.sessionTiles.v2') ?? '').not.toContain('deleted-chat')
-    expect(get.mock.calls.map(call => call[1])).toEqual(['default', 'writer'])
-  })
-})
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/session-tile.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/session-tile.test.ts
index f10228fac3..225c635598 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/session-tile.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/session-tile.test.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
-import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
 import type { HermesConnection } from '@/global'
+import { getSession } from '@/hermes'
+import { clearSessionDraft, stashSessionDraft } from '@/store/composer'
+import { $gatewaySwitching } from '@/store/gateway-switch'
+import { $activeGatewayProfile, $profiles } from '@/store/profile'
 import { $connection, $gatewayState, $sessions, setSessions } from '@/store/session'
-import { $sessionTiles, type SessionTile } from '@/store/session-states'
+import { $sessionTiles, openSessionTile, reopenLastClosedTile, type SessionTile } from '@/store/session-states'
 
 import {
   sessionTileResumeFailure,
@@ -13,6 +17,11 @@ import {
   WRONG_BACKEND_TILE_ERROR
 } from './session-tile'
 
+vi.mock('@/hermes', async importOriginal => ({
+  ...(await importOriginal<Record<string, unknown>>()),
+  getSession: vi.fn()
+}))
+
 function localConnection(): HermesConnection {
   return {
     baseUrl: 'http://127.0.0.1:9119',
@@ -175,3 +184,110 @@ describe('startUnrestoredTileTitleBackfill (#94167)', () => {
     stop()
   })
 })
+
+describe('startUnrestoredTileTitleBackfill retires dead tiles (#125678)', () => {
+  const NOT_FOUND = '404: {"detail":"Session not found"}'
+  const get = vi.mocked(getSession)
+  let stop: (() => void) | undefined
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    $gatewayState.set('idle')
+    $activeGatewayProfile.set('default')
+    // Connection first: a connection change re-scopes the profile inventory.
+    $connection.set({ connectionId: 'local', mode: 'local' } as never)
+    $profiles.set([{ name: 'default' }, { name: 'writer' }] as never)
+    get.mockReset()
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    stop?.()
+    $gatewayState.set('idle')
+    $gatewaySwitching.set(false)
+    $sessionTiles.set([])
+    $profiles.set([])
+    $connection.set(null)
+    setSessions([])
+    clearSessionDraft('dead-chat')
+    window.localStorage.clear()
+  })
+
+  it('drops a restored tile once every profile answered 404 in calm conditions, off the reopen stack', async () => {
+    openSessionTile('dead-chat')
+    get.mockRejectedValue(new Error(NOT_FOUND))
+
+    stop = startUnrestoredTileTitleBackfill()
+    $gatewayState.set('open')
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect($sessionTiles.get()).toEqual([]))
+    expect(get.mock.calls.map(call => call[1])).toEqual(['default', 'writer'])
+    expect(window.localStorage.getItem('hermes.desktop.sessionTiles.v2') ?? '').not.toContain('dead-chat')
+    reopenLastClosedTile()
+    expect($sessionTiles.get()).toEqual([])
+  })
+
+  it.each([
+    '500 on one profile',
+    'network failure on one profile',
+    'gateway switch in flight',
+    'profile A→B→A while the probes are out',
+    'connection switch while the probes are out',
+    'stashed draft text',
+    'profile inventory not loaded'
+  ])('keeps the tile when absence is not conclusive: %s', async reason => {
+    openSessionTile('dead-chat')
+
+    if (reason === 'gateway switch in flight') {
+      $gatewaySwitching.set(true)
+    }
+
+    if (reason === 'stashed draft text') {
+      stashSessionDraft('dead-chat', 'keep my words', [])
+    }
+
+    if (reason === 'profile inventory not loaded') {
+      $profiles.set([])
+    }
+
+    let settleFirst!: (error: Error) => void
+
+    const first = new Promise<never>((_resolve, reject) => {
+      settleFirst = reject
+    })
+
+    get.mockRejectedValue(new Error(NOT_FOUND)).mockImplementationOnce(() => first)
+
+    stop = startUnrestoredTileTitleBackfill()
+    $gatewayState.set('open')
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(get).toHaveBeenCalled())
+
+    if (reason === 'profile A→B→A while the probes are out') {
+      $activeGatewayProfile.set('writer')
+      $activeGatewayProfile.set('default')
+    }
+
+    if (reason === 'connection switch while the probes are out') {
+      $connection.set({ connectionId: 'remote', mode: 'remote' } as never)
+      $connection.set({ connectionId: 'local', mode: 'local' } as never)
+    }
+
+    settleFirst(
+      new Error(
+        reason === '500 on one profile'
+          ? '500: {"detail":"Session not found"}'
+          : reason === 'network failure on one profile'
+            ? 'net::ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED'
+            : NOT_FOUND
+      )
+    )
+
+    // Let the ladder finish (and the retire branch run) before asserting. A
+    // connection switch re-scopes the inventory, so its ladder stops at one rung.
+    const rungs = ['profile inventory not loaded', 'connection switch while the probes are out'].includes(reason)
+      ? 1
+      : 2
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(get).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(rungs))
+    await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 0))
+    expect($sessionTiles.get().map(tile => tile.storedSessionId)).toEqual(['dead-chat'])
+  })
+})
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/session-tile.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/session-tile.tsx
index 20f14dcafe..8ab87e4aea 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/session-tile.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/session-tile.tsx
@@ -624,15 +624,15 @@ export function tileStoredRow(storedSessionId: string): SessionInfo | undefined
  *  A restored background tab has no runtimeId and does not mount its pane, so
  *  the resolution effect above never runs; when its row is outside the recents
  *  page and project tree, `tileTitle()` reads "New session" until first click.
- *  The shared probe upserts found rows for the tab strip. An empty restored
- *  tile with authoritative all-profile absence is persistently closed; drafts
- *  and inconclusive/switching lookups stay recoverable. */
+ *  The probe upserts a found row into `$sessions`, which the tab strip already
+ *  watches. A tile whose id every profile answered 404 for is retired
+ *  (#125678): left alone it is re-probed on every launch and never heals. */
 export function startUnrestoredTileTitleBackfill(lookup = probeStoredSession): () => void {
-  // Only tiles present at startup can be retired: a newly created unbound
-  // draft may legitimately have no durable row yet.
-  const restored = new Set($sessionTiles.get().filter(tile => !tile.runtimeId))
-  const pendingCleanups = new Set<() => void>()
-  let cancelled = false
+  // Only tiles restored from a previous run can be retired: a draft opened in
+  // this run before the gateway answers has no durable row yet either.
+  const restored = new Set($sessionTiles.get().flatMap(tile => (tile.runtimeId ? [] : [tile.storedSessionId])))
+  let stopped = false
+
   const run = () => {
     if ($gatewayState.get() !== 'open') {
       return
@@ -640,60 +640,55 @@ export function startUnrestoredTileTitleBackfill(lookup = probeStoredSession): (
 
     off()
 
-    for (const tile of $sessionTiles.get()) {
-      if (!tile.runtimeId && !tile.workspaceTabTitle && !tileStoredRow(tile.storedSessionId)) {
-        // Any scope transition invalidates absence evidence, including A→B→A.
-        let changed = $gatewaySwitching.get() || Boolean($gatewaySwapTarget.get())
-        const invalidate = () => {
-          changed = true
-        }
-        const unlisten = [
-          $connection.listen(invalidate),
-          $activeGatewayProfile.listen(invalidate),
-          $profiles.listen(invalidate),
-          $gatewayState.listen(invalidate),
-          $gatewaySwitching.listen(invalidate),
-          $gatewaySwapTarget.listen(invalidate)
-        ]
-        const cleanup = () => {
-          if (pendingCleanups.delete(cleanup)) unlisten.forEach(off => off())
-        }
-        pendingCleanups.add(cleanup)
-        const hasInventory = Boolean(tile.ownerRoute) || $profiles.get().length > 0
+    // Absence is only authoritative in calm conditions — the same inputs as
+    // `goneSessionVerdict`, plus any scope change while the probes are out
+    // (a profile A→B→A lands the 404s on a backend that never owned the id).
+    let calm = !$gatewaySwitching.get() && !$gatewaySwapTarget.get()
 
-        void lookup(tile.storedSessionId, tile.ownerRoute)
+    const unsettle = () => {
+      calm = false
+    }
+
+    const scopes = [$connection, $activeGatewayProfile, $profiles, $gatewayState, $gatewaySwitching, $gatewaySwapTarget]
+    const offScopes = scopes.map(scope => scope.listen(unsettle))
+
+    const probes = $sessionTiles
+      .get()
+      .filter(tile => !tile.runtimeId && !tile.workspaceTabTitle && !tileStoredRow(tile.storedSessionId))
+      .map(tile =>
+        lookup(tile.storedSessionId, tile.ownerRoute)
           .then(result => {
             const draft = takeSessionDraft(tile.storedSessionId)
+            const current = $sessionTiles.get().find(candidate => candidate.storedSessionId === tile.storedSessionId)
+
             if (
-              result?.status === 'gone' &&
-              !cancelled &&
-              !changed &&
-              hasInventory &&
-              restored.has(tile) &&
-              $sessionTiles.get().includes(tile) &&
-              !tile.runtimeId &&
-              tile.workspaceMode !== 'bots' &&
+              result.status === 'gone' &&
+              calm &&
+              !stopped &&
+              restored.has(tile.storedSessionId) &&
+              current &&
+              !current.runtimeId &&
               !tileStoredRow(tile.storedSessionId) &&
               !tileBackendIdentityChanged(tile.ownerRoute?.connectionId, $connection.get()) &&
               !draft.text.trim() &&
               draft.attachments.length === 0
             ) {
+              // Not `closeSessionTile`: a dead id must not sit on the reopen stack.
               discardSessionTile(tile.storedSessionId)
             }
           })
           .catch(() => undefined)
-          .finally(cleanup)
-      }
-    }
+      )
+
+    void Promise.all(probes).finally(() => offScopes.forEach(offScope => offScope()))
   }
 
   const off = $gatewayState.listen(run)
   run()
 
   return () => {
-    cancelled = true
+    stopped = true
     off()
-    pendingCleanups.forEach(cleanup => cleanup())
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-session-actions/utils.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-session-actions/utils.ts
index eae78430ca..c4a917844e 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-session-actions/utils.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-session-actions/utils.ts
@@ -1966,16 +1966,22 @@ export async function resolveStoredSession(
   return result.status === 'found' ? result.session : undefined
 }
 
-/** Preserve the probe ladder's evidence: only explicit session 404s prove absence. */
+/** `resolveStoredSession` with the ladder's evidence kept: `gone` only when
+ *  every rung answered an explicit session 404 (a 5xx, a network failure or a
+ *  bare 404 from a proxy is `inconclusive`), and — without an owner — only once
+ *  the profile inventory is known, or a single-profile sweep would vouch for
+ *  ids that live on a profile not yet listed (#125678). */
 export async function probeStoredSession(
   storedSessionId: string,
   ownerRoute?: SessionProfileRoute
 ): Promise<StoredSessionProbe> {
   let allGone = true
+
   const recordFailure = (error: unknown) => {
     const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error ?? '')
     allGone &&= /\b404\b/.test(message) && /session not found/i.test(message)
   }
+
   // Snapshot BEFORE any await: a resolve that started before an archive/delete
   // must reject its own stale response (see upsertResolvedSession).
   const tombstoneGenerationsAtRequestStart = captureSessionTombstoneGenerations()
@@ -2008,6 +2014,7 @@ export async function probeStoredSession(
       // An explicit owner is fail-closed. Probing the ambient or another
       // profile would turn a stale route into a cross-connection open.
       recordFailure(error)
+
       return { status: allGone ? 'gone' : 'inconclusive' }
     }
   }
@@ -2072,7 +2079,7 @@ export async function probeStoredSession(
     }
   }
 
-  return { status: allGone ? 'gone' : 'inconclusive' }
+  return { status: allGone && $profiles.get().length > 0 ? 'gone' : 'inconclusive' }
 }
 
 /**