diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-live-status.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-live-status.ts
index 06efe472d..77890d592 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-live-status.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-live-status.ts
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ export type NativeChatLiveMergeInput = {
  * provider lifecycle records reconcile a dropped final hook.
  *
  * Precedence:
- *   - errors win outright; live work wins over transcript loading.
+ *   - errors win outright; known sessions stay loading until transcript content resolves.
  *   - hook 'working' stays authoritative until the hook exits that state OR an
  *     explicit terminal marker for this turn lands.
  *   - design is hook-first: lifecycle is a terminal suppressor for dropped
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ export function mergeNativeChatLiveSession(input: NativeChatLiveMergeInput): Nat
     transcriptLifecycle,
     hookHasWorkingSubagents ?? false
   )
-  if (loading && status !== 'working') {
+  if (loading && (sessionId !== null || status !== 'working')) {
     return assembleNativeChatSession({ sources, sessionId, agent, status: 'loading' })
   }
   return assembleNativeChatSession({
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-live-session.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-live-session.test.ts
index 821abbe81..24af7a9e4 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-live-session.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-live-session.test.ts
@@ -256,6 +256,15 @@ describe('mergeNativeChatLiveSession', () => {
         loading: true
       }).status
     ).toBe('working')
+    expect(
+      mergeNativeChatLiveSession({
+        sources: { transcript: [] },
+        sessionId: 'sess',
+        agent: 'claude',
+        hookState: 'working',
+        loading: true
+      }).status
+    ).toBe('loading')
 
     const errored = mergeNativeChatLiveSession({
       sources: { transcript: [] },