Match chat sessions to sites by site id instead of path

apps/cli/ai/sessions/replay.ts

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ export function replaySessionHistory( ui: AiChatUI, entries: SessionEntry[] ): v
 				if ( data ) {
 					ui.setActiveSite(
 						{
+							id: data.siteId,
 							name: data.siteName,
 							path: data.sitePath,
 							// Placeholder — turn dispatch resolves the live state before each prompt.

apps/cli/ai/tests/tools.test.ts

@@ -1044,6 +1044,7 @@ describe( 'Studio AI MCP tools', () => {
 		await getTool( 'site_create' ).rawHandler( { name: 'My Site' } as never );
 
 		expect( onSiteSelected ).toHaveBeenCalledWith( {
+			id: 'site-123',
 			name: 'My Site',
 			path: '/sites/my-site',
 			running: true,

apps/cli/ai/tools/create-site.ts

@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ export const createSiteTool = defineTool(
 			const site = await resolveSite( args.name );
 			const url = getSiteUrl( site );
 			await emitLocalSiteSelected( {
+				id: site.id,
 				name: site.name,
 				path: site.path,
 				running: true,

apps/cli/ai/types.ts

@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ export type AskUserHandler = (
 ) => Promise< Record< string, string > >;
 
 export interface SiteInfo {
+	// Local site id from the registry. Optional: sites replayed from events
+	// written before siteId existed only carry the path.
+	id?: string;
 	name: string;
 	path: string;
 	running: boolean;

apps/cli/ai/ui.ts

@@ -639,6 +639,7 @@ export class AiChatUI implements AiOutputAdapter {
 		this.sitePickerSiteData = sites;
 		const runningStatus = await getSitesRunningStatus( sites );
 		this.sitePickerItems = sites.map( ( site ) => ( {
+			id: site.id,
 			name: site.name,
 			path: site.path,
 			running: runningStatus.get( site.id ) ?? false,
@@ -857,6 +858,7 @@ export class AiChatUI implements AiOutputAdapter {
 		// Keep _activeSiteData in sync for /browser command
 		this._activeSiteData = site;
 		return {
+			id: site.id,
 			name: site.name,
 			path: site.path,
 			running: await isSiteRunning( site ),

apps/cli/commands/ai/index.ts

@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ import { getActiveSlashCommands, type SlashCommandContext } from 'cli/ai/slash-c
 import { AiChatUI } from 'cli/ai/ui';
 import { runCommand as runLoginCommand } from 'cli/commands/auth/login';
 import { readCliConfig } from 'cli/lib/cli-config/core';
-import { findSiteByFolder } from 'cli/lib/cli-config/sites';
+import { findSiteByFolder, findSiteById } from 'cli/lib/cli-config/sites';
 import { isSiteRunning } from 'cli/lib/site-utils';
 import { maybeShowTosNotice } from 'cli/lib/tos-notice';
 import { Logger, LoggerError, setProgressCallback } from 'cli/logger';
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ export async function runCommand( options: {
 	resumeSessionId?: string;
 	showLegacyCommandNotice?: boolean;
 	activeSite?: {
+		id?: string;
 		name: string;
 		path: string;
 		remote?: boolean;
@@ -114,6 +115,7 @@ export async function runCommand( options: {
 	ui.currentModel = currentModel;
 	if ( options.activeSite ) {
 		ui.activeSite = {
+			id: options.activeSite.id,
 			name: options.activeSite.name,
 			path: options.activeSite.path,
 			// Placeholder — turn dispatch resolves the live state before each prompt.
@@ -219,6 +221,7 @@ export async function runCommand( options: {
 			appendStudioEntry( sm, 'studio.site_selected', {
 				siteName: site.name,
 				sitePath: site.path,
+				siteId: site.id,
 				remote: site.remote,
 				url: site.url,
 				wpcomSiteId: site.wpcomSiteId,
@@ -234,6 +237,7 @@ export async function runCommand( options: {
 						appendStudioEntry( sm, 'studio.site_selected', {
 							siteName: site.name,
 							sitePath: site.path,
+							siteId: site.id,
 						} )
 					);
 			  }
@@ -479,9 +483,21 @@ export async function runCommand( options: {
 		// The stored running flag can be absent or stale — the session event log
 		// carries no running state, replay hardcodes false, and the site can be
 		// started/stopped mid-session — so ask the daemon before every turn.
+		// Resolve by id when the session recorded one, so a folder reused by a
+		// newer site can't redirect the turn; the registry record also refreshes
+		// a moved site's current name/path. Old events only carry the path.
 		if ( site && ! site.remote ) {
-			const siteData = await findSiteByFolder( site.path );
-			site.running = siteData ? await isSiteRunning( siteData ) : false;
+			const siteData = site.id
+				? await findSiteById( site.id )
+				: await findSiteByFolder( site.path );
+			if ( siteData ) {
+				site.id = siteData.id;
+				site.name = siteData.name;
+				site.path = siteData.path;
+				site.running = await isSiteRunning( siteData );
+			} else {
+				site.running = false;
+			}
 		}
 		if ( site?.remote && site?.url ) {
 			enrichedPrompt = `[Active site: "${ site.name }" (ID: ${ site.wpcomSiteId }) at ${ site.url } (WordPress.com)]\n\n${ prompt }`;
@@ -653,6 +669,7 @@ export async function runCommand( options: {
 					appendStudioEntry( sm, 'studio.site_selected', {
 						siteName: site.name,
 						sitePath: site.path,
+						siteId: site.id,
 						remote: site.remote,
 						url: site.url,
 						wpcomSiteId: site.wpcomSiteId,
@@ -801,13 +818,13 @@ export const registerCommand = ( yargs: StudioArgv ) => {
 				}
 
 				const sitePath = typeof argv.path === 'string' ? argv.path : undefined;
-				let activeSite: { name: string; path: string } | undefined;
+				let activeSite: { id?: string; name: string; path: string } | undefined;
 				if ( sitePath && typedArgv.siteName ) {
 					activeSite = { name: typedArgv.siteName, path: sitePath };
 				} else if ( sitePath ) {
 					const matchedSite = await findSiteByFolder( sitePath );
 					if ( matchedSite ) {
-						activeSite = { name: matchedSite.name, path: matchedSite.path };
+						activeSite = { id: matchedSite.id, name: matchedSite.name, path: matchedSite.path };
 					}
 				}
 				await runCommand( {

apps/cli/commands/ai/tests/index.test.ts

@@ -183,7 +183,11 @@ describe( 'AI runCommand — active site banner running state', () => {
 	} );
 
 	it( 'reports the site as running when the daemon says it is', async () => {
-		( findSiteByFolder as Mock ).mockResolvedValue( { id: 'site-1', path: '/sites/my-site' } );
+		( findSiteByFolder as Mock ).mockResolvedValue( {
+			id: 'site-1',
+			name: 'My Site',
+			path: '/sites/my-site',
+		} );
 		( isSiteRunning as Mock ).mockResolvedValue( true );
 
 		await runCommand( {
@@ -198,7 +202,11 @@ describe( 'AI runCommand — active site banner running state', () => {
 	} );
 
 	it( 'reports the site as stopped when the daemon says it is not running', async () => {
-		( findSiteByFolder as Mock ).mockResolvedValue( { id: 'site-1', path: '/sites/my-site' } );
+		( findSiteByFolder as Mock ).mockResolvedValue( {
+			id: 'site-1',
+			name: 'My Site',
+			path: '/sites/my-site',
+		} );
 		( isSiteRunning as Mock ).mockResolvedValue( false );
 
 		await runCommand( {

apps/cli/lib/cli-config/sites.ts

@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@ export async function findSiteByFolder( siteFolder: string ): Promise< SiteData
 	return config.sites.find( ( site ) => arePathsEqual( site.path, siteFolder ) );
 }
 
+export async function findSiteById( siteId: string ): Promise< SiteData | undefined > {
+	const config = await readCliConfig();
+	return config.sites.find( ( site ) => site.id === siteId );
+}
+
 export function getSiteUrl( site: SiteData ): string {
 	if ( site.url ) {
 		return site.url;

apps/studio/src/ipc-handlers.ts

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import {
 	listHydratedAiSessions,
 	loadHydratedAiSession,
 } from '@studio/common/ai/sessions/manage';
+import { findAiSessionOwnerSite } from '@studio/common/ai/sessions/owner-site';
 import {
 	deleteAiSessionPlacement,
 	readAiSessionPlacement,
@@ -324,11 +325,8 @@ async function reconcileSessionEnvironmentBeforeRun( sessionId: string ): Promis
 	if ( summary.activeEnvironment !== 'live' ) {
 		return;
 	}
-	if ( ! summary.ownerSitePath ) {
-		return;
-	}
-
-	const ownerServer = SiteServer.getByPath( summary.ownerSitePath );
+	const ownerSite = findAiSessionOwnerSite( SiteServer.getAllDetails(), summary );
+	const ownerServer = ownerSite ? SiteServer.get( ownerSite.id ) : undefined;
 	if ( ! ownerServer ) {
 		return;
 	}
@@ -345,7 +343,8 @@ async function reconcileSessionEnvironmentBeforeRun( sessionId: string ): Promis
 	// CLI's replay sees Local on the next turn.
 	await appendStudioEntry( root, sessionId, 'studio.site_selected', {
 		siteName: ownerServer.details.name,
-		sitePath: summary.ownerSitePath,
+		sitePath: ownerServer.details.path,
+		siteId: ownerServer.details.id,
 	} );
 }
 
@@ -442,14 +441,17 @@ export async function setSessionEnvironment(
 ): Promise< SetSessionEnvironmentResult > {
 	const { summary } = await loadHydratedAiSession( getAiSessionsRootDirectory(), sessionId );
 
-	if ( ! summary.ownerSitePath || ! summary.ownerSiteName ) {
+	if ( ! summary.ownerSiteId && ! summary.ownerSitePath ) {
 		throw new Error( 'Cannot change environment: session has no owner site' );
 	}
 
-	const ownerServer = SiteServer.getByPath( summary.ownerSitePath );
+	const ownerSite = findAiSessionOwnerSite( SiteServer.getAllDetails(), summary );
+	const ownerServer = ownerSite ? SiteServer.get( ownerSite.id ) : undefined;
 	if ( ! ownerServer ) {
 		throw new Error(
-			`Cannot change environment: owner site is no longer available (${ summary.ownerSitePath })`
+			`Cannot change environment: owner site is no longer available (${
+				summary.ownerSiteId ?? summary.ownerSitePath
+			})`
 		);
 	}
 
@@ -465,9 +467,10 @@ export async function setSessionEnvironment(
 
 		await appendStudioEntry( getAiSessionsRootDirectory(), sessionId, 'studio.site_selected', {
 			siteName: liveSite.name,
-			// Keep the desktop placement path on remote picks too, so live/local
+			// Keep the local owner's path and id on remote picks too, so live/local
 			// environment flips still resolve against the same local site.
-			sitePath: summary.ownerSitePath,
+			sitePath: ownerServer.details.path,
+			siteId: ownerServer.details.id,
 			remote: true,
 			url: liveSite.url,
 			wpcomSiteId: liveSite.id,
@@ -486,6 +489,7 @@ export async function setSessionEnvironment(
 	await appendStudioEntry( getAiSessionsRootDirectory(), sessionId, 'studio.site_selected', {
 		siteName: details.name,
 		sitePath: details.path,
+		siteId: details.id,
 		url: 'url' in details ? details.url : undefined,
 	} );
 

apps/ui/src/components/site-list/index.test.tsx

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { fireEvent, render, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { fireEvent, render, screen, within } from '@testing-library/react';
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
 import { useConnector } from '@/data/core';
 import { useIsSessionRunning, useSessionHasPendingQuestion } from '@/data/queries/use-agent-run';
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import {
 } from '@/data/queries/use-sites';
 import { useUserPreferences } from '@/data/queries/use-user-preferences';
 import { SiteList } from './index';
-import type { SiteDetails } from '@/data/core';
+import type { AiSessionSummary, SiteDetails } from '@/data/core';
 import type { ReactNode } from 'react';
 
 vi.mock( '@tanstack/react-router', () => ( {
@@ -145,8 +145,65 @@ describe( 'SiteList', () => {
 		expect( actionGlyph?.querySelector( 'rect' ) ).toHaveAttribute( 'width', '8' );
 		expect( actionGlyph?.querySelector( 'path' ) ).not.toBeInTheDocument();
 	} );
+
+	it( 'groups sessions by owner site id, falling back to path for legacy sessions', () => {
+		useSitesMock.mockReturnValue( {
+			data: [
+				createSite( { id: 'site-a', name: 'Site A', path: '/sites/site-a' } ),
+				createSite( { id: 'site-b', name: 'Site B', path: '/sites/site-b' } ),
+			],
+			isLoading: false,
+		} );
+		useSessionsMock.mockReturnValue( {
+			data: [
+				// A stale path must lose to the site id.
+				createSession( {
+					id: 'by-id',
+					firstPrompt: 'Matched by id',
+					ownerSiteId: 'site-b',
+					ownerSitePath: '/sites/site-a',
+				} ),
+				createSession( {
+					id: 'legacy',
+					firstPrompt: 'Matched by path',
+					ownerSitePath: '/sites/site-a',
+				} ),
+				// A deleted site's id must not fall back to a path that now
+				// belongs to another site.
+				createSession( {
+					id: 'orphan',
+					firstPrompt: 'Dead site id',
+					ownerSiteId: 'deleted-site',
+					ownerSitePath: '/sites/site-a',
+				} ),
+			],
+			isLoading: false,
+		} );
+
+		render( <SiteList /> );
+
+		const siteA = screen.getByText( 'Site A' ).closest( 'section' )!;
+		const siteB = screen.getByText( 'Site B' ).closest( 'section' )!;
+		const unassigned = screen.getByText( 'Unassigned' ).closest( 'section' )!;
+
+		expect( within( siteB ).getByText( 'Matched by id' ) ).toBeInTheDocument();
+		expect( within( siteA ).getByText( 'Matched by path' ) ).toBeInTheDocument();
+		expect( within( unassigned ).getByText( 'Dead site id' ) ).toBeInTheDocument();
+	} );
 } );
 
+function createSession( overrides: Partial< AiSessionSummary > = {} ): AiSessionSummary {
+	return {
+		id: 'session-1',
+		filePath: '/sessions/session-1.jsonl',
+		createdAt: '2026-07-01T00:00:00.000Z',
+		updatedAt: '2026-07-01T00:00:00.000Z',
+		activeEnvironment: 'local',
+		eventCount: 1,
+		...overrides,
+	};
+}
+
 function createSite( overrides: Partial< SiteDetails > = {} ): SiteDetails {
 	return {
 		id: 'site-1',

apps/ui/src/components/site-list/index.tsx

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { findAiSessionOwnerSite } from '@studio/common/ai/sessions/owner-site';
 import { Link, useNavigate, useParams } from '@tanstack/react-router';
 import { __, sprintf } from '@wordpress/i18n';
 import {
@@ -50,8 +51,7 @@ function groupSessionsByOwner(
 	sites: SiteDetails[] | undefined,
 	sessions: AiSessionSummary[] | undefined
 ): SiteGroup[] {
-	const knownSitePaths = new Set( ( sites ?? [] ).map( ( site ) => site.path ) );
-	const sessionsByPath = new Map< string, AiSessionSummary[] >();
+	const sessionsBySiteId = new Map< string, AiSessionSummary[] >();
 	const unassigned: AiSessionSummary[] = [];
 
 	for ( const session of sessions ?? [] ) {
@@ -61,24 +61,25 @@ function groupSessionsByOwner(
 		if ( session.archived ) {
 			continue;
 		}
-		if ( ! session.ownerSitePath || ! knownSitePaths.has( session.ownerSitePath ) ) {
+		const ownerSite = findAiSessionOwnerSite( sites, session );
+		if ( ! ownerSite ) {
 			unassigned.push( session );
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		const existing = sessionsByPath.get( session.ownerSitePath );
+		const existing = sessionsBySiteId.get( ownerSite.id );
 		if ( existing ) {
 			existing.push( session );
 		} else {
-			sessionsByPath.set( session.ownerSitePath, [ session ] );
+			sessionsBySiteId.set( ownerSite.id, [ session ] );
 		}
 	}
 
 	const groups: SiteGroup[] = ( sites ?? [] ).map( ( site ) => ( {
 		key: site.id,
 		site,
 		label: site.name,
-		sessions: sessionsByPath.get( site.path ) ?? [],
+		sessions: sessionsBySiteId.get( site.id ) ?? [],
 	} ) );
 
 	// Sort site-groups by the newest session's updatedAt so the most recently