diff --git a/components/vibn-chat/chat-panel.tsx b/components/vibn-chat/chat-panel.tsx
index 734ecb59..2d941f03 100644
--- a/components/vibn-chat/chat-panel.tsx
+++ b/components/vibn-chat/chat-panel.tsx
@@ -143,6 +143,10 @@ export function ChatPanel() {
     return localStorage.getItem("vibn-chat-open") !== "false";
   });
   const [threads, setThreads] = useState<Thread[]>([]);
+  // threadsLoaded flips to true after the FIRST loadThreads() resolves.
+  // Used to gate the auto-create effect — without it we race the fetch
+  // and spawn an empty thread before history loads.
+  const [threadsLoaded, setThreadsLoaded] = useState(false);
   const [activeThread, setActiveThread] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [messages, setMessages] = useState<Message[]>([]);
   const [toolEvents, setToolEvents] = useState<ToolEvent[]>([]);
@@ -188,7 +192,9 @@ export function ChatPanel() {
       const res = await fetch(`/api/chat/threads?workspace=${encodeURIComponent(workspace)}`);
       const data = await res.json();
       setThreads(data.threads || []);
-    } catch { /* silent */ }
+    } catch { /* silent */ } finally {
+      setThreadsLoaded(true);
+    }
   }, [workspace, status]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -225,14 +231,34 @@ export function ChatPanel() {
     } catch { /* silent */ }
   }, []);
 
-  // Auto-create first thread
+  // Auto-resume previous thread (or create a fresh one if the user has
+  // never chatted in this workspace). We MUST wait for threadsLoaded
+  // before deciding — otherwise we race the fetch and spawn an empty
+  // thread before history arrives. Last-active thread is restored from
+  // localStorage so a page reload (deploy, refresh) lands the user back
+  // in the conversation they were in.
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (open && status === "authenticated" && workspace && threads.length === 0 && !activeThread) {
+    if (!open || status !== "authenticated" || !workspace) return;
+    if (!threadsLoaded) return;
+    if (activeThread) return;
+
+    if (threads.length === 0) {
       newThread();
-    } else if (open && threads.length > 0 && !activeThread) {
-      loadThread(threads[0].id);
+      return;
     }
-  }, [open, status, workspace, threads.length, activeThread, newThread, loadThread]);
+
+    const savedKey = `vibn-chat-active-thread:${workspace}`;
+    const saved = typeof window !== "undefined" ? localStorage.getItem(savedKey) : null;
+    const target = saved && threads.some((t) => t.id === saved) ? saved : threads[0].id;
+    loadThread(target);
+  }, [open, status, workspace, threadsLoaded, threads, activeThread, newThread, loadThread]);
+
+  // Persist active thread so reload re-opens the same conversation.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (typeof window === "undefined" || !workspace) return;
+    const savedKey = `vibn-chat-active-thread:${workspace}`;
+    if (activeThread) localStorage.setItem(savedKey, activeThread);
+  }, [activeThread, workspace]);
 
   useEffect(() => { scrollToBottom(); }, [messages, toolEvents, scrollToBottom]);