diff --git a/backend/app/api/endpoints/ai_sessions.py b/backend/app/api/endpoints/ai_sessions.py
index 425e6421..4b484e43 100644
--- a/backend/app/api/endpoints/ai_sessions.py
+++ b/backend/app/api/endpoints/ai_sessions.py
@@ -901,10 +901,21 @@ async def get_session(
     if not session:
         raise HTTPException(status_code=status.HTTP_404_NOT_FOUND, detail="Session not found")
 
-    # Allow access if user is owner, escalation target, or picked-up handler
+    # Allow access if user is owner, escalation target, or picked-up handler.
+    # Sessions in transit (requesting_escalation / escalated) are also
+    # readable by any account member — the whole point of escalation is that
+    # other techs can see the context before claiming. Tenant boundary is
+    # enforced by RLS on the underlying query, so account-scope is the right
+    # ceiling for in-transit reads.
     pkg = session.escalation_package or {}
     is_handler = pkg.get("picked_up_by") == str(current_user.id)
-    if session.user_id != current_user.id and session.escalated_to_id != current_user.id and not is_handler:
+    is_in_transit = session.status in ("requesting_escalation", "escalated")
+    if (
+        session.user_id != current_user.id
+        and session.escalated_to_id != current_user.id
+        and not is_handler
+        and not is_in_transit
+    ):
         raise HTTPException(status_code=status.HTTP_404_NOT_FOUND, detail="Session not found")
 
     return _build_session_detail(session)
diff --git a/backend/app/services/notification_service.py b/backend/app/services/notification_service.py
index 23926b0f..a817b9b6 100644
--- a/backend/app/services/notification_service.py
+++ b/backend/app/services/notification_service.py
@@ -405,7 +405,12 @@ def _build_notification_body(event: str, payload: dict[str, Any]) -> str:
 def _build_notification_link(event: str, payload: dict[str, Any]) -> Optional[str]:
     """In-app link per event type. Returns path (no host)."""
     links: dict[str, str] = {
-        "session.escalated": "/pilot/{session_id}",
+        # ?pickup=true triggers the senior-tech handoff/pickup flow on the
+        # session page (magic-moment screen for handoff-based escalations,
+        # legacy SessionBriefing for `requesting_escalation` sessions).
+        # Without it the senior lands on a session-detail GET they can't
+        # access pre-pickup, which the user perceives as a dead notification.
+        "session.escalated": "/pilot/{session_id}?pickup=true",
         "session.high_priority": "/pilot/{session_id}",
         "proposal.pending": "/review-queue",
         "proposal.approved": "/review-queue",