diff --git a/backend/app/api/endpoints/ai_sessions.py b/backend/app/api/endpoints/ai_sessions.py
index 4ffd7097..537737e6 100644
--- a/backend/app/api/endpoints/ai_sessions.py
+++ b/backend/app/api/endpoints/ai_sessions.py
@@ -117,6 +117,9 @@ def _build_session_detail(session: AISession) -> AISessionDetail:
         resolved_at=session.resolved_at,
         steps=step_responses,
         conversation_messages=session.conversation_messages or [],
+        pending_task_lane=session.pending_task_lane,
+        is_branching=getattr(session, 'is_branching', False),
+        active_branch_id=str(session.active_branch_id) if getattr(session, 'active_branch_id', None) else None,
     )
 
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/script-editor/ScriptTemplateEditor.tsx b/frontend/src/components/script-editor/ScriptTemplateEditor.tsx
index 0b3a8671..d0e3228e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/script-editor/ScriptTemplateEditor.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/script-editor/ScriptTemplateEditor.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useState, useEffect } from 'react'
+import { useState, useEffect, useRef } from 'react'
 import { ArrowLeft, Loader2, Save, Scan, Trash2 } from 'lucide-react'
 import { Input } from '@/components/ui/Input'
 import { Textarea } from '@/components/ui/Textarea'
@@ -64,16 +64,19 @@ export function ScriptTemplateEditor({ templateId, onBack, onSaved }: Props) {
   const [detectedCandidates, setDetectedCandidates] = useState<ParameterCandidate[]>([])
   const [showStepper, setShowStepper] = useState(false)
   const [detectionSummary, setDetectionSummary] = useState<string | null>(null)
+  const acceptingCandidateRef = useRef(false)
 
   const { canShareScriptTemplate } = usePermissions()
 
-  // Dismiss stepper if user edits the script body during detection
+  // Dismiss stepper if user manually edits the script body during detection
+  // (but NOT when handleAcceptCandidate programmatically updates script_body)
   const scriptBodyRef = form.script_body
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (showStepper) {
+    if (showStepper && !acceptingCandidateRef.current) {
       setShowStepper(false)
       setDetectedCandidates([])
     }
+    acceptingCandidateRef.current = false
   // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
   }, [scriptBodyRef])
 
@@ -263,6 +266,7 @@ export function ScriptTemplateEditor({ templateId, onBack, onSaved }: Props) {
       sensitive: overrides.sensitive,
     }
 
+    acceptingCandidateRef.current = true
     setForm(f => ({
       ...f,
       script_body: updatedScript,
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/AssistantChatPage.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/AssistantChatPage.tsx
index 3a95f680..30e20a2b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/AssistantChatPage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/AssistantChatPage.tsx
@@ -102,7 +102,9 @@ export default function AssistantChatPage() {
 
   // Restore session from sessionStorage on mount (when URL has no session ID)
   useEffect(() => {
+    console.log('[AssistantChat] Mount restore check — urlSessionId:', urlSessionId, 'activeChatId:', activeChatId)
     if (!urlSessionId && activeChatId) {
+      console.log('[AssistantChat] Calling selectChat to restore:', activeChatId)
       selectChat(activeChatId)
     }
   }, []) // eslint-disable-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
@@ -207,6 +209,7 @@ export default function AssistantChatPage() {
   }
 
   const selectChat = useCallback(async (chatId: string) => {
+    console.log('[AssistantChat] selectChat called with:', chatId)
     setActiveChatId(chatId)
     // Clear TaskLane when switching chats — will restore from backend if available
     setShowTaskLane(false)
@@ -214,6 +217,7 @@ export default function AssistantChatPage() {
     setActiveActions([])
     try {
       const detail = await aiSessionsApi.getSession(chatId)
+      console.log('[AssistantChat] getSession response — messages:', detail.conversation_messages?.length, 'pending_task_lane:', !!detail.pending_task_lane)
       setMessages(
         (detail.conversation_messages || []).map(m => ({
           role: m.role as 'user' | 'assistant',
@@ -237,7 +241,8 @@ export default function AssistantChatPage() {
           }
         }
       }
-    } catch {
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error('[AssistantChat] Failed to load chat session:', err)
       setMessages([])
     }
   }, [])