diff --git a/src/main/runtime/mobile-session-chat-tab-order.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/mobile-session-chat-tab-order.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..76b33b4134e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/runtime/mobile-session-chat-tab-order.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import type { RuntimeMobileSessionSnapshotTab } from '../../shared/runtime-types'
+import { appendChatTabOrder, keepSnapshotChatTabs } from './mobile-session-tab-merge'
+
+const chat: RuntimeMobileSessionSnapshotTab = {
+  type: 'agent-session',
+  id: 'agent-session:claude_a',
+  title: 'Claude',
+  sessionId: 'claude_a',
+  agent: 'claude',
+  isActive: true
+}
+const terminal: RuntimeMobileSessionSnapshotTab = {
+  type: 'terminal',
+  id: 'term::leaf',
+  parentTabId: 'term',
+  leafId: 'leaf',
+  title: 'Terminal',
+  isActive: true
+}
+
+describe('chat tabs across a rebuild from persisted state', () => {
+  it('keeps the chat the only active tab when it was the one shown', () => {
+    const tabs = keepSnapshotChatTabs([terminal], { tabs: [chat], activeTabId: chat.id })
+
+    expect(tabs.map((tab) => [tab.id, tab.isActive])).toEqual([
+      [terminal.id, false],
+      [chat.id, true]
+    ])
+  })
+
+  it('returns a chat to the place it held, not the end', () => {
+    const groups = appendChatTabOrder(
+      [{ id: 'g', activeTabId: 'term', tabOrder: ['term', 'other'] }],
+      [{ id: 'g', activeTabId: chat.id, tabOrder: [chat.id, 'term', 'editor', 'other'] }],
+      [chat, terminal],
+      chat.id
+    )
+
+    expect(groups).toEqual([
+      { id: 'g', activeTabId: chat.id, tabOrder: [chat.id, 'term', 'other'] }
+    ])
+  })
+
+  it('follows the tab it sat after when that tab survives', () => {
+    const groups = appendChatTabOrder(
+      [{ id: 'g', activeTabId: 'term', tabOrder: ['term', 'other'] }],
+      [{ id: 'g', activeTabId: 'term', tabOrder: ['term', chat.id, 'other'] }],
+      [{ ...chat, isActive: false }, terminal]
+    )
+
+    expect(groups[0]?.tabOrder).toEqual(['term', chat.id, 'other'])
+    expect(groups[0]?.activeTabId).toBe('term')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/mobile-session-tab-merge.ts b/src/main/runtime/mobile-session-tab-merge.ts
index b907fbb509d..ea0b34e907f 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/mobile-session-tab-merge.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/mobile-session-tab-merge.ts
@@ -129,3 +129,73 @@ export function mergeMobileSessionTabGroups(
     })
     .filter((group) => group.tabOrder.length > 0)
 }
+
+/**
+ * A tab list rebuilt from persisted state, plus the chat tabs only `prior` holds. Chat tabs exist
+ * only in the runtime's snapshot, so no persisted terminal or layout state can recreate them.
+ */
+export function keepSnapshotChatTabs(
+  rebuilt: readonly RuntimeMobileSessionSnapshotTab[],
+  prior:
+    | { tabs: readonly RuntimeMobileSessionSnapshotTab[]; activeTabId: string | null }
+    | undefined
+): RuntimeMobileSessionSnapshotTab[] {
+  const chatTabs = prior?.tabs.filter((tab) => tab.type === 'agent-session') ?? []
+  if (chatTabs.length === 0) {
+    return [...rebuilt]
+  }
+  // One active tab: a rebuilt terminal's own flag must not outrank the chat the snapshot showed.
+  const activeChatId = chatTabs.find((tab) => tab.id === prior?.activeTabId)?.id ?? null
+  return [
+    ...rebuilt.map((tab) => (activeChatId && tab.isActive ? { ...tab, isActive: false } : tab)),
+    ...chatTabs.map((tab) => ({ ...tab, isActive: tab.id === activeChatId }))
+  ]
+}
+
+/**
+ * Puts chat tabs back into the group order a terminal-only merge rebuilt without them: each in the
+ * group that listed it before (else the first), after the tab it followed there.
+ */
+export function appendChatTabOrder(
+  groups: readonly RuntimeMobileSessionTabGroup[],
+  priorGroups: readonly RuntimeMobileSessionTabGroup[] | undefined,
+  tabs: readonly RuntimeMobileSessionSnapshotTab[],
+  activeTabId: string | null = tabs.find((tab) => tab.isActive)?.id ?? null
+): RuntimeMobileSessionTabGroup[] {
+  const chatTabIds = tabs.filter((tab) => tab.type === 'agent-session').map((tab) => tab.id)
+  if (chatTabIds.length === 0) {
+    return [...groups]
+  }
+  const next = groups.map((group) => ({ ...group, tabOrder: [...group.tabOrder] }))
+  for (const tabId of chatTabIds) {
+    const priorGroup = priorGroups?.find((group) => group.tabOrder.includes(tabId))
+    const target =
+      next.find((group) => group.tabOrder.includes(tabId)) ??
+      next.find((group) => group.id === priorGroup?.id) ??
+      next[0]
+    if (!target) {
+      continue
+    }
+    if (!target.tabOrder.includes(tabId)) {
+      const at = chatInsertIndex(target.tabOrder, priorGroup?.tabOrder ?? [], tabId)
+      target.tabOrder.splice(at, 0, tabId)
+    }
+    if (tabId === activeTabId) {
+      target.activeTabId = tabId
+    }
+  }
+  return next
+}
+
+function chatInsertIndex(
+  order: readonly string[],
+  priorOrder: readonly string[],
+  tabId: string
+): number {
+  const priorIndex = priorOrder.indexOf(tabId)
+  if (priorIndex === -1) {
+    return order.length
+  }
+  const previous = priorOrder.slice(0, priorIndex).findLast((id) => order.includes(id))
+  return previous === undefined ? 0 : order.indexOf(previous) + 1
+}
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-tests/mobile-session-tabs-headless-chat-rebuild.spec.ts b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-tests/mobile-session-tabs-headless-chat-rebuild.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c5ec65e53b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-tests/mobile-session-tabs-headless-chat-rebuild.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { OrcaRuntimeService } from '../orca-runtime-test-mocks.spec'
+import {
+  HEADLESS_LEAF_ID,
+  TEST_WORKTREE_ID,
+  TEST_WORKTREE_PATH,
+  makeHeadlessTerminalLayout,
+  makeRuntimeStoreWithWorkspaceSession,
+  makeWorkspaceSessionWithHeadlessTerminal
+} from '../orca-runtime-test-fixtures.spec'
+import type { WorkspaceSessionState } from '../../../shared/workspace-session-state-types'
+
+// #29968: on a host with no window a chat tab lives only in the runtime's snapshot; rebuilding that
+// snapshot from the saved terminals and editors must not drop it.
+const WORKTREE = `id:${TEST_WORKTREE_ID}`
+const README = `${TEST_WORKTREE_PATH}/README.md`
+const CHAT_TAB_ID = 'agent-session:claude_29968'
+const SERVE_PTY_ID = 'serve-29968-pty'
+
+function sessionWithTerminalAndEditor(): WorkspaceSessionState {
+  return makeWorkspaceSessionWithHeadlessTerminal({
+    activeTabId: 'serve-tab',
+    activeTabIdByWorktree: { [TEST_WORKTREE_ID]: 'serve-tab' },
+    tabsByWorktree: {
+      [TEST_WORKTREE_ID]: [
+        {
+          id: 'serve-tab',
+          ptyId: SERVE_PTY_ID,
+          worktreeId: TEST_WORKTREE_ID,
+          title: 'Terminal',
+          customTitle: null,
+          color: null,
+          sortOrder: 0,
+          createdAt: 1
+        }
+      ]
+    },
+    terminalLayoutsByTabId: {
+      'serve-tab': makeHeadlessTerminalLayout({ [HEADLESS_LEAF_ID]: SERVE_PTY_ID })
+    },
+    openFilesByWorktree: {
+      [TEST_WORKTREE_ID]: [
+        {
+          filePath: README,
+          relativePath: 'README.md',
+          worktreeId: TEST_WORKTREE_ID,
+          language: 'markdown',
+          runtimeEnvironmentId: null
+        }
+      ]
+    },
+    unifiedTabs: {
+      [TEST_WORKTREE_ID]: [
+        {
+          id: 'tab-readme',
+          entityId: README,
+          groupId: 'group-1',
+          worktreeId: TEST_WORKTREE_ID,
+          contentType: 'editor',
+          label: 'README.md',
+          customLabel: null,
+          color: null,
+          sortOrder: 1,
+          createdAt: 2
+        }
+      ]
+    }
+  })
+}
+
+function headlessRuntimeWithChat() {
+  const harness = makeRuntimeStoreWithWorkspaceSession(sessionWithTerminalAndEditor())
+  const runtime = new OrcaRuntimeService(harness.runtimeStore)
+  runtime.setPtyController({
+    write: () => true,
+    kill: () => true,
+    getForegroundProcess: async () => null,
+    listProcesses: vi.fn(async () => [{ id: SERVE_PTY_ID, cwd: TEST_WORKTREE_PATH, title: 'sh' }])
+  })
+  runtime.syncWindowGraph(0, { tabs: [], leaves: [] })
+  return runtime
+}
+
+async function openChat(runtime: OrcaRuntimeService): Promise<void> {
+  await runtime.listMobileSessionTabs(WORKTREE)
+  runtime.projectStructuredAgentSessionTab({
+    workspaceId: TEST_WORKTREE_ID,
+    sessionId: 'claude_29968',
+    agent: 'claude',
+    activate: true
+  })
+}
+
+describe('a chat tab on a host with no window', () => {
+  it('survives the rebuild that closing a saved editor tab forces', async () => {
+    const runtime = headlessRuntimeWithChat()
+    await openChat(runtime)
+    expect((await runtime.listMobileSessionTabs(WORKTREE)).tabs.map((tab) => tab.id)).toContain(
+      CHAT_TAB_ID
+    )
+
+    await runtime.closeMobileSessionTab(WORKTREE, 'tab-readme', { reason: 'user' })
+
+    const listed = await runtime.listMobileSessionTabs(WORKTREE)
+    expect(listed.tabs.map((tab) => tab.id)).toContain(CHAT_TAB_ID)
+    expect(listed.tabs.map((tab) => tab.id)).not.toContain('tab-readme')
+    expect(listed.tabGroups?.flatMap((group) => group.tabOrder)).toContain(CHAT_TAB_ID)
+    // The chat stays the tab the host shows, not the terminal the rebuild re-marked active.
+    expect(listed.activeTabId).toBe(CHAT_TAB_ID)
+    expect(listed.tabs.filter((tab) => tab.isActive).map((tab) => tab.id)).toEqual([CHAT_TAB_ID])
+  })
+
+  it('keeps its place in the tab order when the host lists the workspace again', async () => {
+    const runtime = headlessRuntimeWithChat()
+    await openChat(runtime)
+
+    const listed = await runtime.listMobileSessionTabs(WORKTREE)
+
+    expect(listed.tabGroups?.flatMap((group) => group.tabOrder)).toEqual([
+      'serve-tab',
+      'tab-readme',
+      CHAT_TAB_ID
+    ])
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime.test.ts
index 37fb2e153c8..2c067cd87bc 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime.test.ts
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ await import('./orca-runtime-tests/mobile-session-tabs-part-13.spec')
 await import('./orca-runtime-tests/mobile-session-tabs-part-14.spec')
 await import('./orca-runtime-tests/mobile-session-tabs-cold-serve-hydrate.spec')
 await import('./orca-runtime-tests/mobile-session-tabs-empty-headless-snapshot.spec')
+await import('./orca-runtime-tests/mobile-session-tabs-headless-chat-rebuild.spec')
 await import('./orca-runtime-tests/mobile-session-tabs-shell-selection.spec')
 await import('./orca-runtime-tests/mobile-session-tabs-windowless-sleep-resume.spec')
 await import('./orca-runtime-tests/exit-retirement-activation.spec')
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/session-tabs/mobile-session-hydration.ts b/src/main/runtime/session-tabs/mobile-session-hydration.ts
index 0b9e21c9df3..0252907d6db 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/session-tabs/mobile-session-hydration.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/session-tabs/mobile-session-hydration.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ import {
   pickRestoredActiveGroupId
 } from '../mobile-session-layout-projection'
 import {
+  appendChatTabOrder,
+  keepSnapshotChatTabs,
   mergeMobileSessionSnapshotTabs,
   mergeMobileSessionTabGroups
 } from '../mobile-session-tab-merge'
@@ -243,7 +245,7 @@ export abstract class OrcaRuntimeWithHydrateHeadlessMobileSessionTabsFromWorkspa
       const mergedTabs =
         options.onlyRuntimeOwnedTerminals === true && existing
           ? mergeMobileSessionSnapshotTabs(existing.tabs, tabs)
-          : tabs
+          : keepSnapshotChatTabs(tabs, existing)
       const mergedActiveTab =
         existing?.tabs.find((tab) => tab.id === existing.activeTabId) ??
         activeTab ??
@@ -269,7 +271,7 @@ export abstract class OrcaRuntimeWithHydrateHeadlessMobileSessionTabsFromWorkspa
           ? mergedActiveTab.parentTabId
           : mergedActiveTab.id
         : null
-      const nextTabGroups: RuntimeMobileSessionTabGroup[] = hasPersistedSplit
+      const rebuiltTabGroups: RuntimeMobileSessionTabGroup[] = hasPersistedSplit
         ? appendBrowserTabOrder(
             distributeHeadlessTabsAcrossGroups(
               persistedGroups.map((group) => ({
@@ -306,6 +308,7 @@ export abstract class OrcaRuntimeWithHydrateHeadlessMobileSessionTabsFromWorkspa
                 tabOrder
               }
             ]
+      const nextTabGroups = appendChatTabOrder(rebuiltTabGroups, existing?.tabGroups, mergedTabs)
       // Why: merging runtime tabs INTO a renderer publication must not reclass
       // the snapshot as headless-built — the preservation predicate would then
       // treat the renderer's own tabs as runtime-owned and resurrect tabs the
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/session-tabs/mobile-session-preservation.ts b/src/main/runtime/session-tabs/mobile-session-preservation.ts
index e3a7e4ddd09..312975f7df6 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/session-tabs/mobile-session-preservation.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/session-tabs/mobile-session-preservation.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 import type { OrcaRuntimeWithStoredMobileSnapshotHasStalePreservedTab as StoredMobileSnapshotHasStalePreservedTabMethods } from './mobile-session-publication-preservation'
 import { OrcaRuntimeWithSyncMobileSessionTabs } from './mobile-session-reconciliation'
 import type {
-  RuntimeMobileSessionSnapshotTab,
-  RuntimeMobileSessionTabGroup,
   RuntimeMobileSessionTabsSnapshot,
   RuntimeMobileSessionTerminalTab
 } from '../../../shared/runtime-types'
 import {
+  appendChatTabOrder,
   getMobileSessionSnapshotTabIdentityKeys,
   mergeMobileSessionSnapshotTabs,
   mergeMobileSessionTabGroups
@@ -74,7 +73,7 @@ export abstract class OrcaRuntimeWithMergePreservedHeadlessMobileSessionTabs ext
       activeGroupId: snapshot.activeGroupId ?? existing.activeGroupId,
       activeTabId: activeTab?.id ?? null,
       activeTabType: activeTab?.type ?? null,
-      tabGroups: this.mergeStructuredAgentSessionTabGroups(
+      tabGroups: appendChatTabOrder(
         tabGroups,
         existing.tabGroups ?? [],
         normalizedPreservedTabs,
@@ -84,30 +83,6 @@ export abstract class OrcaRuntimeWithMergePreservedHeadlessMobileSessionTabs ext
     }
   }
 
-  protected mergeStructuredAgentSessionTabGroups(
-    groups: readonly RuntimeMobileSessionTabGroup[],
-    existingGroups: readonly RuntimeMobileSessionTabGroup[],
-    preservedTabs: readonly RuntimeMobileSessionSnapshotTab[],
-    activeTabId: string | null
-  ): RuntimeMobileSessionTabGroup[] {
-    const structuredTabs = preservedTabs.filter((tab) => tab.type === 'agent-session')
-    if (structuredTabs.length === 0) {
-      return [...groups]
-    }
-    const next = groups.map((group) => ({ ...group, tabOrder: [...group.tabOrder] }))
-    for (const tab of structuredTabs) {
-      const priorGroupId = existingGroups.find((group) => group.tabOrder.includes(tab.id))?.id
-      const target = next.find((group) => group.id === priorGroupId) ?? next[0]
-      if (target && !target.tabOrder.includes(tab.id)) {
-        target.tabOrder.push(tab.id)
-      }
-      if (target && tab.id === activeTabId) {
-        target.activeTabId = tab.id
-      }
-    }
-    return next
-  }
-
   // Why: omitted from the renderer's publication AND from persistence = durably closed; a create in flight is not.
   protected listRendererRetiredTerminalTabs(
     incoming: RuntimeMobileSessionTabsSnapshot,
@@ -204,11 +179,16 @@ export abstract class OrcaRuntimeWithMergePreservedHeadlessMobileSessionTabs ext
       activeGroupId: existing.activeGroupId ?? getHeadlessMobileSessionGroupId(existing.worktree),
       activeTabId: activeTab?.id ?? null,
       activeTabType: activeTab?.type ?? null,
-      tabGroups: mergeMobileSessionTabGroups(
-        existing.worktree,
+      tabGroups: appendChatTabOrder(
+        mergeMobileSessionTabGroups(
+          existing.worktree,
+          existing.tabGroups ?? [],
+          terminalTabs,
+          activeTab?.type === 'terminal' ? activeTab : null
+        ),
         existing.tabGroups ?? [],
-        terminalTabs,
-        activeTab?.type === 'terminal' ? activeTab : null
+        tabs,
+        activeTab?.id ?? null
       ),
       tabs
     }
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/session-tabs/pty-backed-session-publication.ts b/src/main/runtime/session-tabs/pty-backed-session-publication.ts
index e974787a07f..8a9ae9094fb 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/session-tabs/pty-backed-session-publication.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/session-tabs/pty-backed-session-publication.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
   getHeadlessMobileSessionGroupId
 } from '../mobile-session-layout-projection'
 import {
+  appendChatTabOrder,
   mergeMobileSessionSnapshotTabs,
   mergeMobileSessionTabGroups
 } from '../mobile-session-tab-merge'
@@ -147,11 +148,16 @@ export abstract class OrcaRuntimeWithPublishPtyBackedMobileSessionTerminal exten
       activeGroupId: existing?.activeGroupId ?? getHeadlessMobileSessionGroupId(worktreeId),
       activeTabId: activeTab?.id ?? null,
       activeTabType: activeTab?.type ?? null,
-      tabGroups: mergeMobileSessionTabGroups(
-        worktreeId,
+      tabGroups: appendChatTabOrder(
+        mergeMobileSessionTabGroups(
+          worktreeId,
+          existing?.tabGroups ?? [],
+          terminalTabs,
+          activeTab?.type === 'terminal' ? activeTab : null
+        ),
         existing?.tabGroups ?? [],
-        terminalTabs,
-        activeTab?.type === 'terminal' ? activeTab : null
+        tabs,
+        activeTab?.id ?? null
       ),
       ...(existing?.tabGroupLayout ? { tabGroupLayout: existing.tabGroupLayout } : {}),
       tabs
diff --git a/tests/e2e/headless-serve-mobile-chat-tab-order.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/headless-serve-mobile-chat-tab-order.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8ef29e2543d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/e2e/headless-serve-mobile-chat-tab-order.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+/**
+ * #29968: a phone paired straight to a headless `orca serve` keeps a Claude chat tab, in its place
+ * in the tab order, while the phone closes and opens terminals around it.
+ */
+import { randomUUID } from 'node:crypto'
+import { expect, test } from './helpers/orca-app'
+import { launchHeadlessPairedRuntimeHost } from './helpers/headless-paired-runtime-host'
+import { pairMobileClient } from './helpers/paired-mobile-client'
+import {
+  createStructuredAgentSessionId,
+  structuredAgentSessionCreateParams
+} from '../../src/shared/structured-agent-session-create'
+import type { RuntimeMobileSessionTabsResult } from '../../src/shared/runtime-session-contracts'
+import type { RuntimeWorktreePsSummary } from '../../src/shared/runtime-worktree-contracts'
+
+test('a headless host keeps the phone its chat tab as terminals come and go', async ({
+  testRepoPath
+}) => {
+  test.setTimeout(240_000)
+  const host = await launchHeadlessPairedRuntimeHost({ pairingScope: 'mobile' })
+  const phone = pairMobileClient(host.offer)
+  try {
+    await host.client.call('repo.add', { path: testRepoPath, kind: 'git' })
+    let worktreeId = ''
+    await expect
+      .poll(
+        async () => {
+          const { worktrees } = await phone.call<{ worktrees: RuntimeWorktreePsSummary[] }>(
+            'worktree.ps',
+            { limit: 1_000 }
+          )
+          worktreeId = worktrees.find((row) => row.path === testRepoPath)?.worktreeId ?? ''
+          return worktreeId
+        },
+        { timeout: 30_000 }
+      )
+      .not.toBe('')
+    const worktree = `id:${worktreeId}`
+    const { tab: oldTerminal } = await phone.call<{ tab: { parentTabId: string } }>(
+      'session.tabs.createTerminal',
+      { worktree, clientMutationId: 'old', activate: true, select: true, navigation: 'caller' }
+    )
+    const sessionId = createStructuredAgentSessionId('claude', randomUUID)
+    await phone.call(
+      'agentSession.create',
+      structuredAgentSessionCreateParams({
+        sessionId,
+        worktree,
+        agent: 'claude',
+        randomUuid: randomUUID
+      })
+    )
+    const chatTabId = `agent-session:${sessionId}`
+
+    // The reported sequence: close the old terminal, then a setup terminal opens beside the chat.
+    await phone.call('session.tabs.close', {
+      worktree,
+      tabId: oldTerminal.parentTabId,
+      reason: 'user'
+    })
+    await host.client.call('terminal.create', { worktree, command: 'echo setup' })
+    await phone.call('session.tabs.createTerminal', {
+      worktree,
+      clientMutationId: 'new',
+      activate: true,
+      select: true,
+      navigation: 'caller'
+    })
+
+    const listed = await phone.call<RuntimeMobileSessionTabsResult>('session.tabs.list', {
+      worktree
+    })
+    expect(listed.tabs.map((tab) => tab.id)).toContain(chatTabId)
+    expect(listed.tabGroups?.flatMap((group) => group.tabOrder)).toContain(chatTabId)
+  } finally {
+    await host.dispose()
+  }
+})