diff --git a/src/main/index.ts b/src/main/index.ts
index 6a5595f381c..a80bea0d965 100644
--- a/src/main/index.ts
+++ b/src/main/index.ts
@@ -849,7 +849,7 @@ function startTerminalRuntimeStartupServices(): Promise<void> {
       await initDaemonPtyProvider(signal, {
         macosLoginSessionWatch: process.platform === 'darwin' && !isServeMode
       })
-      if (hasRecordedLegacySharedCodexPane()) {
+      if (codexRuntimeHome?.isHostSystemDefaultRealHome() && hasRecordedLegacySharedCodexPane()) {
         const livePtyIds = await listLiveDaemonPtyIds()
         if (livePtyIds) {
           reconcileCodexPaneAccountsWithLivePtys(livePtyIds)
diff --git a/src/main/startup/desktop-startup-ordering.test.ts b/src/main/startup/desktop-startup-ordering.test.ts
index 60cece6cd68..ec51c690ff6 100644
--- a/src/main/startup/desktop-startup-ordering.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/startup/desktop-startup-ordering.test.ts
@@ -98,6 +98,10 @@ describe('startup ordering', () => {
   it('reconciles retained Codex homes after authoritative daemon inventory', () => {
     const source = readFileSync(join(process.cwd(), 'src/main/index.ts'), 'utf8')
     const daemonInitIndex = source.indexOf('await initDaemonPtyProvider(signal')
+    const routeGateIndex = source.indexOf(
+      'codexRuntimeHome?.isHostSystemDefaultRealHome()',
+      daemonInitIndex
+    )
     const inventoryIndex = source.indexOf('await listLiveDaemonPtyIds()', daemonInitIndex)
     const reconciliation = 'codexRuntimeHome?.reconcileLegacySharedHomeForRetainedPanes()'
     const reconciliationIndex = source.indexOf(reconciliation, inventoryIndex)
@@ -105,7 +109,8 @@ describe('startup ordering', () => {
     const desktopIndex = source.indexOf('Promise.resolve(openMainWindow())', serveIndex)
 
     expect(daemonInitIndex).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
-    expect(inventoryIndex).toBeGreaterThan(daemonInitIndex)
+    expect(routeGateIndex).toBeGreaterThan(daemonInitIndex)
+    expect(inventoryIndex).toBeGreaterThan(routeGateIndex)
     expect(reconciliationIndex).toBeGreaterThan(inventoryIndex)
     expect(serveIndex).toBeGreaterThan(reconciliationIndex)
     expect(desktopIndex).toBeGreaterThan(serveIndex)