diff --git a/mobile/src/session/use-mobile-native-chat-controller.ts b/mobile/src/session/use-mobile-native-chat-controller.ts
index d7e6af535c7..d6f22015763 100644
--- a/mobile/src/session/use-mobile-native-chat-controller.ts
+++ b/mobile/src/session/use-mobile-native-chat-controller.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import {
   useCallback,
+  useLayoutEffect,
   useRef,
   type Dispatch,
   type MutableRefObject,
@@ -125,9 +126,12 @@ export function useMobileNativeChatController(args: {
       : null
   const showNativeChat = activeChatResolution != null
   const showNativeChatRef = useRef(showNativeChat)
-  showNativeChatRef.current = showNativeChat
-  const activeChatAgentRef = useRef<string | null>(activeChatResolution?.agent ?? null)
-  activeChatAgentRef.current = activeChatResolution?.agent ?? null
+  const activeChatAgent = activeChatResolution?.agent ?? null
+  const activeChatAgentRef = useRef<string | null>(activeChatAgent)
+  useLayoutEffect(() => {
+    showNativeChatRef.current = showNativeChat
+    activeChatAgentRef.current = activeChatAgent
+  }, [activeChatAgent, showNativeChat])
 
   const activeChatSessionId = activeChatResolution?.sessionId ?? null
   const streamIdentity = `${hostId}\0${worktreeId}\0${activeSessionTabId ?? ''}\0${activeChatSessionId ?? ''}\0${activeHandleRef.current ?? ''}`
@@ -286,7 +290,9 @@ export function useMobileNativeChatController(args: {
     dispatchCommand: handleNativeChatDispatchCommand,
     onAgentPicker: handleAgentPicker
   })
-  recordSessionOptionCommandRef.current = sessionOptions.recordCommand
+  useLayoutEffect(() => {
+    recordSessionOptionCommandRef.current = sessionOptions.recordCommand
+  }, [sessionOptions.recordCommand])
   // Card actions retire the route's held failure banner too, not just sends.
   const answerAsk = useNativeChatAcceptedAction(handleNativeChatAnswerAsk, onSendResolved)
   const cancelAsk = useNativeChatAcceptedAction(handleNativeChatCancelAsk, onSendResolved)
diff --git a/mobile/src/session/use-mobile-native-chat-session-options.test.ts b/mobile/src/session/use-mobile-native-chat-session-options.test.ts
index d77f91e9a70..a2b3d80ef27 100644
--- a/mobile/src/session/use-mobile-native-chat-session-options.test.ts
+++ b/mobile/src/session/use-mobile-native-chat-session-options.test.ts
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ describe('useMobileNativeChatSessionOptions', () => {
   })
 
   it('keeps the latest queued operation pending until it settles', async () => {
-    const resolvers: Array<(outcome: MobileNativeChatSendOutcome) => void> = []
+    const resolvers: ((outcome: MobileNativeChatSendOutcome) => void)[] = []
     dispatchCommand.mockImplementation(
       () =>
         new Promise<MobileNativeChatSendOutcome>((resolve) => {
diff --git a/mobile/src/session/use-mobile-native-chat-session-options.ts b/mobile/src/session/use-mobile-native-chat-session-options.ts
index b173d2c2704..c91e1c9509a 100644
--- a/mobile/src/session/use-mobile-native-chat-session-options.ts
+++ b/mobile/src/session/use-mobile-native-chat-session-options.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react'
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useLayoutEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 import { getAgentSessionOptionCatalog } from '../../../src/shared/agent-session-option-catalog'
 import type {
   SessionOptionDescriptor,
@@ -85,16 +85,15 @@ export function useMobileNativeChatSessionOptions(args: {
   const pendingId = identity ? (pendingByIdentity[identity]?.id ?? null) : null
   const bump = useCallback(() => setVersion((current) => current + 1), [])
   const activeIdentityRef = useRef(identity)
-  activeIdentityRef.current = identity
   const applyQueuesRef = useRef(new Map<string, Promise<void>>())
   const operationTokenRef = useRef(0)
 
-  useEffect(
-    () => () => {
+  useLayoutEffect(() => {
+    activeIdentityRef.current = identity
+    return () => {
       activeIdentityRef.current = null
-    },
-    []
-  )
+    }
+  }, [identity])
 
   // Seed the current model from live agent status; hook reports are authority
   // over locally dispatched guesses (desktop 'reported' source parity).