diff --git a/internal/cloud/access-control.test.ts b/internal/cloud/access-control.test.ts
index 2a3ffdb8..41c18b8f 100644
--- a/internal/cloud/access-control.test.ts
+++ b/internal/cloud/access-control.test.ts
@@ -999,6 +999,28 @@ test("workbench workspace read does not repair terminal selected conversation af
     assert.equal(restored.body.workspace.selectedConversation.messages.some((message) => message.text === "repair completed"), false);
     assert.equal(restored.body.workspace.revision, 2);
     assert.equal(agentRunCalls.length, 0);
+
+    const legacyStale = await patchJson(port, `/v1/workbench/workspace/${workspace.body.workspace.workspaceId}`, {
+      expectedRevision: 2,
+      workspace: {
+        selectedConversationId: "cnv_legacy_stale_workspace",
+        selectedAgentSessionId: "ses_legacy_stale_workspace",
+        providerProfile: "deepseek",
+        sessionStatus: "running",
+        lastTraceId: "trc_legacy_stale_workspace"
+      },
+      updatedByClient: "test-suite-legacy-stale"
+    }, aliceLogin.cookie);
+    assert.equal(legacyStale.status, 200);
+    assert.equal(legacyStale.body.workspace.activeTraceId, null);
+    assert.equal(legacyStale.body.workspace.workspace.lastTraceId, undefined);
+    assert.equal(legacyStale.body.workspace.workspace.sessionStatus, undefined);
+
+    const legacyRestored = await getJson(port, "/v1/workbench/workspace?projectId=prj_hwpod_workbench", aliceLogin.cookie);
+    assert.equal(legacyRestored.status, 200);
+    assert.equal(legacyRestored.body.workspace.activeTraceId, null);
+    assert.equal(legacyRestored.body.workspace.workspace.lastTraceId, undefined);
+    assert.equal(legacyRestored.body.workspace.workspace.sessionStatus, undefined);
   } finally {
     await new Promise((resolve, reject) => server.close((error) => (error ? reject(error) : resolve())));
     await new Promise((resolve, reject) => agentRunServer.close((error) => (error ? reject(error) : resolve())));
diff --git a/internal/cloud/access-control.ts b/internal/cloud/access-control.ts
index 61ff579d..e4da7988 100644
--- a/internal/cloud/access-control.ts
+++ b/internal/cloud/access-control.ts
@@ -2133,14 +2133,17 @@ function workspaceJsonForSelectedConversation(workspace, conversation = null) {
 }
 function redactedWorkspaceJson(value = {}) {
   const workspace = normalizeObject(value);
+  const activeTraceId = textOr(workspace.activeTraceId, "");
+  const sessionStatus = textOr(workspace.sessionStatus, "");
+  const staleActiveSessionStatus = !activeTraceId && isActiveConversationStatus(sessionStatus);
   return pruneEmpty({
     selectedConversationId: textOr(workspace.selectedConversationId, ""),
     selectedAgentSessionId: textOr(workspace.selectedAgentSessionId, ""),
-    activeTraceId: textOr(workspace.activeTraceId, ""),
+    activeTraceId,
     previousActiveTraceId: textOr(workspace.previousActiveTraceId, ""),
     providerProfile: textOr(workspace.providerProfile, ""),
-    sessionStatus: textOr(workspace.sessionStatus, ""),
-    lastTraceId: textOr(workspace.lastTraceId, ""),
+    sessionStatus: staleActiveSessionStatus ? "" : sessionStatus,
+    lastTraceId: activeTraceId ? textOr(workspace.lastTraceId, "") : "",
     workspaceRevisionConflict: workspace.workspaceRevisionConflict === true,
     expectedWorkspaceRevision: Number.isFinite(Number(workspace.expectedWorkspaceRevision)) ? Number(workspace.expectedWorkspaceRevision) : undefined,
     staleContinuationCleared: workspace.staleContinuationCleared === true,