diff --git a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/app.tsx b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/app.tsx
index 5da2740cce4c..8bc608628d14 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/app.tsx
+++ b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/app.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { render, TimeToFirstDraw, useKeyboard, useRenderer, useTerminalDimension
 import * as Clipboard from "@tui/util/clipboard"
 import * as Selection from "@tui/util/selection"
 import { createCliRenderer, MouseButton, type CliRendererConfig } from "@opentui/core"
-import { RouteProvider, useRoute } from "@tui/context/route"
+import { CONTINUE_PLACEHOLDER_ID, RouteProvider, useRoute } from "@tui/context/route"
 import {
   Switch,
   Match,
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ export function tui(input: {
                       input.args.continue
                         ? {
                             type: "session",
-                            sessionID: "dummy",
+                            sessionID: CONTINUE_PLACEHOLDER_ID,
                           }
                         : undefined
                     }
@@ -352,20 +352,26 @@ function App(props: { onSnapshot?: () => Promise<string[]> }) {
     const match = sync.data.session
       .toSorted((a, b) => b.time.updated - a.time.updated)
       .find((x) => x.parentID === undefined)?.id
-    if (match) {
+    if (!match) {
+      // Only give up once the full session list has loaded
+      if (sync.status !== "complete") return
       continued = true
-      if (args.fork) {
-        void sdk.client.session.fork({ sessionID: match }).then((result) => {
-          if (result.data?.id) {
-            route.navigate({ type: "session", sessionID: result.data.id })
-          } else {
-            toast.show({ message: "Failed to fork session", variant: "error" })
-          }
-        })
-      } else {
-        route.navigate({ type: "session", sessionID: match })
-      }
+      route.navigate({ type: "home" })
+      return
+    }
+    continued = true
+    if (args.fork) {
+      void sdk.client.session.fork({ sessionID: match }).then((result) => {
+        if (result.data?.id) {
+          route.navigate({ type: "session", sessionID: result.data.id })
+          return
+        }
+        toast.show({ message: "Failed to fork session", variant: "error" })
+        route.navigate({ type: "home" })
+      })
+      return
     }
+    route.navigate({ type: "session", sessionID: match })
   })
 
   // Handle --session with --fork: wait for sync to be fully complete before forking
diff --git a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/context/route.tsx b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/context/route.tsx
index 35be17801b1f..4d5f389431e1 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/context/route.tsx
+++ b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/context/route.tsx
@@ -21,6 +21,13 @@ export type PluginRoute = {
 
 export type Route = HomeRoute | SessionRoute | PluginRoute
 
+/**
+ * Placeholder session ID used as the initial route when `--continue` is passed.
+ * Prevents a visual flash to the home screen before the real session is resolved.
+ * Must never be fetched from the server — consumers should guard against it.
+ */
+export const CONTINUE_PLACEHOLDER_ID = "dummy"
+
 export const { use: useRoute, provider: RouteProvider } = createSimpleContext({
   name: "Route",
   init: (props: { initialRoute?: Route }) => {
diff --git a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/routes/session/index.tsx b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/routes/session/index.tsx
index 06be5dfbefbf..0390ae1c392e 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/routes/session/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/routes/session/index.tsx
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import {
 } from "solid-js"
 import { Dynamic } from "solid-js/web"
 import path from "path"
-import { useRoute, useRouteData } from "@tui/context/route"
+import { CONTINUE_PLACEHOLDER_ID, useRoute, useRouteData } from "@tui/context/route"
 import { useProject } from "@tui/context/project"
 import { useSync } from "@tui/context/sync"
 import { useEvent } from "@tui/context/event"
@@ -181,6 +181,9 @@ export function Session() {
   const sdk = useSDK()
 
   createEffect(async () => {
+    // Skip fetching while the route still holds the placeholder used by --continue.
+    // The continue effect in App() will replace this route with a real session or home.
+    if (route.sessionID === CONTINUE_PLACEHOLDER_ID) return
     const previousWorkspace = project.workspace.current()
     const result = await sdk.client.session.get({ sessionID: route.sessionID }, { throwOnError: true })
     if (!result.data) {