diff --git a/ui/src/ui/app-gateway.ts b/ui/src/ui/app-gateway.ts
index d4c8339c9..66b409cf7 100644
--- a/ui/src/ui/app-gateway.ts
+++ b/ui/src/ui/app-gateway.ts
@@ -84,6 +84,16 @@ function normalizeSessionKeyForDefaults(
 
 function applySessionDefaults(host: GatewayHost, defaults?: SessionDefaultsSnapshot) {
   if (!defaults?.mainSessionKey) return;
+  
+  // If session was explicitly set from URL, don't override with defaults
+  // This ensures direct links to specific sessions work correctly
+  const hostWithFlag = host as GatewayHost & { sessionFromUrl?: boolean };
+  if (hostWithFlag.sessionFromUrl) {
+    // Clear the flag after first connection so future reconnects can apply defaults if needed
+    hostWithFlag.sessionFromUrl = false;
+    return;
+  }
+  
   const resolvedSessionKey = normalizeSessionKeyForDefaults(host.sessionKey, defaults);
   const resolvedSettingsSessionKey = normalizeSessionKeyForDefaults(
     host.settings.sessionKey,
diff --git a/ui/src/ui/app-settings.ts b/ui/src/ui/app-settings.ts
index 63391635d..6b170d624 100644
--- a/ui/src/ui/app-settings.ts
+++ b/ui/src/ui/app-settings.ts
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ export function applySettingsFromUrl(host: SettingsHost) {
     const session = sessionRaw.trim();
     if (session) {
       host.sessionKey = session;
+      // Mark that this session was explicitly set from URL to prevent override by defaults
+      (host as { sessionFromUrl?: boolean }).sessionFromUrl = true;
       applySettings(host, {
         ...host.settings,
         sessionKey: session,