diff --git a/codex-rs/rollout/src/recorder.rs b/codex-rs/rollout/src/recorder.rs
index c9a26cbe2c..e87908db3f 100644
--- a/codex-rs/rollout/src/recorder.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/rollout/src/recorder.rs
@@ -379,6 +379,7 @@ impl RolloutRecorder {
                 /*parent_thread_id*/ None,
                 archived,
                 search_term,
+                /*missing_rollout_thread_ids_to_preserve*/ None,
             )
             .await
             .map(Into::into)
@@ -492,6 +493,7 @@ impl RolloutRecorder {
             /*parent_thread_id*/ None,
             archived,
             search_term,
+            /*missing_rollout_thread_ids_to_preserve*/ None,
         )
         .await;
         if let Some(db_page) = db_page {
@@ -521,6 +523,7 @@ impl RolloutRecorder {
                     /*parent_thread_id*/ None,
                     archived,
                     search_term,
+                    /*missing_rollout_thread_ids_to_preserve*/ None,
                 )
                 .await
                 {
@@ -561,6 +564,7 @@ impl RolloutRecorder {
                         /*parent_thread_id*/ None,
                         archived,
                         search_term,
+                        /*missing_rollout_thread_ids_to_preserve*/ None,
                     )
                     .await
                     {
@@ -639,6 +643,7 @@ impl RolloutRecorder {
                     /*parent_thread_id*/ None,
                     /*archived*/ false,
                     /*search_term*/ None,
+                    /*missing_rollout_thread_ids_to_preserve*/ None,
                 )
                 .await
                 else {
diff --git a/codex-rs/rollout/src/state_db.rs b/codex-rs/rollout/src/state_db.rs
index 071820d191..cd35f6c65d 100644
--- a/codex-rs/rollout/src/state_db.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/rollout/src/state_db.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ use codex_state::ThreadMetadata;
 use codex_state::ThreadMetadataBuilder;
 use codex_utils_path::normalize_for_path_comparison;
 use serde_json::Value;
+use std::collections::HashSet;
 use std::path::Path;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::sync::Arc;
@@ -371,6 +372,7 @@ pub async fn list_threads_db(
     parent_thread_id: Option<ThreadId>,
     archived: bool,
     search_term: Option<&str>,
+    missing_rollout_thread_ids_to_preserve: Option<&HashSet<ThreadId>>,
 ) -> Option<codex_state::ThreadListPage> {
     let ctx = context?;
     if ctx.codex_home() != codex_home {
@@ -431,6 +433,11 @@ pub async fn list_threads_db(
                     let mut item = item;
                     item.rollout_path = existing_path;
                     valid_items.push(item);
+                // Deferred live writers can own state rows before their rollout file materializes.
+                } else if missing_rollout_thread_ids_to_preserve
+                    .is_some_and(|thread_ids| thread_ids.contains(&item.id))
+                {
+                    valid_items.push(item);
                 } else {
                     warn!(
                         "state db list_threads returned stale rollout path for thread {}: {}",
diff --git a/codex-rs/thread-store/src/local/helpers.rs b/codex-rs/thread-store/src/local/helpers.rs
index e5526b7c0e..027d846940 100644
--- a/codex-rs/thread-store/src/local/helpers.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/thread-store/src/local/helpers.rs
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ pub(super) fn stored_thread_from_state_list_item(
         model_provider,
         cwd,
         cli_version,
-        title: _,
+        title,
         name,
         preview,
         first_user_message,
@@ -188,6 +188,11 @@ pub(super) fn stored_thread_from_state_list_item(
     let preview = preview
         .or_else(|| first_user_message.clone())
         .unwrap_or_default();
+    let name = name.filter(|name| !name.trim().is_empty()).or_else(|| {
+        let title = title.trim();
+        (!title.is_empty() && first_user_message.as_deref().map(str::trim) != Some(title))
+            .then(|| title.to_string())
+    });
     let git_info = git_info_from_parts(git_sha, git_branch, git_origin_url);
     let rollout_path = codex_rollout::plain_rollout_path(rollout_path.as_path());
     let model_provider = if model_provider.is_empty() {
diff --git a/codex-rs/thread-store/src/local/list_threads.rs b/codex-rs/thread-store/src/local/list_threads.rs
index 184993b273..0f5b131992 100644
--- a/codex-rs/thread-store/src/local/list_threads.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/thread-store/src/local/list_threads.rs
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ async fn list_threads_from_state_db(
     sort_key: codex_rollout::ThreadSortKey,
     sort_direction: codex_rollout::SortDirection,
 ) -> ThreadStoreResult<ThreadPage> {
+    let live_thread_ids = store.live_thread_ids().await;
     let page = codex_rollout::state_db::list_threads_db(
         state_db,
         store.config.codex_home.as_path(),
@@ -113,6 +114,7 @@ async fn list_threads_from_state_db(
         params.parent_thread_id,
         params.archived,
         params.search_term.as_deref(),
+        Some(&live_thread_ids),
     )
     .await;
 
@@ -195,6 +197,7 @@ pub(super) async fn list_rollout_threads(
             Some(parent_thread_id),
             params.archived,
             params.search_term.as_deref(),
+            /*missing_rollout_thread_ids_to_preserve*/ None,
         )
         .await
         .ok_or_else(|| ThreadStoreError::Internal {
diff --git a/codex-rs/thread-store/src/local/mod.rs b/codex-rs/thread-store/src/local/mod.rs
index 19a0d2955b..0ddb98baa0 100644
--- a/codex-rs/thread-store/src/local/mod.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/thread-store/src/local/mod.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ use codex_protocol::ThreadId;
 use codex_rollout::RolloutRecorder;
 use codex_rollout::StateDbHandle;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::collections::HashSet;
 use std::collections::hash_map::Entry;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::sync::Arc;
@@ -139,6 +140,10 @@ impl LocalThreadStore {
             .ok_or(ThreadStoreError::ThreadNotFound { thread_id })
     }
 
+    pub(super) async fn live_thread_ids(&self) -> HashSet<ThreadId> {
+        self.live_recorders.lock().await.keys().copied().collect()
+    }
+
     pub(super) async fn ensure_live_recorder_absent(
         &self,
         thread_id: ThreadId,