diff --git a/packages/server/package.json b/packages/server/package.json
index 2f527307ae..bba90e58cd 100644
--- a/packages/server/package.json
+++ b/packages/server/package.json
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@
     "speech:transcribe:local": "tsx scripts/transcribe-local-wav.ts",
     "test": "npm run test:unit && npm run test:integration",
     "test:unit": "vitest run --fileParallelism --exclude \"**/*.e2e.test.ts\"",
-    "test:integration": "vitest run --maxWorkers=1 src/server/git-filename-diffs.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/checkout-diff-content.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/create-agent-mode.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/filesystem.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/file-download.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/cli-logs-follow.e2e.test.ts src/server/creation/creation.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/creation-status.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/terminal-workspace-sdk.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/terminal-worker-lifecycle.e2e.test.ts src/server/workspace-create-worktree-source.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/models.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/live-preferences.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/oversized-message.e2e.test.ts src/server/agent/model-catalog.e2e.test.ts src/server/plugins/plugin-paseo-api.e2e.test.ts src/server/plugins/usage-sources.e2e.test.ts src/server/plugins/lifecycle.e2e.test.ts src/server/connected-hosts/hosts.e2e.test.ts src/server/owned-subscriptions.e2e.test.ts && vitest run --maxWorkers=1 src/server/agent/providers/omp/history.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/git-operations.e2e.test.ts src/server/session.create-agent-worktree-autoarchive.e2e.test.ts src/server/agent/providers/opencode-bridge.local.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/relay-transport.e2e.test.ts -t \"merges into|creates a worktree and auto-archives both|versioned runtime|oversized attachments|connected hosts|password-protected daemon refuses|replays selected OMP history\"",
+    "test:integration": "vitest run --maxWorkers=1 src/server/git-filename-diffs.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/checkout-diff-content.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/create-agent-mode.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/filesystem.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/file-download.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/cli-logs-follow.e2e.test.ts src/server/creation/creation.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/creation-status.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/persisted-creation-caller.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/terminal-workspace-sdk.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/terminal-worker-lifecycle.e2e.test.ts src/server/workspace-create-worktree-source.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/models.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/live-preferences.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/oversized-message.e2e.test.ts src/server/agent/model-catalog.e2e.test.ts src/server/plugins/plugin-paseo-api.e2e.test.ts src/server/plugins/usage-sources.e2e.test.ts src/server/plugins/lifecycle.e2e.test.ts src/server/connected-hosts/hosts.e2e.test.ts src/server/owned-subscriptions.e2e.test.ts && vitest run --maxWorkers=1 src/server/agent/providers/omp/history.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/git-operations.e2e.test.ts src/server/session.create-agent-worktree-autoarchive.e2e.test.ts src/server/agent/providers/opencode-bridge.local.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/relay-transport.e2e.test.ts -t \"merges into|creates a worktree and auto-archives both|versioned runtime|oversized attachments|connected hosts|password-protected daemon refuses|replays selected OMP history\"",
     "test:hub-cli-contract": "vitest run --maxWorkers=1 src/server/hub/hub-cli-contract.test.ts",
     "test:integration:all": "npm run test:e2e",
     "test:integration:real": "vitest run real.e2e.test.ts",
diff --git a/packages/server/src/server/daemon-e2e/persisted-creation-caller.e2e.test.ts b/packages/server/src/server/daemon-e2e/persisted-creation-caller.e2e.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f79abd0c05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/server/src/server/daemon-e2e/persisted-creation-caller.e2e.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+import { execFileSync } from "node:child_process";
+import { mkdir, mkdtemp, rm } from "node:fs/promises";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { expect, test } from "vitest";
+import { PARENT_AGENT_ID_LABEL } from "@getpaseo/protocol/agent-labels";
+import { createDaemonTestContext, type DaemonTestContext } from "../test-utils/index.js";
+
+test.each(["agent", "workspace"] as const)(
+  "%s creation recognizes an unopened persisted caller after restart",
+  async (kind) => {
+    const artifacts = path.resolve(".artifacts");
+    await mkdir(artifacts, { recursive: true });
+    const root = await mkdtemp(path.join(artifacts, "persisted-caller-"));
+    const cwd = path.join(root, "project");
+    await mkdir(cwd);
+    let ctx: DaemonTestContext | undefined;
+    try {
+      ctx = await createDaemonTestContext({
+        paseoHomeRoot: root,
+        staticDir: cwd,
+        cleanup: false,
+        mcpEnabled: false,
+      });
+      const parent = await ctx.client.createAgent({ provider: "claude", cwd, background: true });
+      await ctx.client.sendMessage(parent.id, "Reply DONE.");
+      expect((await ctx.client.waitForFinish(parent.id, 5_000)).status).toBe("idle");
+      await ctx.cleanup();
+      ctx = undefined;
+      ctx = await createDaemonTestContext({
+        paseoHomeRoot: root,
+        staticDir: cwd,
+        cleanup: false,
+        mcpEnabled: false,
+      });
+      expect(ctx.daemon.daemon.agentManager.getAgent(parent.id)).toBeNull();
+      expect(
+        (await ctx.client.fetchAgents({ filter: { includeBackground: true } })).entries,
+      ).toContainEqual(
+        expect.objectContaining({ agent: expect.objectContaining({ id: parent.id }) }),
+      );
+
+      if (kind === "agent") {
+        const child = await ctx.client.createAgent({
+          provider: "claude",
+          cwd,
+          callerAgentId: parent.id,
+        });
+        expect(child.workspaceId).toBe(parent.workspaceId);
+        expect(child.labels[PARENT_AGENT_ID_LABEL]).toBe(parent.id);
+      } else {
+        const result = await ctx.client.createWorkspace({
+          source: { kind: "directory", path: cwd },
+          callerAgentId: parent.id,
+        });
+        expect(result.error).toBeNull();
+        expect(result.workspace?.background).toBe(true);
+      }
+      expect(ctx.daemon.daemon.agentManager.getAgent(parent.id)).toBeNull();
+    } finally {
+      await ctx?.cleanup();
+      await rm(root, { recursive: true, force: true, maxRetries: 3, retryDelay: 100 });
+    }
+  },
+  60_000,
+);
+
+test("creation still rejects a caller removed by workspace archive", async () => {
+  const artifacts = path.resolve(".artifacts");
+  await mkdir(artifacts, { recursive: true });
+  const root = await mkdtemp(path.join(artifacts, "archived-caller-"));
+  const cwd = path.join(root, "project");
+  await mkdir(cwd);
+  execFileSync("git", ["init", cwd], { stdio: "pipe" });
+  const ctx = await createDaemonTestContext({
+    paseoHomeRoot: root,
+    staticDir: cwd,
+    cleanup: false,
+    mcpEnabled: false,
+  });
+  try {
+    const parent = await ctx.client.createAgent({ provider: "claude", cwd });
+    const archived = await ctx.client.archiveWorkspace(parent.workspaceId);
+    expect(archived.error).toBeNull();
+    expect(ctx.daemon.daemon.agentManager.getAgent(parent.id)).toBeNull();
+    await expect(
+      ctx.client.createAgent({ provider: "claude", cwd, callerAgentId: parent.id }),
+    ).rejects.toThrow(`Caller agent ${parent.id} not found`);
+  } finally {
+    await ctx.cleanup();
+    await rm(root, { recursive: true, force: true, maxRetries: 3, retryDelay: 100 });
+  }
+}, 60_000);
diff --git a/packages/server/src/server/session.ts b/packages/server/src/server/session.ts
index 22dd0ae35c..0854ea7edd 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/server/session.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/server/session.ts
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ import {
   inheritWorkspaceBackground,
   resolveCreateAgentIntent,
   type CreateAgentIntent,
+  type CreateAgentCaller,
 } from "./agent/create-agent/intent.js";
 import {
   archiveAgentCommand,
@@ -4583,7 +4584,7 @@ export class Session {
         cwd: config.cwd,
         target: worktree,
         firstAgentContext,
-        ...this.workspaceBackgroundIntent(msg.background, msg.callerAgentId),
+        ...(await this.workspaceBackgroundIntent(msg.background, msg.callerAgentId)),
       });
       createdWorktreeForCleanup = createdWorktree;
       const resolvedIntent = await this.resolveSessionCreateAgentIntent({
@@ -4669,20 +4670,13 @@ export class Session {
     workspacePromptTitle: string | null;
   }): Promise<ResolvedSessionCreateAgentIntent> {
     const { request, createdWorktree } = input;
-    const callerAgent = request.callerAgentId
-      ? this.agentManager.getAgent(request.callerAgentId)
-      : null;
-    if (request.callerAgentId && !callerAgent) {
-      throw new Error(`Caller agent ${request.callerAgentId} not found`);
-    }
+    const callerAgent = await this.resolveCreationCaller(request.callerAgentId);
 
     let config = request.config;
 
     const intent = await resolveCreateAgentIntent({
       explicitWorkspaceId: createdWorktree?.workspace.workspaceId ?? request.workspaceId,
-      caller: callerAgent
-        ? { id: callerAgent.id, cwd: callerAgent.cwd, workspaceId: callerAgent.workspaceId }
-        : null,
+      caller: callerAgent,
       labels: request.labels,
       resolveWorkspace: async (workspaceId) => {
         if (createdWorktree?.workspace.workspaceId === workspaceId) {
@@ -6981,18 +6975,30 @@ export class Session {
     }
   }
 
-  private getCallerAgent(callerAgentId?: string): ManagedAgent | undefined {
-    if (!callerAgentId) return undefined;
-    const caller = this.agentManager.getAgent(callerAgentId);
+  private async resolveCreationCaller(
+    callerAgentId?: string,
+  ): Promise<(CreateAgentCaller & { background?: boolean }) | null> {
+    if (!callerAgentId) return null;
+    let caller: (CreateAgentCaller & { background?: boolean }) | null =
+      this.agentManager.getAgent(callerAgentId);
+    if (!caller) {
+      const stored = await this.agentStorage.get(callerAgentId);
+      if (stored && !stored.archivedAt) caller = stored;
+    }
     if (!caller) throw new Error(`Caller agent ${callerAgentId} not found`);
-    return caller;
+    return {
+      id: caller.id,
+      cwd: caller.cwd,
+      workspaceId: caller.workspaceId,
+      background: caller.background,
+    };
   }
 
-  private workspaceBackgroundIntent(
+  private async workspaceBackgroundIntent(
     background: boolean | undefined,
     callerAgentId: string | undefined,
-  ): { background?: boolean; callerWorkspaceId?: string } {
-    const caller = this.getCallerAgent(callerAgentId);
+  ): Promise<{ background?: boolean; callerWorkspaceId?: string }> {
+    const caller = await this.resolveCreationCaller(callerAgentId);
     return {
       background: inheritWorkspaceBackground(background, caller),
       callerWorkspaceId: caller?.workspaceId,
@@ -7045,7 +7051,7 @@ export class Session {
       {
         expectsInitialAgent: Boolean(request.firstAgentContext),
         workspaceId,
-        ...this.workspaceBackgroundIntent(request.background, request.callerAgentId),
+        ...(await this.workspaceBackgroundIntent(request.background, request.callerAgentId)),
       },
     );
     await this.syncWorkspaceGitObserverForWorkspace(workspace);
@@ -7108,7 +7114,7 @@ export class Session {
         githubPrNumber: source.githubPrNumber,
         firstAgentContext: request.firstAgentContext,
         title: request.title,
-        ...this.workspaceBackgroundIntent(request.background, request.callerAgentId),
+        ...(await this.workspaceBackgroundIntent(request.background, request.callerAgentId)),
       },
       source.baseBranch
         ? { resolveDefaultBranch: async () => source.baseBranch as string }