diff --git a/src/admin/context/AuthContext.tsx b/src/admin/context/AuthContext.tsx
index 39c38c2..d9ee407 100644
--- a/src/admin/context/AuthContext.tsx
+++ b/src/admin/context/AuthContext.tsx
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
   const cachedUserRef = useRef<User | null>(null);
   const sessionFetchedRef = useRef(false);
   const silentRefreshInFlightRef = useRef<Promise<boolean> | null>(null);
+  const hadValidSessionRef = useRef(false);
   const [user, setUser] = useState<User | null>(cachedUserRef.current);
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(!sessionFetchedRef.current);
   const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
@@ -138,13 +139,14 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
         if (data.success && data.data?.access_token) {
           setAccessTokenFn(data.data.access_token, data.data.expires_in);
           setUser(mapUser(data.data.user));
+          hadValidSessionRef.current = true;
           return true;
         }
         accessTokenRef.current = null;
         tokenExpiresAtRef.current = null;
         setUser(null);
         cachedUserRef.current = null;
-        setSessionExpired();
+        if (hadValidSessionRef.current) setSessionExpired();
         return false;
       } catch {
         // Network error — don't kick the user out, just return false
@@ -178,6 +180,7 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
           if (data.data.access_token) setAccessTokenFn(data.data.access_token);
           setUser(mapUser(data.data.user));
           cachedUserRef.current = mapUser(data.data.user);
+          hadValidSessionRef.current = true;
           return true;
         }
       }
@@ -233,6 +236,7 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
           setUser(mapUser(data.data.user));
           cachedUserRef.current = mapUser(data.data.user);
           sessionFetchedRef.current = true;
+          hadValidSessionRef.current = true;
           return { success: true };
         }
         setError(data.error);
@@ -273,6 +277,7 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
           setUser(mapUser(data.data.user));
           cachedUserRef.current = mapUser(data.data.user);
           sessionFetchedRef.current = true;
+          hadValidSessionRef.current = true;
           return { success: true };
         }
         setError(data.error);
@@ -302,6 +307,7 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
       setUser(null);
       cachedUserRef.current = null;
       sessionFetchedRef.current = false;
+      hadValidSessionRef.current = false;
       if (refreshTimeoutRef.current) {
         clearTimeout(refreshTimeoutRef.current);
         refreshTimeoutRef.current = null;