diff --git a/src/config/cache-utils.ts b/src/config/cache-utils.ts
index df017876400..68c07003752 100644
--- a/src/config/cache-utils.ts
+++ b/src/config/cache-utils.ts
@@ -25,3 +25,11 @@ export function getFileMtimeMs(filePath: string): number | undefined {
     return undefined;
   }
 }
+
+export function getFileSizeBytes(filePath: string): number | undefined {
+  try {
+    return fs.statSync(filePath).size;
+  } catch {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/config/sessions.cache.test.ts b/src/config/sessions.cache.test.ts
index ae3f81d6455..48f306adb4d 100644
--- a/src/config/sessions.cache.test.ts
+++ b/src/config/sessions.cache.test.ts
@@ -198,4 +198,38 @@ describe("Session Store Cache", () => {
     const loaded = loadSessionStore(storePath);
     expect(loaded).toEqual({});
   });
+
+  it("should refresh cache when file is rewritten within the same mtime tick", async () => {
+    // This reproduces the CI flake where fast test writes complete within the
+    // same mtime granularity (typically 1s on HFS+/ext4), so mtime-only
+    // invalidation returns stale cached data.
+    const store1: Record<string, SessionEntry> = {
+      "session:1": createSessionEntry({ sessionId: "id-1", displayName: "Original" }),
+    };
+
+    await saveSessionStore(storePath, store1);
+
+    // Warm the cache
+    const loaded1 = loadSessionStore(storePath);
+    expect(loaded1["session:1"].displayName).toBe("Original");
+
+    // Rewrite the file directly (bypassing saveSessionStore's write-through
+    // cache) with different content but preserve the same mtime so only size
+    // changes.
+    const store2: Record<string, SessionEntry> = {
+      "session:1": createSessionEntry({ sessionId: "id-1", displayName: "Original" }),
+      "session:2": createSessionEntry({ sessionId: "id-2", displayName: "Added" }),
+    };
+    const json2 = JSON.stringify(store2, null, 2);
+    fs.writeFileSync(storePath, json2);
+
+    // Force mtime to match the cached value so only size differs
+    const stat = fs.statSync(storePath);
+    fs.utimesSync(storePath, stat.atime, stat.mtime);
+
+    // The cache should detect the size change and reload from disk
+    const loaded2 = loadSessionStore(storePath);
+    expect(loaded2["session:2"]).toBeDefined();
+    expect(loaded2["session:2"].displayName).toBe("Added");
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/config/sessions/store.ts b/src/config/sessions/store.ts
index 473f9a69d6e..7ade8462cd6 100644
--- a/src/config/sessions/store.ts
+++ b/src/config/sessions/store.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,12 @@ import {
   normalizeSessionDeliveryFields,
   type DeliveryContext,
 } from "../../utils/delivery-context.js";
-import { getFileMtimeMs, isCacheEnabled, resolveCacheTtlMs } from "../cache-utils.js";
+import {
+  getFileMtimeMs,
+  getFileSizeBytes,
+  isCacheEnabled,
+  resolveCacheTtlMs,
+} from "../cache-utils.js";
 import { loadConfig } from "../config.js";
 import type { SessionMaintenanceConfig, SessionMaintenanceMode } from "../types.base.js";
 import { enforceSessionDiskBudget, type SessionDiskBudgetSweepResult } from "./disk-budget.js";
@@ -39,6 +44,7 @@ type SessionStoreCacheEntry = {
   loadedAt: number;
   storePath: string;
   mtimeMs?: number;
+  sizeBytes?: number;
   serialized?: string;
 };
 
@@ -208,7 +214,8 @@ export function loadSessionStore(
     const cached = SESSION_STORE_CACHE.get(storePath);
     if (cached && isSessionStoreCacheValid(cached)) {
       const currentMtimeMs = getFileMtimeMs(storePath);
-      if (currentMtimeMs === cached.mtimeMs) {
+      const currentSizeBytes = getFileSizeBytes(storePath);
+      if (currentMtimeMs === cached.mtimeMs && currentSizeBytes === cached.sizeBytes) {
         // Return a deep copy to prevent external mutations affecting cache
         return structuredClone(cached.store);
       }
@@ -288,6 +295,7 @@ export function loadSessionStore(
       loadedAt: Date.now(),
       storePath,
       mtimeMs,
+      sizeBytes: getFileSizeBytes(storePath),
       serialized: serializedFromDisk,
     });
   }
@@ -667,6 +675,7 @@ function updateSessionStoreWriteCaches(params: {
     loadedAt: Date.now(),
     storePath: params.storePath,
     mtimeMs,
+    sizeBytes: getFileSizeBytes(params.storePath),
     serialized: params.serialized,
   });
 }