diff --git a/apps/server/src/routes/sessions.ts b/apps/server/src/routes/sessions.ts
index 0fb702c..8425db9 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/routes/sessions.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/routes/sessions.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import type { Config } from '../config.js';
 import type { Broker } from '../services/broker.js';
 import type { Session } from '../types/api.js';
 import { getSetting } from './settings.js';
-import { getAgentsForProject } from '../services/agents.js';
 
 const CreateBody = z.object({
   name: z.string().min(1).max(200).optional(),
@@ -29,13 +28,6 @@ async function resolveDefaultModel(sql: Sql, config: Config): Promise<string> {
   return config.DEFAULT_MODEL;
 }
 
-// First agent in the project's effective list (file-defined or builtin),
-// or null if somehow none exist.
-async function resolveDefaultAgent(projectPath: string): Promise<string | null> {
-  const { agents } = await getAgentsForProject(projectPath);
-  return agents[0]?.id ?? null;
-}
-
 export function registerSessionRoutes(
   app: FastifyInstance,
   sql: Sql,
@@ -69,14 +61,13 @@ export function registerSessionRoutes(
         reply.code(400);
         return { error: 'invalid body', details: parsed.error.flatten() };
       }
-      const project = await sql<{ id: string; path: string }[]>`
-        SELECT id, path FROM projects WHERE id = ${req.params.id}
+      const project = await sql<{ id: string }[]>`
+        SELECT id FROM projects WHERE id = ${req.params.id}
       `;
       if (project.length === 0) {
         reply.code(404);
         return { error: 'project not found' };
       }
-      const projectPath = project[0]!.path;
 
       let model = parsed.data.model;
       if (!model) {
@@ -91,12 +82,11 @@ export function registerSessionRoutes(
 
       const name = parsed.data.name ?? 'New session';
       const systemPrompt = parsed.data.system_prompt ?? '';
-      // If the client provided agent_id (string or null), use it; otherwise
-      // resolve to the project's first agent (file-defined or builtin), or null.
-      const agentId =
-        parsed.data.agent_id !== undefined
-          ? parsed.data.agent_id
-          : await resolveDefaultAgent(projectPath);
+      // v1.11.5.2: default is null (no agent / raw chat) when the client
+      // omits agent_id. Sam can still pick one from the AgentPicker after
+      // the session loads. Was: first agent in the project's effective list
+      // (alphabetically — usually "Code Reviewer"), which felt presumptuous.
+      const agentId = parsed.data.agent_id ?? null;
 
       const row = await sql.begin(async (tx) => {
         const [session] = await tx<Session[]>`