diff --git a/src/servers/api/pi/pi-bridge.ts b/src/servers/api/pi/pi-bridge.ts
index d5355803..fc6b2e0b 100644
--- a/src/servers/api/pi/pi-bridge.ts
+++ b/src/servers/api/pi/pi-bridge.ts
@@ -239,6 +239,7 @@ export async function spawnPi(
     const workdir = rel && !rel.startsWith('..') ? join(containerHome, rel) : containerHome;
     proc = Bun.spawn([
       dockerPath, 'exec', '-i',
+      '-u', `${sandbox.username}`,
       '-w', workdir,
       ...envFlags,
       containerId,
diff --git a/src/servers/api/pi/storage.ts b/src/servers/api/pi/storage.ts
index 43900e63..d2cc3329 100644
--- a/src/servers/api/pi/storage.ts
+++ b/src/servers/api/pi/storage.ts
@@ -496,7 +496,11 @@ export async function deleteSession(
 }
 
 export async function listUserSessions(baseCwd: string): Promise<SessionMeta[]> {
-  const index = await loadIndex(baseCwd);
+  let index = await loadIndex(baseCwd);
+
+  if (Object.keys(index).length === 0) {
+    index = await rebuildIndex(baseCwd);
+  }
 
   const sessions: SessionMeta[] = Object.entries(index).map(([id, entry]) => indexEntryToMeta(id, entry));