diff --git a/python/e2e/test_rpc_server_e2e.py b/python/e2e/test_rpc_server_e2e.py
index 83dc4a01e2..557a533a72 100644
--- a/python/e2e/test_rpc_server_e2e.py
+++ b/python/e2e/test_rpc_server_e2e.py
@@ -311,17 +311,19 @@ async def test_should_list_find_and_inspect_persisted_session_state(
                 on_permission_request=PermissionHandler.approve_all,
             )
 
-            await session.send(
-                "Record a turn for sessions.list discriminator coverage", mode="enqueue"
+            # Persistence requires a user message. Finish its replayed turn before
+            # inspecting state or detaching, rather than racing an active inference.
+            message = await session.send_and_wait(
+                "Record a turn for sessions.list discriminator coverage"
             )
+            assert message is not None
+            assert message.data.content == "Recorded."
 
             listed = None
 
             async def session_is_listed() -> bool:
                 nonlocal listed
-                # Re-save on every attempt: on slower runners the enqueued turn is not
-                # necessarily recorded yet when the first save runs, so a single save
-                # followed by a fixed sleep races the CLI's own persistence.
+                # Re-save until the runtime's persisted metadata becomes visible.
                 save = await client.rpc.sessions.save(SessionsSaveRequest(session_id=session_id))
                 assert save is not None
                 listed = await client.rpc.sessions.list(
diff --git a/test/snapshots/rpc_server/should_list_find_and_inspect_persisted_session_state.yaml b/test/snapshots/rpc_server/should_list_find_and_inspect_persisted_session_state.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bc2ea31ac7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/snapshots/rpc_server/should_list_find_and_inspect_persisted_session_state.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+models:
+  - claude-sonnet-5
+conversations:
+  - messages:
+      - role: system
+        content: ${system}
+      - role: user
+        content: Record a turn for sessions.list discriminator coverage
+      - role: assistant
+        content: Recorded.