diff --git a/.changeset/reload-retired-note-count.md b/.changeset/reload-retired-note-count.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bd0ad5bee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/reload-retired-note-count.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"hunkdiff": patch
+---
+
+`hunk session reload` onto a diff that leaves out a file holding a live note keeps the session connected, and the note returns when a later reload brings its file back.
diff --git a/packages/hunk/src/ui/hooks/useTerminalReview.test.tsx b/packages/hunk/src/ui/hooks/useTerminalReview.test.tsx
index e010b835e..ca4292fb1 100644
--- a/packages/hunk/src/ui/hooks/useTerminalReview.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/hunk/src/ui/hooks/useTerminalReview.test.tsx
@@ -555,6 +555,54 @@ describe("useTerminalReview", () => {
     }
   });
 
+  test("a reload that retires a noted file publishes a count that matches its summaries", async () => {
+    // The daemon refuses a snapshot whose live comment count differs from its list, so a note
+    // kept for a retired file must leave both until a later reload brings the file back.
+    const createAlpha = () =>
+      createDiffFile("alpha", "alpha.ts", "export const alpha = 1;\n", "export const alpha = 2;\n");
+    const createBeta = () =>
+      createDiffFile("beta", "beta.ts", "export const beta = 1;\n", "export const beta = 2;\n");
+    const { controllerRef, setFilesRef, setup } = await renderTerminalReview([
+      createAlpha(),
+      createBeta(),
+    ]);
+
+    try {
+      await flush(setup);
+      await act(async () => {
+        expectValue(controllerRef.current).addLiveComment(
+          { filePath: "beta.ts", side: "new", line: 1, summary: "Check beta rename" },
+          "comment-1",
+          { reveal: false },
+        );
+      });
+      await flush(setup);
+      expect(expectValue(controllerRef.current).liveCommentCount).toBe(1);
+
+      await act(async () => {
+        expectValue(setFilesRef.current)([createAlpha()]);
+      });
+      await flush(setup);
+
+      expect(expectValue(controllerRef.current).liveCommentSummaries).toEqual([]);
+      expect(expectValue(controllerRef.current).liveCommentCount).toBe(0);
+
+      await act(async () => {
+        expectValue(setFilesRef.current)([createAlpha(), createBeta()]);
+      });
+      await flush(setup);
+
+      expect(
+        expectValue(controllerRef.current).liveCommentSummaries.map((comment) => comment.commentId),
+      ).toEqual(["comment-1"]);
+      expect(expectValue(controllerRef.current).liveCommentCount).toBe(1);
+    } finally {
+      await act(async () => {
+        setup.renderer.destroy();
+      });
+    }
+  });
+
   test("live comments validate markup at the published live width", async () => {
     const noteGeometry: { current: { layout: "split" | "unified"; width: number } | null } = {
       current: { layout: "unified", width: 120 },
diff --git a/packages/hunk/src/ui/hooks/useTerminalReview.ts b/packages/hunk/src/ui/hooks/useTerminalReview.ts
index f633d5900..3ef534177 100644
--- a/packages/hunk/src/ui/hooks/useTerminalReview.ts
+++ b/packages/hunk/src/ui/hooks/useTerminalReview.ts
@@ -1718,8 +1718,10 @@ export function useTerminalReview({
     draftNote,
     expandedGapsByFileId,
     filter,
-    // Counted from the store, so notes on a file a reload retired still count as tracked.
-    liveCommentCount: state.liveNotes.length,
+    // Counted from the published summaries: the daemon refuses a snapshot whose count differs
+    // from its list. A note on a file a reload retired stays in the store and returns to both
+    // when a later reload brings the file back.
+    liveCommentCount: liveCommentSummaries.length,
     liveCommentSummaries,
     liveCommentsByFileId,
     lineCursor,
diff --git a/test/session/cli.test.ts b/test/session/cli.test.ts
index ee7efff5b..a249d79d2 100644
--- a/test/session/cli.test.ts
+++ b/test/session/cli.test.ts
@@ -465,6 +465,81 @@ sessionDescribe("session CLI integration", () => {
     }
   }, 20_000);
 
+  test("reload away from a noted file keeps the session and brings the note back with the file", async () => {
+    const port = await reserveLoopbackPort();
+    const fixture = createFixtureFiles(
+      "reload-retire",
+      ["export const alpha = 1;"],
+      ["export const alpha = 2;"],
+    );
+    mkdirSync(join(fixture.dir, ".git"));
+    const otherBefore = join(fixture.dir, "reload-other-before.ts");
+    const otherAfter = join(fixture.dir, "reload-other-after.ts");
+    writeFileSync(otherBefore, "export const other = 1;\n");
+    writeFileSync(otherAfter, "export const other = 2;\n");
+    const session = spawnHunkSession(fixture, port);
+
+    try {
+      const listed = await waitForRegisteredSessions(port);
+      const sessionId = listed[0]!.sessionId;
+
+      const comment = runSessionCli(
+        [
+          "comment",
+          "add",
+          sessionId,
+          "--file",
+          fixture.afterName,
+          "--new-line",
+          "1",
+          "--summary",
+          "Alpha note",
+          "--json",
+        ],
+        port,
+      );
+      expect(comment.proc.exitCode).toBe(0);
+      expect(comment.stderr).toBe("");
+
+      // The new diff leaves out the noted file, so the note stays in the window's store only.
+      const away = runSessionCli(
+        ["reload", sessionId, "--json", "--", "diff", "--files", otherBefore, otherAfter],
+        port,
+      );
+      expect(away.stderr).toBe("");
+      expect(away.proc.exitCode).toBe(0);
+
+      const listedAway = runSessionCli(["list", "--json"], port);
+      expect(listedAway.proc.exitCode).toBe(0);
+      expect(
+        (JSON.parse(listedAway.stdout) as SessionListJson).sessions.map((entry) => entry.sessionId),
+      ).toEqual([sessionId]);
+
+      const back = runSessionCli(
+        ["reload", sessionId, "--json", "--", "diff", "--files", fixture.before, fixture.after],
+        port,
+      );
+      expect(back.stderr).toBe("");
+      expect(back.proc.exitCode).toBe(0);
+
+      const returned = await waitUntil("note back on its file", () => {
+        const listedComments = runSessionCli(["comment", "list", sessionId, "--json"], port);
+        if (listedComments.proc.exitCode !== 0) {
+          return null;
+        }
+        const parsed = JSON.parse(listedComments.stdout) as {
+          comments?: Array<{ summary?: string; filePath?: string }>;
+        };
+        return parsed.comments?.some((entry) => entry.summary === "Alpha note") ? parsed : null;
+      });
+      expect(returned.comments).toMatchObject([
+        { summary: "Alpha note", filePath: fixture.afterName },
+      ]);
+    } finally {
+      await cleanupHunkSession(session, fixture, port);
+    }
+  }, 20_000);
+
   test("reload refuses to read files outside the live session root", async () => {
     const port = await reserveLoopbackPort();
     const fixture = createFixtureFiles(