diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/auth/hooks/use-auth.ts b/apps/client/src/features/auth/hooks/use-auth.ts
index 94ab3595..cd082e2c 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/auth/hooks/use-auth.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/auth/hooks/use-auth.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import { acceptInvitation } from "@/features/workspace/services/workspace-servic
 import APP_ROUTE, { getPostLoginRedirect } from "@/lib/app-route.ts";
 import { RESET } from "jotai/utils";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
+import { clearPersistedTreeCaches } from "@/features/page/tree/atoms/tree-data-atom";
 
 export default function useAuth() {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
@@ -122,6 +123,11 @@ export default function useAuth() {
 
   const handleLogout = async () => {
     setCurrentUser(RESET);
+    // Purge the persisted sidebar tree caches (they contain page titles) so the
+    // cached page titles aren't left readable in localStorage on a shared
+    // machine. (Only the tree caches are swept; other localStorage entries
+    // remain.)
+    clearPersistedTreeCaches();
     await logout();
     window.location.replace(`${APP_ROUTE.AUTH.LOGIN}?logout=1`);
   };
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/atoms/open-tree-nodes-atom.ts b/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/atoms/open-tree-nodes-atom.ts
index 9bbb7ff0..3c016206 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/atoms/open-tree-nodes-atom.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/atoms/open-tree-nodes-atom.ts
@@ -13,20 +13,30 @@ export type OpenMap = Record<string, boolean>;
 // `OpenMap | Promise<OpenMap>` and break the functional-updater setter below).
 const openTreeNodesStorage = createJSONStorage<OpenMap>(() => localStorage);
 
+// Single source of truth for the open-map localStorage key prefix. Exported so
+// the logout cache sweep (tree-data-atom.ts) removes keys by the SAME prefix
+// used to write them — a rename here can never silently desync the cleanup.
+export const OPEN_TREE_NODES_KEY_PREFIX = "openTreeNodes:";
+
 // One persisted open/closed map per (workspace, user). Scoping the localStorage
 // key prevents accounts that share a browser origin from leaking tree state.
 // `getOnInit: true` reads localStorage synchronously at atom init (not on mount),
 // so the first render already has the saved state — no collapse-then-expand
 // flicker on reload, and writes never run against an un-hydrated empty map.
 const openTreeNodesFamily = atomFamily((scopeKey: string) =>
-  atomWithStorage<OpenMap>(`openTreeNodes:${scopeKey}`, {}, openTreeNodesStorage, {
-    getOnInit: true,
-  }),
+  atomWithStorage<OpenMap>(
+    `${OPEN_TREE_NODES_KEY_PREFIX}${scopeKey}`,
+    {},
+    openTreeNodesStorage,
+    { getOnInit: true },
+  ),
 );
 
 // Resolve the storage scope from the current user. Fall back to "anon" for the
 // workspace/user parts when nothing is loaded yet (logged out / first paint).
-const scopeKeyAtom = atom((get) => {
+// Shared by the open-map atom below and the persisted tree-data atom
+// (tree-data-atom.ts) so both caches are scoped identically.
+export const scopeKeyAtom = atom((get) => {
   const currentUser = get(currentUserAtom);
   const workspaceId = currentUser?.workspace?.id ?? "anon";
   const userId = currentUser?.user?.id ?? "anon";
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/atoms/tree-data-atom.test.ts b/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/atoms/tree-data-atom.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..62397ff1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/atoms/tree-data-atom.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,265 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
+import type { SpaceTreeNode } from "@/features/page/tree/types";
+import type { ICurrentUser } from "@/features/user/types/user.types";
+
+// The persisted tree-data atom hydrates from localStorage ONCE, at family-atom
+// creation (`getOnInit: true`). To exercise hydration deterministically each
+// test imports a FRESH module instance (fresh atomFamily) after seeding the
+// storage stub from vitest.setup.ts. jotai itself is externalized by vitest, so
+// `createStore` can stay a static import — atoms are plain objects and any
+// store works with any module instance.
+import { createStore } from "jotai";
+
+// Storage key for the default scope: no currentUser -> "anon:anon" (see
+// scopeKeyAtom in open-tree-nodes-atom.ts) with the `v1` cache-shape version.
+const ANON_KEY = "treeData:v1:anon:anon";
+const DEBOUNCE_MS = 500;
+
+async function freshImport() {
+  vi.resetModules();
+  const treeDataModule = await import("./tree-data-atom");
+  const userModule = await import(
+    "@/features/user/atoms/current-user-atom"
+  );
+  return {
+    treeDataAtom: treeDataModule.treeDataAtom,
+    flushPendingTreeDataWrites: treeDataModule.flushPendingTreeDataWrites,
+    clearPersistedTreeCaches: treeDataModule.clearPersistedTreeCaches,
+    currentUserAtom: userModule.currentUserAtom,
+  };
+}
+
+function node(id: string): SpaceTreeNode {
+  return {
+    id,
+    slugId: `slug-${id}`,
+    name: id,
+    position: "a0",
+    spaceId: "space-1",
+    parentPageId: null as unknown as string,
+    hasChildren: false,
+    children: [],
+  };
+}
+
+// Every persisted tree key currently in storage — asserting on the whole
+// prefix (not one known key) catches writes that resurrect under ANY scope.
+function persistedTreeDataKeys(): string[] {
+  const keys: string[] = [];
+  for (let i = 0; i < localStorage.length; i++) {
+    const key = localStorage.key(i);
+    if (key !== null && key.startsWith("treeData:v1:")) keys.push(key);
+  }
+  return keys;
+}
+
+function currentUser(workspaceId: string, userId: string): ICurrentUser {
+  return {
+    user: { id: userId },
+    workspace: { id: workspaceId },
+  } as unknown as ICurrentUser;
+}
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  localStorage.clear();
+});
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.useRealTimers();
+  vi.restoreAllMocks();
+});
+
+describe("treeDataAtom (localStorage-persisted)", () => {
+  it("reads [] from a fresh store with empty storage", async () => {
+    const { treeDataAtom } = await freshImport();
+    const store = createStore();
+
+    expect(store.get(treeDataAtom)).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("persists through the debounced setItem and hydrates a fresh module back", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    const setItemSpy = vi.spyOn(localStorage, "setItem");
+
+    const { treeDataAtom } = await freshImport();
+    const store = createStore();
+
+    store.set(treeDataAtom, [node("a")]);
+    // Second write inside the debounce window — must coalesce into ONE flush
+    // carrying only the latest value.
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(DEBOUNCE_MS / 2);
+    store.set(treeDataAtom, [node("a"), node("b")]);
+
+    // Nothing flushed yet: the write is trailing-debounced.
+    expect(localStorage.getItem(ANON_KEY)).toBeNull();
+
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(DEBOUNCE_MS + 100);
+
+    expect(setItemSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(ANON_KEY)!)).toEqual([
+      node("a"),
+      node("b"),
+    ]);
+
+    // A fresh module (fresh atom family -> getOnInit re-reads storage) and a
+    // fresh store hydrate the persisted tree back — the reload scenario.
+    const second = await freshImport();
+    const store2 = createStore();
+    expect(store2.get(second.treeDataAtom)).toEqual([node("a"), node("b")]);
+  });
+
+  it("reads [] (without throwing) when storage holds corrupted JSON", async () => {
+    localStorage.setItem(ANON_KEY, "{definitely not JSON!!!");
+
+    const { treeDataAtom } = await freshImport();
+    const store = createStore();
+
+    expect(store.get(treeDataAtom)).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("reads [] when storage holds valid JSON of a non-array shape", async () => {
+    localStorage.setItem(ANON_KEY, JSON.stringify({ id: "not-a-tree" }));
+
+    const { treeDataAtom } = await freshImport();
+    const store = createStore();
+
+    expect(store.get(treeDataAtom)).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("supports functional-updater writes", async () => {
+    const { treeDataAtom } = await freshImport();
+    const store = createStore();
+
+    store.set(treeDataAtom, [node("a")]);
+    store.set(treeDataAtom, (prev) => [...prev, node("b")]);
+
+    expect(store.get(treeDataAtom).map((n) => n.id)).toEqual(["a", "b"]);
+  });
+
+  it("isolates trees between (workspace, user) scopes", async () => {
+    const { treeDataAtom, currentUserAtom } = await freshImport();
+    const store = createStore();
+
+    store.set(currentUserAtom, currentUser("w1", "u1"));
+    store.set(treeDataAtom, [node("a")]);
+    expect(store.get(treeDataAtom).map((n) => n.id)).toEqual(["a"]);
+
+    // Another account on the same browser origin must NOT see u1's tree.
+    store.set(currentUserAtom, currentUser("w2", "u2"));
+    expect(store.get(treeDataAtom)).toEqual([]);
+
+    store.set(treeDataAtom, [node("b")]);
+    expect(store.get(treeDataAtom).map((n) => n.id)).toEqual(["b"]);
+
+    // Switching back resolves the original scope's tree untouched.
+    store.set(currentUserAtom, currentUser("w1", "u1"));
+    expect(store.get(treeDataAtom).map((n) => n.id)).toEqual(["a"]);
+  });
+
+  it("clearPersistedTreeCaches removes all tree keys and discards pending writes", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+
+    // Stale caches across scopes plus an UNRELATED key that must survive.
+    localStorage.setItem("treeData:v1:a:b", JSON.stringify([node("stale")]));
+    localStorage.setItem("openTreeNodes:a:b", JSON.stringify({ p1: true }));
+    localStorage.setItem("currentUser", JSON.stringify({ user: { id: "b" } }));
+
+    const { treeDataAtom, clearPersistedTreeCaches } = await freshImport();
+    const store = createStore();
+
+    // Queue a debounced write (not flushed yet) for the anon scope.
+    store.set(treeDataAtom, [node("pending")]);
+    expect(localStorage.getItem(ANON_KEY)).toBeNull();
+
+    clearPersistedTreeCaches();
+
+    // Both prefixed caches are swept; the unrelated key is untouched.
+    expect(localStorage.getItem("treeData:v1:a:b")).toBeNull();
+    expect(localStorage.getItem("openTreeNodes:a:b")).toBeNull();
+    expect(localStorage.getItem("currentUser")).toBe(
+      JSON.stringify({ user: { id: "b" } }),
+    );
+
+    // The queued write was DISCARDED, not merely delayed: the debounce timer
+    // firing later must not resurrect a tree key after logout.
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(DEBOUNCE_MS + 100);
+    expect(localStorage.getItem(ANON_KEY)).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("clearPersistedTreeCaches discards queued writes even when flushed DIRECTLY", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+
+    const { treeDataAtom, clearPersistedTreeCaches, flushPendingTreeDataWrites } =
+      await freshImport();
+    const store = createStore();
+
+    // Queue a debounced write, then clear. Calling the flush directly (not via
+    // the debounce timer) isolates the pending-queue discard from the timer
+    // cancel: if the queue survived, this flush would resurrect the key even
+    // though the timer never fired.
+    store.set(treeDataAtom, [node("pending")]);
+    clearPersistedTreeCaches();
+    flushPendingTreeDataWrites();
+
+    expect(localStorage.getItem(ANON_KEY)).toBeNull();
+    expect(persistedTreeDataKeys()).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("skips persisting a tree over the size cap and warns exactly once", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    const warnSpy = vi.spyOn(console, "warn").mockImplementation(() => {});
+    const setItemSpy = vi.spyOn(localStorage, "setItem");
+
+    const { treeDataAtom, flushPendingTreeDataWrites } = await freshImport();
+    const store = createStore();
+
+    // One node whose name alone serializes to > MAX_SERIALIZED_LENGTH (~4M).
+    const huge = node("big");
+    huge.name = "x".repeat(4_000_001);
+
+    store.set(treeDataAtom, [huge]);
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(DEBOUNCE_MS + 100);
+
+    // The oversized serialization is skipped: the key is never written.
+    expect(localStorage.getItem(ANON_KEY)).toBeNull();
+    expect(setItemSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    // Editing the still-oversized tree fires another debounced write, but the
+    // "too large" warn is gated by the once-flag — no per-tick console spam.
+    store.set(treeDataAtom, [huge, node("big2")]);
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(DEBOUNCE_MS + 100);
+    flushPendingTreeDataWrites();
+
+    expect(localStorage.getItem(ANON_KEY)).toBeNull();
+    expect(warnSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(warnSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      "[tree] cached tree too large to persist; skipping",
+      ANON_KEY,
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("disables persistence after clearPersistedTreeCaches: NEW writes never reach storage", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+
+    const { treeDataAtom, clearPersistedTreeCaches, flushPendingTreeDataWrites } =
+      await freshImport();
+    const store = createStore();
+
+    clearPersistedTreeCaches();
+
+    // The resurrection scenario: a websocket tree event lands while `await
+    // logout()` is still in flight, AFTER the sweep. The write must not be
+    // queued, must not arm a new debounce timer, and must not survive the
+    // beforeunload flush fired by the logout redirect.
+    store.set(treeDataAtom, [node("late")]);
+
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(DEBOUNCE_MS + 100);
+    flushPendingTreeDataWrites(); // what the beforeunload handler runs
+
+    expect(persistedTreeDataKeys()).toEqual([]);
+
+    // Only PERSISTENCE is disabled: the in-memory atom keeps working, so the
+    // UI stays intact during the brief pre-redirect window.
+    expect(store.get(treeDataAtom).map((n) => n.id)).toEqual(["late"]);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/atoms/tree-data-atom.ts b/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/atoms/tree-data-atom.ts
index 7d0ec503..411336aa 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/atoms/tree-data-atom.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/atoms/tree-data-atom.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,206 @@
 import { atom } from "jotai";
+import { atomFamily, atomWithStorage } from "jotai/utils";
 import { SpaceTreeNode } from "@/features/page/tree/types";
 import { appendNodeChildren } from "../utils";
+import {
+  OPEN_TREE_NODES_KEY_PREFIX,
+  scopeKeyAtom,
+} from "./open-tree-nodes-atom";
 
-export const treeDataAtom = atom<SpaceTreeNode[]>([]);
+// The sidebar tree is persisted to localStorage so a page reload can paint the
+// last-known tree IMMEDIATELY (no blank sidebar while the root query runs) and
+// then reconcile with the server in the background. localStorage is a BOOT
+// CACHE only — the in-memory atom stays the source of truth while the app runs.
+
+// Trailing-debounce machinery for the localStorage writes. The tree is
+// rewritten on every lazy load / drag / socket event; serializing a large tree
+// on each update would burn CPU and thrash the storage quota, so writes are
+// coalesced (~500 ms per burst) and only the latest value per key is flushed.
+const WRITE_DEBOUNCE_MS = 500;
+
+// Single source of truth for the tree-cache localStorage key prefix. The `v1`
+// segment versions the cached node shape (bump it when SpaceTreeNode changes
+// incompatibly). Shared by the storage key construction below AND the logout
+// sweep in clearPersistedTreeCaches() so the two can never drift apart.
+export const TREE_DATA_KEY_PREFIX = "treeData:v1:";
+
+// Size guard: skip persisting trees whose JSON exceeds ~4M chars. localStorage
+// quota is typically ~5 MB per origin; a huge tree must not evict everything
+// else or spam QuotaExceededError on every debounce tick.
+const MAX_SERIALIZED_LENGTH = 4_000_000;
+
+const pendingWrites = new Map<string, SpaceTreeNode[]>();
+let flushTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
+let writeFailureWarned = false;
+
+// Persistence kill-switch, armed by clearPersistedTreeCaches(). Once set, the
+// debounced setItem and the flush become no-ops so nothing can be written back
+// to localStorage AFTER the logout sweep: a websocket tree event landing while
+// `await logout()` is still in flight would otherwise re-queue a write that
+// the `beforeunload` flush (fired by the redirect) silently resurrects.
+// Intentionally never reset: every caller of clearPersistedTreeCaches()
+// immediately navigates away with a full page load
+// (window.location.replace/href), so this module instance is torn down anyway.
+// Only PERSISTENCE stops — the in-memory atoms keep working, so the UI stays
+// intact during the brief pre-redirect window.
+let persistenceDisabled = false;
+
+function writeNow(key: string, value: SpaceTreeNode[]): void {
+  try {
+    const serialized = JSON.stringify(value);
+    if (serialized.length > MAX_SERIALIZED_LENGTH) {
+      // Warn ONCE, like the quota branch below: a >4M-char tree re-serializes on
+      // every ~500ms debounce tick while it's edited, so an un-gated warn would
+      // spam the console on each flush.
+      if (!writeFailureWarned) {
+        writeFailureWarned = true;
+        console.warn("[tree] cached tree too large to persist; skipping", key);
+      }
+      return;
+    }
+    localStorage.setItem(key, serialized);
+  } catch (err) {
+    // QuotaExceededError, private mode, jsdom shims without working storage…
+    // The cache is best-effort: warn once, keep the in-memory tree working.
+    if (!writeFailureWarned) {
+      writeFailureWarned = true;
+      console.warn("[tree] failed to persist tree cache", err);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+// Exported so tests can force the debounced write synchronously; production
+// code must never need it (the beforeunload hook below covers reloads).
+export function flushPendingTreeDataWrites(): void {
+  if (flushTimer !== null) {
+    clearTimeout(flushTimer);
+    flushTimer = null;
+  }
+  if (persistenceDisabled) {
+    // Belt-and-braces: after logout nothing may reach localStorage, even via
+    // the beforeunload flush racing the redirect. Drop anything queued.
+    pendingWrites.clear();
+    return;
+  }
+  for (const [key, value] of pendingWrites) {
+    writeNow(key, value);
+  }
+  pendingWrites.clear();
+}
+
+// Logout hygiene: the tree cache stores PAGE TITLES, so leaving it behind
+// would keep them readable in localStorage on a shared machine after logout.
+// Sweep by key prefix (not just the current scope) so stale scopes — old
+// users, the `anon:anon` fallback — are purged too. Pending debounced writes
+// are DISCARDED first (not flushed): a queued write firing after the sweep
+// would silently resurrect a removed key.
+export function clearPersistedTreeCaches(): void {
+  // Disable persistence FIRST so no write can be queued (or flushed) between
+  // the sweep below and the full-page navigation every caller performs next.
+  persistenceDisabled = true;
+  if (flushTimer !== null) {
+    clearTimeout(flushTimer);
+    flushTimer = null;
+  }
+  pendingWrites.clear();
+  try {
+    // Collect matching keys BEFORE removing: deleting while iterating
+    // `localStorage.key(i)` shifts the indices and skips entries.
+    const keysToRemove: string[] = [];
+    for (let i = 0; i < localStorage.length; i++) {
+      const key = localStorage.key(i);
+      if (
+        key !== null &&
+        (key.startsWith(TREE_DATA_KEY_PREFIX) ||
+          key.startsWith(OPEN_TREE_NODES_KEY_PREFIX))
+      ) {
+        keysToRemove.push(key);
+      }
+    }
+    for (const key of keysToRemove) {
+      localStorage.removeItem(key);
+    }
+  } catch {
+    // Best-effort: disabled storage / jsdom shims must never break logout.
+  }
+}
+
+// Flush the pending debounced write on unload so a reload right after a tree
+// change doesn't lose the newest state (the debounce would otherwise eat it).
+if (
+  typeof window !== "undefined" &&
+  typeof window.addEventListener === "function"
+) {
+  window.addEventListener("beforeunload", flushPendingTreeDataWrites);
+}
+
+// Custom sync storage for the tree cache. Deliberately NO `subscribe` key:
+// cross-tab sync would REPLACE this tab's tree wholesale and clobber in-flight
+// lazy loads; websockets already keep every open tab live. Each tab keeps its
+// own in-memory tree — localStorage only seeds the next boot.
+const treeDataStorage = {
+  getItem: (key: string, initialValue: SpaceTreeNode[]): SpaceTreeNode[] => {
+    // Defensive: jsdom test shims may lack methods, stored JSON may be
+    // corrupted or of a wrong shape. Any failure falls back to the empty tree.
+    try {
+      const raw = localStorage.getItem(key);
+      if (raw === null) return initialValue;
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(raw);
+      return Array.isArray(parsed) ? (parsed as SpaceTreeNode[]) : initialValue;
+    } catch {
+      return initialValue;
+    }
+  },
+  setItem: (key: string, newValue: SpaceTreeNode[]): void => {
+    // After logout the cache must stay purged: neither queue the write nor arm
+    // a new flush timer (see persistenceDisabled above). The in-memory atom
+    // value is unaffected — only the localStorage mirror is frozen.
+    if (persistenceDisabled) return;
+    pendingWrites.set(key, newValue);
+    if (flushTimer !== null) clearTimeout(flushTimer);
+    flushTimer = setTimeout(flushPendingTreeDataWrites, WRITE_DEBOUNCE_MS);
+  },
+  removeItem: (key: string): void => {
+    pendingWrites.delete(key);
+    try {
+      localStorage.removeItem(key);
+    } catch {
+      /* best-effort cache — ignore */
+    }
+  },
+};
+
+// One persisted tree per (workspace, user) — same scoping rationale as the
+// open-map atom (accounts sharing a browser origin must not leak trees).
+// `getOnInit: true` reads localStorage synchronously at atom init, so the very
+// first render already has the cached tree — no blank-then-jump sidebar.
+const treeDataFamily = atomFamily((scopeKey: string) =>
+  atomWithStorage<SpaceTreeNode[]>(
+    `${TREE_DATA_KEY_PREFIX}${scopeKey}`,
+    [],
+    treeDataStorage,
+    { getOnInit: true },
+  ),
+);
+
+// Public facade — same read value (SpaceTreeNode[]) and same setter shape
+// (value OR functional updater) as the previous in-memory atom, transparently
+// routed to the persisted tree of the current workspace/user.
+export const treeDataAtom = atom(
+  (get) => get(treeDataFamily(get(scopeKeyAtom))),
+  (
+    get,
+    set,
+    update: SpaceTreeNode[] | ((prev: SpaceTreeNode[]) => SpaceTreeNode[]),
+  ) => {
+    const target = treeDataFamily(get(scopeKeyAtom));
+    const next =
+      typeof update === "function"
+        ? (update as (prev: SpaceTreeNode[]) => SpaceTreeNode[])(get(target))
+        : update;
+    set(target, next);
+  },
+);
 
 // Atom
 export const appendNodeChildrenAtom = atom(
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/components/space-tree.boot-cache.test.tsx b/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/components/space-tree.boot-cache.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4f248c81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/components/space-tree.boot-cache.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,222 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
+import { createRef } from "react";
+import { render, act, waitFor, cleanup } from "@testing-library/react";
+
+// --- Mocks for the heavy / networked module graph ---------------------------
+// Same isolation strategy as space-tree.expand-all.test.tsx: everything that
+// would otherwise need a real server / router / DnD stack is mocked. Here we
+// additionally CAPTURE the DocTree props (onToggle + data) so the test can
+// drive a lazy-load expand exactly as a row click would, and we control
+// fetchAllAncestorChildren to assert the fresh fetch happens.
+
+const fetchAllAncestorChildrenMock = vi.fn();
+
+// Holder mutated by the DocTree stub each render so the test can read the
+// latest tree it was handed and invoke its onToggle callback.
+const docTree: {
+  onToggle?: (id: string, isOpen: boolean) => void | Promise<void>;
+  data: unknown[];
+} = { data: [] };
+
+vi.mock("@/features/page/services/page-service.ts", () => ({
+  getSpaceTree: vi.fn(),
+  getPageBreadcrumbs: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/features/page/queries/page-query.ts", () => ({
+  // No root pages and no further pages — the server data-load effect stays
+  // inert (isDataLoaded never flips), so refreshOpenBranches never runs and the
+  // test exercises ONLY the boot-prune + handleToggle lazy-load path against
+  // the hydrated cache we seed into the atom below.
+  useGetRootSidebarPagesQuery: () => ({
+    data: undefined,
+    hasNextPage: false,
+    fetchNextPage: vi.fn(),
+    isFetching: false,
+  }),
+  usePageQuery: () => ({ data: undefined }),
+  fetchAllAncestorChildren: (...args: unknown[]) =>
+    fetchAllAncestorChildrenMock(...args),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/features/page/tree/hooks/use-tree-mutation.ts", () => ({
+  useTreeMutation: () => ({ handleMove: vi.fn() }),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@mantine/notifications", () => ({
+  notifications: { show: vi.fn() },
+}));
+
+vi.mock("react-i18next", () => ({
+  useTranslation: () => ({ t: (key: string) => key }),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("react-router-dom", () => ({
+  useParams: () => ({ pageSlug: undefined }),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/lib", () => ({
+  extractPageSlugId: () => undefined,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/lib/config.ts", () => ({
+  isCompactPageTreeEnabled: () => false,
+}));
+
+// Capture the props DocTree is rendered with instead of rendering anything.
+vi.mock("./doc-tree", () => ({
+  DocTree: (props: { onToggle: (id: string, isOpen: boolean) => void; data: unknown[] }) => {
+    docTree.onToggle = props.onToggle;
+    docTree.data = props.data;
+    return null;
+  },
+  ROW_HEIGHT_COMPACT: 28,
+  ROW_HEIGHT_STANDARD: 32,
+}));
+vi.mock("./space-tree-row", () => ({
+  SpaceTreeRow: () => null,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@mantine/core", () => ({
+  Text: ({ children }: { children?: unknown }) => children ?? null,
+}));
+
+// In-memory open-map (the real one is localStorage-backed and crashes under the
+// jsdom shim). Empty at start of each test -> every branch is COLLAPSED, which
+// is exactly the state we need to prove the boot-prune. `scopeKeyAtom` is
+// re-exported because the persisted tree-data atom resolves its scope through it.
+vi.mock("@/features/page/tree/atoms/open-tree-nodes-atom.ts", async () => {
+  const { atom } = await import("jotai");
+  type OpenMap = Record<string, boolean>;
+  const base = atom<OpenMap>({});
+  const openTreeNodesAtom = atom(
+    (get) => get(base),
+    (get, set, update: OpenMap | ((prev: OpenMap) => OpenMap)) => {
+      const next =
+        typeof update === "function"
+          ? (update as (prev: OpenMap) => OpenMap)(get(base))
+          : update;
+      set(base, next);
+    },
+  );
+  const scopeKeyAtom = atom(() => "test-workspace:test-user");
+  return { openTreeNodesAtom, scopeKeyAtom };
+});
+
+import SpaceTree, { SpaceTreeApi } from "./space-tree";
+import {
+  treeDataAtom,
+  flushPendingTreeDataWrites,
+} from "@/features/page/tree/atoms/tree-data-atom.ts";
+import { createStore, Provider } from "jotai";
+import type { SpaceTreeNode } from "@/features/page/tree/types.ts";
+
+// The scopeKeyAtom mock resolves to this fixed scope, so the persisted
+// tree-data atom hydrates from exactly this localStorage key at mount
+// (getOnInit + atomWithStorage's onMount both read it).
+const CACHE_KEY = "treeData:v1:test-workspace:test-user";
+
+function child(
+  id: string,
+  parentPageId: string,
+  hasChildren = false,
+): SpaceTreeNode {
+  return {
+    id,
+    slugId: `slug-${id}`,
+    name: id,
+    position: "a0",
+    spaceId: "space-1",
+    parentPageId,
+    hasChildren,
+    children: [],
+  };
+}
+
+// A hydrated boot cache: a COLLAPSED branch (not in the open-map) that still
+// carries a stale cached child — the exact shape a previous session left behind
+// after the branch was expanded then collapsed then persisted.
+function cachedTreeWithCollapsedBranch(): SpaceTreeNode[] {
+  return [
+    {
+      id: "branch",
+      slugId: "slug-branch",
+      name: "branch",
+      position: "a0",
+      spaceId: "space-1",
+      parentPageId: null as unknown as string,
+      hasChildren: true,
+      children: [child("stale", "branch")],
+    },
+  ];
+}
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  fetchAllAncestorChildrenMock.mockReset();
+  docTree.onToggle = undefined;
+  docTree.data = [];
+  // Flush any pending debounced write from a previous test before clearing.
+  flushPendingTreeDataWrites();
+  try {
+    localStorage.clear?.();
+  } catch {
+    /* fresh store per test isolates state */
+  }
+});
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  cleanup();
+});
+
+describe("SpaceTree boot-cache prune (#159 #8 stale collapsed children)", () => {
+  it("drops a collapsed cached branch's children on boot and fetches fresh on first expand", async () => {
+    // Server returns FRESH children on the lazy-load: the stale cached child is
+    // gone, a renamed/new one takes its place.
+    fetchAllAncestorChildrenMock.mockResolvedValue([child("fresh", "branch")]);
+
+    // Simulate the localStorage-hydrated boot cache: seed the persisted key
+    // BEFORE mount so the atom hydrates it (store.set would be clobbered by
+    // atomWithStorage's onMount re-reading storage — this is the real path).
+    localStorage.setItem(
+      CACHE_KEY,
+      JSON.stringify(cachedTreeWithCollapsedBranch()),
+    );
+
+    const store = createStore();
+    const ref = createRef<SpaceTreeApi>();
+    render(
+      <Provider store={store}>
+        <SpaceTree ref={ref} spaceId="space-1" readOnly={false} />
+      </Provider>,
+    );
+
+    // Boot-prune ran at mount: the COLLAPSED branch's cached children were
+    // dropped to the unloaded shape ([]), so the stale child is no longer there.
+    const branchAfterBoot = docTree.data.find(
+      (n) => (n as SpaceTreeNode).id === "branch",
+    ) as SpaceTreeNode;
+    expect(branchAfterBoot.children).toEqual([]);
+    expect(branchAfterBoot.hasChildren).toBe(true);
+
+    // First expand of the collapsed branch after boot must lazy-load fresh
+    // children (before this fix the cached children were kept and the fetch
+    // was skipped, showing stale data).
+    await act(async () => {
+      await docTree.onToggle!("branch", true);
+    });
+
+    expect(fetchAllAncestorChildrenMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(fetchAllAncestorChildrenMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      pageId: "branch",
+      spaceId: "space-1",
+    });
+
+    // The fresh children replaced the stale cache in the live tree.
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      const branch = store
+        .get(treeDataAtom)
+        .find((n) => n.id === "branch")!;
+      expect(branch.children.map((c) => c.id)).toEqual(["fresh"]);
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/components/space-tree.expand-all.test.tsx b/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/components/space-tree.expand-all.test.tsx
index 7f0e4313..c7e3cbc7 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/components/space-tree.expand-all.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/components/space-tree.expand-all.test.tsx
@@ -71,7 +71,8 @@ vi.mock("@mantine/core", () => ({
 // getOnInit), which crashes under jsdom's localStorage shim here. Swap in a
 // plain in-memory atom with the same read value (OpenMap) and the same setter
 // shape (value OR functional updater) so the component's open-state logic runs
-// unchanged while staying inside the test store.
+// unchanged while staying inside the test store. `scopeKeyAtom` is also
+// re-exported (the real module exports it for the persisted tree-data atom).
 vi.mock("@/features/page/tree/atoms/open-tree-nodes-atom.ts", async () => {
   const { atom } = await import("jotai");
   type OpenMap = Record<string, boolean>;
@@ -86,11 +87,17 @@ vi.mock("@/features/page/tree/atoms/open-tree-nodes-atom.ts", async () => {
       set(base, next);
     },
   );
-  return { openTreeNodesAtom };
+  // Fixed scope key: the tree-data atom family resolves through this, so all
+  // tests read/write the same (empty at start of each test) storage key.
+  const scopeKeyAtom = atom(() => "test-workspace:test-user");
+  return { openTreeNodesAtom, scopeKeyAtom };
 });
 
 import SpaceTree, { SpaceTreeApi } from "./space-tree";
-import { treeDataAtom } from "@/features/page/tree/atoms/tree-data-atom.ts";
+import {
+  treeDataAtom,
+  flushPendingTreeDataWrites,
+} from "@/features/page/tree/atoms/tree-data-atom.ts";
 import { openTreeNodesAtom } from "@/features/page/tree/atoms/open-tree-nodes-atom.ts";
 import { createStore, Provider } from "jotai";
 import type { SpaceTreeNode } from "@/features/page/tree/types.ts";
@@ -134,6 +141,10 @@ function renderTree(store: ReturnType<typeof createStore>) {
 beforeEach(() => {
   getSpaceTreeMock.mockReset();
   notificationsShowMock.mockReset();
+  // The tree-data atom persists via a ~500 ms trailing debounce; flush it NOW
+  // (cancelling the timer) so a previous test's pending write can't land in
+  // storage mid-test after the clear below.
+  flushPendingTreeDataWrites();
   // jsdom's localStorage shim here lacks `clear`; guard it. Each test uses a
   // fresh jotai store anyway, so cross-test open-state never leaks.
   try {
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/components/space-tree.tsx b/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/components/space-tree.tsx
index affcbac3..85e4cdae 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/components/space-tree.tsx
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/components/space-tree.tsx
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import {
   openBranches,
   closeIds,
   loadedOpenBranchIds,
+  pruneCollapsedChildren,
 } from "@/features/page/tree/utils/utils.ts";
 import { SpaceTreeNode } from "@/features/page/tree/types.ts";
 import { treeModel } from "@/features/page/tree/model/tree-model";
@@ -199,45 +200,81 @@ const SpaceTree = forwardRef<SpaceTreeApi, SpaceTreeProps>(function SpaceTree(
   const openIdsRef = useRef(openIds);
   openIdsRef.current = openIds;
 
-  // Reconnect refresh (#159 #8): on a socket reconnect, re-fetch and reconcile
-  // the children of every currently-open, already-loaded branch of THIS space,
+  // Boot-cache hygiene (#159 #8): the localStorage-hydrated tree carries the
+  // children of every branch ever expanded, including ones now COLLAPSED. Their
+  // first expand would skip the lazy-load and render stale children (a
+  // rename/move/delete missed while offline). Drop the cached children of every
+  // COLLAPSED branch ONCE at mount so its first expand fetches fresh via
+  // handleToggle — exactly as it did before the tree was cached. OPEN branches
+  // keep their children and are refreshed by refreshOpenBranches instead, so
+  // this runs before any expand and never double-fetches an open branch.
+  const prunedBootCacheRef = useRef(false);
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (prunedBootCacheRef.current) return;
+    prunedBootCacheRef.current = true;
+    setData((prev) => pruneCollapsedChildren(prev, openIdsRef.current));
+  }, [setData]);
+
+  // Re-fetch and reconcile the children of every currently-open, already-loaded
+  // branch of THIS space. Shared by the socket reconnect handler and the
+  // post-load cache refresh below. The ROOT level is reconciled separately by
+  // the root-query refetch + mergeRootTrees; an UNLOADED branch is skipped
+  // (lazy-load fetches it fresh on expand). Reads refs so it always sees the
+  // latest tree/open-state/space without re-creating the callback.
+  const refreshOpenBranches = useCallback(async () => {
+    const effectSpaceId = spaceIdRef.current;
+    const branchIds = loadedOpenBranchIds(
+      dataRef.current.filter((n) => n?.spaceId === effectSpaceId),
+      openIdsRef.current,
+    );
+    if (branchIds.length === 0) return;
+    for (const id of branchIds) {
+      try {
+        // `fresh: true` bypasses the 30-min sidebar-pages cache so the
+        // reconcile sees the server's CURRENT children (handler-order
+        // independent — no reliance on the global reconnect invalidation).
+        const fresh = await fetchAllAncestorChildren(
+          { pageId: id, spaceId: effectSpaceId },
+          { fresh: true },
+        );
+        if (spaceIdRef.current !== effectSpaceId) return; // space switched
+        setData((prev) => treeModel.reconcileChildren(prev, id, fresh));
+      } catch (err) {
+        console.error("[tree] open branch refresh failed", err);
+      }
+    }
+  }, [setData]);
+
+  // Reconnect refresh (#159 #8): on a socket reconnect, refresh open branches
   // so a move/rename/delete that happened INSIDE a loaded branch while events
   // were missed (laptop sleep / wifi gap) is reflected instead of left stale.
-  // The ROOT level is reconciled separately by the root-query refetch +
-  // mergeRootTrees; an UNLOADED branch is skipped (lazy-load fetches it fresh on
-  // expand). No first-connect guard is needed: space-tree usually mounts AFTER
-  // the initial connect, so every `connect` it sees is a reconnect; the rare
+  // No first-connect guard is needed: space-tree usually mounts AFTER the
+  // initial connect, so every `connect` it sees is a reconnect; the rare
   // initial-connect case has an empty tree, so the refresh is a harmless no-op.
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!socket) return;
-    const onConnect = async () => {
-      const effectSpaceId = spaceIdRef.current;
-      const branchIds = loadedOpenBranchIds(
-        dataRef.current.filter((n) => n?.spaceId === effectSpaceId),
-        openIdsRef.current,
-      );
-      if (branchIds.length === 0) return;
-      for (const id of branchIds) {
-        try {
-          // `fresh: true` bypasses the 30-min sidebar-pages cache so the
-          // reconcile sees the server's CURRENT children (handler-order
-          // independent — no reliance on the global reconnect invalidation).
-          const fresh = await fetchAllAncestorChildren(
-            { pageId: id, spaceId: effectSpaceId },
-            { fresh: true },
-          );
-          if (spaceIdRef.current !== effectSpaceId) return; // space switched
-          setData((prev) => treeModel.reconcileChildren(prev, id, fresh));
-        } catch (err) {
-          console.error("[tree] reconnect branch refresh failed", err);
-        }
-      }
+    const onConnect = () => {
+      refreshOpenBranches();
     };
     socket.on("connect", onConnect);
     return () => {
       socket.off("connect", onConnect);
     };
-  }, [socket, setData]);
+  }, [socket, refreshOpenBranches]);
+
+  // Post-load cache refresh: the sidebar paints instantly from the
+  // localStorage-cached tree, so children of open branches may be stale. Once
+  // the server root set has been merged for this space (isDataLoaded flips
+  // true), refresh every open, already-loaded branch ONCE per space per mount.
+  // dataRef.current is already up to date here: refs are assigned during
+  // render, and this effect runs after the merge-triggered re-render commit.
+  const refreshedSpacesRef = useRef<Set<string>>(new Set());
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!isDataLoaded) return;
+    if (refreshedSpacesRef.current.has(spaceId)) return;
+    refreshedSpacesRef.current.add(spaceId);
+    refreshOpenBranches();
+  }, [isDataLoaded, spaceId, refreshOpenBranches]);
 
   const handleToggle = useCallback(
     async (id: string, isOpen: boolean) => {
@@ -333,12 +370,17 @@ const SpaceTree = forwardRef<SpaceTreeApi, SpaceTreeProps>(function SpaceTree(
 
   return (
     <div className={classes.treeContainer}>
+      {/* "No pages yet" only after the SERVER confirmed the space is empty —
+          never while just the localStorage cache is empty. */}
       {isDataLoaded && filteredData.length === 0 && (
         <Text size="xs" c="dimmed" py="xs" px="sm">
           {t("No pages yet")}
         </Text>
       )}
-      {isDataLoaded && filteredData.length > 0 && (
+      {/* Cache-first paint: render as soon as ANY data exists (synchronous
+          localStorage hydration) instead of waiting for the server round-trip;
+          the background merge/refresh reconciles it afterwards. */}
+      {filteredData.length > 0 && (
         <DocTree<SpaceTreeNode>
           data={filteredData}
           openIds={openIds}
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/utils/utils.test.ts b/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/utils/utils.test.ts
index 0eced376..5b48c0ba 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/utils/utils.test.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/utils/utils.test.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
   closeIds,
   mergeRootTrees,
   loadedOpenBranchIds,
+  pruneCollapsedChildren,
   sortPositionKeys,
   pageToTreeNode,
 } from "./utils";
@@ -438,3 +439,62 @@ describe("loadedOpenBranchIds (#159 #8 reconnect refresh targets)", () => {
     expect(ids.sort()).toEqual(["a", "a1"]);
   });
 });
+
+describe("pruneCollapsedChildren", () => {
+  // Signature: pruneCollapsedChildren(tree: SpaceTreeNode[], openIds:
+  // ReadonlySet<string>): SpaceTreeNode[]. Collapsed nodes (id NOT in openIds)
+  // are reset to `children: []` (hasChildren untouched); open nodes keep their
+  // children but are recursed into so a collapsed branch nested under an open
+  // one is still pruned.
+  //
+  // Fixture:
+  //   open "p" (in openIds, hasChildren)
+  //     └─ collapsed "c" (NOT in openIds) with STALE child "g"
+  //   collapsed "t" (NOT in openIds) with child "t1"
+  // Only "p" is open.
+  function fixture() {
+    const grandchild = treeNode("g"); // stale, cached under the collapsed child
+    const collapsedChild = treeNode("c", [grandchild]);
+    const openParent = treeNode("p", [collapsedChild]);
+    const topCollapsed = treeNode("t", [treeNode("t1")]);
+    return { openParent, collapsedChild, topCollapsed };
+  }
+
+  it("keeps an OPEN parent's children and recurses to prune a nested collapsed branch; prunes a top-level collapsed node", () => {
+    const { openParent, topCollapsed } = fixture();
+    const tree = [openParent, topCollapsed];
+    const result = pruneCollapsedChildren(tree, new Set(["p"]));
+
+    // (a) OPEN parent keeps its children (not cleared) and hasChildren stays true.
+    const p = result[0];
+    expect(p.id).toBe("p");
+    expect(p.hasChildren).toBe(true);
+    expect(p.children).toHaveLength(1);
+
+    // (b) The nested COLLAPSED child under the open parent is pruned to
+    // `children: []` by the recursion, with hasChildren preserved. This is the
+    // open-keep + recurse branch that F1's empty-open-set fixture never hits.
+    const c = p.children[0];
+    expect(c.id).toBe("c");
+    expect(c.children).toEqual([]);
+    expect(c.hasChildren).toBe(true);
+
+    // (c) The top-level collapsed node is pruned to `children: []`, hasChildren kept.
+    const t = result[1];
+    expect(t.id).toBe("t");
+    expect(t.children).toEqual([]);
+    expect(t.hasChildren).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("does not mutate the input tree (returns fresh nodes)", () => {
+    const { openParent, collapsedChild, topCollapsed } = fixture();
+    const tree = [openParent, topCollapsed];
+    pruneCollapsedChildren(tree, new Set(["p"]));
+
+    // Originals are untouched: the collapsed child still carries its stale grandchild.
+    expect(collapsedChild.children).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(collapsedChild.children[0].id).toBe("g");
+    expect(openParent.children[0]).toBe(collapsedChild);
+    expect(topCollapsed.children).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/utils/utils.ts b/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/utils/utils.ts
index d5084b00..1c61d5cf 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/utils/utils.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/page/tree/utils/utils.ts
@@ -293,6 +293,41 @@ export function loadedOpenBranchIds(
   return ids;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Boot-cache hygiene (#159 #8): the persisted tree keeps the children of EVERY
+ * branch ever expanded — collapsing a branch never prunes them. So on reload a
+ * COLLAPSED branch hydrates with its old cached children, and `handleToggle`
+ * skips the lazy-load on first expand (children already present) → it shows
+ * STALE children (renamed / moved / deleted while the user was offline) with no
+ * reconcile. `refreshOpenBranches` only refreshes OPEN branches, so collapsed
+ * ones slip through.
+ *
+ * Fix: drop the cached children of every node NOT in the persisted open-set,
+ * resetting it to the canonical UNLOADED shape (`children: []`, `hasChildren`
+ * untouched — see pageToTreeNode). Its first expand then lazy-loads fresh, just
+ * as it did before the tree was cached to localStorage. OPEN branches keep
+ * their children (refreshOpenBranches reconciles those, so they must not be
+ * dropped here) and are recursed into so a collapsed branch nested under an
+ * open one is pruned too.
+ */
+export function pruneCollapsedChildren(
+  tree: SpaceTreeNode[],
+  openIds: ReadonlySet<string>,
+): SpaceTreeNode[] {
+  return tree.map((node) => {
+    const hasLoadedChildren = !!node.children && node.children.length > 0;
+    if (!openIds.has(node.id)) {
+      // Collapsed: drop the whole cached subtree so it reads as unloaded.
+      return hasLoadedChildren ? { ...node, children: [] } : node;
+    }
+    // Open: keep it, but recurse into its children (a nested collapsed branch
+    // must still be pruned).
+    return hasLoadedChildren
+      ? { ...node, children: pruneCollapsedChildren(node.children, openIds) }
+      : node;
+  });
+}
+
 // Collect every node id in the tree (roots, branches, leaves). Used by
 // collapseAll to clear the open-state map for all current-space nodes.
 export function collectAllIds(nodes: SpaceTreeNode[]): string[] {
diff --git a/apps/client/src/lib/api-client.ts b/apps/client/src/lib/api-client.ts
index d42d4cb9..8ce35fcb 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/lib/api-client.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/lib/api-client.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import axios, { AxiosInstance } from "axios";
 import APP_ROUTE from "@/lib/app-route.ts";
 import { isCloud } from "@/lib/config.ts";
+import { clearPersistedTreeCaches } from "@/features/page/tree/atoms/tree-data-atom";
 
 const api: AxiosInstance = axios.create({
   baseURL: "/api",
@@ -71,6 +72,12 @@ function redirectToLogin() {
     "/invites",
   ];
   if (!exemptPaths.some((path) => window.location.pathname.startsWith(path))) {
+    // Forced logout (401 / expired session) must purge the persisted sidebar
+    // tree caches too: they contain page titles, and on a shared machine most
+    // sessions end via cookie expiry — not the logout button — so this is the
+    // only cleanup that runs on that path. It also disables further cache
+    // persistence until the full page load below.
+    clearPersistedTreeCaches();
     const redirectTo = window.location.pathname;
     if (redirectTo === APP_ROUTE.HOME) {
       window.location.href = APP_ROUTE.AUTH.LOGIN;