diff --git a/scripts/s/b b/scripts/s/b
index f3eba75..5a8624d 100755
--- a/scripts/s/b
+++ b/scripts/s/b
@@ -89,6 +89,11 @@ backend=${backend}"
 model=${model}"
     printf '%s\n' "$kv" > "$MOUNT/s/new" || die "failed to create session"
 
+    # Poll until the session directory is visible (FUSE entry cache may lag).
+    local deadline=$(( $(date +%s) + 5 ))
+    until [ -d "$B" ] || [ "$(date +%s)" -ge "$deadline" ]; do sleep 0.05; done
+    [ -d "$B" ] || die "timeout waiting for session $id"
+
     printf '%s\n' "$prompt" > "$B/prompt" || die "failed to submit prompt"
 
     if [ "$bg" -eq 1 ]; then