diff --git a/src/doltlite_config.c b/src/doltlite_config.c
index 5880d8eaaa..5b3b4507e2 100644
--- a/src/doltlite_config.c
+++ b/src/doltlite_config.c
@@ -220,7 +220,14 @@ int doltliteMaybeSeedRepo(sqlite3 *db){
       "Initialize data repository", NULL, NULL, 0, 0, &seedHash);
   if( rc!=SQLITE_OK ) return rc;
 
-  return doltliteAdvanceBranch(db, &seedHash, &emptyCatalog, 0);
+  /* Tables created before the seed live only in the session; the working
+  ** set must carry them, not the seed's empty catalog. */
+  {
+    ProllyHash liveCatalog;
+    rc = doltliteFlushCatalogToHash(db, &liveCatalog);
+    if( rc!=SQLITE_OK ) return rc;
+    return doltliteAdvanceBranch(db, &seedHash, &emptyCatalog, &liveCatalog);
+  }
 }
 
 int doltliteConfigRegister(sqlite3 *db){
diff --git a/src/doltlite_core.c b/src/doltlite_core.c
index 2353f183ed..a30da2e254 100644
--- a/src/doltlite_core.c
+++ b/src/doltlite_core.c
@@ -722,7 +722,13 @@ static int doltliteAdvanceBranchWithState(
     }
   }
 
-  rc = doltlitePersistWorkingSetWithHash(db, pWorkingCatHash);
+  /* A null working catalog used to flush the live session here, but the
+  ** head confirm can have reloaded that session from a peer's freshly
+  ** written working set: the persist then binds the peer's content to the
+  ** new head and the staleness gate waves it through. Advancing with no
+  ** explicit working catalog means the working set IS the new catalog. */
+  rc = doltlitePersistWorkingSetWithHash(
+      db, pWorkingCatHash ? pWorkingCatHash : pCatalogHash);
   if( rc!=SQLITE_OK ){
     return doltliteRestoreTxnStateOnFailure(db, pSaved, rc);
   }