diff --git a/lib/chats/getChatsHandler.ts b/lib/chats/getChatsHandler.ts
index 0f7b254a..1a0c31cd 100644
--- a/lib/chats/getChatsHandler.ts
+++ b/lib/chats/getChatsHandler.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@ import { selectChatsWithSessions } from "@/lib/supabase/chats/selectChatsWithSes
  * Returns chats joined with their owning session so the response carries the
  * `sessionId`, owning `accountId`, and `artistId` per row, enabling clients
  * to render canonical `/sessions/{sid}/chats/{cid}` URLs and filter by
- * artist context.
+ * artist context. Chats whose owning session is archived
+ * (`sessions.status === "archived"`) are excluded — archive is the
+ * soft-delete path for sessions.
  *
  * Scope:
  * - Personal/org key: chats belonging to the caller's account.
diff --git a/lib/mcp/tools/chats/registerGetChatsTool.ts b/lib/mcp/tools/chats/registerGetChatsTool.ts
index d667964b..0230d5c8 100644
--- a/lib/mcp/tools/chats/registerGetChatsTool.ts
+++ b/lib/mcp/tools/chats/registerGetChatsTool.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export type GetChatsArgs = z.infer<typeof getChatsSchema>;
  * GET /api/chats: personal/org → caller's account; Recoup admin → all;
  * or a specific account when `account_id` is supplied and the caller
  * can access it. `artist_account_id` further scopes by artist context.
+ * Chats whose owning session is archived are excluded.
  *
  * Admin status is derived from `account_organization_ids` membership so
  * that Bearer-authed callers get the same admin scope as x-api-key
diff --git a/lib/supabase/chats/__tests__/selectChatsWithSessions.test.ts b/lib/supabase/chats/__tests__/selectChatsWithSessions.test.ts
index 2d9de9af..0c88d411 100644
--- a/lib/supabase/chats/__tests__/selectChatsWithSessions.test.ts
+++ b/lib/supabase/chats/__tests__/selectChatsWithSessions.test.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { selectChatsWithSessions } from "@/lib/supabase/chats/selectChatsWithSes
 
 const fromMock = vi.fn();
 const selectMock = vi.fn();
+const neqMock = vi.fn();
 const inMock = vi.fn();
 const eqMock = vi.fn();
 const orderMock = vi.fn();
@@ -15,15 +16,17 @@ vi.mock("@/lib/supabase/serverClient", () => ({
 
 beforeEach(() => {
   vi.clearAllMocks();
-  // Default chain: from().select().in().eq().order() -> resolves to { data, error }
+  // Default chain: from().select().neq().in().eq().order() -> resolves to { data, error }
   const builder = {
     select: selectMock,
+    neq: neqMock,
     in: inMock,
     eq: eqMock,
     order: orderMock,
   };
   fromMock.mockReturnValue(builder);
   selectMock.mockReturnValue(builder);
+  neqMock.mockReturnValue(builder);
   inMock.mockReturnValue(builder);
   eqMock.mockReturnValue(builder);
   orderMock.mockResolvedValue({ data: [], error: null });
@@ -51,13 +54,21 @@ describe("selectChatsWithSessions", () => {
     expect(String(selectArg)).toContain("session:sessions!inner");
     expect(String(selectArg)).toContain("account_id");
     expect(String(selectArg)).toContain("artist_id");
+    expect(String(selectArg)).toContain("status");
 
+    expect(neqMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith("session.status", "archived");
     expect(inMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith("session.account_id", ["acc-1", "acc-2"]);
     expect(eqMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     expect(orderMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith("updated_at", { ascending: false });
     expect(result).toEqual(rows);
   });
 
+  it("always excludes archived sessions, even with no other filters", async () => {
+    await selectChatsWithSessions({});
+
+    expect(neqMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith("session.status", "archived");
+  });
+
   it("composes accountIds + artistAccountId — both filters applied", async () => {
     orderMock.mockResolvedValueOnce({ data: [], error: null });
 
diff --git a/lib/supabase/chats/selectChatsWithSessions.ts b/lib/supabase/chats/selectChatsWithSessions.ts
index 932341ff..ee3d204d 100644
--- a/lib/supabase/chats/selectChatsWithSessions.ts
+++ b/lib/supabase/chats/selectChatsWithSessions.ts
@@ -18,13 +18,16 @@ export interface SelectChatsWithSessionsParams {
 
 const SELECT = `
   *,
-  session:sessions!inner ( id, account_id, artist_id )
+  session:sessions!inner ( id, account_id, artist_id, status )
 ` as const;
 
 /**
  * Reads chats joined to their owning session, optionally scoped to a set of
  * account IDs through `sessions.account_id` and/or an artist context through
- * `sessions.artist_id`. Ordered by `chats.updated_at` descending so newest
+ * `sessions.artist_id`. Chats whose session is archived
+ * (`sessions.status === "archived"`) are excluded — archive is the
+ * soft-delete path, and archived sessions should not surface in chat
+ * listings. Results are ordered by `chats.updated_at` descending so newest
  * activity surfaces first.
  *
  * Returns `null` when Supabase reports an error so callers can distinguish a
@@ -39,7 +42,7 @@ export async function selectChatsWithSessions(params: SelectChatsWithSessionsPar
     return [];
   }
 
-  let query = supabase.from("chats").select(SELECT);
+  let query = supabase.from("chats").select(SELECT).neq("session.status", "archived");
   if (accountIds !== undefined) {
     query = query.in("session.account_id", accountIds);
   }