diff --git a/client/src/hooks/Conversations/useNavigateToConvo.tsx b/client/src/hooks/Conversations/useNavigateToConvo.tsx
index c8e7aa0b05..390f5b77d7 100644
--- a/client/src/hooks/Conversations/useNavigateToConvo.tsx
+++ b/client/src/hooks/Conversations/useNavigateToConvo.tsx
@@ -119,6 +119,14 @@ const useNavigateToConvo = (index = 0) => {
     clearAllConversations(true);
     clearMessagesCache(queryClient, currentConvoId);
     if (convo.conversationId !== Constants.NEW_CONVO && convo.conversationId) {
+      /**
+       * Remove (not just invalidate) the target's messages so a freshly-mounted
+       * ChatView refetches them. A prior `clearMessagesCache` can leave this
+       * conversation cached as `[]`, which the messages query's `refetchOnMount: false`
+       * would treat as valid — leaving the chat stuck on an empty cache with no
+       * request when navigating in from a non-chat route (e.g. /projects).
+       */
+      queryClient.removeQueries([QueryKeys.messages, convo.conversationId]);
       queryClient.invalidateQueries([QueryKeys.conversation, convo.conversationId]);
       fetchFreshData(convo);
     } else {