diff --git a/hermes_cli/kanban_db.py b/hermes_cli/kanban_db.py
index 355a7933a31d..a4b3c383df7b 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/kanban_db.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/kanban_db.py
@@ -8815,6 +8815,12 @@ def _default_spawn(
 
     prompt = f"work kanban task {task.id}"
     env = dict(os.environ)
+    # The dispatcher is detached from every conversation. Its worker must never
+    # inherit routing mirrored by a previous gateway turn, even before the first
+    # session binds ContextVars in this process.
+    from gateway.session_context import _VAR_MAP
+    for key in _VAR_MAP:
+        env.pop(key, None)
 
     # Inject HERMES_HOME so the worker reads the profile-scoped config.yaml
     # (fallback_providers, toolsets, agent settings, etc.) instead of the root
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_kanban_db.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_kanban_db.py
index f4e552352554..0904a877b697 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_kanban_db.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_kanban_db.py
@@ -3096,17 +3096,23 @@ class TestSharedBoardPaths:
         assert kb.kanban_db_path() == default_home / "kanban.db"
         assert kb.workspaces_root() == default_home / "kanban" / "workspaces"
 
-    def test_dispatcher_spawn_injects_kanban_db_and_workspaces_root(
+    def test_dispatcher_spawn_injects_kanban_paths_without_stale_session(
         self, tmp_path, monkeypatch
     ):
-        # The dispatcher's `_default_spawn` must inject HERMES_KANBAN_DB
-        # and HERMES_KANBAN_WORKSPACES_ROOT into the worker env so the
-        # worker converges on the dispatcher's paths even when the
-        # `-p <profile>` flag rewrites HERMES_HOME.
+        # The dispatcher must pin board paths while stripping any unrelated
+        # HERMES_SESSION_* identity inherited from the long-lived gateway.
         default_home = tmp_path / ".hermes"
         default_home.mkdir()
         self._set_home(monkeypatch, tmp_path, default_home)
 
+        from gateway import session_context as sc
+
+        # A dispatcher can launch before the gateway binds its first session.
+        monkeypatch.setattr(sc, "_session_context_engaged", False)
+        sc.reset_session_vars()
+        for key in sc._VAR_MAP:
+            monkeypatch.setenv(key, "stale-routing-value")
+
         captured = {}
 
         class _FakePopen:
@@ -3144,6 +3150,8 @@ class TestSharedBoardPaths:
         )
         assert env["HERMES_KANBAN_TASK"] == "t_dispatch_env"
         assert env["HERMES_KANBAN_BRANCH"] == "wt/t_dispatch_env"
+        for key in sc._VAR_MAP:
+            assert key not in env
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------