diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2fd76c619b..9e6e7b3633 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 - Outbound/Threading: pass `replyTo` and `threadId` from `message send` tool actions through the core outbound send path to channel adapters, preserving thread/reply routing. (#14948) Thanks @mcaxtr.
 - Sessions/Agents: pass `agentId` when resolving existing transcript paths in reply runs so non-default agents and heartbeat/chat handlers no longer fail with `Session file path must be within sessions directory`. (#15141) Thanks @Goldenmonstew.
 - Sessions/Agents: pass `agentId` through status and usage transcript-resolution paths (auto-reply, gateway usage APIs, and session cost/log loaders) so non-default agents can resolve absolute session files without path-validation failures. (#15103) Thanks @jalehman.
+- Sessions: accept legacy absolute `sessionFile` paths from prior releases while preserving containment checks to block traversal escapes. (#15323) Thanks @mudrii.
 - Signal/Install: auto-install `signal-cli` via Homebrew on non-x64 Linux architectures, avoiding x86_64 native binary `Exec format error` failures on arm64/arm hosts. (#15443) Thanks @jogvan-k.
 
 ## 2026.2.12
diff --git a/src/config/sessions/paths.test.ts b/src/config/sessions/paths.test.ts
index baa45079bf..92191b8a45 100644
--- a/src/config/sessions/paths.test.ts
+++ b/src/config/sessions/paths.test.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,14 @@ describe("session path safety", () => {
       resolveSessionFilePath("sess-1", { sessionFile: "../../etc/passwd" }, { sessionsDir }),
     ).toThrow(/within sessions directory/);
 
+    expect(() =>
+      resolveSessionFilePath(
+        "sess-1",
+        { sessionFile: "subdir/../../escape.jsonl" },
+        { sessionsDir },
+      ),
+    ).toThrow(/within sessions directory/);
+
     expect(() =>
       resolveSessionFilePath("sess-1", { sessionFile: "/etc/passwd" }, { sessionsDir }),
     ).toThrow(/within sessions directory/);
diff --git a/src/config/sessions/paths.ts b/src/config/sessions/paths.ts
index a630f68c2f..407c6cd420 100644
--- a/src/config/sessions/paths.ts
+++ b/src/config/sessions/paths.ts
@@ -77,14 +77,15 @@ function resolvePathWithinSessionsDir(sessionsDir: string, candidate: string): s
     throw new Error("Session file path must not be empty");
   }
   const resolvedBase = path.resolve(sessionsDir);
-  // Normalize absolute paths that are within the sessions directory.
-  // Older versions stored absolute sessionFile paths in sessions.json;
-  // convert them to relative so the containment check passes.
+  // Older versions stored absolute sessionFile paths in sessions.json.
+  // Preserve compatibility, but validate containment against the resolved path.
   const normalized = path.isAbsolute(trimmed) ? path.relative(resolvedBase, trimmed) : trimmed;
-  if (!normalized || normalized.startsWith("..") || path.isAbsolute(normalized)) {
+  const resolvedCandidate = path.resolve(resolvedBase, normalized);
+  const relative = path.relative(resolvedBase, resolvedCandidate);
+  if (!normalized || relative.startsWith("..") || path.isAbsolute(relative)) {
     throw new Error("Session file path must be within sessions directory");
   }
-  return path.resolve(resolvedBase, normalized);
+  return resolvedCandidate;
 }
 
 export function resolveSessionTranscriptPathInDir(