diff --git a/packages/core/src/location-activity.ts b/packages/core/src/location-activity.ts
index c98319027a20..7aa3ed68dc9a 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/location-activity.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/location-activity.ts
@@ -51,9 +51,8 @@ export function layer(options: { readonly timeToLive?: Duration.Input; readonly
         )
 
       const unsubscribe = yield* bus.listen((event) => {
-        if (!isSessionEvent(event)) return Effect.void
-        const location = event.location
-        if (!location) return Effect.void
+        if (!isSessionEvent(event) || !event.location) return Effect.void
+        const location = LocationServiceMap.canonical(event.location)
         return RcMap.has(locations.rcMap, location).pipe(
           Effect.flatMap((active) => (active ? touch(location) : Effect.void)),
         )
diff --git a/packages/core/test/location-activity.test.ts b/packages/core/test/location-activity.test.ts
index e7a10ed15179..7f20d05704ce 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/location-activity.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/location-activity.test.ts
@@ -286,4 +286,30 @@ describe("LocationActivity eviction", () => {
         )
       }),
     )
+
+  it.effect("refreshes inactivity deadline for session events with non-canonical location refs", () =>
+    Effect.gen(function* () {
+      const bus = yield* Bus.Service
+      const map = yield* LocationServiceMap.Service
+      const raw = Location.Ref.make({ directory: AbsolutePath.make("/project") })
+      const ref = LocationServiceMap.canonical(raw)
+
+      yield* Location.Service.pipe(Effect.provide(map.get(raw)), Effect.scoped)
+      expect(yield* RcMap.has(map.rcMap, raw)).toBe(false)
+      expect(yield* RcMap.has(map.rcMap, ref)).toBe(true)
+
+      yield* TestClock.adjust("31 minutes")
+      yield* bus.publish(
+        SessionEvent.Execution.Started,
+        { sessionID: Session.ID.make("ses_activity") },
+        { location: raw },
+      )
+
+      yield* TestClock.adjust("32 minutes")
+      expect(Array.from(yield* RcMap.keys(map.rcMap))).toEqual([ref])
+
+      yield* TestClock.adjust("30 minutes")
+      expect(Array.from(yield* RcMap.keys(map.rcMap))).toEqual([])
+    }),
+  )
 })