diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 26860cd..1820726 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -23,3 +23,6 @@ dist/
 # Local tracker/node sqlite databases (never commit runtime state)
 *.sqlite
 *.sqlite3
+logs/tracker/error.log
+logs/tracker/info.log
+logs/tracker/warning.log
diff --git a/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/accounts.py b/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/accounts.py
index 626ce6f..68099c5 100644
--- a/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/accounts.py
+++ b/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/accounts.py
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ regular user.
 Mutations are append-only events with unique ids — the same replication
 model as ``BillingLedger`` — so accounts and API keys converge across the
 tracker hive via gossip, and every dashboard can serve registration/login.
-Sessions are deliberately local to each tracker (bearer tokens in memory).
+Sessions are local to each tracker and persisted so dashboard cookies survive
+tracker restarts.
 """
 
 from __future__ import annotations
@@ -115,6 +116,8 @@ class AccountStore:
                 "account_id": account_id,
                 "expires": time.time() + SESSION_TTL,
             }
+            self._dirty = True
+        self.save_to_db()
         return token
 
     def session_account(self, token: str | None) -> dict | None:
@@ -134,7 +137,9 @@ class AccountStore:
         if not token:
             return
         with self._lock:
-            self._sessions.pop(token, None)
+            if self._sessions.pop(token, None) is not None:
+                self._dirty = True
+        self.save_to_db()
 
     # ---- API keys ----
 
@@ -271,6 +276,10 @@ class AccountStore:
             "CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS account_events "
             "(event_id TEXT PRIMARY KEY, payload TEXT NOT NULL, ts REAL NOT NULL)"
         )
+        con.execute(
+            "CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS account_sessions "
+            "(token TEXT PRIMARY KEY, account_id TEXT NOT NULL, expires REAL NOT NULL)"
+        )
         con.commit()
         con.close()
 
@@ -279,6 +288,10 @@ class AccountStore:
         rows = con.execute(
             "SELECT payload FROM account_events ORDER BY ts, event_id"
         ).fetchall()
+        session_rows = con.execute(
+            "SELECT token, account_id, expires FROM account_sessions WHERE expires >= ?",
+            (time.time(),),
+        ).fetchall()
         con.close()
         with self._lock:
             for (payload,) in rows:
@@ -288,6 +301,11 @@ class AccountStore:
                     continue
                 if event.get("id") not in self._seen_event_ids:
                     self._apply_locked(event)
+            self._sessions = {
+                token: {"account_id": account_id, "expires": float(expires)}
+                for token, account_id, expires in session_rows
+                if account_id in self._accounts
+            }
             self._dirty = False
 
     def save_to_db(self) -> None:
@@ -297,11 +315,21 @@ class AccountStore:
             if not self._dirty:
                 return
             events = list(self._event_log)
+            sessions = [
+                (token, session["account_id"], float(session["expires"]))
+                for token, session in self._sessions.items()
+                if session["expires"] >= time.time()
+            ]
             self._dirty = False
         con = sqlite3.connect(self._db_path)  # type: ignore[arg-type]
         con.executemany(
             "INSERT OR IGNORE INTO account_events (event_id, payload, ts) VALUES (?, ?, ?)",
             [(e["id"], json.dumps(e), float(e.get("ts", 0.0))) for e in events],
         )
+        con.execute("DELETE FROM account_sessions")
+        con.executemany(
+            "INSERT INTO account_sessions (token, account_id, expires) VALUES (?, ?, ?)",
+            sessions,
+        )
         con.commit()
         con.close()
diff --git a/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/dashboard.html b/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/dashboard.html
index faa07fb..b22cfec 100644
--- a/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/dashboard.html
+++ b/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/dashboard.html
@@ -224,6 +224,7 @@
   <section data-tab="overview"><h2>Model usage (RPM)</h2><div id="stats" class="empty">loading…</div></section>
   <section data-tab="overview" class="wide"><h2>Call wall</h2><div id="call-wall" class="empty">loading...</div></section>
   <section data-tab="chat" class="wide chat-section">
+    <h2 style="display:none">Chat / inference</h2>
     <div class="chat-app">
       <aside class="chat-sidebar">
         <button type="button" class="chat-new-btn" onclick="createNewChatSession()">+ New chat</button>
@@ -273,7 +274,7 @@ async function fetchJson(path) {
     const headers = {};
     const token = localStorage.getItem("meshnet_session");
     if (token) headers["Authorization"] = "Bearer " + token;
-    const r = await fetch(path, { headers });
+    const r = await fetch(path, { headers, credentials: "same-origin" });
     if (!r.ok) return null;
     return await r.json();
   } catch { return null; }
@@ -1029,6 +1030,7 @@ async function apiCall(path, method, body, bearerToken) {
     const r = await fetch(path, {
       method: method || "GET",
       headers,
+      credentials: "same-origin",
       body: body ? JSON.stringify(body) : undefined,
     });
     const data = await r.json().catch(() => ({}));
@@ -1371,7 +1373,7 @@ renderChatModels();
 renderChatHistory();
 renderChatAuthHint();
 setInterval(refresh, 4000);
-setInterval(() => { if (sessionToken) renderAccountPanel(); }, 8000);
+setInterval(() => { if (sessionToken || isLoggedIn) renderAccountPanel(); }, 8000);
 </script>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/server.py b/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/server.py
index 5fb2b06..291992b 100644
--- a/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/server.py
+++ b/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/server.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ HTTP API contract:
   Response 400/404/503: {"error": str}
 """
 
+import http.cookies
 import http.server
 import hashlib
 import itertools
@@ -47,14 +48,15 @@ from .wallet_proof import binding_message, verify_wallet_signature
 from .billing import DEFAULT_BILLING_DB_PATH, BillingLedger
 from .calibration import DEFAULT_CALIBRATION_DB_PATH, ToplocCalibrationStore
 from .hf_pricing import DEFAULT_HF_PRICING_LOG_DB_PATH, HfPricingLog, refresh_preset_price
-from .gossip import NodeGossip
-from .logging_setup import tracker_logger
-from .model_files import files_for_layer_range, snapshot_dir_for_repo
+from .gossip import NodeGossip
+from .logging_setup import tracker_logger
+from .model_files import files_for_layer_range, snapshot_dir_for_repo
 from .raft import RaftNode
 
 
 _CONSOLE_LIMIT = 300
 _PROXY_PROGRESS_LOG_INTERVAL = 5.0
+_SESSION_COOKIE_NAME = "meshnet_session"
 
 
 def _preset_price_keys(name: str, preset: dict) -> set[str]:
@@ -1935,6 +1937,38 @@ def _api_key_from_headers(headers) -> str | None:
     return auth.strip() or None
 
 
+def _session_token_from_headers(headers) -> str | None:
+    token = _api_key_from_headers(headers)
+    if token:
+        return token
+    cookie_header = headers.get("Cookie")
+    if not cookie_header:
+        return None
+    cookie = http.cookies.SimpleCookie()
+    try:
+        cookie.load(cookie_header)
+    except http.cookies.CookieError:
+        return None
+    morsel = cookie.get(_SESSION_COOKIE_NAME)
+    if morsel is None:
+        return None
+    return morsel.value.strip() or None
+
+
+def _session_cookie_header(token: str | None) -> str:
+    cookie = http.cookies.SimpleCookie()
+    cookie[_SESSION_COOKIE_NAME] = token or ""
+    morsel = cookie[_SESSION_COOKIE_NAME]
+    morsel["path"] = "/"
+    morsel["httponly"] = True
+    morsel["samesite"] = "Lax"
+    if token:
+        morsel["max-age"] = str(int(7 * 86400))
+    else:
+        morsel["max-age"] = "0"
+    return morsel.OutputString()
+
+
 def _usage_total_tokens(payload: dict) -> int | None:
     usage = payload.get("usage")
     if not isinstance(usage, dict):
@@ -2094,7 +2128,7 @@ def _registration_ban_error(contracts: Any | None, wallet_address: str | None) -
     return None
 
 
-def _tracker_log(
+def _tracker_log(
     server: "_TrackerHTTPServer",
     level: str,
     message: str,
@@ -2102,18 +2136,18 @@ def _tracker_log(
     stdout: bool = True,
     update_console_key: str | None = None,
     **fields: Any,
-) -> None:
-    log_level = {
-        "debug": 10,
-        "info": 20,
-        "warn": 30,
-        "warning": 30,
-        "error": 40,
-    }.get(level.lower(), 20)
-    event = {
-        "ts": time.time(),
-        "level": level,
-        "message": message,
+) -> None:
+    log_level = {
+        "debug": 10,
+        "info": 20,
+        "warn": 30,
+        "warning": 30,
+        "error": 40,
+    }.get(level.lower(), 20)
+    event = {
+        "ts": time.time(),
+        "level": level,
+        "message": message,
         "fields": {
             key: value
             for key, value in fields.items()
@@ -2134,13 +2168,13 @@ def _tracker_log(
                     break
             if not updated:
                 server.console_events.append(event)
-        else:
-            server.console_events.append(event)
-    extras = " ".join(f"{key}={value}" for key, value in event["fields"].items())
-    suffix = f"  {extras}" if extras else ""
-    tracker_logger().log(log_level, f"{message}{suffix}")
-    if stdout:
-        print(f"[tracker] {level}: {message}{suffix}", flush=True)
+        else:
+            server.console_events.append(event)
+    extras = " ".join(f"{key}={value}" for key, value in event["fields"].items())
+    suffix = f"  {extras}" if extras else ""
+    tracker_logger().log(log_level, f"{message}{suffix}")
+    if stdout:
+        print(f"[tracker] {level}: {message}{suffix}", flush=True)
 
 
 @dataclass
@@ -2344,11 +2378,13 @@ class _TrackerHandler(http.server.BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
     def log_message(self, fmt, *args):  # noqa: suppress request logs in tests
         pass
 
-    def _send_json(self, status: int, data: dict) -> None:
+    def _send_json(self, status: int, data: dict, headers: dict[str, str] | None = None) -> None:
         body = json.dumps(data).encode()
         self.send_response(status)
         self.send_header("Content-Type", "application/json")
         self.send_header("Content-Length", str(len(body)))
+        for name, value in (headers or {}).items():
+            self.send_header(name, value)
         self.end_headers()
         try:
             self.wfile.write(body)
@@ -2365,7 +2401,7 @@ class _TrackerHandler(http.server.BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
         inference and wallet binding only, never operator endpoints.
         """
         server: _TrackerHTTPServer = self.server  # type: ignore[assignment]
-        token = _api_key_from_headers(self.headers)
+        token = _session_token_from_headers(self.headers)
         if not token:
             return None, None
         if is_validator_token(token, server.validator_service_token):
@@ -4209,7 +4245,7 @@ class _TrackerHandler(http.server.BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
         server: _TrackerHTTPServer = self.server  # type: ignore[assignment]
         if server.accounts is None:
             return None
-        return server.accounts.session_account(_api_key_from_headers(self.headers))
+        return server.accounts.session_account(_session_token_from_headers(self.headers))
 
     def _require_accounts(self) -> "AccountStore | None":
         server: _TrackerHTTPServer = self.server  # type: ignore[assignment]
@@ -4249,7 +4285,11 @@ class _TrackerHandler(http.server.BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
             f"[tracker] account registered: {account.get('email') or account.get('wallet')} "
             f"role={account['role']}", flush=True,
         )
-        self._send_json(200, {"account": account, "session_token": token, "api_key": api_key})
+        self._send_json(
+            200,
+            {"account": account, "session_token": token, "api_key": api_key},
+            headers={"Set-Cookie": _session_cookie_header(token)},
+        )
 
     def _handle_auth_login(self):
         accounts = self._require_accounts()
@@ -4264,14 +4304,18 @@ class _TrackerHandler(http.server.BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
             self._send_json(401, {"error": "invalid credentials"})
             return
         token = accounts.create_session(account["account_id"])
-        self._send_json(200, {"account": account, "session_token": token})
+        self._send_json(
+            200,
+            {"account": account, "session_token": token},
+            headers={"Set-Cookie": _session_cookie_header(token)},
+        )
 
     def _handle_auth_logout(self):
         accounts = self._require_accounts()
         if accounts is None:
             return
-        accounts.destroy_session(_api_key_from_headers(self.headers))
-        self._send_json(200, {"ok": True})
+        accounts.destroy_session(_session_token_from_headers(self.headers))
+        self._send_json(200, {"ok": True}, headers={"Set-Cookie": _session_cookie_header(None)})
 
     def _handle_account_me(self):
         """Balance, usage, and API keys for the logged-in account."""
diff --git a/tests/test_accounts.py b/tests/test_accounts.py
index 2c97140..c90d375 100644
--- a/tests/test_accounts.py
+++ b/tests/test_accounts.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ register/login/logout, per-account balance and usage, API-key lifecycle
 (revoked keys rejected by the OpenAI proxy), and the admin listing.
 """
 
+import http.cookies
 import json
 import urllib.error
 import urllib.request
@@ -68,6 +69,17 @@ def test_sessions_resolve_and_destroy():
     assert store.session_account("bogus") is None
 
 
+def test_sessions_persist_across_restart(tmp_path):
+    db = str(tmp_path / "accounts.db")
+    store = AccountStore(db_path=db)
+    account = store.register(email="cookie@example.com", password="secret-123")
+    token = store.create_session(account["account_id"])
+    store.save_to_db()
+
+    reloaded = AccountStore(db_path=db)
+    assert reloaded.session_account(token)["account_id"] == account["account_id"]
+
+
 def test_api_key_lifecycle():
     store = AccountStore()
     account = store.register(email="k@example.com", password="secret-123")
@@ -156,6 +168,59 @@ def test_register_login_and_account_view(account_tracker):
     assert me["usage"]["requests"] == 0
 
 
+def test_login_sets_cookie_and_cookie_auth_survives_tracker_restart(tmp_path):
+    accounts_db = str(tmp_path / "accounts.db")
+    tracker = TrackerServer(
+        billing=BillingLedger(starting_credit=0.0, default_price_per_1k=0.02),
+        accounts_db=accounts_db,
+        starting_credit=0.0,
+        devnet_topup_amount=0.0,
+    )
+    port = tracker.start()
+    url = f"http://127.0.0.1:{port}"
+    try:
+        _call(f"{url}/v1/auth/register", "POST",
+              {"email": "cookie-http@example.com", "password": "secret-123"})
+        req = urllib.request.Request(
+            f"{url}/v1/auth/login",
+            data=json.dumps({
+                "identifier": "cookie-http@example.com",
+                "password": "secret-123",
+            }).encode(),
+            headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"},
+            method="POST",
+        )
+        with urllib.request.urlopen(req) as r:
+            assert json.loads(r.read())["session_token"]
+            cookie_header = r.headers["Set-Cookie"]
+    finally:
+        tracker.stop()
+
+    cookie = http.cookies.SimpleCookie(cookie_header)
+    session_cookie = cookie["meshnet_session"].OutputString()
+
+    restarted = TrackerServer(
+        billing=BillingLedger(starting_credit=0.0, default_price_per_1k=0.02),
+        accounts_db=accounts_db,
+        starting_credit=0.0,
+        devnet_topup_amount=0.0,
+    )
+    restarted_port = restarted.start()
+    restarted_url = f"http://127.0.0.1:{restarted_port}"
+    try:
+        req = urllib.request.Request(
+            f"{restarted_url}/v1/account",
+            headers={"Cookie": session_cookie},
+            method="GET",
+        )
+        with urllib.request.urlopen(req) as r:
+            me = json.loads(r.read())
+    finally:
+        restarted.stop()
+
+    assert me["account"]["email"] == "cookie-http@example.com"
+
+
 def test_bad_credentials_and_missing_session_are_401(account_tracker):
     url, _ = account_tracker
     _call(f"{url}/v1/auth/register", "POST",