diff --git a/src/lib/elements/element_data_store.svelte b/src/lib/elements/element_data_store.svelte
index 4bf7b677..d80219ff 100644
--- a/src/lib/elements/element_data_store.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/elements/element_data_store.svelte
@@ -165,9 +165,25 @@ $effect(() => {
 $effect(() => {
     const account_id = $slct.account_id;
     const api_ready = !!$ae_api?.base_url;
-    const entry = $lq__ds_obj;
+    const entry = $lq__ds_obj as ae_DataStore | null | undefined;
 
-    if (browser && api_ready && !entry && ds_loading_status === 'starting') {
+    // Don't fire until the bootstrap Sync Effect has set a real account_id.
+    // Without this guard, the fetch runs with null account_id and the
+    // localStorage scavenge in get_object picks up a stale account_id from a
+    // previous session, returning the wrong account's record.
+    if (!browser || !account_id || !api_ready || ds_loading_status !== 'starting') return;
+
+    // Also reload when IDB has a record but it belongs to a different account
+    // (not null/global and not the current account). This handles the case where
+    // a previous dev/demo session left account-specific rows in IDB that score
+    // as the "best" liveQuery match even though they are for the wrong account.
+    const entry_is_stale_account =
+        entry !== undefined &&
+        entry !== null &&
+        entry.account_id !== null &&
+        entry.account_id !== account_id;
+
+    if (!entry || entry_is_stale_account) {
         trigger = 'load__ds__code';
     }
 });