diff --git a/src/platform/auth/session/useSessionCookie.ts b/src/platform/auth/session/useSessionCookie.ts
index 49f6fec46..8a777155e 100644
--- a/src/platform/auth/session/useSessionCookie.ts
+++ b/src/platform/auth/session/useSessionCookie.ts
@@ -10,32 +10,49 @@ export const useSessionCookie = () => {
   /**
    * Creates or refreshes the session cookie.
    * Called after login and on token refresh.
+   * Implements retry logic with token refresh for handling timing issues.
    */
   const createSession = async (): Promise<void> => {
     if (!isCloud) return
 
     const authStore = useFirebaseAuthStore()
-    const authHeader = await authStore.getAuthHeader()
 
-    if (!authHeader) {
-      throw new Error('No auth header available for session creation')
-    }
+    // Simple retry with forceRefresh for token timing issues
+    for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 3; attempt++) {
+      // First attempt uses cached token, retries force refresh
+      const authHeader = await authStore.getAuthHeader(attempt > 0)
 
-    const response = await fetch(api.apiURL('/auth/session'), {
-      method: 'POST',
-      credentials: 'include',
-      headers: {
-        ...authHeader,
-        'Content-Type': 'application/json'
+      if (authHeader) {
+        // Successfully got auth header, proceed with session creation
+        const response = await fetch(api.apiURL('/auth/session'), {
+          method: 'POST',
+          credentials: 'include',
+          headers: {
+            ...authHeader,
+            'Content-Type': 'application/json'
+          }
+        })
+
+        if (!response.ok) {
+          const errorData = await response.json().catch(() => ({}))
+          throw new Error(
+            `Failed to create session: ${errorData.message || response.statusText}`
+          )
+        }
+
+        return // Success
       }
-    })
 
-    if (!response.ok) {
-      const errorData = await response.json().catch(() => ({}))
-      throw new Error(
-        `Failed to create session: ${errorData.message || response.statusText}`
-      )
+      // Exponential backoff before retry (except for last attempt)
+      if (attempt < 2) {
+        await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, Math.pow(2, attempt) * 500))
+      }
     }
+
+    // Failed to get auth header after 3 attempts
+    throw new Error(
+      'No auth header available for session creation after retries'
+    )
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/stores/firebaseAuthStore.ts b/src/stores/firebaseAuthStore.ts
index 08e441925..0d706f0b2 100644
--- a/src/stores/firebaseAuthStore.ts
+++ b/src/stores/firebaseAuthStore.ts
@@ -106,10 +106,12 @@ export const useFirebaseAuthStore = defineStore('firebaseAuth', () => {
     }
   })
 
-  const getIdToken = async (): Promise<string | undefined> => {
+  const getIdToken = async (
+    forceRefresh = false
+  ): Promise<string | undefined> => {
     if (!currentUser.value) return
     try {
-      return await currentUser.value.getIdToken()
+      return await currentUser.value.getIdToken(forceRefresh)
     } catch (error: unknown) {
       if (
         error instanceof FirebaseError &&
@@ -135,14 +137,17 @@ export const useFirebaseAuthStore = defineStore('firebaseAuth', () => {
    * 1. Firebase authentication token (if user is logged in)
    * 2. API key (if stored in the browser's credential manager)
    *
+   * @param forceRefresh - If true, forces a refresh of the Firebase token
    * @returns {Promise<AuthHeader | null>}
    *   - A LoggedInAuthHeader with Bearer token if Firebase authenticated
    *   - An ApiKeyAuthHeader with X-API-KEY if API key exists
    *   - null if neither authentication method is available
    */
-  const getAuthHeader = async (): Promise<AuthHeader | null> => {
+  const getAuthHeader = async (
+    forceRefresh = false
+  ): Promise<AuthHeader | null> => {
     // If available, set header with JWT used to identify the user to Firebase service
-    const token = await getIdToken()
+    const token = await getIdToken(forceRefresh)
     if (token) {
       return {
         Authorization: `Bearer ${token}`