diff --git a/features/steps/tui_session_persistence_steps.py b/features/steps/tui_session_persistence_steps.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f9c32f8a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/steps/tui_session_persistence_steps.py
@@ -0,0 +1,212 @@
+"""Step definitions for TUI session persistence."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import tempfile
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from behave import given, then, when
+
+from cleveragents.tui.app import SessionView
+from cleveragents.tui.persistence import TuiSessionStore
+
+
+@given("a clean TUI session database")
+def step_clean_database(context: object) -> None:
+    """Create a clean temporary database for testing."""
+    # Create a temporary directory for the test database
+    temp_dir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
+    db_path = Path(temp_dir) / "tui.db"
+
+    # Store in context for later use
+    context.temp_dir = temp_dir  # type: ignore
+    context.db_path = db_path  # type: ignore
+    context.store = TuiSessionStore(db_path=db_path)  # type: ignore
+
+
+@when("the TUI session store is initialized")
+def step_initialize_store(context: object) -> None:
+    """Initialize the session store (already done in background)."""
+    pass
+
+
+@then("the SQLite database file exists at ~/.local/state/cleveragents/tui.db")
+def step_database_exists(context: object) -> None:
+    """Verify the database file exists."""
+    assert context.db_path.exists()  # type: ignore
+
+
+@then("the database has sessions and active_session tables")
+def step_database_has_tables(context: object) -> None:
+    """Verify the database has the required tables."""
+    import sqlite3
+
+    with sqlite3.connect(context.db_path) as conn:  # type: ignore
+        cursor = conn.execute("SELECT name FROM sqlite_master WHERE type='table'")
+        tables = {row[0] for row in cursor.fetchall()}
+        assert "sessions" in tables
+        assert "active_session" in tables
+
+
+@given('a session with id "{session_id}" and transcript {transcript}')
+def step_create_session_with_transcript(
+    context: object, session_id: str, transcript: str
+) -> None:
+    """Create a session with the given id and transcript."""
+    # Parse the transcript list from the string
+    import ast
+
+    transcript_list = ast.literal_eval(transcript)
+    session = SessionView(session_id=session_id, transcript=transcript_list)
+    context.session = session  # type: ignore
+
+
+@given('a session with id "{session_id}"')
+def step_create_session(context: object, session_id: str) -> None:
+    """Create a session with the given id."""
+    session = SessionView(session_id=session_id, transcript=[])
+    context.session = session  # type: ignore
+
+
+@when("I save the session to the database")
+def step_save_session(context: object) -> None:
+    """Save the session to the database."""
+    context.store.save_session(context.session)  # type: ignore
+
+
+@then("the session can be loaded from the database")
+def step_load_session(context: object) -> None:
+    """Load the session from the database."""
+    loaded = context.store.load_session(context.session.session_id)  # type: ignore
+    assert loaded is not None
+    context.loaded_session = loaded  # type: ignore
+
+
+@then("the loaded session has the same id and transcript")
+def step_verify_session_data(context: object) -> None:
+    """Verify the loaded session matches the original."""
+    assert context.loaded_session.session_id == context.session.session_id  # type: ignore
+    assert context.loaded_session.transcript == context.session.transcript  # type: ignore
+
+
+@when("I set it as the active session")
+def step_set_active_session(context: object) -> None:
+    """Set the session as active."""
+    context.store.set_active_session(context.session.session_id)  # type: ignore
+
+
+@then('the active session id is "{session_id}"')
+def step_verify_active_session(context: object, session_id: str) -> None:
+    """Verify the active session id."""
+    active = context.store.get_active_session()  # type: ignore
+    assert active == session_id
+
+
+@given("sessions with ids {session_ids}")
+def step_create_multiple_sessions(context: object, session_ids: str) -> None:
+    """Create multiple sessions."""
+    import ast
+
+    ids = ast.literal_eval(session_ids)
+    context.sessions = [  # type: ignore
+        SessionView(session_id=sid, transcript=[]) for sid in ids
+    ]
+
+
+@when("I save all sessions to the database")
+def step_save_all_sessions(context: object) -> None:
+    """Save all sessions to the database."""
+    for session in context.sessions:  # type: ignore
+        context.store.save_session(session)  # type: ignore
+
+
+@then("listing sessions returns all three session ids")
+def step_verify_list_sessions(context: object) -> None:
+    """Verify all sessions are listed."""
+    listed = context.store.list_sessions()  # type: ignore
+    expected_ids = {s.session_id for s in context.sessions}  # type: ignore
+    assert set(listed) == expected_ids
+
+
+@given('a session with id "{session_id}" in the database')
+def step_create_and_save_session(context: object, session_id: str) -> None:
+    """Create and save a session."""
+    session = SessionView(session_id=session_id, transcript=[])
+    context.store.save_session(session)  # type: ignore
+    context.session = session  # type: ignore
+
+
+@when("I delete the session")
+def step_delete_session(context: object) -> None:
+    """Delete the session."""
+    context.store.delete_session(context.session.session_id)  # type: ignore
+
+
+@then("the session can no longer be loaded from the database")
+def step_verify_session_deleted(context: object) -> None:
+    """Verify the session is deleted."""
+    loaded = context.store.load_session(context.session.session_id)  # type: ignore
+    assert loaded is None
+
+
+@when("I clear all sessions")
+def step_clear_all_sessions(context: object) -> None:
+    """Clear all sessions."""
+    context.store.clear_all()  # type: ignore
+
+
+@then("the database has no sessions")
+def step_verify_no_sessions(context: object) -> None:
+    """Verify there are no sessions."""
+    listed = context.store.list_sessions()  # type: ignore
+    assert len(listed) == 0
+
+
+@then("there is no active session")
+def step_verify_no_active_session(context: object) -> None:
+    """Verify there is no active session."""
+    active = context.store.get_active_session()  # type: ignore
+    assert active is None
+
+
+@when("I save the session and set it as active")
+def step_save_and_set_active(context: object) -> None:
+    """Save the session and set it as active."""
+    context.store.save_session(context.session)  # type: ignore
+    context.store.set_active_session(context.session.session_id)  # type: ignore
+
+
+@when("I create a new session store instance")
+def step_create_new_store_instance(context: object) -> None:
+    """Create a new session store instance."""
+    context.new_store = TuiSessionStore(db_path=context.db_path)  # type: ignore
+
+
+@then('the active session is "{session_id}"')
+def step_verify_new_store_active_session(context: object, session_id: str) -> None:
+    """Verify the active session in the new store."""
+    active = context.new_store.get_active_session()  # type: ignore
+    assert active == session_id
+
+
+@then("the session data is restored correctly")
+def step_verify_session_restored(context: object) -> None:
+    """Verify the session data is restored correctly."""
+    loaded = context.new_store.load_session(context.session.session_id)  # type: ignore
+    assert loaded is not None
+    assert loaded.session_id == context.session.session_id  # type: ignore
+    assert loaded.transcript == context.session.transcript  # type: ignore
+
+
+@given("the TUI session store is created with default database path")
+def step_default_db_path(context: object) -> None:
+    """Initialize store using the default path, patching home to a temp dir."""
+    from unittest.mock import patch
+
+    temp_dir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
+    temp_home = Path(temp_dir)
+    with patch.object(Path, "home", return_value=temp_home):
+        context.store = TuiSessionStore()  # type: ignore
+    context.db_path = (  # type: ignore
+        temp_home / ".local" / "state" / "cleveragents" / "tui.db"
+    )
diff --git a/features/tui_session_persistence.feature b/features/tui_session_persistence.feature
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6beff0e1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/tui_session_persistence.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+Feature: TUI Session Persistence
+  As a user
+  I want my TUI session state to be persisted to SQLite
+  So that I can resume my work when I restart the TUI
+
+  Background:
+    Given a clean TUI session database
+
+  Scenario: Database is created on first launch
+    When the TUI session store is initialized
+    Then the SQLite database file exists at ~/.local/state/cleveragents/tui.db
+    And the database has sessions and active_session tables
+
+  Scenario: Save and load a session
+    Given a session with id "test-session" and transcript ["hello", "world"]
+    When I save the session to the database
+    Then the session can be loaded from the database
+    And the loaded session has the same id and transcript
+
+  Scenario: Set and get active session
+    Given a session with id "session-1"
+    When I set it as the active session
+    Then the active session id is "session-1"
+
+  Scenario: List all sessions
+    Given sessions with ids ["session-1", "session-2", "session-3"]
+    When I save all sessions to the database
+    Then listing sessions returns all three session ids
+
+  Scenario: Delete a session
+    Given a session with id "to-delete" in the database
+    When I delete the session
+    Then the session can no longer be loaded from the database
+
+  Scenario: Clear all sessions
+    Given sessions with ids ["session-1", "session-2"]
+    When I save all sessions to the database
+    And I clear all sessions
+    Then the database has no sessions
+    And there is no active session
+
+  Scenario: Restore last active session on startup
+    Given a session with id "last-session" and transcript ["msg1", "msg2"]
+    When I save the session and set it as active
+    And I create a new session store instance
+    Then the active session is "last-session"
+    And the session data is restored correctly
+
+  Scenario: Store uses default database path when none is specified
+    Given the TUI session store is created with default database path
+    Then the SQLite database file exists at ~/.local/state/cleveragents/tui.db
diff --git a/src/cleveragents/tui/persistence/__init__.py b/src/cleveragents/tui/persistence/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cc9b3f6ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cleveragents/tui/persistence/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+"""TUI session persistence module using SQLite."""
+
+from cleveragents.tui.persistence.store import TuiSessionStore
+
+__all__ = ["TuiSessionStore"]
diff --git a/src/cleveragents/tui/persistence/store.py b/src/cleveragents/tui/persistence/store.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2241db63f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cleveragents/tui/persistence/store.py
@@ -0,0 +1,165 @@
+"""SQLite-backed session store for TUI persistence."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+import sqlite3
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
+
+if TYPE_CHECKING:  # pragma: no cover
+    from cleveragents.tui.app import SessionView
+
+
+@dataclass(slots=True)
+class TuiSessionStore:
+    """Manages TUI session persistence using SQLite.
+
+    Database location: ~/.local/state/cleveragents/tui.db
+    """
+
+    db_path: Path
+
+    def __init__(self, db_path: Path | None = None) -> None:
+        """Initialize the session store.
+
+        Args:
+            db_path: Path to the SQLite database.
+                Defaults to ~/.local/state/cleveragents/tui.db
+        """
+        if db_path is None:
+            state_dir = Path.home() / ".local" / "state" / "cleveragents"
+            state_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+            db_path = state_dir / "tui.db"
+
+        self.db_path = db_path
+        self._initialize_db()
+
+    def _initialize_db(self) -> None:
+        """Initialize the SQLite database schema."""
+        with sqlite3.connect(self.db_path) as conn:
+            conn.execute("""
+                CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS sessions (
+                    session_id TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
+                    transcript TEXT NOT NULL,
+                    created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
+                    updated_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
+                )
+            """)
+            conn.execute("""
+                CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS active_session (
+                    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY CHECK (id = 1),
+                    session_id TEXT NOT NULL,
+                    updated_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
+                )
+            """)
+            conn.commit()
+
+    def save_session(self, session: SessionView) -> None:
+        """Save a session to the database.
+
+        Args:
+            session: The SessionView to save
+        """
+        with sqlite3.connect(self.db_path) as conn:
+            transcript_json = json.dumps(session.transcript)
+            conn.execute(
+                """
+                INSERT OR REPLACE INTO sessions (session_id, transcript, updated_at)
+                VALUES (?, ?, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP)
+            """,
+                (session.session_id, transcript_json),
+            )
+            conn.commit()
+
+    def load_session(self, session_id: str) -> SessionView | None:
+        """Load a session from the database.
+
+        Args:
+            session_id: The ID of the session to load
+
+        Returns:
+            The SessionView if found, None otherwise
+        """
+        with sqlite3.connect(self.db_path) as conn:
+            cursor = conn.execute(
+                """
+                SELECT session_id, transcript FROM sessions WHERE session_id = ?
+            """,
+                (session_id,),
+            )
+            row = cursor.fetchone()
+
+            if row is None:
+                return None
+
+            session_id_result, transcript_json = row
+            transcript = json.loads(transcript_json)
+            # Import here to avoid circular imports
+            from cleveragents.tui.app import SessionView
+
+            return SessionView(session_id=session_id_result, transcript=transcript)
+
+    def set_active_session(self, session_id: str) -> None:
+        """Set the active session.
+
+        Args:
+            session_id: The ID of the session to set as active
+        """
+        with sqlite3.connect(self.db_path) as conn:
+            conn.execute(
+                """
+                INSERT OR REPLACE INTO active_session (id, session_id, updated_at)
+                VALUES (1, ?, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP)
+            """,
+                (session_id,),
+            )
+            conn.commit()
+
+    def get_active_session(self) -> str | None:
+        """Get the ID of the active session.
+
+        Returns:
+            The session ID if one is set, None otherwise
+        """
+        with sqlite3.connect(self.db_path) as conn:
+            cursor = conn.execute("""
+                SELECT session_id FROM active_session WHERE id = 1
+            """)
+            row = cursor.fetchone()
+            return row[0] if row else None
+
+    def list_sessions(self) -> list[str]:
+        """List all session IDs.
+
+        Returns:
+            A list of all session IDs in the database
+        """
+        with sqlite3.connect(self.db_path) as conn:
+            cursor = conn.execute("""
+                SELECT session_id FROM sessions ORDER BY updated_at DESC
+            """)
+            return [row[0] for row in cursor.fetchall()]
+
+    def delete_session(self, session_id: str) -> None:
+        """Delete a session from the database.
+
+        Args:
+            session_id: The ID of the session to delete
+        """
+        with sqlite3.connect(self.db_path) as conn:
+            conn.execute(
+                """
+                DELETE FROM sessions WHERE session_id = ?
+            """,
+                (session_id,),
+            )
+            conn.commit()
+
+    def clear_all(self) -> None:
+        """Clear all sessions from the database."""
+        with sqlite3.connect(self.db_path) as conn:
+            conn.execute("DELETE FROM sessions")
+            conn.execute("DELETE FROM active_session")
+            conn.commit()