diff --git a/scripts/e2e-multifile-build.test.mjs b/scripts/e2e-multifile-build.test.mjs
index dc817e0..8c508ac 100644
--- a/scripts/e2e-multifile-build.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/e2e-multifile-build.test.mjs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {
   parseGxxArgs,
   resolveWorkspacePath,
   resolveRunTarget,
+  selectRunBinaryBytes,
   selectWorkspaceSources,
   buildCompileOverlay,
   isProjectSource,
@@ -137,6 +138,33 @@ test('e2e: ./name before any successful build reports no binary', () => {
   assert.deepEqual(resolveRunTarget('./a.out', null), { ok: false, error: 'no-binary' });
 });
 
+test('e2e: a restored workspace binary is runnable without build-session state', () => {
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    resolveRunTarget('build/app', null, ['a.out', 'build/app']),
+    { ok: true, path: 'build/app', source: 'workspace' }
+  );
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    resolveRunTarget('missing', null, ['a.out', 'build/app']),
+    { ok: false, error: 'not-found' }
+  );
+});
+
+test('e2e: explicit restored target bytes override a stale cached binary', () => {
+  const restored = new Uint8Array([0, 97, 115, 109]);
+  const stale = new Uint8Array([1, 2, 3]);
+  const selected = selectRunBinaryBytes(
+    { artifactPath: 'build/app' },
+    [{ path: 'build/app', bytes: restored }],
+    stale
+  );
+
+  assert.deepEqual(selected, restored);
+  assert.equal(
+    selectRunBinaryBytes({ artifactPath: 'missing' }, [{ path: 'build/app', bytes: restored }], stale),
+    null
+  );
+});
+
 // ── Compile & Run uses the worker-reported output path ────────────────────────
 
 test('e2e: Compile & Run runs the worker output path rather than assuming a.out', () => {
diff --git a/scripts/e2e-terminal-git-removal.test.mjs b/scripts/e2e-terminal-git-removal.test.mjs
index 032384a..c8ffe44 100644
--- a/scripts/e2e-terminal-git-removal.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/e2e-terminal-git-removal.test.mjs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import test from 'node:test';
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 
 import {
+  __executeTerminalCommandForTesting,
   __handleTerminalKeyForTesting,
   __setTerminalTestHarness,
   setWorkspace,
@@ -99,3 +100,20 @@ test('e2e: folders containing .git remain ordinary workspace content', () => {
   assert.ok(output.includes('.git/'));
   assert.ok(output.includes('main.cpp'));
 });
+
+test('e2e: terminal runs a binary restored from the workspace', async () => {
+  const writes = [];
+  const runCalls = [];
+  __setTerminalTestHarness({
+    term: { clear() {}, write(text) { writes.push(text); } },
+    onRun: (request) => runCalls.push(request),
+  });
+  setWorkspace({ name: 'project', entries: [{ path: 'build/app', kind: 'file' }] });
+
+  await __executeTerminalCommandForTesting('cd build');
+  await __executeTerminalCommandForTesting('./app');
+
+  assert.equal(runCalls.length, 1);
+  assert.equal(runCalls[0].artifactPath, 'build/app');
+  assert.ok(!writes.join('').includes('No binary found'));
+});
diff --git a/src/ui/app.js b/src/ui/app.js
index 1f34b79..9421b20 100644
--- a/src/ui/app.js
+++ b/src/ui/app.js
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import {
 import { createSessionPersistence, createPersistenceGate } from './session-persistence.mjs';
 import { registerPageUnload } from './page-lifecycle.mjs';
 import { getExtensionVersionLabel } from '../extension-api.mjs';
+import { selectRunBinaryBytes } from './build-request.mjs';
 
 // ── Boot ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -67,7 +68,13 @@ window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', async () => {
     },
     onRun: async (runRequest) => {
       const vfsFiles = await fsAPI.readAllWorkspaceFiles();
-      const binaryBytes = toolbarController?.getLastRunBinaryBytes?.() || null;
+      const cachedBinaryBytes = toolbarController?.getLastRunBinaryBytes?.() || null;
+      const binaryBytes = selectRunBinaryBytes(runRequest, vfsFiles, cachedBinaryBytes);
+      if (runRequest.artifactPath) {
+        if (!binaryBytes) {
+          throw new Error(`Could not read binary: ${runRequest.artifactPath}`);
+        }
+      }
       worker.postMessage({ type: 'run', ...runRequest, vfsFiles, binaryBytes });
     },
     onStdinData: (message) => worker.postMessage(message),
diff --git a/src/ui/build-request.mjs b/src/ui/build-request.mjs
index 3e8c3c2..1e31cbd 100644
--- a/src/ui/build-request.mjs
+++ b/src/ui/build-request.mjs
@@ -139,17 +139,45 @@ export function parseGxxArgs(args = []) {
  *
  * @param {string} command               – e.g. './a.out' or './custom-name'
  * @param {string|null} lastBuiltArtifactPath
- * @returns {{ ok:boolean, error?:string }}
+ * @param {string[]} workspaceFilePaths
+ * @returns {{ ok:boolean, path?:string, source?:string, error?:string }}
  */
-export function resolveRunTarget(command, lastBuiltArtifactPath) {
+export function resolveRunTarget(command, lastBuiltArtifactPath, workspaceFilePaths = []) {
+  const requested = normalizeOverlayPath(String(command || '').replace(/^\.\//, ''));
+  const workspaceFiles = new Set(
+    workspaceFilePaths.map((path) => normalizeOverlayPath(path)).filter(Boolean)
+  );
+
+  if (workspaceFiles.has(requested)) {
+    return { ok: true, path: requested, source: 'workspace' };
+  }
+
   if (!lastBuiltArtifactPath) {
-    return { ok: false, error: 'no-binary' };
+    return workspaceFiles.size > 0
+      ? { ok: false, error: 'not-found' }
+      : { ok: false, error: 'no-binary' };
   }
-  const requested = normalizeOverlayPath(String(command || '').replace(/^\.\//, ''));
+
   const artifact = normalizeOverlayPath(lastBuiltArtifactPath);
   const artifactBase = artifact.split('/').pop();
   if (requested === artifact || requested === artifactBase) {
-    return { ok: true };
+    return { ok: true, path: artifact, source: 'last-built' };
   }
   return { ok: false, error: 'not-found' };
 }
+
+/**
+ * Select bytes for a worker run request. Explicit terminal targets always use
+ * their matching workspace file so an earlier in-memory compile cannot run by
+ * mistake. Toolbar runs have no target and retain the cached artifact path.
+ *
+ * @param {{artifactPath?:string}} request
+ * @param {Array<{path:string, bytes:Uint8Array}>} workspaceFiles
+ * @param {Uint8Array|null} cachedBinaryBytes
+ * @returns {Uint8Array|null}
+ */
+export function selectRunBinaryBytes(request, workspaceFiles = [], cachedBinaryBytes = null) {
+  if (!request?.artifactPath) return cachedBinaryBytes;
+  const artifact = workspaceFiles.find((file) => file.path === request.artifactPath);
+  return artifact ? new Uint8Array(artifact.bytes) : null;
+}
diff --git a/src/ui/terminal.js b/src/ui/terminal.js
index 2034609..3a4c15c 100644
--- a/src/ui/terminal.js
+++ b/src/ui/terminal.js
@@ -404,10 +404,10 @@ export function setWorkerCapabilities(capabilities = {}) {
  *
  * @returns {Promise<boolean>} whether a valid worker run request was posted
  */
-export async function startRun() {
+export async function startRun({ artifactPath = null } = {}) {
   if (!term || running || preparingRun) return false;
 
-  if (!lastBuiltArtifactPath) {
+  if (!artifactPath && !lastBuiltArtifactPath) {
     term.write(`${C.red}No binary found. Compile first with:  g++ main.cpp${C.reset}${CRLF}`);
     writePrompt();
     return false;
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ export async function startRun() {
 
     if (!_onRun) throw new Error('Run callback is unavailable.');
     term.write(CRLF);
-    await _onRun(request);
+    await _onRun(artifactPath ? { ...request, artifactPath } : request);
     return true;
   } catch (error) {
     setRunPreparationState(false);
@@ -852,7 +852,12 @@ function cmdGxx(args) {
 }
 
 async function cmdRun(cmd) {
-  const { ok, error } = resolveRunTarget(cmd, lastBuiltArtifactPath);
+  const requestedPath = resolveWorkspacePath(workspaceCwd, cmd);
+  const { ok, path: artifactPath, source, error } = resolveRunTarget(
+    requestedPath,
+    lastBuiltArtifactPath,
+    [...workspaceFiles].map(normalizePath)
+  );
   if (!ok) {
     if (error === 'no-binary') {
       term.write(`${C.red}No binary found. Compile first with:  g++ main.cpp${C.reset}${CRLF}`);
@@ -862,7 +867,7 @@ async function cmdRun(cmd) {
     writePrompt();
     return;
   }
-  await startRun();
+  await startRun({ artifactPath: source === 'workspace' ? artifactPath : null });
 }
 
 function cmdLs(args = []) {