diff --git a/scripts/src/hwlab-node-web-observe-runner-source.ts b/scripts/src/hwlab-node-web-observe-runner-source.ts
index 18e7bd92..bc9bd5ee 100644
--- a/scripts/src/hwlab-node-web-observe-runner-source.ts
+++ b/scripts/src/hwlab-node-web-observe-runner-source.ts
@@ -1810,10 +1810,7 @@ async function recoverControlPageSessionHydration(sessionId, previousSettle) {
   const observerHydration = observerPage && !observerPage.isClosed()
     ? await waitForWorkbenchSessionHydrated(observerPage, sessionId, { timeoutMs: 5000 })
     : { ok: false, reason: "observer-page-unavailable", valuesRedacted: true };
-  if (observerHydration.ok !== true) {
-    return { ok: false, attempted: false, reason: "observer-session-not-hydrated", previousSettle, observerHydration, valuesRedacted: true };
-  }
-  await recreateControlPageForNavigation("switch-back-hydration-retry", 1);
+  await recreateControlPageForNavigation(observerHydration.ok === true ? "switch-back-hydration-retry" : "switch-back-control-retry-without-observer", 1);
   const navigation = await gotoTarget("/workbench/sessions/" + encodeURIComponent(sessionId));
   const settle = await waitForWorkbenchSessionHydrated(page, sessionId, { timeoutMs: 15000 });
   const snapshot = settle.snapshot ?? await workbenchSessionSnapshot();
@@ -1824,6 +1821,7 @@ async function recoverControlPageSessionHydration(sessionId, previousSettle) {
     attempted: true,
     reason: settle.ok === true ? "control-page-recreated" : settle.reason || "control-session-hydration-retry-failed",
     previousSettle,
+    observerHydrated: observerHydration.ok === true,
     observerHydration,
     navigation,
     settle,