diff --git a/src/App.tsx b/src/App.tsx
index 00bea60..2ddeef2 100644
--- a/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/App.tsx
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import { getWebR, onRestart } from './r/webrClient';
 import './App.css';
 
 export default function App() {
-  const [restarts, setRestarts] = useState(0);
   // Spec 3.5: webR starts in the background on first app load, not when the
   // first lesson opens. Mounted here rather than in main.tsx so it is testable
   // by rendering App. Both calls are memoised, so StrictMode's double mount and
@@ -29,12 +28,9 @@ export default function App() {
     // status that RStatus renders. This only stops an unhandled rejection.
     const boot = () => void getWebR().then((r) => prepareSession(r, fetchDataset)).catch(() => {});
     boot();
-    // After "Restart R": remount the page, so every lesson environment, code
-    // block and console that held the old R starts over on the new one.
-    return onRestart(() => {
-      setRestarts((count) => count + 1);
-      boot();
-    });
+    // After "Restart R" boot the new R in the background. The page stays put:
+    // useLessonSession gives it a fresh environment on the new R.
+    return onRestart(boot);
   }, []);
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -116,7 +112,7 @@ export default function App() {
       <main id="main" tabIndex={-1} className="app-main">
         <RStatus where="page" />
         <div ref={page} className={`page page-${pathname.split('/')[1] || 'home'}`}>
-        <Routes key={restarts}>
+        <Routes>
           <Route path="/" element={<Home />} />
           <Route path="/lesson/:lessonId" element={<Lesson />} />
           <Route path="/workspace" element={<RWorkspace />} />
diff --git a/src/r/useLessonSession.ts b/src/r/useLessonSession.ts
index f25f6d9..b773c3e 100644
--- a/src/r/useLessonSession.ts
+++ b/src/r/useLessonSession.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import type { RObject, WebR } from 'webr';
 import { createLessonEnv, destroyEnv } from './environments';
 import { ensurePackages, fetchDataset, prepareSession } from './session';
 import { restoreUploads } from './uploads';
-import { getWebR, setStatus } from './webrClient';
+import { getWebR, onRestart, setStatus } from './webrClient';
 
 /** What the hook needs from a lesson: its identity, and what it must attach. */
 export type SessionLesson = { id: string; packages?: string[] };
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ export function useLessonSession(
   const packages = lesson?.packages;
   const [webR, setWebR] = useState<WebR | null>(null);
   const [env, setEnv] = useState<RObject | null>(null);
+  // "Restart R" replaces the R instance. Counting restarts reruns the effect
+  // below on the new R, so the page and the code typed into it stay put.
+  const [restarts, setRestarts] = useState(0);
+  useEffect(() => onRestart(() => setRestarts((count) => count + 1)), []);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (key === null) return;
@@ -66,7 +70,7 @@ export function useLessonSession(
       // After a restart the old R is gone along with its environments.
       if (created && createdBy) destroyEnv(createdBy, created).catch(() => {});
     };
-  }, [key]);
+  }, [key, restarts]);
 
   return { webR, env };
 }