diff --git a/src/change_processor.rs b/src/change_processor.rs
index c04fc14d..6838286e 100644
--- a/src/change_processor.rs
+++ b/src/change_processor.rs
@@ -111,11 +111,6 @@ impl ChangeProcessor {
             .spawn(move || {
                 log::trace!("ChangeProcessor thread started");
 
-                // Populate the RefPathIndex from existing meta/model files
-                // so that renames of instances with pre-existing Rojo_Ref_*
-                // attributes are handled correctly from the first rename.
-                task.populate_initial_ref_path_index();
-
                 // Tracks when to run the next reconciliation pass. Set to
                 // Some(future_instant) after VFS events arrive, cleared
                 // after reconcile_tree() runs. This ensures we only do the
@@ -260,61 +255,6 @@ impl JobThreadContext {
         rel_path(path, &self.project_root)
     }
 
-    /// Scan all `.meta.json5`, `.model.json5`, `.meta.json`, `.model.json`
-    /// files under the project root for existing `Rojo_Ref_*` attributes
-    /// and populate the `RefPathIndex`. This ensures pre-existing ref
-    /// attributes (from CLI syncback, manual edits, or previous sessions)
-    /// are indexed so rename path updates work from the first rename.
-    fn populate_initial_ref_path_index(&self) {
-        let mut count = 0;
-        let mut dirs_to_visit = vec![self.project_root.clone()];
-        while let Some(dir) = dirs_to_visit.pop() {
-            let entries = match fs::read_dir(&dir) {
-                Ok(entries) => entries,
-                Err(_) => continue,
-            };
-            for entry in entries.filter_map(|e| e.ok()) {
-                let path = entry.path();
-                if path.is_dir() {
-                    dirs_to_visit.push(path);
-                    continue;
-                }
-                let name = match path.file_name().and_then(|n| n.to_str()) {
-                    Some(n) => n,
-                    None => continue,
-                };
-                if !(name.ends_with(".meta.json5")
-                    || name.ends_with(".model.json5")
-                    || name.ends_with(".meta.json")
-                    || name.ends_with(".model.json"))
-                {
-                    continue;
-                }
-                if let Ok(bytes) = fs::read(&path) {
-                    if let Ok(val) = crate::json::from_slice::<serde_json::Value>(&bytes) {
-                        if let Some(attrs) = val.get("attributes").and_then(|a| a.as_object()) {
-                            let mut index = self.ref_path_index.lock().unwrap();
-                            for (key, value) in attrs {
-                                if key.starts_with(crate::REF_PATH_ATTRIBUTE_PREFIX) {
-                                    if let Some(path_str) = value.as_str() {
-                                        index.add(path_str, &path);
-                                        count += 1;
-                                    }
-                                }
-                            }
-                        }
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-        }
-        if count > 0 {
-            log::info!(
-                "RefPathIndex: populated {} Rojo_Ref_* entries from existing meta/model files",
-                count
-            );
-        }
-    }
-
     /// Find the init file inside a directory-format script folder.
     /// Returns the path to the first `init.*.luau` or `init.*.lua` found.
     fn find_init_file(dir: &Path) -> Option<PathBuf> {
diff --git a/src/rojo_ref.rs b/src/rojo_ref.rs
index c9872e81..4ea70326 100644
--- a/src/rojo_ref.rs
+++ b/src/rojo_ref.rs
@@ -298,6 +298,62 @@ impl RefPathIndex {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Scan all `.meta.json5`, `.model.json5`, `.meta.json`, `.model.json`
+    /// files under `root` for existing `Rojo_Ref_*` attributes and index them.
+    /// This ensures pre-existing ref attributes (from CLI syncback, manual
+    /// edits, or previous sessions) are indexed so rename path updates work
+    /// from the first rename.
+    pub fn populate_from_dir(&mut self, root: &Path) {
+        let mut count = 0usize;
+        let mut dirs_to_visit = vec![root.to_path_buf()];
+        while let Some(dir) = dirs_to_visit.pop() {
+            let entries = match std::fs::read_dir(&dir) {
+                Ok(entries) => entries,
+                Err(_) => continue,
+            };
+            for entry in entries.filter_map(|e| e.ok()) {
+                let path = entry.path();
+                if path.is_dir() {
+                    dirs_to_visit.push(path);
+                    continue;
+                }
+                let name = match path.file_name().and_then(|n| n.to_str()) {
+                    Some(n) => n,
+                    None => continue,
+                };
+                if !(name.ends_with(".meta.json5")
+                    || name.ends_with(".model.json5")
+                    || name.ends_with(".meta.json")
+                    || name.ends_with(".model.json"))
+                {
+                    continue;
+                }
+                if let Ok(bytes) = std::fs::read(&path) {
+                    if let Ok(val) =
+                        crate::json::from_slice::<serde_json::Value>(&bytes)
+                    {
+                        if let Some(attrs) = val.get("attributes").and_then(|a| a.as_object()) {
+                            for (key, value) in attrs {
+                                if key.starts_with(crate::REF_PATH_ATTRIBUTE_PREFIX) {
+                                    if let Some(path_str) = value.as_str() {
+                                        self.add(path_str, &path);
+                                        count += 1;
+                                    }
+                                }
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        if count > 0 {
+            log::info!(
+                "RefPathIndex: populated {} Rojo_Ref_* entries from existing meta/model files",
+                count
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Find all meta/model files that contain a `Rojo_Ref_*` attribute whose
     /// value equals `prefix` or starts with `prefix/`. These are the files
     /// that need updating when an instance at `prefix` is renamed.
diff --git a/src/serve_session.rs b/src/serve_session.rs
index 46788189..d67f7604 100644
--- a/src/serve_session.rs
+++ b/src/serve_session.rs
@@ -174,7 +174,11 @@ impl ServeSession {
 
         let (tree_mutation_sender, tree_mutation_receiver) = crossbeam_channel::unbounded();
         let suppressed_paths = Arc::new(Mutex::new(std::collections::HashMap::new()));
-        let ref_path_index = Arc::new(Mutex::new(crate::RefPathIndex::new()));
+        let ref_path_index = {
+            let mut index = crate::RefPathIndex::new();
+            index.populate_from_dir(root_project.folder_location());
+            Arc::new(Mutex::new(index))
+        };
 
         let git_repo_root = crate::git::git_repo_root(root_project.folder_location());