diff --git a/lua/auto-session/autocmds.lua b/lua/auto-session/autocmds.lua
index 1a656cd..5355769 100644
--- a/lua/auto-session/autocmds.lua
+++ b/lua/auto-session/autocmds.lua
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ local M = {}
 ---@param config table auto session config
 ---@param AutoSession table auto session instance
 M.setup_autocmds = function(config, AutoSession)
-  if not config.cwd_change_handling or vim.tbl_isempty(config.cwd_change_handling or {}) then
+  if not config.cwd_change_handling or not config.cwd_change_handling.restore_upcoming_session then
     Lib.logger.debug "cwd_change_handling is disabled, skipping setting DirChangedPre and DirChanged autocmd handling"
     return
   end
@@ -30,10 +30,18 @@ M.setup_autocmds = function(config, AutoSession)
         return
       end
 
+      if AutoSession.restore_in_progress then
+        Lib.logger.debug "DirChangedPre: restore_in_progress is true, ignoring this event"
+        return
+      end
+
       AutoSession.AutoSaveSession()
 
       -- Clear all buffers and jumps after session save so session doesn't blead over to next session.
+      -- NOTE: If the code in restore_selected_session that tries to keep matching buftypes open across
+      -- sessions actually works, we should also have that logic here.
       vim.cmd "%bd!"
+
       vim.cmd "clearjumps"
 
       if type(conf.pre_cwd_changed_hook) == "function" then
@@ -56,6 +64,11 @@ M.setup_autocmds = function(config, AutoSession)
           return
         end
 
+        if AutoSession.restore_in_progress then
+          Lib.logger.debug "DirChanged: restore_in_progress is true, ignoring this event"
+          return
+        end
+
         -- all buffers should've been deleted in `DirChangedPre`, something probably went wrong
         if Lib.has_open_buffers() then
           Lib.logger.debug "Cancelling session restore"
diff --git a/lua/auto-session/init.lua b/lua/auto-session/init.lua
index a081c57..ddbdbb4 100644
--- a/lua/auto-session/init.lua
+++ b/lua/auto-session/init.lua
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ end
 -- get the current git branch name, if any, and only if configured to do so
 local function get_branch_name()
   if AutoSession.conf.auto_session_use_git_branch then
+    -- WARN: this assumes you want the branch of the cwd
     local out = vim.fn.systemlist "git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD"
     if vim.v.shell_error ~= 0 then
       Lib.logger.debug(string.format("git failed with: %s", table.concat(out, "\n")))
@@ -479,11 +480,14 @@ function AutoSession.get_session_files()
   end
 
   local entries = vim.fn.readdir(sessions_dir, function(item)
-    return vim.fn.isdirectory(item) == 0 and not string.find(item, "x.vim$")
+    return Lib.is_session_file(sessions_dir, item)
   end)
 
+  -- Get cross platform path separator
+  local path_separator = Lib.get_path_separator()
+
   return vim.tbl_map(function(entry)
-    return { display_name = AutoSession.format_file_name(entry), path = entry }
+    return { display_name = AutoSession.format_file_name(entry), path = sessions_dir .. path_separator .. entry }
   end, entries)
 end
 
@@ -509,10 +513,7 @@ local function handle_autosession_command(data)
   local files = AutoSession.get_session_files()
   if data.args:match "search" then
     open_picker(files, "Select a session:", function(choice)
-      -- Change dir to selected session path, the DirChangePre and DirChange events will take care of the rest
-      -- BUG: The above is only true if cwd_change_handling is true which means sessions
-      -- won't be restored if cwd_change_handling is false
-      vim.fn.chdir(choice.display_name)
+      AutoSession.restore_selected_session(choice.path)
     end)
   elseif data.args:match "delete" then
     open_picker(files, "Delete a session:", function(choice)
@@ -521,6 +522,52 @@ local function handle_autosession_command(data)
   end
 end
 
+-- Handler for when a session is picked from the UI, either via Telescope or via AutoSession.select_session
+-- We'll load the selected session file, setting restore_in_progress so DirChangedPre/DirChanged won't
+-- also try to load the session when the directory is changed
+function AutoSession.restore_selected_session(session_filename)
+  Lib.logger.debug("[restore_selected_session]: filename: " .. session_filename)
+
+  AutoSession.AutoSaveSession()
+
+  -- NOTE:
+  -- In theory, this is supposed to keep open buffers that are in buftypes_to_ignore. However, even if
+  -- we keep them open here, they'll be cleared when we source the session file sp I don't think
+  -- this code does anything. It also interrupts session loading if the buffer replaced is loaded
+  -- by another process. So, I've replaced it with %bd! which is what cwd_change_handling does.
+  -- This code and block should be removed when it's confirmed that no users are using it effectively
+  --
+  -- local buffers = vim.api.nvim_list_bufs()
+  -- for _, bufn in pairs(buffers) do
+  --   if
+  --     not vim.tbl_contains(
+  --       AutoSession.conf.session_lens.buftypes_to_ignore,
+  --       vim.api.nvim_get_option_value("buftype", { buf = bufn })
+  --     )
+  --   then
+  --     vim.cmd("silent bwipeout!" .. bufn)
+  --   else
+  --     Lib.logger.debug "[restore_selected_session] Not closing buffer because it matches buftypes_to_ignore"
+  --   end
+  -- end
+
+  vim.cmd "%bd!"
+
+  -- Would it be better to always clear jumps in RestoreSession?
+  vim.cmd "clearjumps"
+
+  -- Set restore_in_progress so cwd_change_handling won't also try to load the session when the directory is changed
+  -- And use a pcall to make sure we unset the flag whether loading was successful or not
+  AutoSession.restore_in_progress = true
+  local success, result = pcall(AutoSession.RestoreSession, session_filename)
+  AutoSession.restore_in_progress = false
+
+  if not success or not result then
+    Lib.logger.info("Could not load session for filename: " .. session_filename)
+    return
+  end
+end
+
 vim.api.nvim_create_user_command("Autosession", handle_autosession_command, { nargs = 1 })
 
 -- local function write_to_session_control(session_file_name)
@@ -767,6 +814,7 @@ Disabling auto save. Please check for errors in your config. Error:
   elseif session_file then
     Lib.logger.debug "Using session FILE"
     local escaped_file = session_file:gsub("%%", "\\%%")
+    Lib.logger.debug("Using session FILE: " .. escaped_file)
     if Lib.is_readable(escaped_file) then
       Lib.logger.debug "isReadable, calling restore"
       RESTORED_WITH = restore(escaped_file)
diff --git a/lua/auto-session/lib.lua b/lua/auto-session/lib.lua
index c2d7c2c..df9a2f0 100644
--- a/lua/auto-session/lib.lua
+++ b/lua/auto-session/lib.lua
@@ -203,4 +203,37 @@ function Lib.close_unsupported_windows()
   end
 end
 
+function Lib.get_path_separator()
+  -- Get cross platform path separator
+  return package.config:sub(1, 1)
+end
+
+-- When Neovim makes a session file, it may save an additional <filename>x.vim file
+-- with custom user commands. This function returns false if it's one of those files
+function Lib.is_session_file(session_dir, file_path)
+  -- if it's a directory, don't include
+  if vim.fn.isdirectory(file_path) ~= 0 then
+    return false
+  end
+
+  -- if it's a file that doesn't end in x.vim, include
+  if not string.find(file_path, "x.vim$") then
+    return true
+  end
+
+  local path_separator = Lib.get_path_separator()
+
+  -- the file ends in x.vim, make sure it has SessionLoad on the first line
+  local file = io.open(session_dir .. path_separator .. file_path, "r")
+  if not file then
+    Lib.logger.debug("Could not open file: " .. session_dir .. path_separator .. file_path)
+    return false
+  end
+
+  local first_line = file:read "*line"
+  file:close()
+
+  return first_line and string.find(first_line, "SessionLoad") ~= nil
+end
+
 return Lib
diff --git a/lua/auto-session/session-lens/actions.lua b/lua/auto-session/session-lens/actions.lua
index 225e856..f3d02b4 100644
--- a/lua/auto-session/session-lens/actions.lua
+++ b/lua/auto-session/session-lens/actions.lua
@@ -39,31 +39,7 @@ local function source_session(selection, prompt_bufnr)
   end
 
   vim.defer_fn(function()
-    local cwd_change_handling_conf = M.functions.conf.cwd_change_handling
-
-    -- If cwd_change_handling is true, the current session will be saved in the DirChangedPre AutoCmd
-    -- and the new session will be restored in DirChanged
-    if type(cwd_change_handling_conf) == "table" and cwd_change_handling_conf.restore_upcoming_session then
-      -- Take advatage of cwd_change_handling behaviour for switching sessions
-      Lib.logger.debug "Triggering vim.fn.chdir since cwd_change_handling feature is enabled"
-      vim.fn.chdir(M.functions.format_file_name(type(selection) == "table" and selection.filename or selection))
-    else
-      -- TODO: Since cwd_change_handling is disabled, we save and restore here. This would probably be better
-      -- handled in AutoSession itself since the same case comes up if the built in picker is used
-      -- (e.g. :Autosession search).
-      Lib.logger.debug "Triggering session-lens behaviour since cwd_change_handling feature is disabled"
-      M.functions.AutoSaveSession()
-
-      local buffers = vim.api.nvim_list_bufs()
-      for _, bufn in pairs(buffers) do
-        if not vim.tbl_contains(M.conf.buftypes_to_ignore, vim.api.nvim_buf_get_option(bufn, "buftype")) then
-          vim.cmd("silent bwipeout!" .. bufn)
-        end
-      end
-
-      vim.cmd "clearjumps"
-      M.functions.RestoreSession(type(selection) == "table" and selection.path or selection)
-    end
+    M.functions.restore_selected_session(type(selection) == "table" and selection.path)
   end, 50)
 end
 
diff --git a/lua/auto-session/session-lens/init.lua b/lua/auto-session/session-lens/init.lua
index 37c473b..f2aebc2 100644
--- a/lua/auto-session/session-lens/init.lua
+++ b/lua/auto-session/session-lens/init.lua
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ local SessionLens = {
 ---@field shorten_path boolean Deprecated, pass { 'shorten' } to path_display
 ---@field path_display table An array that specifies how to handle paths. Read :h telescope.defaults.path_display
 ---@field theme_conf table
----@field buftypes_to_ignore table
+---@field buftypes_to_ignore table Deprecated, if you're using this please report your usage on github
 ---@field previewer boolean
 ---@field session_control session_control
 ---@field load_on_setup boolean
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ function SessionLens.setup(auto_session)
   Lib.setup(SessionLens.conf, auto_session)
   Actions.setup(SessionLens.conf, auto_session)
   logger.log_level = auto_session.conf.log_level
+
+  if SessionLens.conf.buftypes_to_ignore ~= nil and not vim.tbl_isempty(SessionLens.conf.buftypes_to_ignore) then
+    logger.warn('buftypes_to_ignore is deprecated. If you think you need this option, please file a bug on GitHub. If not, please remove it from your config')
+  end
 end
 
 ---Search session
diff --git a/lua/auto-session/session-lens/library.lua b/lua/auto-session/session-lens/library.lua
index bdaa5ed..b628103 100644
--- a/lua/auto-session/session-lens/library.lua
+++ b/lua/auto-session/session-lens/library.lua
@@ -36,6 +36,12 @@ end
 function Lib.make_entry.gen_from_file(opts)
   local root = Lib.functions.get_root_dir()
   return function(line)
+    -- Don't include <session>x.vim files that nvim makes for custom user
+    -- commands
+    if not AutoSessionLib.is_session_file(root, line) then
+      return nil
+    end
+
     return {
       ordinal = line,
       value = line,