diff --git a/lua/persisted/init.lua b/lua/persisted/init.lua
index 96d6b11..2df64e9 100644
--- a/lua/persisted/init.lua
+++ b/lua/persisted/init.lua
@@ -203,14 +203,23 @@ end
 function M.load(opt, dir)
   opt = opt or {}
   dir = dir or session_dir()
-  local branch = get_branchname()
-
-  local session = opt.session or (opt.last and get_last() or get_current(dir))
 
-  local session_exists = vim.fn.filereadable(session) ~= 0
+  local branch
+  local session
+  if opt.session then
+    session = opt.session
+    local session_data = utils.make_session_data(session)
+    branch = session_data and session_data.branch or ""
+    if not branch then
+      vim.notify(string.format("[Persisted.nvim]: Invalid session file %s", session), vim.log.levels.WARN)
+    end
+  else
+    branch = get_branchname()
+    session = opt.last and get_last() or get_current(dir)
+  end
 
   if session then
-    if session_exists then
+    if vim.fn.filereadable(session) ~= 0 then
       vim.g.persisting_session = not config.options.follow_cwd and session or nil
       utils.load_session(session, config.options.silent)
     elseif type(config.options.on_autoload_no_session) == "function" then
@@ -218,6 +227,7 @@ function M.load(opt, dir)
     end
   end
 
+  dir = session_dir()
   if config.options.autosave and (allow_dir(dir) and not ignore_dir(dir)) and not ignore_branch(branch) then
     M.start()
   end
diff --git a/lua/telescope/_extensions/persisted/actions.lua b/lua/telescope/_extensions/persisted/actions.lua
index 3fc72ce..dff5687 100644
--- a/lua/telescope/_extensions/persisted/actions.lua
+++ b/lua/telescope/_extensions/persisted/actions.lua
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 local actions_state = require("telescope.actions.state")
 local transform_mod = require("telescope.actions.mt").transform_mod
 
-local utils = require("persisted.utils")
+local persisted = require("persisted")
 local M = {}
 
 ---Get the selected session from Telescope
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ M.load_session = function(session, config)
   vim.api.nvim_exec_autocmds("User", { pattern = "PersistedTelescopeLoadPre", data = session })
 
   vim.schedule(function()
-    utils.load_session(session.file_path, config.silent)
+    persisted.load({ session = session.file_path })
   end)
 
   vim.api.nvim_exec_autocmds("User", { pattern = "PersistedTelescopeLoadPost", data = session })