diff --git a/tools/init_runtime_data.sh b/tools/init_runtime_data.sh
index 1e124b4..cb15a80 100644
--- a/tools/init_runtime_data.sh
+++ b/tools/init_runtime_data.sh
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ refresh_workspace_builtin_entries() {
   fi
 }
 
+workspace_has_sync_metadata() {
+  [ -f "$DATA_ROOT/state/sync_status.json" ]
+}
+
 migrate_legacy_manual_catalog() {
   legacy_dir="$DATA_ROOT/workspace/brands/local"
   target_dir="$DATA_ROOT/workspace/local"
@@ -98,7 +102,14 @@ init_path() {
   fi
 
   if [ "$rel_path" = "workspace" ] && [ -d "$src_path" ] && [ ! -L "$src_path" ]; then
-    refresh_workspace_builtin_entries "$src_path" "$dst_path"
+    if [ ! -e "$dst_path" ] && [ ! -L "$dst_path" ]; then
+      mkdir -p "$(dirname "$dst_path")"
+      cp -a "$src_path" "$dst_path"
+    elif workspace_has_sync_metadata; then
+      sync_missing_dir_entries "$src_path/local" "$dst_path/local"
+    else
+      refresh_workspace_builtin_entries "$src_path" "$dst_path"
+    fi
   elif [ -d "$src_path" ]; then
     if [ ! -e "$dst_path" ] && [ ! -L "$dst_path" ]; then
       mkdir -p "$(dirname "$dst_path")"