diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/app_plugin/app.test.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/app_plugin/app.test.tsx
index 5e38cb49114e9..5aec6b02c057c 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/app_plugin/app.test.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/app_plugin/app.test.tsx
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import { ReactWrapper } from 'enzyme';
 import { act } from 'react-dom/test-utils';
 import { App } from './app';
 import { LensAppProps, LensAppServices } from './types';
-import { EditorFrameInstance } from '../types';
+import { EditorFrameInstance, EditorFrameProps } from '../types';
 import { Document } from '../persistence';
 import { DOC_TYPE } from '../../common';
 import { mount } from 'enzyme';
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ import {
 import { LensAttributeService } from '../lens_attribute_service';
 import { KibanaContextProvider } from '../../../../../src/plugins/kibana_react/public';
 import { EmbeddableStateTransfer } from '../../../../../src/plugins/embeddable/public';
+import { NativeRenderer } from '../native_renderer';
+import moment from 'moment';
 
 jest.mock('../editor_frame_service/editor_frame/expression_helpers');
 jest.mock('src/core/public');
@@ -144,6 +146,11 @@ function createMockTimefilter() {
         return unsubscribe;
       },
     }),
+    calculateBounds: jest.fn(() => ({
+      min: moment('2021-01-10T04:00:00.000Z'),
+      max: moment('2021-01-10T08:00:00.000Z'),
+    })),
+    getBounds: jest.fn(() => timeFilter),
     getRefreshInterval: () => {},
     getRefreshIntervalDefaults: () => {},
     getAutoRefreshFetch$: () => ({
@@ -233,6 +240,9 @@ describe('Lens App', () => {
           }),
         },
         search: createMockSearchService(),
+        nowProvider: {
+          get: jest.fn(),
+        },
       } as unknown) as DataPublicPluginStart,
       storage: {
         get: jest.fn(),
@@ -306,8 +316,8 @@ describe('Lens App', () => {
           />,
           Object {
             "dateRange": Object {
-              "fromDate": "now-7d",
-              "toDate": "now",
+              "fromDate": "2021-01-10T04:00:00.000Z",
+              "toDate": "2021-01-10T08:00:00.000Z",
             },
             "doc": undefined,
             "filters": Array [],
@@ -350,7 +360,7 @@ describe('Lens App', () => {
     expect(frame.mount).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       expect.any(Element),
       expect.objectContaining({
-        dateRange: { fromDate: 'now-7d', toDate: 'now' },
+        dateRange: { fromDate: '2021-01-10T04:00:00.000Z', toDate: '2021-01-10T08:00:00.000Z' },
         query: { query: '', language: 'kuery' },
         filters: [pinnedFilter],
       })
@@ -1008,7 +1018,7 @@ describe('Lens App', () => {
       expect(frame.mount).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         expect.any(Element),
         expect.objectContaining({
-          dateRange: { fromDate: 'now-7d', toDate: 'now' },
+          dateRange: { fromDate: '2021-01-10T04:00:00.000Z', toDate: '2021-01-10T08:00:00.000Z' },
           query: { query: '', language: 'kuery' },
         })
       );
@@ -1055,7 +1065,11 @@ describe('Lens App', () => {
     });
 
     it('updates the editor frame when the user changes query or time in the search bar', () => {
-      const { component, frame } = mountWith({});
+      const { component, frame, services } = mountWith({});
+      (services.data.query.timefilter.timefilter.calculateBounds as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue({
+        min: moment('2021-01-09T04:00:00.000Z'),
+        max: moment('2021-01-09T08:00:00.000Z'),
+      });
       act(() =>
         component.find(TopNavMenu).prop('onQuerySubmit')!({
           dateRange: { from: 'now-14d', to: 'now-7d' },
@@ -1071,10 +1085,14 @@ describe('Lens App', () => {
         }),
         {}
       );
+      expect(services.data.query.timefilter.timefilter.setTime).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        from: 'now-14d',
+        to: 'now-7d',
+      });
       expect(frame.mount).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         expect.any(Element),
         expect.objectContaining({
-          dateRange: { fromDate: 'now-14d', toDate: 'now-7d' },
+          dateRange: { fromDate: '2021-01-09T04:00:00.000Z', toDate: '2021-01-09T08:00:00.000Z' },
           query: { query: 'new', language: 'lucene' },
         })
       );
@@ -1237,6 +1255,34 @@ describe('Lens App', () => {
       );
     });
 
+    it('clears all existing unpinned filters when the active saved query is cleared', () => {
+      const { component, frame, services } = mountWith({});
+      act(() =>
+        component.find(TopNavMenu).prop('onQuerySubmit')!({
+          dateRange: { from: 'now-14d', to: 'now-7d' },
+          query: { query: 'new', language: 'lucene' },
+        })
+      );
+      const indexPattern = ({ id: 'index1' } as unknown) as IIndexPattern;
+      const field = ({ name: 'myfield' } as unknown) as IFieldType;
+      const pinnedField = ({ name: 'pinnedField' } as unknown) as IFieldType;
+      const unpinned = esFilters.buildExistsFilter(field, indexPattern);
+      const pinned = esFilters.buildExistsFilter(pinnedField, indexPattern);
+      FilterManager.setFiltersStore([pinned], esFilters.FilterStateStore.GLOBAL_STATE);
+      act(() => services.data.query.filterManager.setFilters([pinned, unpinned]));
+      component.update();
+      act(() => component.find(TopNavMenu).prop('onClearSavedQuery')!());
+      component.update();
+      expect(frame.mount).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(
+        expect.any(Element),
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          filters: [pinned],
+        })
+      );
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('search session id management', () => {
     it('updates the searchSessionId when the query is updated', () => {
       const { component, frame } = mountWith({});
       act(() => {
@@ -1263,12 +1309,12 @@ describe('Lens App', () => {
       expect(frame.mount).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         expect.any(Element),
         expect.objectContaining({
-          searchSessionId: `sessionId-1`,
+          searchSessionId: `sessionId-2`,
         })
       );
     });
 
-    it('clears all existing unpinned filters when the active saved query is cleared', () => {
+    it('updates the searchSessionId when the active saved query is cleared', () => {
       const { component, frame, services } = mountWith({});
       act(() =>
         component.find(TopNavMenu).prop('onQuerySubmit')!({
@@ -1286,31 +1332,67 @@ describe('Lens App', () => {
       component.update();
       act(() => component.find(TopNavMenu).prop('onClearSavedQuery')!());
       component.update();
-      expect(frame.mount).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(
+      expect(frame.mount).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         expect.any(Element),
         expect.objectContaining({
-          filters: [pinned],
+          searchSessionId: `sessionId-2`,
         })
       );
     });
 
-    it('updates the searchSessionId when the active saved query is cleared', () => {
-      const { component, frame, services } = mountWith({});
-      act(() =>
-        component.find(TopNavMenu).prop('onQuerySubmit')!({
-          dateRange: { from: 'now-14d', to: 'now-7d' },
-          query: { query: 'new', language: 'lucene' },
+    const mockUpdate = {
+      filterableIndexPatterns: [],
+      doc: {
+        title: '',
+        description: '',
+        visualizationType: '',
+        state: {
+          datasourceStates: {},
+          visualization: {},
+          filters: [],
+          query: { query: '', language: 'lucene' },
+        },
+        references: [],
+      },
+      isSaveable: true,
+      activeData: undefined,
+    };
+
+    it('does not update the searchSessionId when the state changes', () => {
+      const { component, frame } = mountWith({});
+      act(() => {
+        (component.find(NativeRenderer).prop('nativeProps') as EditorFrameProps).onChange(
+          mockUpdate
+        );
+      });
+      component.update();
+      expect(frame.mount).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.any(Element),
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          searchSessionId: `sessionId-2`,
         })
       );
-      const indexPattern = ({ id: 'index1' } as unknown) as IIndexPattern;
-      const field = ({ name: 'myfield' } as unknown) as IFieldType;
-      const pinnedField = ({ name: 'pinnedField' } as unknown) as IFieldType;
-      const unpinned = esFilters.buildExistsFilter(field, indexPattern);
-      const pinned = esFilters.buildExistsFilter(pinnedField, indexPattern);
-      FilterManager.setFiltersStore([pinned], esFilters.FilterStateStore.GLOBAL_STATE);
-      act(() => services.data.query.filterManager.setFilters([pinned, unpinned]));
-      component.update();
-      act(() => component.find(TopNavMenu).prop('onClearSavedQuery')!());
+    });
+
+    it('does update the searchSessionId when the state changes and too much time passed', () => {
+      const { component, frame, services } = mountWith({});
+
+      // time range is 100,000ms ago to 30,000ms ago (that's a lag of 30 percent)
+      (services.data.nowProvider.get as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue(new Date(Date.now() - 30000));
+      (services.data.query.timefilter.timefilter.getTime as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue({
+        from: 'now-2m',
+        to: 'now',
+      });
+      (services.data.query.timefilter.timefilter.getBounds as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue({
+        min: moment(Date.now() - 100000),
+        max: moment(Date.now() - 30000),
+      });
+
+      act(() => {
+        (component.find(NativeRenderer).prop('nativeProps') as EditorFrameProps).onChange(
+          mockUpdate
+        );
+      });
       component.update();
       expect(frame.mount).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         expect.any(Element),
@@ -1319,6 +1401,34 @@ describe('Lens App', () => {
         })
       );
     });
+
+    it('does not update the searchSessionId when the state changes and too little time has passed', () => {
+      const { component, frame, services } = mountWith({});
+
+      // time range is 100,000ms ago to 300ms ago (that's a lag of .3 percent, not enough to trigger a session update)
+      (services.data.nowProvider.get as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue(new Date(Date.now() - 300));
+      (services.data.query.timefilter.timefilter.getTime as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue({
+        from: 'now-2m',
+        to: 'now',
+      });
+      (services.data.query.timefilter.timefilter.getBounds as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue({
+        min: moment(Date.now() - 100000),
+        max: moment(Date.now() - 300),
+      });
+
+      act(() => {
+        (component.find(NativeRenderer).prop('nativeProps') as EditorFrameProps).onChange(
+          mockUpdate
+        );
+      });
+      component.update();
+      expect(frame.mount).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.any(Element),
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          searchSessionId: `sessionId-2`,
+        })
+      );
+    });
   });
 
   describe('showing a confirm message when leaving', () => {
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/app_plugin/app.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/app_plugin/app.tsx
index 3f10cb341105c..28e1f6da60742 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/app_plugin/app.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/app_plugin/app.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 import './app.scss';
 
 import _ from 'lodash';
-import React, { useState, useEffect, useCallback, useMemo } from 'react';
+import React, { useState, useEffect, useCallback } from 'react';
 import { i18n } from '@kbn/i18n';
 import { NotificationsStart } from 'kibana/public';
 import { EuiBreadcrumb } from '@elastic/eui';
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ import {
   LensByReferenceInput,
   LensEmbeddableInput,
 } from '../editor_frame_service/embeddable/embeddable';
+import { useTimeRange } from './time_range';
 
 export function App({
   history,
@@ -107,9 +108,11 @@ export function App({
     state.searchSessionId,
   ]);
 
-  // Need a stable reference for the frame component of the dateRange
-  const { from: fromDate, to: toDate } = data.query.timefilter.timefilter.getTime();
-  const currentDateRange = useMemo(() => ({ fromDate, toDate }), [fromDate, toDate]);
+  const { resolvedDateRange, from: fromDate, to: toDate } = useTimeRange(
+    data,
+    state.lastKnownDoc,
+    setState
+  );
 
   const onError = useCallback(
     (e: { message: string }) =>
@@ -658,7 +661,7 @@ export function App({
             render={editorFrame.mount}
             nativeProps={{
               searchSessionId: state.searchSessionId,
-              dateRange: currentDateRange,
+              dateRange: resolvedDateRange,
               query: state.query,
               filters: state.filters,
               savedQuery: state.savedQuery,
@@ -670,7 +673,7 @@ export function App({
                 if (isSaveable !== state.isSaveable) {
                   setState((s) => ({ ...s, isSaveable }));
                 }
-                if (!_.isEqual(state.persistedDoc, doc)) {
+                if (!_.isEqual(state.persistedDoc, doc) && !_.isEqual(state.lastKnownDoc, doc)) {
                   setState((s) => ({ ...s, lastKnownDoc: doc }));
                 }
                 if (!_.isEqual(state.activeData, activeData)) {
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/app_plugin/time_range.ts b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/app_plugin/time_range.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..5a9f2d5ab9e90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/app_plugin/time_range.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+import './app.scss';
+
+import _ from 'lodash';
+import moment from 'moment';
+import { useEffect, useMemo } from 'react';
+import { DataPublicPluginStart } from '../../../../../src/plugins/data/public';
+import { LensAppState } from './types';
+import { Document } from '../persistence';
+
+function containsDynamicMath(dateMathString: string) {
+  return dateMathString.includes('now');
+}
+
+const TIME_LAG_PERCENTAGE_LIMIT = 0.02;
+
+/**
+ * Fetches the current global time range from data plugin and restarts session
+ * if the fixed "now" parameter is diverging too much from the actual current time.
+ * @param data data plugin contract to manage current now value, time range and session
+ * @param lastKnownDoc Current state of the editor
+ * @param setState state setter for Lens app state
+ */
+export function useTimeRange(
+  data: DataPublicPluginStart,
+  lastKnownDoc: Document | undefined,
+  setState: React.Dispatch<React.SetStateAction<LensAppState>>
+) {
+  const timefilter = data.query.timefilter.timefilter;
+  const { from, to } = data.query.timefilter.timefilter.getTime();
+  const currentNow = data.nowProvider.get();
+
+  // Need a stable reference for the frame component of the dateRange
+  const resolvedDateRange = useMemo(() => {
+    const { min, max } = timefilter.calculateBounds({
+      from,
+      to,
+    });
+    return { fromDate: min?.toISOString() || from, toDate: max?.toISOString() || to };
+    // recalculate current date range if current "now" value changes because calculateBounds
+    // depends on it internally
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [timefilter, currentNow, from, to]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const unresolvedTimeRange = timefilter.getTime();
+    if (
+      !containsDynamicMath(unresolvedTimeRange.from) &&
+      !containsDynamicMath(unresolvedTimeRange.to)
+    ) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const { min, max } = timefilter.getBounds();
+
+    if (!min || !max) {
+      // bounds not fully specified, bailing out
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // calculate length of currently configured range in ms
+    const timeRangeLength = moment.duration(max.diff(min)).asMilliseconds();
+
+    // calculate lag of managed "now" for date math
+    const nowDiff = Date.now() - data.nowProvider.get().valueOf();
+
+    // if the lag is signifcant, start a new session to clear the cache
+    if (nowDiff > timeRangeLength * TIME_LAG_PERCENTAGE_LIMIT) {
+      setState((s) => ({
+        ...s,
+        searchSessionId: data.search.session.start(),
+      }));
+    }
+  }, [data.nowProvider, data.search.session, timefilter, lastKnownDoc, setState]);
+
+  return { resolvedDateRange, from, to };
+}
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/editor_frame_service/editor_frame/editor_frame.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/editor_frame_service/editor_frame/editor_frame.tsx
index 2cb815596d8b9..f908d16afe470 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/editor_frame_service/editor_frame/editor_frame.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/editor_frame_service/editor_frame/editor_frame.tsx
@@ -252,7 +252,6 @@ export function EditorFrame(props: EditorFrameProps) {
       state.visualization,
       state.activeData,
       props.query,
-      props.dateRange,
       props.filters,
       props.savedQuery,
       state.title,