Session Bean being lost? - jsf-2

Question

The first "nonpostback" request to viewBean, someValue property in sessionBean is null.
Now, in a postback request, I am setting a user input to someValue. The problem is that someValue is always null in any "nonpostback" request.
Here is my code:
#ManagedBean
#ViewScoped
public class ViewBean implements Serializable {
#ManagedProperty(value = "#{sessionBean}")
private SessionBean sessionBean;
private String inputText;
#PostConstruct
public void init() {
if (sessionBean.getSomeValue() != null) // ALWAYS NULL
doSomething(sessionBean.getSomeValue());
}
private void doSomething(String s) {}
public void action(final ActionEvent ae) {
sessionBean.setSomeValue(getInputText());
doSomething(getInputText());
}
GETTERS/SETTERS
}
#ManagedBean
#SessionScoped
public class SessionBean implements Serializable {
private String someValue;
GETTER/SETTER
}
I feel I am doing something wrong. I am using Mojarra 2.1.2
Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.
UPDATE:
Using evaluateExpressionGet on both methods (init and action) works fine:
FacesContext context = FacesContext.getCurrentInstance();
SessionBean sessionBean = context.getApplication().evaluateExpressionGet(context,
"#{sessionBean}", SessionBean.class);

Answer 1

This is a known issue:
SessionScoped bean inside a ViewScoped bean is resolved as different bean depending on the expression used
I just changed the state saving method in my web.xml:
<context-param>
<param-name>javax.faces.STATE_SAVING_METHOD</param-name>
<param-value>server</param-value>
</context-param>

Answer 2

I use GAE (Google App Engine) and need to set javax.faces.STATE_SAVING_METHOD to client. This problem can have workaround. After the action, just call refreshSession() with new value force the session object persist
protected void refreshSession(){
saveSession(CeaConst.SESSION_ATTR_NAME_LAST_REFRESH_TIME, new java.util.Date());
}