diff --git a/Termind/App/SettingsKey.swift b/Termind/App/SettingsKey.swift
index 0ea6fc9b..04672876 100644
--- a/Termind/App/SettingsKey.swift
+++ b/Termind/App/SettingsKey.swift
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ nonisolated enum SettingsKey {
     }
     /// Restore the previous window's tabs on launch.
     static let restoreTabs = "window.restoreTabs"
+    /// The last approval posture selected in the Assistant composer.
+    static let agentPermissionMode = "assistant.permissionMode"
     static let sftpGlobalTransferLimit = "sftp.transfers.globalLimit"
     static let sftpPerHostTransferLimit = "sftp.transfers.perHostLimit"
     static let defaultSFTPGlobalTransferLimit = 3
diff --git a/Termind/Core/Stores/AIStore.swift b/Termind/Core/Stores/AIStore.swift
index 814b9e45..48d1aed8 100644
--- a/Termind/Core/Stores/AIStore.swift
+++ b/Termind/Core/Stores/AIStore.swift
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ final class AIStore {
     private(set) var lastSelectedModel: AIModelRef?
 
     /// The approval posture new and otherwise-unset conversations follow.
-    /// Session-only. Unlike the model selection, approval posture is not part
-    /// of provider configuration and is deliberately not persisted here.
+    /// Stored in local preferences rather than provider configuration so it
+    /// survives relaunches without becoming part of the synced SwiftData model.
     private(set) var lastSelectedPermissionMode: ChatPermissionMode
 
     /// Live MCP connection state, keyed by server.
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ final class AIStore {
     private var secrets: [String: String] = [:]
     private let keychain: KeychainSecretStore
     private let persistsSecrets: Bool
+    private let permissionDefaults: UserDefaults?
     private(set) var secretStorageError: String?
     private var persistence: AIPersistence?
     private(set) var storageError: String?
@@ -55,23 +56,33 @@ final class AIStore {
         lastSelectedModel: AIModelRef? = nil,
         lastSelectedPermissionMode: ChatPermissionMode = .askForApproval,
         keychain: KeychainSecretStore = KeychainSecretStore(),
-        persistsSecrets: Bool = true
+        persistsSecrets: Bool = true,
+        permissionDefaults: UserDefaults? = nil
     ) {
         self.modelProviders = modelProviders
         self.mcpServers = mcpServers
         self.roles = roles
         self.lastSelectedModel = lastSelectedModel
-        self.lastSelectedPermissionMode = lastSelectedPermissionMode
+        self.lastSelectedPermissionMode = permissionDefaults
+            .flatMap { $0.string(forKey: SettingsKey.agentPermissionMode) }
+            .flatMap(ChatPermissionMode.init(rawValue:))
+            ?? lastSelectedPermissionMode
         self.keychain = keychain
         self.persistsSecrets = persistsSecrets
+        self.permissionDefaults = permissionDefaults
     }
 
     convenience init(
         modelContext: ModelContext,
         keychain: KeychainSecretStore = KeychainSecretStore(),
-        persistsSecrets: Bool = true
+        persistsSecrets: Bool = true,
+        permissionDefaults: UserDefaults = .standard
     ) {
-        self.init(keychain: keychain, persistsSecrets: persistsSecrets)
+        self.init(
+            keychain: keychain,
+            persistsSecrets: persistsSecrets,
+            permissionDefaults: permissionDefaults
+        )
         let persistence = AIPersistence(context: modelContext)
         self.persistence = persistence
         do {
@@ -378,10 +389,11 @@ final class AIStore {
         mutatePersistedState { lastSelectedModel = ref }
     }
 
-    /// Records a composer permission choice for subsequent unset conversations.
-    /// It does not alter command or MCP execution policy.
+    /// Records a composer permission choice for subsequent unset conversations
+    /// and future app launches. It does not alter command or MCP execution policy.
     func select(_ permissionMode: ChatPermissionMode) {
         lastSelectedPermissionMode = permissionMode
+        permissionDefaults?.set(permissionMode.rawValue, forKey: SettingsKey.agentPermissionMode)
     }
 
     // MARK: - Provider persistence
diff --git a/TermindTests/ChatComposerStateTests.swift b/TermindTests/ChatComposerStateTests.swift
index 692cd0c9..2da8b251 100644
--- a/TermindTests/ChatComposerStateTests.swift
+++ b/TermindTests/ChatComposerStateTests.swift
@@ -101,6 +101,51 @@ struct ChatComposerStateTests {
         #expect(store.resolve(conversation: nil as ChatPermissionMode?) == .approveForMe)
     }
 
+    @Test
+    func permissionDefaultPersistsAcrossStoreInstancesIncludingFullAccess() throws {
+        let suiteName = "ChatPermissionMode-\(UUID().uuidString)"
+        let defaults = try #require(UserDefaults(suiteName: suiteName))
+        defer { defaults.removePersistentDomain(forName: suiteName) }
+
+        let first = AIStore(persistsSecrets: false, permissionDefaults: defaults)
+        first.select(ChatPermissionMode.approveForMe)
+
+        let second = AIStore(persistsSecrets: false, permissionDefaults: defaults)
+        #expect(second.lastSelectedPermissionMode == .approveForMe)
+
+        second.select(ChatPermissionMode.fullAccess)
+
+        let third = AIStore(persistsSecrets: false, permissionDefaults: defaults)
+        #expect(third.lastSelectedPermissionMode == .fullAccess)
+
+        let explicit = ConversationModel()
+        explicit.permissionMode = .askForApproval
+        #expect(third.resolve(conversation: explicit.permissionMode) == .askForApproval)
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    func missingPersistedPermissionDefaultsToAskForApproval() throws {
+        let suiteName = "ChatPermissionMode-Missing-\(UUID().uuidString)"
+        let defaults = try #require(UserDefaults(suiteName: suiteName))
+        defer { defaults.removePersistentDomain(forName: suiteName) }
+
+        let store = AIStore(persistsSecrets: false, permissionDefaults: defaults)
+
+        #expect(store.lastSelectedPermissionMode == .askForApproval)
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    func invalidPersistedPermissionDefaultsToAskForApproval() throws {
+        let suiteName = "ChatPermissionMode-Invalid-\(UUID().uuidString)"
+        let defaults = try #require(UserDefaults(suiteName: suiteName))
+        defer { defaults.removePersistentDomain(forName: suiteName) }
+        defaults.set("unknown-mode", forKey: SettingsKey.agentPermissionMode)
+
+        let store = AIStore(persistsSecrets: false, permissionDefaults: defaults)
+
+        #expect(store.lastSelectedPermissionMode == .askForApproval)
+    }
+
     @Test
     func modelSelectionStillFeedsUnsetConversationsWithoutOverridingExplicitOnes() {
         let firstModel = AIModel(id: "first")