diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/profile-scope.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/profile-scope.tsx
index 451d3943eb..4e5c8667b1 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/profile-scope.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/profile-scope.tsx
@@ -3,8 +3,13 @@ import { useEffect } from 'react'
 
 import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
-import { $activeGatewayProfile, $profiles, normalizeProfileKey, refreshProfiles } from '@/store/profile'
-import { $settingsScopeOverride, setSettingsScope } from '@/store/settings-scope'
+import { $profiles, normalizeProfileKey, refreshProfiles } from '@/store/profile'
+import {
+  $settingsScopeEditsNonDefault,
+  $settingsScopeOverride,
+  $settingsScopeProfile,
+  setSettingsScope
+} from '@/store/settings-scope'
 
 // The same chip affordance the Gateway page uses for its per-profile
 // connection overrides (gateway-settings ScopeChip). That one stays local to
@@ -37,7 +42,8 @@ export function SettingsProfileScope({ className }: { className?: string }) {
   const { t } = useI18n()
   const scope = t.settings.profileScope
   const override = useStore($settingsScopeOverride)
-  const active = useStore($activeGatewayProfile)
+  const selected = useStore($settingsScopeProfile)
+  const editingNonDefault = useStore($settingsScopeEditsNonDefault)
   const profiles = useStore($profiles)
 
   // Refresh lazily so a profile created elsewhere shows up; the cached list
@@ -50,10 +56,6 @@ export function SettingsProfileScope({ className }: { className?: string }) {
     return null
   }
 
-  const selected = normalizeProfileKey(override ?? active)
-  const defaultProfile = profiles.find(profile => profile.is_default)
-  const editingNonDefault = defaultProfile ? selected !== normalizeProfileKey(defaultProfile.name) : false
-
   return (
     <div className={cn('grid gap-2', className)}>
       <div className="text-[length:var(--conversation-caption-font-size)] font-medium text-(--ui-text-secondary)">
@@ -69,12 +71,11 @@ export function SettingsProfileScope({ className }: { className?: string }) {
           />
         ))}
       </div>
-      {/* The scope follows the app's ACTIVE profile when no override is set —
-          which, after opening any Bot Mode chat, is the BOT's profile. Users
-          reasonably assume Settings edit their main config, so an edit landing
-          in profiles/<bot>/config.yaml with only a faint chip tint as the tell
-          is a silent misdirect (the #89190/#89162 report class). Always state
-          the target when it isn't the default profile, and make it loud. */}
+      {/* Note truth table (override × non-default target, per the store's
+          $settingsScopeEditsNonDefault): non-default target → loud accented
+          note whether or not an override is set (the bot-active misdirect);
+          explicit override onto the default → quiet tertiary note; following
+          the active DEFAULT profile → no note. */}
       {override !== null || editingNonDefault ? (
         <p
           className={cn(
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/settings-scope.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/settings-scope.test.ts
index c337bcf6fc..7d0e90bf86 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/settings-scope.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/settings-scope.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import { atom } from 'nanostores'
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
+import type { ProfileInfo } from '@/types/hermes'
+
 // Keep store/profile's side-effecting imports inert — same seam as
 // store/profile.test.ts.
 vi.mock('@/store/gateway', () => ({
@@ -16,14 +18,20 @@ vi.mock('@/hermes', () => ({
 vi.mock('@/lib/query-client', () => ({ invalidateProfileScopedQueries: vi.fn() }))
 vi.mock('@/store/starmap', () => ({ resetStarmapGraph: vi.fn() }))
 
-const { $activeGatewayProfile } = await import('./profile')
+const { $activeGatewayProfile, $profiles } = await import('./profile')
 
-const { $settingsRequestProfile, $settingsScopeOverride, $settingsScopeProfile, setSettingsScope } =
-  await import('./settings-scope')
+const {
+  $settingsRequestProfile,
+  $settingsScopeEditsNonDefault,
+  $settingsScopeOverride,
+  $settingsScopeProfile,
+  setSettingsScope
+} = await import('./settings-scope')
 
 beforeEach(() => {
   $activeGatewayProfile.set('default')
   $settingsScopeOverride.set(null)
+  $profiles.set([])
 })
 
 describe('settings scope store', () => {
@@ -72,6 +80,34 @@ describe('settings scope store', () => {
     expect($settingsRequestProfile.get()).toBeUndefined()
   })
 
+  it('flags a non-default edit target whether it comes from the active profile or an override', () => {
+    const roster = [
+      { is_default: true, name: 'default' },
+      { is_default: false, name: 'scout' }
+    ] as unknown as ProfileInfo[]
+    $profiles.set(roster)
+
+    // Following the active DEFAULT profile → editing the default.
+    expect($settingsScopeEditsNonDefault.get()).toBe(false)
+
+    // A Bot Mode chat made the bot the active profile; no override is set,
+    // yet the settings pages now edit profiles/scout/config.yaml.
+    $activeGatewayProfile.set('scout')
+    expect($settingsScopeEditsNonDefault.get()).toBe(true)
+
+    // Explicit override back onto the default → editing the default again.
+    setSettingsScope('default')
+    expect($settingsScopeEditsNonDefault.get()).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('treats an unloaded roster as "default = the root profile", so an unknown default fails loud', () => {
+    $activeGatewayProfile.set('scout')
+    expect($settingsScopeEditsNonDefault.get()).toBe(true)
+
+    $activeGatewayProfile.set('default')
+    expect($settingsScopeEditsNonDefault.get()).toBe(false)
+  })
+
   it('drops the override on an app-wide profile switch', () => {
     setSettingsScope('research')
     expect($settingsScopeOverride.get()).toBe('research')
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/settings-scope.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/settings-scope.ts
index 115707b8d5..fe9f8f99a7 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/settings-scope.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/settings-scope.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { atom, computed } from 'nanostores'
 
-import { $activeGatewayProfile, normalizeProfileKey } from '@/store/profile'
+import { $activeGatewayProfile, $profiles, normalizeProfileKey } from '@/store/profile'
 
 // ── Shared settings "Applies to" scope ──────────────────────────────────────
 // One selection shared by every config-backed settings page (Model, Workspace,
@@ -16,6 +16,20 @@ export const $settingsScopeProfile = computed([$settingsScopeOverride, $activeGa
   normalizeProfileKey(override ?? active)
 )
 
+// Whether the settings pages are editing a profile OTHER than the default
+// one. The scope follows the app's active profile when no override is set —
+// which, after opening any Bot Mode chat, is the BOT's profile — so an edit
+// can land in profiles/<bot>/config.yaml while the user believes they are
+// editing their main config (#89190/#89162 class). Surfaces render this
+// loudly. Until the roster has loaded (no is_default entry yet) the root
+// profile's canonical key is assumed, so an unknown default fails loud, not
+// quiet.
+export const $settingsScopeEditsNonDefault = computed([$settingsScopeProfile, $profiles], (selected, profiles) => {
+  const defaultProfile = profiles.find(profile => profile.is_default)
+
+  return selected !== normalizeProfileKey(defaultProfile?.name)
+})
+
 // ── Request-scope form (THE value to hand to API helpers) ──────────────────
 // The store contract and the API contract disagree about `null`:
 //   - here, `null` means "follow the app's active profile" (no override);