diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/config_update.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/config_update.rs
index 9d73bb1a2a..16ade0400c 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/config_update.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/config_update.rs
@@ -122,6 +122,10 @@ pub(crate) fn build_memory_settings_edits(
     ]
 }
 
+pub(crate) fn build_oss_provider_edit(provider: &str) -> ConfigEdit {
+    replace_config_value("oss_provider", serde_json::json!(provider))
+}
+
 pub(crate) async fn write_config_batch(
     request_handle: AppServerRequestHandle,
     edits: Vec<ConfigEdit>,
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/lib.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/lib.rs
index 2683d3796a..33b79b2785 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/lib.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/lib.rs
@@ -1002,6 +1002,7 @@ pub async fn run_main(
     )
     .await;
 
+    let mut manually_selected_oss_provider = None;
     let model_provider_override = if cli.oss {
         let resolved = resolve_oss_provider(cli.oss_provider.as_deref(), &config_toml);
 
@@ -1009,12 +1010,16 @@ pub async fn run_main(
             Some(provider)
         } else {
             // No provider configured, prompt the user
-            let provider = oss_selection::select_oss_provider(&codex_home).await?;
+            let selection = oss_selection::select_oss_provider().await?;
+            let provider = selection.provider;
             if provider == "__CANCELLED__" {
                 return Err(std::io::Error::other(
                     "OSS provider selection was cancelled by user",
                 ));
             }
+            if selection.manually_selected {
+                manually_selected_oss_provider = Some(provider.clone());
+            }
             Some(provider)
         }
     } else {
@@ -1256,6 +1261,7 @@ pub async fn run_main(
         app_server_target,
         remote_cwd_override,
         config,
+        manually_selected_oss_provider,
         overrides,
         cli_kv_overrides,
         cloud_requirements,
@@ -1277,6 +1283,7 @@ async fn run_ratatui_app(
     app_server_target: AppServerTarget,
     remote_cwd_override: Option<PathBuf>,
     initial_config: Config,
+    manually_selected_oss_provider: Option<String>,
     overrides: ConfigOverrides,
     cli_kv_overrides: Vec<(String, toml::Value)>,
     mut cloud_requirements: CloudRequirementsLoader,
@@ -1356,6 +1363,19 @@ async fn run_ratatui_app(
         }
     }
     .with_remote_cwd_override(remote_cwd_override.clone());
+    if let Some(provider) = manually_selected_oss_provider.as_deref()
+        && let Err(err) = config_update::write_config_batch(
+            app_server_session.request_handle(),
+            vec![config_update::build_oss_provider_edit(provider)],
+        )
+        .await
+    {
+        warn!(
+            %err,
+            provider,
+            "Failed to persist selected OSS provider preference"
+        );
+    }
     let mut app_server = Some(app_server_session);
 
     let should_show_trust_screen_flag =
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/oss_selection.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/oss_selection.rs
index ab9176ffbe..cbb8e676f2 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/oss_selection.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/oss_selection.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ use std::sync::LazyLock;
 use crate::key_hint;
 use crate::key_hint::KeyBinding;
 use crate::key_hint::KeyBindingListExt;
-use crate::legacy_core::config::set_default_oss_provider;
 use codex_model_provider_info::DEFAULT_LMSTUDIO_PORT;
 use codex_model_provider_info::DEFAULT_OLLAMA_PORT;
 use codex_model_provider_info::LMSTUDIO_OSS_PROVIDER_ID;
@@ -309,7 +308,12 @@ fn get_status_symbol_and_color(status: &ProviderStatus) -> (&'static str, Color)
     }
 }
 
-pub async fn select_oss_provider(codex_home: &std::path::Path) -> io::Result<String> {
+pub(crate) struct OssProviderSelection {
+    pub(crate) provider: String,
+    pub(crate) manually_selected: bool,
+}
+
+pub async fn select_oss_provider() -> io::Result<OssProviderSelection> {
     // Check provider statuses first
     let lmstudio_status = check_lmstudio_status().await;
     let ollama_status = check_ollama_status().await;
@@ -318,11 +322,17 @@ pub async fn select_oss_provider(codex_home: &std::path::Path) -> io::Result<Str
     match (&lmstudio_status, &ollama_status) {
         (ProviderStatus::Running, ProviderStatus::NotRunning) => {
             let provider = LMSTUDIO_OSS_PROVIDER_ID.to_string();
-            return Ok(provider);
+            return Ok(OssProviderSelection {
+                provider,
+                manually_selected: false,
+            });
         }
         (ProviderStatus::NotRunning, ProviderStatus::Running) => {
             let provider = OLLAMA_OSS_PROVIDER_ID.to_string();
-            return Ok(provider);
+            return Ok(OssProviderSelection {
+                provider,
+                manually_selected: false,
+            });
         }
         _ => {
             // Both running or both not running - show UI
@@ -346,21 +356,16 @@ pub async fn select_oss_provider(codex_home: &std::path::Path) -> io::Result<Str
         if let Event::Key(key_event) = event::read()?
             && let Some(selection) = widget.handle_key_event(key_event)
         {
-            break Ok(selection);
+            break Ok(OssProviderSelection {
+                provider: selection,
+                manually_selected: true,
+            });
         }
     };
 
     disable_raw_mode()?;
     execute!(terminal.backend_mut(), LeaveAlternateScreen)?;
 
-    // If the user manually selected an OSS provider, we save it as the
-    // default one to use later.
-    if let Ok(ref provider) = result
-        && let Err(e) = set_default_oss_provider(codex_home, provider)
-    {
-        tracing::warn!("Failed to save OSS provider preference: {e}");
-    }
-
     result
 }