diff --git a/desktop/src/features/agents/AGENTS.md b/desktop/src/features/agents/AGENTS.md
index 25a681341..1ab4ddf65 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/agents/AGENTS.md
+++ b/desktop/src/features/agents/AGENTS.md
@@ -96,12 +96,14 @@ with a TypeScript lookup table or an id comparison in a component.
    editor persists its visible fallback on the next save. Its dependent
    provider/model defaults are also ignored for new implicit fallback agents,
    without changing the persisted configuration used by existing agents.
-   `resolveStartRuntimeForDefinition` is the shared boundary that filters every
-   runtime-less start through the device's visible-runtime set; call it instead
-   of duplicating default selection in a start surface. Team deploys use the
-   same visible-runtime set only for members that need an implicit fallback, so
-   a fully pinned team remains deployable even when every installed runtime is
-   hidden. Definitions already pinned to a hidden runtime remain runnable.
+   `resolvePersonaRuntime` is the shared visibility boundary for every
+   runtime-less deployment or provisioning path. Definition-to-instance starts
+   use the stricter `resolveStartRuntimeForDefinition` wrapper; call one of
+   these shared resolvers instead of duplicating default selection in a start
+   surface. Team deploys use the same visible-runtime set only for members that
+   need an implicit fallback, so a fully pinned team remains deployable even
+   when every installed runtime is hidden. Definitions already pinned to a
+   hidden runtime remain runnable.
 10. **The defaults modal is progressively disclosed.** An unset global config
    starts on the Buzz Agent-first deployment fallback and carries that visible
    harness into the next saved edit. The `progressive-defaults` disclosure
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/agents/lib/resolvePersonaRuntime.test.mjs b/desktop/src/features/agents/lib/resolvePersonaRuntime.test.mjs
index f77f056d6..6a5b66a5e 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/agents/lib/resolvePersonaRuntime.test.mjs
+++ b/desktop/src/features/agents/lib/resolvePersonaRuntime.test.mjs
@@ -33,6 +33,46 @@ test("resolvePersonaRuntime — undefined personaRuntimeId also returns defaultR
   });
 });
 
+test("resolvePersonaRuntime — hidden defaults are skipped for runtime-less personas", () => {
+  const result = resolvePersonaRuntime(null, runtimes, goose, false, ["goose"]);
+  assert.deepEqual(result, {
+    runtime: claude,
+    warnings: [],
+    isOverridden: false,
+  });
+});
+
+test("resolvePersonaRuntime — explicitly pinned hidden runtimes remain available", () => {
+  const result = resolvePersonaRuntime("goose", runtimes, claude, false, [
+    "goose",
+  ]);
+  assert.deepEqual(result, {
+    runtime: goose,
+    warnings: [],
+    isOverridden: false,
+  });
+});
+
+test("resolvePersonaRuntime — hidden fallback is replaced when a pinned runtime is unavailable", () => {
+  const result = resolvePersonaRuntime("unknown-rt", runtimes, goose, false, [
+    "goose",
+  ]);
+  assert.equal(result.runtime, claude);
+  assert.equal(result.warnings.length, 1);
+  assert.match(result.warnings[0], /Claude/);
+  assert.equal(result.isOverridden, true);
+});
+
+test("resolvePersonaRuntime — no implicit fallback remains when every runtime is hidden", () => {
+  const result = resolvePersonaRuntime(null, runtimes, goose, false, [
+    "goose",
+    "claude",
+  ]);
+  assert.equal(result.runtime, null);
+  assert.equal(result.warnings.length, 1);
+  assert.equal(result.isOverridden, false);
+});
+
 test("resolvePersonaRuntime — no personaRuntimeId and no defaultRuntime returns null with warning", () => {
   const result = resolvePersonaRuntime(null, runtimes, null);
   assert.equal(result.runtime, null);
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/agents/lib/resolvePersonaRuntime.ts b/desktop/src/features/agents/lib/resolvePersonaRuntime.ts
index 474c218f6..3b09e5b4f 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/agents/lib/resolvePersonaRuntime.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/features/agents/lib/resolvePersonaRuntime.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 import type { AcpRuntime, AcpRuntimeCatalogEntry } from "@/shared/api/types";
+import {
+  filterEnabledAcpRuntimes,
+  getDisabledAcpRuntimeIdsSnapshot,
+} from "./runtimeVisibilityPreference";
 
 /**
  * Select the best default runtime from a catalog, using the same preference
@@ -55,18 +59,31 @@ export type ResolvePersonaRuntimeResult = {
  *    fall back to `defaultRuntime` and emit a warning.
  * 4. If there is no `defaultRuntime` either → return `null` with an error
  *    warning so the UI can block deployment.
+ *
+ * Hidden runtimes remain eligible when explicitly pinned by a persona. They
+ * are removed only from the implicit fallback set, at this shared boundary,
+ * so every provisioning surface observes the device visibility preference.
  */
 export function resolvePersonaRuntime(
   personaRuntimeId: string | undefined | null,
   runtimes: readonly AcpRuntime[],
   defaultRuntime: AcpRuntime | null,
   forceOverride?: boolean,
+  disabledRuntimeIds: readonly string[] = getDisabledAcpRuntimeIdsSnapshot(),
 ): ResolvePersonaRuntimeResult {
+  const implicitDefaultRuntime = forceOverride
+    ? defaultRuntime
+    : resolveVisibleDefaultRuntime(
+        runtimes,
+        defaultRuntime,
+        disabledRuntimeIds,
+      );
+
   // Case 1: Persona has no runtime preference — use the default.
   if (!personaRuntimeId) {
     return {
-      runtime: defaultRuntime,
-      warnings: defaultRuntime
+      runtime: implicitDefaultRuntime,
+      warnings: implicitDefaultRuntime
         ? []
         : [
             "No agent runtimes are available. Install a runtime (e.g. Goose) to deploy agents.",
@@ -78,28 +95,35 @@ export function resolvePersonaRuntime(
   // Case 2: Persona's preferred runtime is available.
   const matched = runtimes.find((p) => p.id === personaRuntimeId);
   if (matched) {
-    if (forceOverride && defaultRuntime && matched.id !== defaultRuntime.id) {
+    if (
+      forceOverride &&
+      implicitDefaultRuntime &&
+      matched.id !== implicitDefaultRuntime.id
+    ) {
       return {
-        runtime: defaultRuntime,
+        runtime: implicitDefaultRuntime,
         warnings: [
-          `Runtime override: using ${defaultRuntime.label} instead of ${matched.label}.`,
+          `Runtime override: using ${implicitDefaultRuntime.label} instead of ${matched.label}.`,
         ],
         isOverridden: true,
       };
     }
     return {
-      runtime: forceOverride && defaultRuntime ? defaultRuntime : matched,
+      runtime:
+        forceOverride && implicitDefaultRuntime
+          ? implicitDefaultRuntime
+          : matched,
       warnings: [],
       isOverridden: false,
     };
   }
 
   // Case 3 & 4: Persona's runtime is not available — fall back.
-  if (defaultRuntime) {
+  if (implicitDefaultRuntime) {
     return {
-      runtime: defaultRuntime,
+      runtime: implicitDefaultRuntime,
       warnings: [
-        `This agent is configured for runtime "${personaRuntimeId}" but it is not available. Using ${defaultRuntime.label} instead.`,
+        `This agent is configured for runtime "${personaRuntimeId}" but it is not available. Using ${implicitDefaultRuntime.label} instead.`,
       ],
       isOverridden: true,
     };
@@ -114,6 +138,24 @@ export function resolvePersonaRuntime(
   };
 }
 
+function resolveVisibleDefaultRuntime(
+  runtimes: readonly AcpRuntime[],
+  defaultRuntime: AcpRuntime | null,
+  disabledRuntimeIds: readonly string[],
+): AcpRuntime | null {
+  if (!defaultRuntime) return null;
+
+  const visibleRuntimes = filterEnabledAcpRuntimes(
+    runtimes,
+    disabledRuntimeIds,
+  );
+  return (
+    visibleRuntimes.find((runtime) => runtime.id === defaultRuntime.id) ??
+    visibleRuntimes[0] ??
+    null
+  );
+}
+
 /**
  * Collect runtime-resolution warnings for a list of personas.
  *