diff --git a/desktop/src-tauri/src/managed_agents/nest.rs b/desktop/src-tauri/src/managed_agents/nest.rs
index 4e5eabb41..a7ed70eb0 100644
--- a/desktop/src-tauri/src/managed_agents/nest.rs
+++ b/desktop/src-tauri/src/managed_agents/nest.rs
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ pub fn ensure_nest_at(root: &Path) -> Result<(), String> {
     refresh_agents_md_if_stale(root)?;
     refresh_skill_md_if_stale(root)?;
 
-    // Seed the nest's project-level Claude settings with an allowlist for
+    // Seed the nest's local Claude settings with an allowlist for
     // the bundled `buzz` CLI, so managed Claude sessions (which run in
     // `dontAsk` mode with all permission requests rejected — see #4609)
     // can still reach the relay. See claude_settings.rs for the rationale.
diff --git a/desktop/src-tauri/src/managed_agents/nest/claude_settings.rs b/desktop/src-tauri/src/managed_agents/nest/claude_settings.rs
index 786915d07..bfc551c2e 100644
--- a/desktop/src-tauri/src/managed_agents/nest/claude_settings.rs
+++ b/desktop/src-tauri/src/managed_agents/nest/claude_settings.rs
@@ -1,17 +1,20 @@
-//! Seed the nest's project-level Claude Code settings with an allowlist
+//! Seed the nest's local Claude Code settings with an allowlist
 //! for the bundled `buzz` CLI.
 //!
 //! Since #4609 the ACP harness answers every `session/request_permission`
 //! with a rejection (fail closed), and desktop managed sessions run in
 //! `dontAsk` mode with no in-app approval prompt. Claude Code evaluates
-//! `permissions.allow` rules *before* the permission mode, so a project
+//! `permissions.allow` rules *before* the permission mode, so a local
 //! allow rule for the bundled CLI keeps agents able to reach the relay
 //! without reopening the blanket auto-approval that #4609 removed.
 //!
-//! The rules land in `<nest>/.claude/settings.json` — a Buzz-owned project
-//! directory (managed sessions start with the nest root as cwd, and the
-//! ACP adapter passes `settingSources: ["user", "project", "local"]`).
-//! The user's own `~/.claude/settings.json` is never touched.
+//! The rules land in `<nest>/.claude/settings.local.json`. Unlike project-level
+//! `settings.json`, Claude Code honors local allow rules before workspace trust
+//! has been accepted — essential for fresh headless nests where no trust dialog
+//! can be presented. The user's own `~/.claude` directory is never touched.
+//!
+//! This is temporary Buzz-owned compatibility behavior. Reconcile or remove
+//! the workspace grant when Desktop permission approval UI ships in #5106.
 //!
 //! Known limitation: allow rules match single commands only. `buzz feed get`
 //! is authorized; `buzz feed get | head` or `buzz ...; echo $?` still raises
@@ -24,7 +27,7 @@ use std::path::Path;
 /// bare `buzz` invocation; the `:*` prefix rule covers `buzz <args...>`.
 const ALLOW_RULES: &[&str] = &["Bash(buzz)", "Bash(buzz:*)"];
 
-/// Merge the `buzz` CLI allow rules into `<root>/.claude/settings.json`,
+/// Merge the `buzz` CLI allow rules into `<root>/.claude/settings.local.json`,
 /// creating the file if absent.
 ///
 /// Conservative by design:
@@ -34,8 +37,12 @@ const ALLOW_RULES: &[&str] = &["Bash(buzz)", "Bash(buzz:*)"];
 /// - Idempotent: a second call with the rules present writes nothing.
 pub(super) fn ensure_claude_buzz_allowlist(root: &Path) -> Result<(), String> {
     let claude_dir = root.join(".claude");
+    refuse_symlink(&claude_dir)?;
     fs::create_dir_all(&claude_dir).map_err(|e| format!("create {}: {e}", claude_dir.display()))?;
-    let settings_path = claude_dir.join("settings.json");
+    // Recheck after creation so a concurrent replacement cannot redirect later I/O.
+    refuse_symlink(&claude_dir)?;
+    let settings_path = claude_dir.join("settings.local.json");
+    refuse_symlink(&settings_path)?;
 
     let mut settings: serde_json::Value = match fs::read_to_string(&settings_path) {
         Ok(text) => match serde_json::from_str(&text) {
@@ -94,18 +101,36 @@ pub(super) fn ensure_claude_buzz_allowlist(root: &Path) -> Result<(), String> {
         tmp.write_all(b"\n")
             .map_err(|e| format!("write tempfile: {e}"))?;
     }
+    // Recheck immediately before replacement in case the path changed while
+    // the existing settings were being parsed.
+    refuse_symlink(&claude_dir)?;
+    refuse_symlink(&settings_path)?;
     tmp.persist(&settings_path)
         .map_err(|e| format!("persist {}: {e}", settings_path.display()))?;
 
     Ok(())
 }
 
+/// Reject an existing symlink without following it. Missing paths are safe: the
+/// caller either just created the directory or will atomically create the file.
+fn refuse_symlink(path: &Path) -> Result<(), String> {
+    match path.symlink_metadata() {
+        Ok(metadata) if metadata.file_type().is_symlink() => Err(format!(
+            "{} is a symlink; refusing to seed Claude settings",
+            path.display()
+        )),
+        Ok(_) => Ok(()),
+        Err(e) if e.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound => Ok(()),
+        Err(e) => Err(format!("inspect {}: {e}", path.display())),
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
     fn read_settings(root: &Path) -> serde_json::Value {
-        let text = fs::read_to_string(root.join(".claude/settings.json")).unwrap();
+        let text = fs::read_to_string(root.join(".claude/settings.local.json")).unwrap();
         serde_json::from_str(&text).unwrap()
     }
 
@@ -133,7 +158,7 @@ mod tests {
         let claude_dir = tmp.path().join(".claude");
         fs::create_dir_all(&claude_dir).unwrap();
         fs::write(
-            claude_dir.join("settings.json"),
+            claude_dir.join("settings.local.json"),
             r#"{"model": "opus", "permissions": {"allow": ["Bash(git status)"], "deny": ["WebFetch"]}}"#,
         )
         .unwrap();
@@ -153,10 +178,10 @@ mod tests {
     fn is_idempotent() {
         let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
         ensure_claude_buzz_allowlist(tmp.path()).unwrap();
-        let first = fs::read_to_string(tmp.path().join(".claude/settings.json")).unwrap();
+        let first = fs::read_to_string(tmp.path().join(".claude/settings.local.json")).unwrap();
 
         ensure_claude_buzz_allowlist(tmp.path()).unwrap();
-        let second = fs::read_to_string(tmp.path().join(".claude/settings.json")).unwrap();
+        let second = fs::read_to_string(tmp.path().join(".claude/settings.local.json")).unwrap();
 
         assert_eq!(first, second);
         let settings = read_settings(tmp.path());
@@ -168,11 +193,11 @@ mod tests {
         let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
         let claude_dir = tmp.path().join(".claude");
         fs::create_dir_all(&claude_dir).unwrap();
-        fs::write(claude_dir.join("settings.json"), "{ not json").unwrap();
+        fs::write(claude_dir.join("settings.local.json"), "{ not json").unwrap();
 
         ensure_claude_buzz_allowlist(tmp.path()).unwrap();
 
-        let content = fs::read_to_string(claude_dir.join("settings.json")).unwrap();
+        let content = fs::read_to_string(claude_dir.join("settings.local.json")).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(content, "{ not json");
     }
 
@@ -183,7 +208,7 @@ mod tests {
         fs::create_dir_all(&claude_dir).unwrap();
         // permissions.allow is an object, not an array.
         fs::write(
-            claude_dir.join("settings.json"),
+            claude_dir.join("settings.local.json"),
             r#"{"permissions": {"allow": {"weird": true}}}"#,
         )
         .unwrap();
@@ -193,4 +218,50 @@ mod tests {
         let settings = read_settings(tmp.path());
         assert_eq!(settings["permissions"]["allow"]["weird"], true);
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn leaves_project_settings_untouched() {
+        let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let claude_dir = tmp.path().join(".claude");
+        fs::create_dir_all(&claude_dir).unwrap();
+        let project_settings = claude_dir.join("settings.json");
+        fs::write(&project_settings, r#"{"model":"opus"}"#).unwrap();
+
+        ensure_claude_buzz_allowlist(tmp.path()).unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            fs::read_to_string(project_settings).unwrap(),
+            r#"{"model":"opus"}"#
+        );
+        assert_eq!(allow_rules(&read_settings(tmp.path())).len(), 2);
+    }
+
+    #[cfg(unix)]
+    #[test]
+    fn rejects_symlinked_claude_directory_without_writing_target() {
+        let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let outside = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        std::os::unix::fs::symlink(outside.path(), tmp.path().join(".claude")).unwrap();
+
+        let error = ensure_claude_buzz_allowlist(tmp.path()).unwrap_err();
+
+        assert!(error.contains("is a symlink"));
+        assert!(!outside.path().join("settings.local.json").exists());
+    }
+
+    #[cfg(unix)]
+    #[test]
+    fn rejects_symlinked_settings_file_without_modifying_target() {
+        let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let claude_dir = tmp.path().join(".claude");
+        fs::create_dir_all(&claude_dir).unwrap();
+        let outside = tmp.path().join("outside.json");
+        fs::write(&outside, r#"{"model":"opus"}"#).unwrap();
+        std::os::unix::fs::symlink(&outside, claude_dir.join("settings.local.json")).unwrap();
+
+        let error = ensure_claude_buzz_allowlist(tmp.path()).unwrap_err();
+
+        assert!(error.contains("is a symlink"));
+        assert_eq!(fs::read_to_string(outside).unwrap(), r#"{"model":"opus"}"#);
+    }
 }