diff --git a/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/activityRenderClasses/LifecycleActivity.render.test.mjs b/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/activityRenderClasses/LifecycleActivity.render.test.mjs
index 5e3a44da8..eebde10d8 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/activityRenderClasses/LifecycleActivity.render.test.mjs
+++ b/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/activityRenderClasses/LifecycleActivity.render.test.mjs
@@ -169,6 +169,67 @@ test("test_unknown_kind_fails_closed_renders_nothing", () => {
   );
 });
 
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Unknown reject_*-prefixed kind — fail closed: exact allowlist, not prefix
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+test("test_unknown_reject_prefixed_kind_fails_closed_renders_nothing", () => {
+  const html = renderToStaticMarkup(
+    React.createElement(LifecycleActivity, {
+      ...BASE_PROPS,
+      item: pendingPermissionItem([
+        { optionId: "opt-reject-future", kind: "reject_later_v2" },
+      ]),
+    }),
+  );
+
+  // A reject-prefixed but unrecognized kind must NOT render a trusted button:
+  // recognition is an exact allowlist, not a prefix match.
+  assert.ok(
+    !html.includes("permission-decision-opt-reject-future"),
+    "unknown reject_*-prefixed kind must not render an actionable button",
+  );
+  assert.ok(
+    !html.includes("<button"),
+    "unknown reject_*-prefixed-only card must not render any button element",
+  );
+  assert.ok(
+    !html.includes("permission-decision-persistent-grant"),
+    "unknown reject_*-prefixed kind must not render the persistent-grant badge",
+  );
+  // The outer permission card shell is still rendered.
+  assert.ok(
+    html.includes("transcript-permission-item"),
+    "unknown reject_*-prefixed kind still renders the permission card shell",
+  );
+});
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// reject_always with no label — actionable Deny labelled "Always deny"
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+test("test_reject_always_without_label_renders_always_deny_button", () => {
+  const html = renderToStaticMarkup(
+    React.createElement(LifecycleActivity, {
+      ...BASE_PROPS,
+      item: pendingPermissionItem([
+        { optionId: "opt-reject-always", kind: "reject_always" },
+      ]),
+    }),
+  );
+
+  // Persistent denial stays actionable (fail-safe), but the harness omitted a
+  // label — the default must disclose persistence, not read generic "Deny".
+  assert.ok(
+    html.includes("permission-decision-opt-reject-always"),
+    "reject_always should render an actionable button",
+  );
+  assert.ok(
+    html.includes("Always deny"),
+    "reject_always without a label must default to 'Always deny', not 'Deny'",
+  );
+});
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Mixed options — allow_once + allow_always in same card
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/activityRenderClasses/LifecycleActivity.tsx b/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/activityRenderClasses/LifecycleActivity.tsx
index 2b23d349b..eaa6a5142 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/activityRenderClasses/LifecycleActivity.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/activityRenderClasses/LifecycleActivity.tsx
@@ -39,6 +39,33 @@ function permissionOutcomeTone(outcome: string): "approve" | "deny" | "cancel" {
   return "cancel";
 }
 
+/**
+ * Exact recognized permission-option kinds the observer feed can act on.
+ * `allow_once` grants once; `reject_once` / `reject_always` deny (persistent
+ * denial only reduces authority, so it stays actionable and fail-safe). Any
+ * kind not in this set — including unrecognized `reject_*` variants — is
+ * treated as unknown and rendered non-actionable.
+ */
+const ACTIONABLE_KINDS = new Set([
+  "allow_once",
+  "reject_once",
+  "reject_always",
+]);
+
+function isActionableKind(kind: string): boolean {
+  return ACTIONABLE_KINDS.has(kind);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Default button label when the harness omits one. `reject_always` must read
+ * "Always deny" so a user never silently chooses persistent denial.
+ */
+function defaultOptionLabel(kind: string): string {
+  if (kind === "reject_always") return "Always deny";
+  if (kind === "reject_once") return "Deny";
+  return "Allow";
+}
+
 /**
  * Allow/Deny buttons for an actionable permission card.
  * Renders the agent's exact options as labeled buttons; a click sends the
@@ -78,11 +105,12 @@ function PermissionDecisionButtons({
   }, [deliveryFailed]);
 
   // Classify each option into an actionable bucket or a non-actionable
-  // display-only slot.  Unknown kinds fail closed: they are not rendered at
-  // all so the user cannot accidentally make an irreversible choice on an
-  // option the UI doesn't understand.
-  const actionableOptions = options.filter(
-    ({ kind }) => kind === "allow_once" || kind.startsWith("reject"),
+  // display-only slot.  Recognition is an EXACT allowlist, never a prefix:
+  // an unknown kind (including an unrecognized `reject_*` such as
+  // `reject_later_v2`) fails closed and is not rendered, so the user cannot
+  // click a trusted-looking button whose semantics this UI doesn't understand.
+  const actionableOptions = options.filter(({ kind }) =>
+    isActionableKind(kind),
   );
   const hasPersistentGrant = options.some(
     ({ kind }) => kind === "allow_always",
@@ -95,8 +123,8 @@ function PermissionDecisionButtons({
   return (
     <div className="mt-1.5 flex flex-wrap gap-1.5">
       {actionableOptions.map(({ optionId, kind, label }) => {
-        const isDeny = kind.startsWith("reject");
-        const displayLabel = label ?? (isDeny ? "Deny" : "Allow");
+        const isDeny = kind === "reject_once" || kind === "reject_always";
+        const displayLabel = label ?? defaultOptionLabel(kind);
         return (
           <button
             key={optionId}