From 66db6c749dd8b28145191869e998e702686bb5ae Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Peter Steinberger <steipete@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2026 05:23:29 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] fix: persist elevated off override

---
 src/auto-reply/reply.directive.test.ts     | 11 ++++++++++-
 src/auto-reply/reply/directive-handling.ts | 12 +++++-------
 src/gateway/sessions-patch.ts              |  4 ++--
 3 files changed, 17 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/auto-reply/reply.directive.test.ts b/src/auto-reply/reply.directive.test.ts
index 28ff47486..4cbcd2b32 100644
--- a/src/auto-reply/reply.directive.test.ts
+++ b/src/auto-reply/reply.directive.test.ts
@@ -811,6 +811,7 @@ describe("directive behavior", () => {
   it("returns status alongside directive-only acks", async () => {
     await withTempHome(async (home) => {
       vi.mocked(runEmbeddedPiAgent).mockReset();
+      const storePath = path.join(home, "sessions.json");
 
       const res = await getReplyFromConfig(
         {
@@ -834,13 +835,21 @@ describe("directive behavior", () => {
             },
           },
           whatsapp: { allowFrom: ["+1222"] },
-          session: { store: path.join(home, "sessions.json") },
+          session: { store: storePath },
         },
       );
 
       const text = Array.isArray(res) ? res[0]?.text : res?.text;
       expect(text).toContain("Elevated mode disabled.");
       expect(text).toContain("Session: agent:main:main");
+      const optionsLine = text
+        ?.split("\n")
+        .find((line) => line.trim().startsWith("⚙️"));
+      expect(optionsLine).toBeTruthy();
+      expect(optionsLine).not.toContain("elevated");
+
+      const store = loadSessionStore(storePath);
+      expect(store["agent:main:main"]?.elevatedLevel).toBe("off");
       expect(runEmbeddedPiAgent).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
   });
diff --git a/src/auto-reply/reply/directive-handling.ts b/src/auto-reply/reply/directive-handling.ts
index 37f7e6698..bbc8a4f2d 100644
--- a/src/auto-reply/reply/directive-handling.ts
+++ b/src/auto-reply/reply/directive-handling.ts
@@ -866,8 +866,9 @@ export async function handleDirectiveOnly(params: {
       else sessionEntry.reasoningLevel = directives.reasoningLevel;
     }
     if (directives.hasElevatedDirective && directives.elevatedLevel) {
-      if (directives.elevatedLevel === "off") delete sessionEntry.elevatedLevel;
-      else sessionEntry.elevatedLevel = directives.elevatedLevel;
+      // Unlike other toggles, elevated defaults can be "on".
+      // Persist "off" explicitly so `/elevated off` actually overrides defaults.
+      sessionEntry.elevatedLevel = directives.elevatedLevel;
     }
     if (modelSelection) {
       if (modelSelection.isDefault) {
@@ -1049,11 +1050,8 @@ export async function persistInlineDirectives(params: {
       elevatedEnabled &&
       elevatedAllowed
     ) {
-      if (directives.elevatedLevel === "off") {
-        delete sessionEntry.elevatedLevel;
-      } else {
-        sessionEntry.elevatedLevel = directives.elevatedLevel;
-      }
+      // Persist "off" explicitly so inline `/elevated off` overrides defaults.
+      sessionEntry.elevatedLevel = directives.elevatedLevel;
       updated = true;
     }
     const modelDirective =
diff --git a/src/gateway/sessions-patch.ts b/src/gateway/sessions-patch.ts
index 31421800a..397464c6a 100644
--- a/src/gateway/sessions-patch.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/sessions-patch.ts
@@ -144,8 +144,8 @@ export async function applySessionsPatchToStore(params: {
     } else if (raw !== undefined) {
       const normalized = normalizeElevatedLevel(String(raw));
       if (!normalized) return invalid('invalid elevatedLevel (use "on"|"off")');
-      if (normalized === "off") delete next.elevatedLevel;
-      else next.elevatedLevel = normalized;
+      // Persist "off" explicitly so patches can override defaults.
+      next.elevatedLevel = normalized;
     }
   }