diff --git a/config-example.toml b/config-example.toml
index df4a54a..559bc4f 100644
--- a/config-example.toml
+++ b/config-example.toml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-# Globals; [profile.<name>] overrides them when --profile <name> is passed.
-# CLI flags override both.
+# Layered settings: CLI > active profile > globals. `--profile` selects the
+# profile, otherwise `default-profile` below is used. Vec fields append across
+# layers; scalars replace.
 
 whitelist = true
 # blacklist = true
@@ -11,8 +12,6 @@ whitelist = true
 # chdir = "~/projects/my-repo"
 
 ro = [
-    "~/.local/share/claude-code",
-    "~/.local/share/codex-cli",
     "~/dev/agent-config",
     "/etc/alsa",
     "/run/user/1000/pulse",
@@ -20,7 +19,6 @@ ro = [
     # "/host/path:/sandbox/path",  # SRC:DST -> mount host SRC at a different target
 ]
 rw = [
-    "~/.config/claude",
     "~/.cargo",
     "~/.rustup",
 ]
@@ -33,12 +31,17 @@ env = [
 ]
 # unsetenv = ["SOME_LEAKED_VAR"]
 
-entrypoint = ["claude", "--dangerously-skip-permissions"]
-# command = ["--model", "opus"]   # default trailing args
-# bwrap-args = ["--tmpfs /opt/scratch"]  # raw bwrap escape hatch
+# entrypoint = ["claude", "--dangerously-skip-permissions"]  # binary + baked-in args
+# command = ["--model", "opus"]                              # default trailing args
+# bwrap-args = ["--tmpfs /opt/scratch"]                      # raw bwrap escape hatch
 
-# Profiles inherit all globals above and override keys they set. Select one at
-# runtime with `--profile <name>`. Vec fields (ro/rw/mask/env/unsetenv) append
-# to the globals; scalar fields replace. Profile-less runs use just the globals.
-[profile.blacklist]
-blacklist = true
+default-profile = "claude"
+
+[profile.claude]
+ro = ["~/.local/share/claude-code"]
+rw = ["~/.config/claude"]
+entrypoint = ["claude", "--dangerously-skip-permissions"]
+
+[profile.codex]
+ro = ["~/.local/share/codex-cli"]
+entrypoint = ["codex", "--dangerously-bypass-approvals-and-sandbox"]
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index fa3f598..2f11141 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -290,6 +290,8 @@ pub struct FileConfig {
     pub options: Options,
     #[serde(default)]
     pub profile: HashMap<String, Options>,
+    #[serde(rename = "default-profile", default)]
+    pub default_profile: Option<String>,
     // Collects unrecognized keys; deny_unknown_fields is incompatible with flatten.
     #[serde(flatten)]
     _unknown: HashMap<String, toml::Value>,
@@ -322,7 +324,7 @@ impl FileConfig {
     }
 
     fn resolve_profile(&self, name: Option<&str>) -> Result<Options, SandboxError> {
-        match name {
+        match name.or(self.default_profile.as_deref()) {
             Some(n) => self
                 .profile
                 .get(n)
@@ -879,6 +881,65 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(!config.hardened);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn build_default_profile_used_when_cli_absent() {
+        let file_config = FileConfig {
+            default_profile: Some("auto".into()),
+            profile: HashMap::from([(
+                "auto".into(),
+                Options {
+                    hardened: Some(true),
+                    ..Options::default()
+                },
+            )]),
+            ..FileConfig::default()
+        };
+        let config = build(args_with_command(), Some(file_config)).unwrap();
+        assert!(config.hardened);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn build_cli_profile_overrides_default_profile() {
+        let file_config = FileConfig {
+            default_profile: Some("auto".into()),
+            profile: HashMap::from([
+                (
+                    "auto".into(),
+                    Options {
+                        hardened: Some(true),
+                        ..Options::default()
+                    },
+                ),
+                (
+                    "other".into(),
+                    Options {
+                        hardened: Some(false),
+                        ..Options::default()
+                    },
+                ),
+            ]),
+            ..FileConfig::default()
+        };
+        let args = Args {
+            profile: Some("other".into()),
+            ..args_with_command()
+        };
+        let config = build(args, Some(file_config)).unwrap();
+        assert!(!config.hardened);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn build_missing_default_profile_errors() {
+        let file_config = FileConfig {
+            default_profile: Some("nope".into()),
+            ..FileConfig::default()
+        };
+        assert!(matches!(
+            build(args_with_command(), Some(file_config)),
+            Err(SandboxError::ProfileNotFound(_))
+        ));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn build_missing_profile_errors() {
         let args = Args {