diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/config/config_tests.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/config/config_tests.rs
index 19cdbc7d09..3598a50a14 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/config/config_tests.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/config/config_tests.rs
@@ -1631,6 +1631,41 @@ fn resolve_tool_feature_overrides_profile_web_search_config_only_inherits_disabl
     );
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn resolve_tool_feature_overrides_web_search_config_only_defaults_to_enabled_when_both_layers_present() {
+    let cfg = ConfigToml {
+        tools: Some(ToolsToml {
+            web_search: Some(WebSearchFeatureToml {
+                enabled: None,
+                config: WebSearchToolConfig::default(),
+            }),
+            ..Default::default()
+        }),
+        ..Default::default()
+    };
+    let profile = ConfigProfile {
+        tools: Some(ToolsToml {
+            web_search: Some(WebSearchFeatureToml {
+                enabled: None,
+                config: WebSearchToolConfig {
+                    context_size: Some(WebSearchContextSize::Low),
+                    ..Default::default()
+                },
+            }),
+            ..Default::default()
+        }),
+        ..Default::default()
+    };
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        resolve_tool_feature_overrides(&cfg, &profile),
+        ToolFeatureOverrides {
+            web_search: Some(true),
+            ..Default::default()
+        }
+    );
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn web_search_mode_for_turn_uses_preference_for_read_only() {
     let web_search_mode = Constrained::allow_any(WebSearchMode::Cached);
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/config/mod.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/config/mod.rs
index e723b677dd..bc1d83a7f0 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/config/mod.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/config/mod.rs
@@ -2231,7 +2231,10 @@ fn resolve_tool_feature_overrides(
             base.and_then(|tools| tools.web_search.as_ref()),
         ) {
             (Some(profile_web_search), Some(base_web_search)) => {
-                profile_web_search.enabled.or(base_web_search.enabled)
+                profile_web_search
+                    .enabled
+                    .or(base_web_search.enabled)
+                    .or(Some(true))
             }
             (Some(profile_web_search), None) => Some(profile_web_search.is_enabled()),
             (None, Some(base_web_search)) => Some(base_web_search.is_enabled()),