diff --git a/codex-rs/cli/tests/daemon_startup.rs b/codex-rs/cli/tests/daemon_startup.rs
index e55abb9164..12bcba2bcf 100644
--- a/codex-rs/cli/tests/daemon_startup.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/cli/tests/daemon_startup.rs
@@ -364,6 +364,17 @@ async fn daemon_startup(command: &str) -> Result<()> {
                             ensure!(text.contains("Cannotusethesharedbackgroundserver:Thissessionrequiresapi_key_model_discoverytobedisabled."));
                         } else {
                             ensure!(text.contains("Server:Localbackgroundserver") == restart);
+                            if restart {
+                                let settings: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_slice(
+                                    &fs::read(home.path().join("app-server-daemon/settings.json"))?
+                                )?;
+                                let flag = if disabling && !persisted {
+                                    "auth_elicitation"
+                                } else {
+                                    "api_key_model_discovery"
+                                };
+                                assert_eq!(settings["featureOverrides"], serde_json::json!({(flag): false}));
+                            }
                         }
                     } else if command == "start" {
                         ensure!(text.contains("Server:Localbackgroundserver"));
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/daemon_recovery.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/daemon_recovery.rs
index 2c9959201e..0dd9808bfb 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/daemon_recovery.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/daemon_recovery.rs
@@ -31,10 +31,15 @@ pub(super) async fn check(
     startup: &mut StartupDraft,
     target: &AppServerTarget,
     config: &Config,
+    cli_kv_overrides: &[(String, toml::Value)],
     managed_daemon: bool,
 ) -> io::Result<Option<String>> {
     let issue = match startup
-        .run_until(daemon_startup::compatibility_warning(target, config))
+        .run_until(daemon_startup::compatibility_warning(
+            target,
+            config,
+            cli_kv_overrides,
+        ))
         .await?
     {
         Ok(warning) => return Ok(warning),
@@ -104,7 +109,11 @@ pub(super) async fn check(
             })
             .await?;
             startup
-                .run_until(daemon_startup::compatibility_warning(target, config))
+                .run_until(daemon_startup::compatibility_warning(
+                    target,
+                    config,
+                    cli_kv_overrides,
+                ))
                 .await?
                 .map_err(io::Error::other)
         }
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/daemon_startup.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/daemon_startup.rs
index 6476c94c7b..91c38d7837 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/daemon_startup.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/daemon_startup.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@
 //! Windows sessions use explicit embedded behavior before discovery or startup.
 
 use super::*;
+use codex_app_server_client::TypedRequestError;
+use codex_app_server_protocol::ClientRequest;
+use codex_app_server_protocol::ConfigRequirementsReadResponse;
+use codex_app_server_protocol::RequestId;
 use std::collections::BTreeMap;
 
 const SERVER_FEATURES: [Feature; 4] = [
@@ -155,6 +159,7 @@ pub(super) fn server_features(overrides: &[(String, toml::Value)]) -> BTreeMap<S
 pub(super) async fn compatibility_warning(
     target: &AppServerTarget,
     config: &Config,
+    cli_kv_overrides: &[(String, toml::Value)],
 ) -> Result<Option<String>, CompatibilityError> {
     let AppServerTarget::LocalDaemon {
         allow_embedded_fallback,
@@ -165,15 +170,61 @@ pub(super) async fn compatibility_warning(
     };
     let mut restart_features = None;
     let check = async {
-        // The feature-list RPC cannot report this process-scoped structured setting.
-        if !config.features.enabled(Feature::CodeModeHost)
-            && config.code_mode.disable_in_process_fallback
-        {
-            return Err("code-mode host fallback policy requires embedded mode".to_string());
-        }
         let client = app_server_connection::connect(target)
             .await
             .map_err(|_| "could not connect to check daemon feature settings".to_string())?;
+        // File settings and defaults belong to the daemon until it restarts.
+        // Only explicit invocation flags can request a shared-service restart.
+        let mut requested = server_features(cli_kv_overrides);
+        if requested.is_empty() {
+            let _ = client.shutdown().await;
+            return Ok(());
+        }
+        // Both legacy managed config and current requirements override CLI flags.
+        let layers = crate::config_update::read_effective_config_if_supported(
+            client.request_handle(),
+            config.cwd.as_path(),
+        )
+        .await
+        .map_err(|_| "could not read daemon configuration".to_string())?
+        .and_then(|config| config.layers)
+        .unwrap_or_default();
+        for layer in layers.iter().filter(|layer| {
+            layer["disabledReason"].is_null()
+                && matches!(
+                    layer["name"]["type"].as_str(),
+                    Some("legacyManagedConfigTomlFromFile" | "legacyManagedConfigTomlFromMdm")
+                )
+        }) {
+            requested.retain(|name, _| layer["config"]["features"].get(name).is_none());
+        }
+        match client
+            .request_handle()
+            .request_typed::<ConfigRequirementsReadResponse>(
+                ClientRequest::ConfigRequirementsRead {
+                    request_id: RequestId::String("tui-daemon-requirements".to_string()),
+                    params: None,
+                },
+            )
+            .await
+        {
+            Ok(response) => {
+                if let Some(required) = response.requirements.and_then(|r| r.feature_requirements) {
+                    requested.retain(|name, _| !required.contains_key(name));
+                }
+            }
+            Err(TypedRequestError::Server { source, .. })
+                if source.code == -32601
+                    || source.code == -32600
+                        && source.message.contains("configRequirements/read")
+                        && (source.message.contains("unknown variant")
+                            || source.message.contains("unknown method")) => {}
+            Err(_) => return Err("could not check daemon configuration requirements".to_string()),
+        }
+        if requested.is_empty() {
+            let _ = client.shutdown().await;
+            return Ok(());
+        }
         let (tx, rx) = tokio::sync::oneshot::channel();
         crate::experimental_features::fetch(
             client.request_handle(),
@@ -184,27 +235,17 @@ pub(super) async fn compatibility_warning(
         let result = rx.await;
         let _ = client.shutdown().await;
         let features = result.map_err(|_| "daemon feature check was interrupted".to_string())??;
-        // A previous client may have launched this daemon with overrides, even if
-        // this client has none. Check effective values, including defaults.
-        for feature in SERVER_FEATURES {
-            let name = feature.key();
-            let enabled = config.features.enabled(feature);
+        for (name, enabled) in &requested {
             if features
                 .iter()
-                .find(|feature| feature.name == name)
+                .find(|feature| feature.name == *name)
                 .is_some_and(|feature| feature.enabled)
-                != enabled
+                != *enabled
             {
-                restart_features = Some(
-                    SERVER_FEATURES
-                        .into_iter()
-                        .map(|feature| {
-                            (feature.key().to_string(), config.features.enabled(feature))
-                        })
-                        .collect(),
-                );
-                let state = if enabled { "enabled" } else { "disabled" };
-                return Err(format!("This session requires {name} to be {state}"));
+                let state = if *enabled { "enabled" } else { "disabled" };
+                let reason = format!("This session requires {name} to be {state}");
+                restart_features = Some(requested);
+                return Err(reason);
             }
         }
         Ok::<(), String>(())
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/daemon_startup_tests.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/daemon_startup_tests.rs
index 93f169f037..2a6a2eaf1f 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/daemon_startup_tests.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/daemon_startup_tests.rs
@@ -152,6 +152,10 @@ async fn daemon_feature_compatibility_respects_required_and_optional_attachment(
             "matching",
             "stale overrides",
             "conflicting client",
+            "explicit enable",
+            "managed",
+            "legacy managed",
+            "old requirements server",
             "unsupported RPC",
         ] {
             let home = TempDir::new()?;
@@ -161,19 +165,21 @@ async fn daemon_feature_compatibility_respects_required_and_optional_attachment(
                 .build()
                 .await?;
             config.features.enable(Feature::ApiKeyModelDiscovery)?;
-            if scenario == "conflicting client" {
-                config.features.disable(Feature::ApiKeyModelDiscovery)?;
-            }
+            let cli_overrides = match scenario {
+                "matching" | "stale overrides" => Vec::new(),
+                _ => vec![(
+                    "features.api_key_model_discovery".to_string(),
+                    toml::Value::Boolean(scenario == "explicit enable"),
+                )],
+            };
             let features = [
                 Feature::ApiKeyModelDiscovery,
                 Feature::CodeModeHost,
                 Feature::AuthElicitation,
                 Feature::McpOAuthRefreshCoordination,
             ].map(|feature| {
-                let enabled = if feature == Feature::ApiKeyModelDiscovery && scenario == "stale overrides" {
+                let enabled = if feature == Feature::ApiKeyModelDiscovery && matches!(scenario, "stale overrides" | "explicit enable") {
                     false
-                } else if feature == Feature::ApiKeyModelDiscovery && scenario == "conflicting client" {
-                    true
                 } else {
                     config.features.enabled(feature)
                 };
@@ -195,16 +201,34 @@ async fn daemon_feature_compatibility_respects_required_and_optional_attachment(
                     else {
                         continue;
                     };
-                    let response = if request.method == "initialize" {
-                        json!({"id": request.id, "result": {"userAgent": "daemon-test"}})
-                    } else {
-                        assert_eq!(request.method, "experimentalFeature/list");
-                        assert_eq!(request.params.unwrap()["threadId"], json!(null));
-                        if scenario == "unsupported RPC" {
+                    let response = match request.method.as_str() {
+                        "initialize" => {
+                            json!({"id": request.id, "result": {"userAgent": "daemon-test"}})
+                        }
+                        "config/read" => {
+                            json!({"id": request.id, "result": {"config": {}, "layers": [{
+                                "name": {"type": "legacyManagedConfigTomlFromFile"}, "config":
+                                if scenario == "legacy managed" {
+                                    json!({"features": {"api_key_model_discovery": true}})
+                                } else { json!({}) }
+                            }]}})
+                        }
+                        "configRequirements/read" if scenario == "old requirements server" => {
+                            json!({"id": request.id, "error": {"code": -32600, "message": "Invalid request: unknown variant `configRequirements/read`"}})
+                        }
+                        "configRequirements/read" => json!({"id": request.id, "result": {
+                            "requirements": if scenario == "managed" {
+                                json!({"featureRequirements": {"api_key_model_discovery": true}})
+                            } else { json!(null) }
+                        }}),
+                        "experimentalFeature/list" if scenario == "unsupported RPC" => {
                             json!({"id": request.id, "error": {"code": -32601, "message": "method not found"}})
-                        } else {
+                        }
+                        "experimentalFeature/list" => {
+                            assert_eq!(request.params.unwrap()["threadId"], json!(null));
                             json!({"id": request.id, "result": {"data": features, "nextCursor": null}})
                         }
+                        _ => panic!("unexpected request: {}", request.method),
                     };
                     socket
                         .send(Message::Text(response.to_string().into()))
@@ -212,15 +236,19 @@ async fn daemon_feature_compatibility_respects_required_and_optional_attachment(
                         .unwrap();
                 }
             });
-            let result = daemon_startup::compatibility_warning(&target, &config).await;
+            let result =
+                daemon_startup::compatibility_warning(&target, &config, &cli_overrides).await;
             server.await?;
-            if scenario == "matching" {
+            if matches!(
+                scenario,
+                "matching" | "stale overrides" | "managed" | "legacy managed"
+            ) {
                 assert_eq!(result?, None);
                 continue;
             }
             let reason = match scenario {
-                "stale overrides" => "This session requires api_key_model_discovery to be enabled",
-                "conflicting client" => {
+                "explicit enable" => "This session requires api_key_model_discovery to be enabled",
+                "conflicting client" | "old requirements server" => {
                     "This session requires api_key_model_discovery to be disabled"
                 }
                 "unsupported RPC" => "Experimental feature request failed",
@@ -242,7 +270,7 @@ async fn daemon_feature_compatibility_respects_required_and_optional_attachment(
                         daemon_startup::FAILURE_HINT
                     )
                 );
-                if scenario == "stale overrides" {
+                if scenario == "explicit enable" {
                     insta::assert_snapshot!("daemon_feature_mismatch_error", error);
                 }
             }
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/startup_orchestration.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/startup_orchestration.rs
index 87c1c42f54..e09f18a29a 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/startup_orchestration.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/startup_orchestration.rs
@@ -585,6 +585,7 @@ pub(super) async fn run_main_inner(
             &mut startup_draft,
             &app_server_target,
             &config,
+            &cli_kv_overrides,
             managed_daemon,
         )
         .await?
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/tests/suite/daemon_compatibility.rs b/codex-rs/tui/tests/suite/daemon_compatibility.rs
index 4ca27c838c..9a0ca72974 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/tests/suite/daemon_compatibility.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/tests/suite/daemon_compatibility.rs
@@ -8,27 +8,16 @@ use anyhow::ensure;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::JSONRPCMessage;
 use futures::SinkExt;
 use futures::StreamExt;
-use pretty_assertions::assert_eq;
 use serde_json::json;
 use tokio::net::UnixListener;
 use tokio_tungstenite::tungstenite::Message;
 
 #[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]
-async fn incompatible_daemon_falls_back_for_default_and_explicit_features() -> Result<()> {
-    for scenario in ["default", "explicit", "host policy"] {
+async fn incompatible_daemon_falls_back_for_explicit_features() -> Result<()> {
+    for scenario in ["explicit enable", "explicit disable"] {
         let cwd = codex_utils_cargo_bin::repo_root()?;
         let home = tempfile::tempdir_in("/tmp")?;
         write_test_config(home.path(), &cwd)?;
-        if scenario == "host policy" {
-            let path = home.path().join("config.toml");
-            let contents = std::fs::read_to_string(&path)?;
-            std::fs::write(
-                path,
-                format!(
-                    "features.code_mode_host = {{enabled=false, disable_in_process_fallback=true}}\n{contents}"
-                ),
-            )?;
-        }
         let socket = codex_app_server_client::app_server_control_socket_path(home.path())?;
         std::fs::create_dir_all(socket.parent().unwrap())?;
         let listener = UnixListener::bind(socket.as_path())?;
@@ -43,15 +32,22 @@ async fn incompatible_daemon_falls_back_for_default_and_explicit_features() -> R
                 let JSONRPCMessage::Request(request) = serde_json::from_str(&text)? else {
                     continue;
                 };
-                let response = if request.method == "initialize" {
-                    json!({"id": request.id, "result": {"userAgent": "daemon-test/0.0.0"}})
-                } else {
-                    assert_eq!(request.method, "experimentalFeature/list");
-                    json!({"id": request.id, "result": {"data": [{
+                let response = match request.method.as_str() {
+                    "initialize" => {
+                        json!({"id": request.id, "result": {"userAgent": "daemon-test/0.0.0"}})
+                    }
+                    "config/read" => {
+                        json!({"id": request.id, "result": {"config": {}, "layers": []}})
+                    }
+                    "configRequirements/read" => {
+                        json!({"id": request.id, "result": {"requirements": null}})
+                    }
+                    "experimentalFeature/list" => json!({"id": request.id, "result": {"data": [{
                         "name": "api_key_model_discovery", "stage": "stable",
                         "displayName": null, "description": null, "announcement": null,
-                        "enabled": scenario == "explicit", "defaultEnabled": true,
-                    }], "nextCursor": null}})
+                        "enabled": scenario == "explicit disable", "defaultEnabled": true,
+                    }], "nextCursor": null}}),
+                    _ => panic!("unexpected request: {}", request.method),
                 };
                 socket
                     .send(Message::Text(response.to_string().into()))
@@ -59,25 +55,24 @@ async fn incompatible_daemon_falls_back_for_default_and_explicit_features() -> R
             }
             Ok::<_, anyhow::Error>(())
         });
-        let args = if scenario == "explicit" {
+        let args = if scenario == "explicit disable" {
             vec!["-c", "features.api_key_model_discovery=false"]
         } else {
-            vec![]
+            vec!["-c", "features.api_key_model_discovery=true"]
         };
         let mut terminal = PtyCodex::start(&cwd, home, &args)?;
         terminal.wait_for_startup()?;
         terminal.wait_for_screen("warning")?;
         terminal.write_input(b"\x14")?;
         let (snapshot, warning_end) = match scenario {
-            "default" => (
+            "explicit enable" => (
                 "daemon_feature_mismatch",
                 "api_key_model_discovery to be enabled.",
             ),
-            "explicit" => (
+            "explicit disable" => (
                 "daemon_override_mismatch",
                 "api_key_model_discovery to be disabled.",
             ),
-            "host policy" => ("daemon_host_policy_mismatch", "requires embedded mode."),
             _ => unreachable!(),
         };
         terminal.wait_for_screen(warning_end)?;
@@ -94,10 +89,6 @@ async fn incompatible_daemon_falls_back_for_default_and_explicit_features() -> R
         terminal.write_input(b"\r")?;
         terminal.wait_for_screen("Model:")?;
         ensure!(!terminal.screen_contains("unix://"));
-        if scenario == "host policy" {
-            server.abort();
-            continue;
-        }
         tokio::time::timeout(std::time::Duration::from_secs(/*secs*/ 5), server).await???;
     }
     Ok(())