diff --git a/docs/index.html b/docs/index.html
index cdc6727..8bd35dd 100755
--- a/docs/index.html
+++ b/docs/index.html
@@ -24825,14 +24825,14 @@ Be specific and actionable. Format as structured JSON.`;
     }
   };
 
-  async function connect(ids) {
-    if (!ids.length) { if(window.toast) toast('Tick at least one ready agent first','warning'); return; }
+  async function connect(ids, replaceSelection) {
+    if (!ids.length && !replaceSelection) { if(window.toast) toast('Tick at least one ready agent first','warning'); return; }
     const deep = (document.getElementById('localAgentsDeepPing')||{}).checked;
     const btn = document.getElementById('localAgentsConnectAllBtn');
     const orig = btn ? btn.innerHTML : '';
     if (btn) { btn.disabled=true; btn.innerHTML='⚡ Connecting…'; btn.style.opacity='0.7'; }
     try {
-      const data = await api('/api/agents/local/connect', { ids: ids, ping: !!deep });
+      const data = await api('/api/agents/local/connect', { ids: ids, ping: !!deep, replace: !!replaceSelection });
       (data.results||[]).forEach(function(r){ if (r.ping) pingStatus[r.id] = { ok:r.ping.ok, latencyMs:r.ping.latencyMs, error:r.ping.error }; });
       render(lastDetected, (data.connected||[]).map(function(c){return c.id;}));
       persistConnected(connectedIds); // remember for silent auto-reconnect after refresh
@@ -24855,7 +24855,7 @@ Be specific and actionable. Format as structured JSON.`;
 
   window.connectSelectedLocalAgents = function() {
     const ids = Array.prototype.slice.call(document.querySelectorAll('.la-sel:checked')).map(function(c){return c.dataset.id;});
-    connect(ids);
+    connect(ids, true);
   };
   window.connectOneLocalAgent = function(id) { connect([id]); };
 
diff --git a/src/__tests__/local-agent-selection.test.ts b/src/__tests__/local-agent-selection.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aa1efa8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/__tests__/local-agent-selection.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { syncLocalAgentSelection } from '../agent/local-agents.js';
+
+describe('syncLocalAgentSelection', () => {
+  it('disconnects agents omitted from the bulk selection', () => {
+    const connected = new Map([
+      ['codex', { id: 'codex' }],
+      ['hermes', { id: 'hermes' }],
+    ]);
+
+    syncLocalAgentSelection(connected, ['hermes'], true);
+
+    expect([...connected.keys()]).toEqual(['hermes']);
+  });
+
+  it('preserves existing agents for an additive single-agent connect', () => {
+    const connected = new Map([
+      ['codex', { id: 'codex' }],
+      ['hermes', { id: 'hermes' }],
+    ]);
+
+    syncLocalAgentSelection(connected, ['hermes'], false);
+
+    expect([...connected.keys()]).toEqual(['codex', 'hermes']);
+  });
+
+  it('disconnects every agent when the bulk selection is empty', () => {
+    const connected = new Map([
+      ['codex', { id: 'codex' }],
+      ['hermes', { id: 'hermes' }],
+    ]);
+
+    syncLocalAgentSelection(connected, [], true);
+
+    expect(connected.size).toBe(0);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/agent/local-agents.ts b/src/agent/local-agents.ts
index 4899c72..ace7659 100644
--- a/src/agent/local-agents.ts
+++ b/src/agent/local-agents.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,19 @@ function childEnv(): NodeJS.ProcessEnv {
 
 export type LocalAgentId = 'claude' | 'codex' | 'hermes';
 
+/** Apply an authoritative bulk selection; single-agent connects remain additive. */
+export function syncLocalAgentSelection<T>(
+  connected: Map<string, T>,
+  selectedIds: string[],
+  replace: boolean,
+): void {
+  if (!replace) return;
+  const selected = new Set(selectedIds);
+  for (const id of connected.keys()) {
+    if (!selected.has(id)) connected.delete(id);
+  }
+}
+
 interface AgentSpec {
   id: LocalAgentId;
   label: string;
diff --git a/src/server.ts b/src/server.ts
index 1bcfece..1f16a79 100755
--- a/src/server.ts
+++ b/src/server.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import { LLMBackbone } from './llm/index.js';
 import { TempestCommand } from './index.js';
 import { OpGeneral } from './general/index.js';
 import type { Directive } from './general/index.js';
-import { detectLocalAgents, pingLocalAgent, runLocalAgent } from './agent/local-agents.js';
+import { detectLocalAgents, pingLocalAgent, runLocalAgent, syncLocalAgentSelection } from './agent/local-agents.js';
 import { FRONTIER_ARSENAL_MILESTONE, NETWORK_COMMANDS, SAFE_COMMANDS, TOOL_ADAPTERS, adapterForBinary, adaptersForFamily, summarizeToolCatalog } from './arsenal/catalog.js';
 import { AGENT_PROMPT_PACKS, FOREFRONT_PRESSURE_LANES, OPERATOR_RUNBOOKS, RESOURCE_PACKS, WORKFLOW_PRESETS, forefrontPressureForFamily, promptPacksForFamily, resourcesForFamily, runbookForFamily, searchResources, workflowPresetsForFamily } from './resources/index.js';
 import { AI_REDTEAM_PLAYBOOK, AI_REDTEAM_TECHNIQUE_IDS, aiRedTeamBriefing } from './resources/ai-redteam-playbook.js';
@@ -7363,12 +7363,13 @@ app.get('/api/agents/local/detect', async (_req: Request, res: Response): Promis
   }
 });
 
-// POST /api/agents/local/connect { ids:[...] | id, ping?:bool } — enlist one or many; optional round-trip
+// POST /api/agents/local/connect { ids:[...] | id, ping?:bool, replace?:bool } — enlist one or many; optional round-trip
 app.post('/api/agents/local/connect', async (req: Request, res: Response): Promise<void> => {
   const body = req.body || {};
   const ids: string[] = Array.isArray(body.ids) ? body.ids : (body.id ? [body.id] : []);
   const doPing: boolean = body.ping === true;
-  if (!ids.length) { res.status(400).json({ error: 'provide ids:[] or id' }); return; }
+  const replace: boolean = body.replace === true;
+  if (!ids.length && !replace) { res.status(400).json({ error: 'provide ids:[] or id' }); return; }
   const detected = await detectLocalAgents();
   const results: Array<Record<string, unknown>> = [];
   for (const id of ids) {
@@ -7380,6 +7381,7 @@ app.post('/api/agents/local/connect', async (req: Request, res: Response): Promi
     connectedLocalAgents.set(id, { id, label: d.label, version: d.version, connectedAt: Date.now(), lastPing: ping });
     results.push({ id, status: 'active', label: d.label, version: d.version, authMethod: d.authMethod, ping });
   }
+  syncLocalAgentSelection(connectedLocalAgents, ids, replace);
   res.json({ results, connected: Array.from(connectedLocalAgents.values()) });
 });