diff --git a/romm-tui/src/tui/app/handlers/settings.rs b/romm-tui/src/tui/app/handlers/settings.rs
index 521b9c3..d74bb35 100644
--- a/romm-tui/src/tui/app/handlers/settings.rs
+++ b/romm-tui/src/tui/app/handlers/settings.rs
@@ -47,6 +47,16 @@ impl App {
     fn persist_settings_screen(&mut self) -> bool {
         use romm_api::config::persist_user_config;
 
+        if self.config_reset_pending_restart {
+            if let AppScreen::Settings(s) = &mut self.screen {
+                s.message = Some((
+                    "Settings were reset. Restart romm-cli before saving again.".to_string(),
+                    MessageTone::Warning,
+                ));
+            }
+            return false;
+        }
+
         let settings = match &self.screen {
             AppScreen::Settings(s) => s,
             _ => return false,
@@ -271,11 +281,21 @@ impl App {
             match key.code {
                 KeyCode::Enter => match settings.confirm.take().unwrap() {
                     crate::tui::screens::settings::SettingsConfirm::Reset => {
-                        let _ = romm_api::config::reset_all_settings();
-                        settings.message = Some((
-                            "Settings deleted. Please restart romm-cli.".to_string(),
-                            MessageTone::Warning,
-                        ));
+                        match romm_api::config::reset_all_settings() {
+                            Ok(()) => {
+                                self.config_reset_pending_restart = true;
+                                settings.message = Some((
+                                    "Settings deleted. Please restart romm-cli.".to_string(),
+                                    MessageTone::Warning,
+                                ));
+                            }
+                            Err(e) => {
+                                settings.message = Some((
+                                    format!("Failed to reset settings: {e}"),
+                                    MessageTone::Error,
+                                ));
+                            }
+                        }
                     }
                     crate::tui::screens::settings::SettingsConfirm::ClearCache => {
                         match romm_api::core::cache::RomCache::clear_file() {
diff --git a/romm-tui/src/tui/app/mod.rs b/romm-tui/src/tui/app/mod.rs
index f062c42..5ef792c 100644
--- a/romm-tui/src/tui/app/mod.rs
+++ b/romm-tui/src/tui/app/mod.rs
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ pub struct App {
     pub screen: AppScreen,
     client: RommClient,
     config: Config,
+    config_reset_pending_restart: bool,
     /// RomM server version from `GET /api/heartbeat` (`SYSTEM.VERSION`), if available.
     server_version: Option<String>,
     save_sync_compat: SaveSyncCompatibility,
@@ -258,6 +259,7 @@ impl App {
             ))),
             client,
             config,
+            config_reset_pending_restart: false,
             server_version,
             save_sync_compat,
             metadata_edit_compat,
@@ -338,6 +340,9 @@ impl App {
     }
 
     pub(in crate::tui::app) fn persist_tui_layout(&self) {
+        if self.config_reset_pending_restart {
+            return;
+        }
         let mut config = self.config.clone();
         config.auth = auth_for_persist_merge(config.auth);
         if let Err(e) = romm_api::config::persist_user_config(&config) {
diff --git a/romm-tui/src/tui/app/tests.rs b/romm-tui/src/tui/app/tests.rs
index 861c616..5398f4e 100644
--- a/romm-tui/src/tui/app/tests.rs
+++ b/romm-tui/src/tui/app/tests.rs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ use romm_api::types::{Platform, RomList};
 use romm_api::update::UpdateStatus;
 use serde_json::json;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
-use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
+use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex, MutexGuard};
 use std::time::{Duration, Instant, SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};
 use tokio::io::{AsyncReadExt, AsyncWriteExt};
 use wiremock::matchers::{method, path, query_param};
@@ -1748,6 +1748,34 @@ fn app_on_library() -> App {
     )
 }
 
+struct IsolatedConfigDir {
+    _guard: MutexGuard<'static, ()>,
+    dir: PathBuf,
+}
+
+impl IsolatedConfigDir {
+    fn new(prefix: &str) -> Self {
+        let guard = romm_api::config::test_env_lock()
+            .lock()
+            .unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_inner());
+        let ts = std::time::SystemTime::now()
+            .duration_since(std::time::UNIX_EPOCH)
+            .unwrap()
+            .as_nanos();
+        let dir = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("romm-tui-{prefix}-test-{ts}"));
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir).unwrap();
+        std::env::set_var("ROMM_TEST_CONFIG_DIR", &dir);
+        Self { _guard: guard, dir }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Drop for IsolatedConfigDir {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        std::env::remove_var("ROMM_TEST_CONFIG_DIR");
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&self.dir);
+    }
+}
+
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn settings_theme_preview_reverts_when_leaving_without_save() {
     std::env::remove_var("NO_COLOR");
@@ -1778,6 +1806,44 @@ async fn settings_theme_preview_reverts_when_leaving_without_save() {
     assert_eq!(app.theme_id(), saved_theme);
 }
 
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn settings_reset_prevents_later_config_persistence() {
+    let _env = IsolatedConfigDir::new("settings-reset");
+    let mut app = app_on_library();
+
+    romm_api::config::persist_user_config(&app.config).expect("seed config");
+    let config_path = romm_api::config::user_config_json_path().expect("config path");
+    assert!(config_path.exists(), "test setup should create config.json");
+
+    app.screen = AppScreen::Settings(Box::new(SettingsScreen::new(
+        &app.config,
+        None,
+        supported_save_sync_compatibility(),
+    )));
+    if let AppScreen::Settings(settings) = &mut app.screen {
+        settings.confirm = Some(SettingsConfirm::Reset);
+    }
+
+    app.handle_key_event(&KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Enter, KeyModifiers::empty()))
+        .await
+        .expect("confirm reset");
+    assert!(!config_path.exists(), "reset should remove config.json");
+
+    app.handle_key_event(&KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Char('S'), KeyModifiers::empty()))
+        .await
+        .expect("save after reset");
+    assert!(
+        !config_path.exists(),
+        "settings save must not recreate config.json after reset"
+    );
+
+    app.persist_tui_layout();
+    assert!(
+        !config_path.exists(),
+        "layout persistence must not recreate config.json after reset"
+    );
+}
+
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn global_slash_toggles_search_overlay() {
     let mut app = app_on_library();