diff --git a/hive-runtime/src/acp/mod.rs b/hive-runtime/src/acp/mod.rs
index c08a13f3..dee41271 100644
--- a/hive-runtime/src/acp/mod.rs
+++ b/hive-runtime/src/acp/mod.rs
@@ -159,7 +159,8 @@ impl Canceller {
 pub struct Choice {
     pub current: String,
     pub values: Vec<String>,
-    /// The value the agent last refused to set, until it accepts one.
+    /// The value the agent last refused to set, until it accepts one, the
+    /// value wanted is the one the session holds, or the agent is respawned.
     pub refused: Option<String>,
 }
 
@@ -211,6 +212,10 @@ impl Choices {
         self.lock().options = options;
     }
 
+    fn reset(&self) {
+        *self.lock() = Offered::default();
+    }
+
     fn refuse(&self, category: &'static str, value: &str) {
         self.lock().refused.insert(category, value.to_owned());
     }
@@ -368,7 +373,7 @@ impl<P: CompactionPolicy> AcpRuntime<P> {
             return Err(AcpError::NoHttpMcp.into());
         }
         tracing::info!(agent = %init["agentInfo"], "ACP agent initialized");
-        self.choices.replace(Vec::new());
+        self.choices.reset();
         Ok(Live {
             conn,
             load_session: caps["loadSession"] == Value::Bool(true),
@@ -832,8 +837,9 @@ async fn choose_model_and_effort(
 
 /// Set `session`'s config option of `category` to `wanted`, if the session
 /// offers that value and holds another. A refusal is reported to `sink` and
-/// kept as the choice's [`Choice::refused`] until the agent accepts a value;
-/// the turn goes ahead on the value the session holds.
+/// kept as the choice's [`Choice::refused`] until the agent accepts a value
+/// or `wanted` is none or the value the session holds; the turn goes ahead on
+/// the value the session holds.
 async fn choose(
     live: &mut Live,
     session: &str,
@@ -844,9 +850,11 @@ async fn choose(
     let Some(option) = live.choices.find(category) else {
         return Ok(());
     };
-    let Some(wanted) =
-        wanted.filter(|w| *w != option.current && option.values.iter().any(|v| v == w))
-    else {
+    if wanted.is_none_or(|w| w == option.current) {
+        live.choices.accept(category);
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+    let Some(wanted) = wanted.filter(|w| option.values.iter().any(|v| v == w)) else {
         return Ok(());
     };
     let params = json!({ "sessionId": session, "configId": option.id, "value": wanted });
@@ -1578,4 +1586,57 @@ done
             Some(choice("m/plain", &["m/think", "m/plain"]))
         );
     }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn a_refusal_is_dropped_when_the_agent_is_respawned() {
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let env = [("OPTIONS", "1"), ("REFUSE", "m/plain")];
+        let runtime = agent(dir.path(), "ok", &env, policy(0));
+        let choices = runtime.choices().unwrap();
+        let mut config = Config {
+            model: Some("m/plain".into()),
+            ..config(dir.path())
+        };
+        runtime.run(&config, "one", &NoopSink).await.unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            choices.get().model.and_then(|c| c.refused).as_deref(),
+            Some("m/plain")
+        );
+
+        // `haiku` is not on offer, so the new process is asked to set nothing.
+        *runtime.live.lock().await = None;
+        config.model = Some("haiku".into());
+        runtime.run(&config, "two", &NoopSink).await.unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(count(dir.path(), "start"), 2);
+        assert_eq!(sets(dir.path()), ["model=m/plain"]);
+        assert_eq!(
+            choices.get().model,
+            Some(choice("m/think", &["m/think", "m/plain"]))
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn a_refusal_is_dropped_when_the_session_s_own_value_is_wanted() {
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let env = [("OPTIONS", "1"), ("REFUSE", "m/plain")];
+        let runtime = agent(dir.path(), "ok", &env, policy(0));
+        let choices = runtime.choices().unwrap();
+        let mut config = Config {
+            model: Some("m/plain".into()),
+            ..config(dir.path())
+        };
+        runtime.run(&config, "one", &NoopSink).await.unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            choices.get().model.and_then(|c| c.refused).as_deref(),
+            Some("m/plain")
+        );
+
+        config.model = Some("m/think".into());
+        runtime.run(&config, "two", &NoopSink).await.unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(sets(dir.path()), ["model=m/plain"]);
+        assert_eq!(
+            choices.get().model,
+            Some(choice("m/think", &["m/think", "m/plain"]))
+        );
+    }
 }