diff --git a/src/agent/tools/exec-approval-cli.ts b/src/agent/tools/exec-approval-cli.ts
index e62cc01e..f0fe23f9 100644
--- a/src/agent/tools/exec-approval-cli.ts
+++ b/src/agent/tools/exec-approval-cli.ts
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@ export function createCliApprovalCallback(
   const runtimeConfig = { ...config, allowlist: [...(config.allowlist ?? [])] };
 
   return async (command: string, cwd: string | undefined): Promise<ApprovalResult> => {
-    const security = runtimeConfig.security ?? "allowlist";
-    const ask = runtimeConfig.ask ?? "on-miss";
+    const security = runtimeConfig.security ?? "full";
+    const ask = runtimeConfig.ask ?? "off";
     const timeoutMs = runtimeConfig.timeoutMs ?? DEFAULT_APPROVAL_TIMEOUT_MS;
 
     // Security: deny blocks everything
@@ -137,13 +137,15 @@ function promptTerminal(
       rl.close();
     };
 
-    // Timeout: auto-deny
-    const timer = setTimeout(() => {
-      if (resolved) return;
-      process.stderr.write(dim(`\n  Approval timed out (${timeoutMs / 1000}s). Denying.\n\n`));
-      cleanup();
-      resolve("deny");
-    }, timeoutMs);
+    // Timeout: auto-deny (skip if timeoutMs is -1 for no timeout)
+    const timer = timeoutMs >= 0
+      ? setTimeout(() => {
+          if (resolved) return;
+          process.stderr.write(dim(`\n  Approval timed out (${timeoutMs / 1000}s). Denying.\n\n`));
+          cleanup();
+          resolve("deny");
+        }, timeoutMs)
+      : null;
 
     // Display approval prompt
     process.stderr.write("\n");
@@ -161,7 +163,7 @@ function promptTerminal(
     rl.question(
       `  ${bold("[a]")}llow once / ${bold("[A]")}llow always / ${bold("[d]")}eny (default: deny): `,
       (answer) => {
-        clearTimeout(timer);
+        if (timer) clearTimeout(timer);
         cleanup();
 
         const trimmed = answer.trim();
@@ -177,7 +179,7 @@ function promptTerminal(
 
     // Handle Ctrl+C gracefully
     rl.on("close", () => {
-      clearTimeout(timer);
+      if (timer) clearTimeout(timer);
       if (!resolved) {
         resolved = true;
         resolve("deny");
diff --git a/src/agent/tools/exec-approval-types.ts b/src/agent/tools/exec-approval-types.ts
index 030c89f4..cea40b52 100644
--- a/src/agent/tools/exec-approval-types.ts
+++ b/src/agent/tools/exec-approval-types.ts
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ export interface ExecApprovalConfig {
   security?: ExecSecurity;
   /** Ask mode: "off" never asks, "on-miss" asks when allowlist misses, "always" always asks */
   ask?: ExecAsk;
-  /** Timeout before auto-deny in milliseconds (default: 60_000) */
+  /** Timeout before auto-deny in milliseconds (default: 60_000). Set to -1 for no timeout. */
   timeoutMs?: number;
   /** Fallback security level on timeout (default: "deny" — fail-closed) */
   askFallback?: ExecSecurity;
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ export interface ExecApprovalConfig {
   allowlist?: ExecAllowlistEntry[];
 }
 
-/** Default timeout for approval requests (60 seconds) */
-export const DEFAULT_APPROVAL_TIMEOUT_MS = 60_000;
+/** Default timeout for approval requests (-1 = no timeout, wait indefinitely) */
+export const DEFAULT_APPROVAL_TIMEOUT_MS = -1;
 
 // ============ Allowlist ============
 
diff --git a/src/hub/exec-approval-manager.ts b/src/hub/exec-approval-manager.ts
index 8274b962..e3028b9a 100644
--- a/src/hub/exec-approval-manager.ts
+++ b/src/hub/exec-approval-manager.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import { DEFAULT_APPROVAL_TIMEOUT_MS } from "../agent/tools/exec-approval-types.
 
 interface PendingEntry {
   resolve: (result: ApprovalResult) => void;
-  timer: NodeJS.Timeout;
+  timer: NodeJS.Timeout | null;
   request: ExecApprovalRequest;
 }
 
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ export class ExecApprovalManager {
   }): Promise<ApprovalResult> {
     const approvalId = uuidv7();
     const timeoutMs = params.timeoutMs ?? this.defaultTimeoutMs;
-    const expiresAtMs = Date.now() + timeoutMs;
+    const expiresAtMs = timeoutMs >= 0 ? Date.now() + timeoutMs : -1;
 
     const request: ExecApprovalRequest = {
       approvalId,
@@ -65,19 +65,21 @@ export class ExecApprovalManager {
     };
 
     return new Promise<ApprovalResult>((resolve) => {
-      // Timeout: follow askFallback (default: fail-closed)
-      const timer = setTimeout(() => {
-        if (this.pending.has(approvalId)) {
-          this.pending.delete(approvalId);
-          const fallback = params.askFallback ?? "deny";
-          const decision =
-            fallback === "full" ||
-            (fallback === "allowlist" && params.allowlistSatisfied)
-              ? "allow-once"
-              : "deny";
-          resolve({ approved: decision !== "deny", decision });
-        }
-      }, timeoutMs);
+      // Timeout: follow askFallback (default: fail-closed). Skip if timeoutMs is -1 (no timeout).
+      const timer = timeoutMs >= 0
+        ? setTimeout(() => {
+            if (this.pending.has(approvalId)) {
+              this.pending.delete(approvalId);
+              const fallback = params.askFallback ?? "deny";
+              const decision =
+                fallback === "full" ||
+                (fallback === "allowlist" && params.allowlistSatisfied)
+                  ? "allow-once"
+                  : "deny";
+              resolve({ approved: decision !== "deny", decision });
+            }
+          }, timeoutMs)
+        : null;
 
       this.pending.set(approvalId, { resolve, timer, request });
 
@@ -86,7 +88,7 @@ export class ExecApprovalManager {
         this.sendToClient(params.agentId, request);
       } catch (err) {
         // If sending fails, auto-deny (fail-closed)
-        clearTimeout(timer);
+        if (timer) clearTimeout(timer);
         this.pending.delete(approvalId);
         console.error(`[ExecApprovalManager] Failed to send approval request: ${err}`);
         resolve({ approved: false, decision: "deny" });
@@ -102,7 +104,7 @@ export class ExecApprovalManager {
     const entry = this.pending.get(approvalId);
     if (!entry) return false;
 
-    clearTimeout(entry.timer);
+    if (entry.timer) clearTimeout(entry.timer);
     this.pending.delete(approvalId);
 
     entry.resolve({
@@ -120,7 +122,7 @@ export class ExecApprovalManager {
   cancelPending(agentId: string): void {
     for (const [id, entry] of this.pending) {
       if (entry.request.agentId === agentId) {
-        clearTimeout(entry.timer);
+        if (entry.timer) clearTimeout(entry.timer);
         this.pending.delete(id);
         entry.resolve({ approved: false, decision: "deny" });
       }
diff --git a/src/hub/hub.ts b/src/hub/hub.ts
index a83e4289..ba4d0cd0 100644
--- a/src/hub/hub.ts
+++ b/src/hub/hub.ts
@@ -422,8 +422,8 @@ export class Hub {
         // No profile config, use defaults
       }
 
-      const security = config.security ?? "allowlist";
-      const ask = config.ask ?? "on-miss";
+      const security = config.security ?? "full";
+      const ask = config.ask ?? "off";
 
       // Security: deny blocks everything
       if (security === "deny") {