diff --git a/profiles/_types.ts b/profiles/_types.ts
index 3f7d147e..1edfc9cc 100644
--- a/profiles/_types.ts
+++ b/profiles/_types.ts
@@ -43,11 +43,23 @@ export interface ProfileSkills {
   // Using it will throw a SchemaViolation.
 }
 
+/**
+ * Default MCP prune mode applied at launch when no `CUE_PRUNE_MCPS` env override
+ * is set. `off` keeps all MCPs (fail-open, the global default); `profile` drops
+ * unused profile-declared MCPs; `all` also drops unused global servers from the
+ * runtime .claude.json. Leaf-wins through single inheritance; most-aggressive
+ * wins across composite parts (off < profile < all). Pruning only ever drops
+ * MCPs no active skill needs and that aren't pinned, so a higher mode is safe.
+ */
+export type McpPruneMode = "off" | "profile" | "all";
+
 export interface Profile {
   name: string;
   description: string;
   icon?: string;
   iconImage?: string;
+  /** Default non-interactive prune mode; `CUE_PRUNE_MCPS` overrides per launch. */
+  mcpPrune?: McpPruneMode;
   /**
    * Target main-session model id (e.g. "claude-opus-4-8"). Advisory only — cue
    * can't pin the main session model (that's a per-launch `/model` choice) — but
diff --git a/profiles/schema.json b/profiles/schema.json
index 74c47036..a17d01d7 100644
--- a/profiles/schema.json
+++ b/profiles/schema.json
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@
       "type": "string",
       "description": "Advisory target main-session model id (e.g. 'claude-opus-4-8'). cue can't pin the main session model (per-launch /model choice); the model-aware startup budget uses it to resolve the context window for the over-budget warning. Leaf-wins; env CUE_MODEL overrides."
     },
+    "mcpPrune": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "enum": ["off", "profile", "all"],
+      "description": "Default non-interactive MCP prune mode at launch. off (default): keep all MCPs. profile: drop unused profile-declared MCPs. all: also drop unused global servers from the runtime .claude.json. Only ever drops MCPs no active skill needs and that aren't pinned. Leaf-wins through inheritance; most-aggressive wins across composite parts; env CUE_PRUNE_MCPS overrides."
+    },
     "contextWindow": {
       "type": "integer",
       "minimum": 1,
diff --git a/src/commands/launch.ts b/src/commands/launch.ts
index 191b7880..63877570 100644
--- a/src/commands/launch.ts
+++ b/src/commands/launch.ts
@@ -1633,7 +1633,7 @@ export async function run(args: string[]): Promise<number> {
   if (agentKind === "claude-code" && profile.mcps.length > 0) {
     try {
       const { getNeededMcps } = await import("../lib/skill-dependencies");
-      const { readMcpOverride, writeMcpOverride, mcpFingerprint, reconcileDisabledWithNeeded, autoPrunableMcps, mcpPruneMode, readRuntimeMcpServerIds } = await import("../lib/mcp-overrides");
+      const { readMcpOverride, writeMcpOverride, mcpFingerprint, reconcileDisabledWithNeeded, autoPrunableMcps, mcpPruneMode, isRecognizedPruneEnv, readRuntimeMcpServerIds } = await import("../lib/mcp-overrides");
 
       const allMcpIds = profile.mcps.map((m) => m.id);
       const fingerprint = mcpFingerprint(allMcpIds);
@@ -1652,6 +1652,23 @@ export async function run(args: string[]): Promise<number> {
       let kept: Set<string> | null = null;
       let reviewed = false;
 
+      // Effective non-interactive prune mode: a RECOGNIZED `CUE_PRUNE_MCPS` env
+      // (including an explicit `off`) overrides the profile's declared default;
+      // otherwise the profile's `mcpPrune:` applies — this is what makes a heavy
+      // profile auto-prune with no env var. A non-empty but UNRECOGNIZED env
+      // (e.g. a typo like `profil`) must NOT silently suppress the profile
+      // default: warn and fall through, so the typo is a no-op, not a foot-gun.
+      const pruneEnv = process.env.CUE_PRUNE_MCPS;
+      const pruneEnvSet = pruneEnv != null && pruneEnv !== "";
+      const pruneFromEnv = pruneEnvSet && isRecognizedPruneEnv(pruneEnv);
+      if (pruneEnvSet && !pruneFromEnv) {
+        process.stderr.write(
+          `[cue] CUE_PRUNE_MCPS="${pruneEnv}" not recognized (use off|profile|all) — using the profile default\n`,
+        );
+      }
+      const pruneMode = pruneFromEnv ? mcpPruneMode(pruneEnv) : (profile.mcpPrune ?? "off");
+      const pruneSource = pruneFromEnv ? "CUE_PRUNE_MCPS" : "profile mcpPrune";
+
       if (parsed.disableMcp.length > 0) {
         // Non-interactive flag path: drop named ids (pinned ones excepted) for
         // THIS launch only. `reviewed` stays false so the choice is NOT written
@@ -1681,34 +1698,33 @@ export async function run(args: string[]): Promise<number> {
             );
           }
           kept = keepNonPinned(new Set(keepDisabled));
-        } else if (mcpPruneMode(process.env.CUE_PRUNE_MCPS) !== "off") {
-          // Opt-in non-interactive prune (CUE_PRUNE_MCPS). Self-contained: it
-          // sets mcpDisabledIds directly (so it can drop GLOBAL servers that
-          // aren't in profile.mcps and thus invisible to the shared block below)
-          // and leaves `kept` null to skip that block. Recomputed each launch;
-          // never persisted, so the picker's remembered overrides stay intact.
+        } else if (pruneMode !== "off") {
+          // Non-interactive prune, from CUE_PRUNE_MCPS or the profile's mcpPrune
+          // default. Self-contained: it sets mcpDisabledIds directly (so it can
+          // drop GLOBAL servers that aren't in profile.mcps and thus invisible to
+          // the shared block below) and leaves `kept` null to skip that block.
+          // Recomputed each launch; never persisted, so the picker's remembered
+          // overrides stay intact.
           //
           //   profile mode → drop unused PROFILE MCPs only (cue's invariant that
           //                  user-global servers are never touched holds).
           //   all mode     → also drop unused GLOBAL servers present in the
           //                  runtime .claude.json (the heavy ones a coding
-          //                  profile never calls). Louder opt-in: it removes
-          //                  config the user set globally.
-          const mode = mcpPruneMode(process.env.CUE_PRUNE_MCPS);
+          //                  profile never calls). Removes config set globally.
           const universe = [...allMcpIds];
-          if (mode === "all") {
+          if (pruneMode === "all") {
             const rtClaudeJson = join(configDir(), "runtime", profileName, "claude", ".claude.json");
             for (const id of readRuntimeMcpServerIds(rtClaudeJson)) {
               if (!universe.some((p) => p.toLowerCase() === id.toLowerCase())) universe.push(id);
             }
           }
           const drop = new Set(autoPrunableMcps(universe, pinned, needed.keys()));
-          debug("launch:mcp-prune", { mode, universe, pinned: [...pinned], needed: [...needed.keys()], drop: [...drop] });
+          debug("launch:mcp-prune", { mode: pruneMode, source: pruneSource, universe, pinned: [...pinned], needed: [...needed.keys()], drop: [...drop] });
           if (drop.size > 0) {
             profile = { ...profile, mcps: profile.mcps.filter((m) => !drop.has(m.id.toLowerCase())) };
             mcpDisabledIds = [...drop];
             process.stderr.write(
-              `[cue] MCPs: auto-pruned ${drop.size} unused (${[...drop].join(", ")}) · CUE_PRUNE_MCPS=${mode} · --cue-pick-mcps to keep\n`,
+              `[cue] MCPs: auto-pruned ${drop.size} unused (${[...drop].join(", ")}) · ${pruneSource}=${pruneMode} · --cue-pick-mcps to keep\n`,
             );
           }
         }
diff --git a/src/lib/mcp-overrides.test.ts b/src/lib/mcp-overrides.test.ts
index 33fecee5..f877182e 100644
--- a/src/lib/mcp-overrides.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/mcp-overrides.test.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
   autoPrunableMcps,
   autoPruneEnabled,
   mcpPruneMode,
+  isRecognizedPruneEnv,
   readRuntimeMcpServerIds,
 } from "./mcp-overrides";
 import { writeFile as writeFileAsync } from "node:fs/promises";
@@ -186,3 +187,16 @@ describe("readRuntimeMcpServerIds", () => {
     expect(readRuntimeMcpServerIds(p)).toEqual([]);
   });
 })
+
+describe("isRecognizedPruneEnv", () => {
+  test("recognizes every valid token (all/profile/off spellings)", () => {
+    for (const v of ["off","0","false","no","","auto","unused","profile","1","true","on","all","global","aggressive","  ALL  "]) {
+      expect(isRecognizedPruneEnv(v), v).toBe(true);
+    }
+  });
+  test("rejects typos / garbage so the caller can fall through", () => {
+    for (const v of ["profil","prof","aggresive","yes","2","none","disable"]) {
+      expect(isRecognizedPruneEnv(v), v).toBe(false);
+    }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/lib/mcp-overrides.ts b/src/lib/mcp-overrides.ts
index 996dcae2..cb41bd91 100644
--- a/src/lib/mcp-overrides.ts
+++ b/src/lib/mcp-overrides.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ import { existsSync, mkdirSync, readFileSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { createHash } from "node:crypto";
 import { dirname, join } from "node:path";
 import { configDir } from "./config-paths.ts";
+import type { McpPruneMode } from "../../profiles/_types.ts";
+
+export type { McpPruneMode };
 
 /** One directory's MCP override. */
 export interface McpOverride {
@@ -121,22 +124,40 @@ export function autoPrunableMcps(
 }
 
 /**
- * Non-interactive prune mode parsed from `CUE_PRUNE_MCPS`:
- *   - "off"     — default; keep all (fail-open).
+ * Parse a `CUE_PRUNE_MCPS` value into an {@link McpPruneMode}:
+ *   - "off"     — keep all (fail-open).
  *   - "profile" — drop unused PROFILE-declared MCPs only. Preserves cue's
  *     invariant that user-global MCPs are never touched.
  *   - "all"     — also drop unused GLOBAL MCPs present in the runtime
- *     .claude.json (heavy servers a coding profile never calls). A louder,
- *     explicit opt-in because it deletes config the user set globally.
+ *     .claude.json (heavy servers a coding profile never calls). A louder
+ *     opt-in because it deletes config the user set globally.
  */
-export type McpPruneMode = "off" | "profile" | "all";
+const PRUNE_ALL_TOKENS = ["all", "global", "aggressive"];
+const PRUNE_PROFILE_TOKENS = ["auto", "unused", "profile", "1", "true", "on"];
+const PRUNE_OFF_TOKENS = ["off", "0", "false", "no", ""];
+
 export function mcpPruneMode(value: string | undefined): McpPruneMode {
   const v = (value ?? "").trim().toLowerCase();
-  if (["all", "global", "aggressive"].includes(v)) return "all";
-  if (["auto", "unused", "profile", "1", "true", "on"].includes(v)) return "profile";
+  if (PRUNE_ALL_TOKENS.includes(v)) return "all";
+  if (PRUNE_PROFILE_TOKENS.includes(v)) return "profile";
   return "off";
 }
 
+/**
+ * Whether `value` is a token `mcpPruneMode` recognizes (any of all/profile/off
+ * spellings). A non-empty, unrecognized value (a typo like `profil`) returns
+ * false so the caller can warn and fall through to the profile default instead
+ * of silently parsing it to "off" and suppressing that default.
+ */
+export function isRecognizedPruneEnv(value: string): boolean {
+  const v = value.trim().toLowerCase();
+  return (
+    PRUNE_ALL_TOKENS.includes(v) ||
+    PRUNE_PROFILE_TOKENS.includes(v) ||
+    PRUNE_OFF_TOKENS.includes(v)
+  );
+}
+
 /** Back-compat predicate: any prune mode at all (profile or all). */
 export function autoPruneEnabled(value: string | undefined): boolean {
   return mcpPruneMode(value) !== "off";
diff --git a/src/lib/profile-loader.test.ts b/src/lib/profile-loader.test.ts
index ce33c96d..eb4cbae6 100644
--- a/src/lib/profile-loader.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/profile-loader.test.ts
@@ -613,3 +613,41 @@ describe("core persona_includes fan-out (real profiles)", () => {
     expect(gstack.personaIncludes).toContain("headroom-compression");
   });
 });
+
+describe("mcpPrune resolution", () => {
+  test("unset by default", async () => {
+    await writeProfile("np", "name: np\ndescription: no prune declared\n");
+    const r = await loadProfile("np");
+    expect(r.mcpPrune).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  test("parsed from a single profile", async () => {
+    await writeProfile("pp", "name: pp\ndescription: prune all\nmcpPrune: all\n");
+    const r = await loadProfile("pp");
+    expect(r.mcpPrune).toBe("all");
+  });
+
+  test("leaf wins through single inheritance", async () => {
+    await writeProfile("base-prune", "name: base-prune\ndescription: base\nmcpPrune: profile\n");
+    await writeProfile(
+      "leaf-prune",
+      "name: leaf-prune\ndescription: leaf\ninherits: base-prune\nmcpPrune: all\n",
+    );
+    expect((await loadProfile("leaf-prune")).mcpPrune).toBe("all");
+    // Child without its own setting inherits the parent's.
+    await writeProfile("leaf-inherit", "name: leaf-inherit\ndescription: leaf2\ninherits: base-prune\n");
+    expect((await loadProfile("leaf-inherit")).mcpPrune).toBe("profile");
+  });
+
+  test("most-aggressive wins across a composite (off < profile < all)", async () => {
+    await writeProfile("cp-off", "name: cp-off\ndescription: off\n");
+    await writeProfile("cp-prof", "name: cp-prof\ndescription: profile\nmcpPrune: profile\n");
+    await writeProfile("cp-all", "name: cp-all\ndescription: all\nmcpPrune: all\n");
+    expect((await loadProfile("cp-off+cp-prof")).mcpPrune).toBe("profile");
+    expect((await loadProfile("cp-prof+cp-all")).mcpPrune).toBe("all");
+    expect((await loadProfile("cp-off+cp-all")).mcpPrune).toBe("all");
+    // No part declares one → undefined.
+    await writeProfile("cp-off2", "name: cp-off2\ndescription: off2\n");
+    expect((await loadProfile("cp-off+cp-off2")).mcpPrune).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/lib/profile-loader.ts b/src/lib/profile-loader.ts
index d91de29b..58704f93 100644
--- a/src/lib/profile-loader.ts
+++ b/src/lib/profile-loader.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import {
   InheritanceDepthExceeded,
   type MCPRef,
   type NpxSkillRef,
+  type McpPruneMode,
   type PluginRef,
   type Profile,
   ProfileError,
@@ -278,6 +279,21 @@ function normalizePluginRef(raw: PluginRef): ResolvedPlugin {
 // Deep-merge helpers
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+const PRUNE_RANK: Record<McpPruneMode, number> = { off: 0, profile: 1, all: 2 };
+
+/**
+ * Most-aggressive prune mode across composite parts (off < profile < all).
+ * Returns undefined when no part declares one, so the resolved profile keeps
+ * `mcpPrune` unset (launcher treats unset as "off" unless env overrides).
+ */
+function mostAggressivePrune(modes: (McpPruneMode | undefined)[]): McpPruneMode | undefined {
+  let best: McpPruneMode | undefined;
+  for (const m of modes) {
+    if (m && (best === undefined || PRUNE_RANK[m] > PRUNE_RANK[best])) best = m;
+  }
+  return best;
+}
+
 /** Concat then dedupe primitives, preserving order (parent first, child last). */
 function dedupePrimitiveArray<T extends string>(
   parent: T[] | undefined,
@@ -448,6 +464,8 @@ function foldChain(chain: Profile[]): ResolvedProfile {
       // context window overrides the parent; otherwise it inherits.
       model: child.model ?? acc.model,
       contextWindow: child.contextWindow ?? acc.contextWindow,
+      // Prune mode is leaf-wins through single inheritance, same as model.
+      mcpPrune: child.mcpPrune ?? acc.mcpPrune,
       // agents: arrays merge by dedupe; if neither parent nor child declares
       // agents we fall back to the default at the end.
       agents: dedupePrimitiveArray(
@@ -510,6 +528,7 @@ function normalizeToResolved(p: Profile, chain: string[]): ResolvedProfile {
     iconImage: p.iconImage,
     model: p.model,
     contextWindow: p.contextWindow,
+    mcpPrune: p.mcpPrune,
     agents: p.agents && p.agents.length > 0 ? [...p.agents] : [],
     inherits: p.inherits,
     skills: {
@@ -608,6 +627,10 @@ function foldComposite(selector: string, parts: ResolvedProfile[]): ResolvedProf
     // First part that declares a budget hint wins for the composite.
     model: parts.find((p) => p.model)?.model,
     contextWindow: parts.find((p) => p.contextWindow)?.contextWindow,
+    // Most-aggressive prune mode across parts wins (off < profile < all): adding
+    // a part that opts into pruning enables it. Safe — prune only drops unused,
+    // non-pinned MCPs, so a higher mode can never starve a part's skill.
+    mcpPrune: mostAggressivePrune(parts.map((p) => p.mcpPrune)),
     agents: [...head.agents] as ResolvedProfile["agents"],
     inherits: undefined,
     skills: { local: [...head.skills.local], npx: [...head.skills.npx] },
@@ -646,6 +669,9 @@ function foldComposite(selector: string, parts: ResolvedProfile[]): ResolvedProf
       iconImage: acc.iconImage ?? next.iconImage,
       model: acc.model ?? next.model,
       contextWindow: acc.contextWindow ?? next.contextWindow,
+      // Already the most-aggressive across all parts (computed in the initial
+      // acc); preserve it rather than recomputing per fold step.
+      mcpPrune: acc.mcpPrune,
       agents: dedupePrimitiveArray(acc.agents, next.agents) as ResolvedProfile["agents"],
       inherits: undefined,
       skills: {