diff --git a/src/server/lib/validation/agentSessionConfigSchemas.ts b/src/server/lib/validation/agentSessionConfigSchemas.ts
index 7c04ad2f..6ae885c0 100644
--- a/src/server/lib/validation/agentSessionConfigSchemas.ts
+++ b/src/server/lib/validation/agentSessionConfigSchemas.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ const toolRuleSchema = {
   type: 'object',
   properties: {
     toolKey: { type: 'string', minLength: 1, maxLength: 255 },
-    mode: { type: 'string', enum: ['allow', 'deny'] },
+    mode: { type: 'string', enum: ['allow', 'require_approval', 'deny'] },
   },
   required: ['toolKey', 'mode'],
   additionalProperties: false,
diff --git a/src/server/lib/validation/agentSessionConfigValidator.ts b/src/server/lib/validation/agentSessionConfigValidator.ts
index 67d19b55..7ba4b6fb 100644
--- a/src/server/lib/validation/agentSessionConfigValidator.ts
+++ b/src/server/lib/validation/agentSessionConfigValidator.ts
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ export function validateAgentSessionControlPlaneConfig(config: Partial<AgentSess
     if (rule.toolKey.length > 255) {
       throw new AgentSessionConfigValidationError(`toolRules entry "${rule.toolKey}" exceeds maximum toolKey length.`);
     }
-    if (rule.mode !== 'allow' && rule.mode !== 'deny') {
+    if (rule.mode !== 'allow' && rule.mode !== 'require_approval' && rule.mode !== 'deny') {
       throw new AgentSessionConfigValidationError(
         `toolRules entry "${rule.toolKey}" has unsupported mode "${rule.mode}".`
       );
diff --git a/src/server/services/__tests__/agentSessionConfig.test.ts b/src/server/services/__tests__/agentSessionConfig.test.ts
index 4e2502bb..404f87b8 100644
--- a/src/server/services/__tests__/agentSessionConfig.test.ts
+++ b/src/server/services/__tests__/agentSessionConfig.test.ts
@@ -111,6 +111,81 @@ describe('AgentSessionConfigService', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it('persists require-approval tool overrides in control-plane config', async () => {
+    const service = makeService();
+
+    await expect(
+      service.setGlobalConfig({
+        toolRules: [
+          {
+            toolKey: 'mcp__sandbox__workspace_read_file',
+            mode: 'require_approval',
+          },
+        ],
+      })
+    ).resolves.toEqual({
+      toolRules: [
+        {
+          toolKey: 'mcp__sandbox__workspace_read_file',
+          mode: 'require_approval',
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+
+    expect(mockGlobalConfigSetConfig).toHaveBeenCalledWith('agentSessionDefaults', {
+      controlPlane: {
+        toolRules: [
+          {
+            toolKey: 'mcp__sandbox__workspace_read_file',
+            mode: 'require_approval',
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('treats explicit tool rules as effective overrides in the inventory', async () => {
+    const service = makeService();
+
+    jest.spyOn(service, 'getGlobalConfig').mockResolvedValue({
+      toolRules: [
+        {
+          toolKey: 'mcp__sandbox__workspace_read_file',
+          mode: 'allow',
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+    jest.spyOn(service, 'getEffectiveConfig').mockResolvedValue({
+      systemPrompt: 'base',
+      appendSystemPrompt: 'append',
+      toolRules: [
+        {
+          toolKey: 'mcp__sandbox__workspace_read_file',
+          mode: 'allow',
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+    jest.spyOn(AgentPolicyService, 'getEffectivePolicy').mockResolvedValue({
+      ...DEFAULT_AGENT_APPROVAL_POLICY,
+      rules: {
+        ...DEFAULT_AGENT_APPROVAL_POLICY.rules,
+        read: 'deny',
+      },
+    });
+
+    const entries = await service.listToolInventory('global');
+    const readFileEntry = entries.find((entry) => entry.toolName === 'workspace.read_file');
+
+    expect(readFileEntry).toEqual(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        approvalMode: 'deny',
+        scopeRuleMode: 'allow',
+        effectiveRuleMode: 'allow',
+        availability: 'available',
+      })
+    );
+  });
+
   it('updates runtime settings without overwriting control-plane settings', async () => {
     const service = makeService();
 
diff --git a/src/server/services/agent/CapabilityService.ts b/src/server/services/agent/CapabilityService.ts
index de13ccb6..2ae87d80 100644
--- a/src/server/services/agent/CapabilityService.ts
+++ b/src/server/services/agent/CapabilityService.ts
@@ -57,9 +57,17 @@ function resolvePrimaryRepo(session: AgentSession): string | undefined {
   return session.selectedServices?.[0]?.repo || undefined;
 }
 
-function isToolAllowed(toolRules: AgentSessionToolRule[] | undefined, toolKey: string): boolean {
+function resolveToolApprovalMode({
+  toolRules,
+  toolKey,
+  capabilityMode,
+}: {
+  toolRules: AgentSessionToolRule[] | undefined;
+  toolKey: string;
+  capabilityMode: AgentApprovalMode;
+}): AgentApprovalMode {
   const rule = toolRules?.find((item) => item.toolKey === toolKey);
-  return rule?.mode !== 'deny';
+  return rule?.mode || capabilityMode;
 }
 
 function resolveSessionWorkspaceGatewayBaseUrl(session: AgentSession): string | null {
@@ -344,9 +352,13 @@ export default class AgentCapabilityService {
               entry.toolName,
               entry.annotations || discoveredTool.annotations
             );
-            const mode = AgentPolicyService.modeForCapability(approvalPolicy, capabilityKey);
+            const mode = resolveToolApprovalMode({
+              toolRules,
+              toolKey: entry.toolKey,
+              capabilityMode: AgentPolicyService.modeForCapability(approvalPolicy, capabilityKey),
+            });
 
-            if (mode === 'deny' || !isToolAllowed(toolRules, entry.toolKey)) {
+            if (mode === 'deny') {
               continue;
             }
 
@@ -485,10 +497,14 @@ export default class AgentCapabilityService {
         }
 
         const capabilityKey = AgentPolicyService.capabilityForMcpTool(discoveredTool.name, discoveredTool.annotations);
-        const mode = AgentPolicyService.modeForCapability(approvalPolicy, capabilityKey);
         const toolName = buildAgentToolKey(server.slug, discoveredTool.name);
+        const mode = resolveToolApprovalMode({
+          toolRules,
+          toolKey: toolName,
+          capabilityMode: AgentPolicyService.modeForCapability(approvalPolicy, capabilityKey),
+        });
 
-        if (mode === 'deny' || !isToolAllowed(toolRules, toolName)) {
+        if (mode === 'deny') {
           continue;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/server/services/agent/__tests__/CapabilityService.test.ts b/src/server/services/agent/__tests__/CapabilityService.test.ts
index bd7e011c..0462aa23 100644
--- a/src/server/services/agent/__tests__/CapabilityService.test.ts
+++ b/src/server/services/agent/__tests__/CapabilityService.test.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ const mockListTools = jest.fn();
 const mockCallTool = jest.fn();
 const mockClose = jest.fn();
 const mockLoggerWarn = jest.fn();
+const mockModeForCapability = jest.fn(() => 'allow');
 
 let currentTransport: Record<string, unknown> | null = null;
 
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ jest.mock('../PolicyService', () => ({
   __esModule: true,
   default: {
     capabilityForMcpTool: jest.fn(() => 'external_mcp_read'),
-    modeForCapability: jest.fn(() => 'allow'),
+    modeForCapability: (...args: unknown[]) => mockModeForCapability(...args),
   },
 }));
 
@@ -107,6 +108,7 @@ describe('AgentCapabilityService.buildToolSet', () => {
 
   beforeEach(() => {
     jest.clearAllMocks();
+    mockModeForCapability.mockReturnValue('allow');
     currentTransport = null;
     mockResolveServersForRepo.mockResolvedValue([stdioServer]);
     mockConnect.mockImplementation(async (transport) => {
@@ -228,4 +230,29 @@ describe('AgentCapabilityService.buildToolSet', () => {
     expect(tools.mcp__figma__get_design_context).toBeUndefined();
     expect(mockLoggerWarn).toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
+
+  it('lets session tool rules override the family approval mode for sandbox tools', async () => {
+    mockModeForCapability.mockReturnValue('deny');
+
+    const tools = await AgentCapabilityService.buildToolSet({
+      session,
+      repoFullName: 'example-org/example-repo',
+      userIdentity,
+      approvalPolicy: {} as any,
+      toolRules: [
+        {
+          toolKey: 'mcp__sandbox__workspace_read_file',
+          mode: 'allow',
+        },
+      ],
+      workspaceToolDiscoveryTimeoutMs: 4500,
+      workspaceToolExecutionTimeoutMs: 22000,
+    });
+
+    expect(tools.mcp__sandbox__workspace_read_file).toEqual(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        needsApproval: false,
+      })
+    );
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/server/services/agent/__tests__/sandboxToolCatalog.test.ts b/src/server/services/agent/__tests__/sandboxToolCatalog.test.ts
index 19da2132..428804b4 100644
--- a/src/server/services/agent/__tests__/sandboxToolCatalog.test.ts
+++ b/src/server/services/agent/__tests__/sandboxToolCatalog.test.ts
@@ -107,4 +107,26 @@ describe('sandboxToolCatalog', () => {
       '- do not claim a tool is unavailable unless it is not equipped here or a real tool call fails',
     ]);
   });
+
+  it('keeps explicitly allowed tools in the prompt summary even when the family is denied', () => {
+    const lines = buildSessionWorkspacePromptLines({
+      approvalPolicy: {
+        ...DEFAULT_AGENT_APPROVAL_POLICY,
+        rules: {
+          ...DEFAULT_AGENT_APPROVAL_POLICY.rules,
+          read: 'deny',
+        },
+      },
+      toolRules: [
+        {
+          toolKey: 'mcp__sandbox__workspace_read_file',
+          mode: 'allow',
+        },
+      ],
+      includeSkills: false,
+    });
+
+    expect(lines.join('\n')).toContain('workspace.read_file');
+    expect(lines.join('\n')).not.toContain('workspace.glob');
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/server/services/agent/sandboxToolCatalog.ts b/src/server/services/agent/sandboxToolCatalog.ts
index 186433b1..057c3b8e 100644
--- a/src/server/services/agent/sandboxToolCatalog.ts
+++ b/src/server/services/agent/sandboxToolCatalog.ts
@@ -284,13 +284,10 @@ function isSessionWorkspaceToolAllowed(
   toolRules: AgentSessionToolRule[] = []
 ): boolean {
   const rule = toolRules.find((item) => item.toolKey === entry.toolKey);
-  if (rule?.mode === 'deny') {
-    return false;
-  }
-
   const capabilityKey = AgentPolicyService.capabilityForMcpTool(entry.toolName, entry.annotations);
+  const mode = rule?.mode || AgentPolicyService.modeForCapability(approvalPolicy, capabilityKey);
 
-  return AgentPolicyService.modeForCapability(approvalPolicy, capabilityKey) !== 'deny';
+  return mode !== 'deny';
 }
 
 export function buildSessionWorkspacePromptLines({
diff --git a/src/server/services/agentSessionConfig.ts b/src/server/services/agentSessionConfig.ts
index faae2b99..cd0e7cf3 100644
--- a/src/server/services/agentSessionConfig.ts
+++ b/src/server/services/agentSessionConfig.ts
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ function normalizeToolRules(value: unknown): AgentSessionToolRule[] {
     const toolKey =
       typeof (entry as { toolKey?: unknown }).toolKey === 'string' ? (entry as { toolKey: string }).toolKey : '';
     const mode = (entry as { mode?: unknown }).mode;
-    if (!toolKey || (mode !== 'allow' && mode !== 'deny')) {
+    if (!toolKey || (mode !== 'allow' && mode !== 'require_approval' && mode !== 'deny')) {
       continue;
     }
     deduped.set(toolKey, { toolKey, mode });
@@ -502,11 +502,12 @@ export default class AgentSessionConfigService extends BaseService {
       const approvalMode = AgentPolicyService.modeForCapability(approvalPolicy, capabilityKey);
       const scopeRuleMode = toRuleSelection(activeScopeConfig.toolRules || [], toolKey);
       const effectiveRuleMode = toRuleSelection(effectiveConfig.toolRules, toolKey);
+      const resolvedApprovalMode = effectiveRuleMode === 'inherit' ? approvalMode : effectiveRuleMode;
       const availability =
-        approvalMode === 'deny'
-          ? 'blocked_by_policy'
-          : effectiveRuleMode === 'deny'
-          ? 'blocked_by_tool_rule'
+        resolvedApprovalMode === 'deny'
+          ? effectiveRuleMode === 'deny'
+            ? 'blocked_by_tool_rule'
+            : 'blocked_by_policy'
           : 'available';
 
       entries.push({
diff --git a/src/server/services/types/agentSessionConfig.ts b/src/server/services/types/agentSessionConfig.ts
index 055bd736..e4c1e5cb 100644
--- a/src/server/services/types/agentSessionConfig.ts
+++ b/src/server/services/types/agentSessionConfig.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 import type { AgentApprovalMode, AgentCapabilityKey } from 'server/services/agent/types';
 
-export type AgentSessionToolRuleMode = 'allow' | 'deny';
+export type AgentSessionToolRuleMode = AgentApprovalMode;
 export type AgentSessionToolRuleSelection = AgentSessionToolRuleMode | 'inherit';
 
 export interface AgentSessionToolRule {
diff --git a/src/shared/openApiSpec.ts b/src/shared/openApiSpec.ts
index 17c22330..0bef0da9 100644
--- a/src/shared/openApiSpec.ts
+++ b/src/shared/openApiSpec.ts
@@ -1506,7 +1506,7 @@ export const openApiSpecificationForV2Api: OAS3Options = {
             toolKey: { type: 'string' },
             mode: {
               type: 'string',
-              enum: ['allow', 'deny'],
+              enum: ['allow', 'require_approval', 'deny'],
             },
           },
           required: ['toolKey', 'mode'],
@@ -1631,11 +1631,11 @@ export const openApiSpecificationForV2Api: OAS3Options = {
             approvalMode: { $ref: '#/components/schemas/AgentApprovalMode' },
             scopeRuleMode: {
               type: 'string',
-              enum: ['inherit', 'allow', 'deny'],
+              enum: ['inherit', 'allow', 'require_approval', 'deny'],
             },
             effectiveRuleMode: {
               type: 'string',
-              enum: ['inherit', 'allow', 'deny'],
+              enum: ['inherit', 'allow', 'require_approval', 'deny'],
             },
             availability: {
               type: 'string',