diff --git a/codex-rs/cli/src/debug_sandbox.rs b/codex-rs/cli/src/debug_sandbox.rs
index 8c1f3e5d3..13cb8cdd8 100644
--- a/codex-rs/cli/src/debug_sandbox.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/cli/src/debug_sandbox.rs
@@ -136,7 +136,8 @@ async fn run_command_under_sandbox(
     if let SandboxType::Windows = sandbox_type {
         #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
         {
-            use codex_core::features::Feature;
+            use codex_core::windows_sandbox::WindowsSandboxLevelExt;
+            use codex_protocol::config_types::WindowsSandboxLevel;
             use codex_windows_sandbox::run_windows_sandbox_capture;
             use codex_windows_sandbox::run_windows_sandbox_capture_elevated;
 
@@ -147,8 +148,10 @@ async fn run_command_under_sandbox(
             let env_map = env.clone();
             let command_vec = command.clone();
             let base_dir = config.codex_home.clone();
-            let use_elevated = config.features.enabled(Feature::WindowsSandbox)
-                && config.features.enabled(Feature::WindowsSandboxElevated);
+            let use_elevated = matches!(
+                WindowsSandboxLevel::from_config(&config),
+                WindowsSandboxLevel::Elevated
+            );
 
             // Preflight audit is invoked elsewhere at the appropriate times.
             let res = tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/config/mod.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/config/mod.rs
index 5d84d577e..98716472e 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/config/mod.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/config/mod.rs
@@ -1679,18 +1679,19 @@ impl Config {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn set_windows_sandbox_globally(&mut self, value: bool) {
+    pub fn set_windows_sandbox_enabled(&mut self, value: bool) {
         if value {
             self.features.enable(Feature::WindowsSandbox);
+            self.forced_auto_mode_downgraded_on_windows = false;
         } else {
             self.features.disable(Feature::WindowsSandbox);
         }
-        self.forced_auto_mode_downgraded_on_windows = !value;
     }
 
-    pub fn set_windows_elevated_sandbox_globally(&mut self, value: bool) {
+    pub fn set_windows_elevated_sandbox_enabled(&mut self, value: bool) {
         if value {
             self.features.enable(Feature::WindowsSandboxElevated);
+            self.forced_auto_mode_downgraded_on_windows = false;
         } else {
             self.features.disable(Feature::WindowsSandboxElevated);
         }
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/windows_sandbox.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/windows_sandbox.rs
index 22825752b..7b9451c24 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/windows_sandbox.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/windows_sandbox.rs
@@ -23,13 +23,13 @@ impl WindowsSandboxLevelExt for WindowsSandboxLevel {
     }
 
     fn from_features(features: &Features) -> WindowsSandboxLevel {
-        if !features.enabled(Feature::WindowsSandbox) {
-            return WindowsSandboxLevel::Disabled;
-        }
         if features.enabled(Feature::WindowsSandboxElevated) {
-            WindowsSandboxLevel::Elevated
-        } else {
+            return WindowsSandboxLevel::Elevated;
+        }
+        if features.enabled(Feature::WindowsSandbox) {
             WindowsSandboxLevel::RestrictedToken
+        } else {
+            WindowsSandboxLevel::Disabled
         }
     }
 }
@@ -94,3 +94,54 @@ pub fn run_elevated_setup(
 ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     anyhow::bail!("elevated Windows sandbox setup is only supported on Windows")
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use crate::features::Features;
+    use pretty_assertions::assert_eq;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn elevated_flag_works_by_itself() {
+        let mut features = Features::with_defaults();
+        features.enable(Feature::WindowsSandboxElevated);
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            WindowsSandboxLevel::from_features(&features),
+            WindowsSandboxLevel::Elevated
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn restricted_token_flag_works_by_itself() {
+        let mut features = Features::with_defaults();
+        features.enable(Feature::WindowsSandbox);
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            WindowsSandboxLevel::from_features(&features),
+            WindowsSandboxLevel::RestrictedToken
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn no_flags_means_no_sandbox() {
+        let features = Features::with_defaults();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            WindowsSandboxLevel::from_features(&features),
+            WindowsSandboxLevel::Disabled
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn elevated_wins_when_both_flags_are_enabled() {
+        let mut features = Features::with_defaults();
+        features.enable(Feature::WindowsSandbox);
+        features.enable(Feature::WindowsSandboxElevated);
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            WindowsSandboxLevel::from_features(&features),
+            WindowsSandboxLevel::Elevated
+        );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app.rs
index bf4ab6798..36a5ddd4b 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/app.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/app.rs
@@ -1685,23 +1685,29 @@ impl App {
                     let feature_key = Feature::WindowsSandbox.key();
                     let elevated_key = Feature::WindowsSandboxElevated.key();
                     let elevated_enabled = matches!(mode, WindowsSandboxEnableMode::Elevated);
-                    match ConfigEditsBuilder::new(&self.config.codex_home)
-                        .with_profile(profile)
-                        .set_feature_enabled(feature_key, true)
-                        .set_feature_enabled(elevated_key, elevated_enabled)
-                        .apply()
-                        .await
-                    {
+                    let mut builder =
+                        ConfigEditsBuilder::new(&self.config.codex_home).with_profile(profile);
+                    if elevated_enabled {
+                        builder = builder.set_feature_enabled(elevated_key, true);
+                    } else {
+                        builder = builder
+                            .set_feature_enabled(feature_key, true)
+                            .set_feature_enabled(elevated_key, false);
+                    }
+                    match builder.apply().await {
                         Ok(()) => {
-                            self.config.set_windows_sandbox_globally(true);
-                            self.config
-                                .set_windows_elevated_sandbox_globally(elevated_enabled);
-                            self.chat_widget
-                                .set_feature_enabled(Feature::WindowsSandbox, true);
-                            self.chat_widget.set_feature_enabled(
-                                Feature::WindowsSandboxElevated,
-                                elevated_enabled,
-                            );
+                            if elevated_enabled {
+                                self.config.set_windows_elevated_sandbox_enabled(true);
+                                self.chat_widget
+                                    .set_feature_enabled(Feature::WindowsSandboxElevated, true);
+                            } else {
+                                self.config.set_windows_sandbox_enabled(true);
+                                self.config.set_windows_elevated_sandbox_enabled(false);
+                                self.chat_widget
+                                    .set_feature_enabled(Feature::WindowsSandbox, true);
+                                self.chat_widget
+                                    .set_feature_enabled(Feature::WindowsSandboxElevated, false);
+                            }
                             self.chat_widget.clear_forced_auto_mode_downgrade();
                             let windows_sandbox_level =
                                 WindowsSandboxLevel::from_config(&self.config);
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/lib.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/lib.rs
index 17b839f7a..bced1e065 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/lib.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/lib.rs
@@ -882,7 +882,7 @@ mod tests {
         let mut config = build_config(&temp_dir).await?;
         config.did_user_set_custom_approval_policy_or_sandbox_mode = false;
         config.active_project = ProjectConfig { trust_level: None };
-        config.set_windows_sandbox_globally(false);
+        config.set_windows_sandbox_enabled(false);
 
         let should_show = should_show_trust_screen(&config);
         if cfg!(target_os = "windows") {
@@ -905,7 +905,7 @@ mod tests {
         let mut config = build_config(&temp_dir).await?;
         config.did_user_set_custom_approval_policy_or_sandbox_mode = false;
         config.active_project = ProjectConfig { trust_level: None };
-        config.set_windows_sandbox_globally(true);
+        config.set_windows_sandbox_enabled(true);
 
         let should_show = should_show_trust_screen(&config);
         if cfg!(target_os = "windows") {