diff --git a/ratelimit.go b/ratelimit.go
index 0e34709..639036c 100644
--- a/ratelimit.go
+++ b/ratelimit.go
@@ -228,10 +228,8 @@ func (rl *RateLimiter) loadSQLite() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	// Persisted quotas are authoritative when present; otherwise keep config defaults.
-	if len(quotas) > 0 {
-		rl.Quotas = maps.Clone(quotas)
-	}
+	// Persisted quotas are always authoritative, even when empty.
+	rl.Quotas = maps.Clone(quotas)
 
 	state, err := rl.sqlite.loadState()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/sqlite_test.go b/sqlite_test.go
index 7026261..0122d28 100644
--- a/sqlite_test.go
+++ b/sqlite_test.go
@@ -788,6 +788,33 @@ func TestSQLiteLoadReplacesPersistedSnapshot_Good(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, 1, rl2.Stats("model-b").RPD)
 }
 
+func TestSQLiteLoadReplacesQuotasWithEmptyPersistedSnapshot_Good(t *testing.T) {
+	dbPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "empty-quotas.db")
+	rl, err := NewWithSQLiteConfig(dbPath, Config{
+		Providers: []Provider{ProviderLocal},
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	require.Empty(t, rl.Quotas)
+	rl.RecordUsage("usage-only-model", 10, 20)
+
+	require.NoError(t, rl.Persist())
+	require.NoError(t, rl.Close())
+
+	rl2, err := NewWithSQLiteConfig(dbPath, Config{
+		Providers: []Provider{ProviderGemini},
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer rl2.Close()
+
+	require.NotEmpty(t, rl2.Quotas, "constructor should start with Gemini defaults")
+	require.NoError(t, rl2.Load())
+
+	assert.Empty(t, rl2.Quotas, "persisted empty quotas should replace configured defaults")
+	assert.NotContains(t, rl2.Quotas, "gemini-3-pro-preview")
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, rl2.Stats("usage-only-model").RPD)
+}
+
 func TestSQLitePersistAtomic_Good(t *testing.T) {
 	dbPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "persist-atomic.db")
 	rl, err := NewWithSQLiteConfig(dbPath, Config{