diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/connection-config.test.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/connection-config.test.ts
index 748ff9ef8ddee..e5ba2812725ea 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/connection-config.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/connection-config.test.ts
@@ -133,16 +133,38 @@ test('profileRemoteOverride tolerates a missing/!object profiles map', () => {
   assert.equal(profileRemoteOverride(null, 'coder'), null)
 })
 
-test('SSH remains separate from URL-shaped remote modes', () => {
+test('SSH remains separate from URL-shaped remote modes and preserves an explicit remote profile', () => {
   assert.equal(modeIsRemoteLike('ssh'), false)
-  const config = { profiles: { coder: { mode: 'ssh', host: 'alice@box:2222', keyPath: '/key' } } }
+
+  const config = {
+    profiles: { coder: { mode: 'ssh', host: 'alice@box:2222', keyPath: '/key', remoteProfile: 'default' } }
+  }
+
   assert.equal(profileRemoteOverride(config, 'coder'), null)
+
   assert.deepEqual(profileSshOverride(config, 'coder'), {
     mode: 'ssh',
     host: 'box',
     user: 'alice',
     port: 2222,
-    keyPath: '/key'
+    keyPath: '/key',
+    remoteProfile: 'default'
+  })
+})
+
+test('normalizeSshConfig rejects unsafe remote profile mappings', () => {
+  assert.deepEqual(normalizeSshConfig({ mode: 'ssh', host: 'box', remoteProfile: 'writer_2' }), {
+    mode: 'ssh',
+    host: 'box',
+    remoteProfile: 'writer_2'
+  })
+  assert.deepEqual(normalizeSshConfig({ mode: 'ssh', host: 'box', remoteProfile: 'bad profile' }), {
+    mode: 'ssh',
+    host: 'box'
+  })
+  assert.deepEqual(normalizeSshConfig({ mode: 'ssh', host: 'box', remoteProfile: '' }), {
+    mode: 'ssh',
+    host: 'box'
   })
 })
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/connection-config.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/connection-config.ts
index 6c3c6ce9bb829..7cbf9c911a636 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/connection-config.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/connection-config.ts
@@ -281,6 +281,16 @@ function normalizeSshConfig(entry) {
     out.remoteHermesPath = remoteHermesPath
   }
 
+  // A Desktop profile can be a local routing label rather than the profile
+  // name used by the remote Hermes installation. Preserve an explicit mapping
+  // when it is a valid Hermes profile identifier; otherwise fall back to the
+  // historical same-name behavior in the caller.
+  const remoteProfile = String(entry.remoteProfile || '').trim()
+
+  if (/^[a-z0-9][a-z0-9_-]{0,63}$/.test(remoteProfile)) {
+    out.remoteProfile = remoteProfile
+  }
+
   return out
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/main.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/main.ts
index 2687ae322ef8e..785a1dc96e203 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/main.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/main.ts
@@ -6996,6 +6996,7 @@ async function sanitizeDesktopConnectionConfig(config = readDesktopConnectionCon
     sshPort: (ssh || savedSsh)?.port || null,
     sshKeyPath: (ssh || savedSsh)?.keyPath || '',
     sshRemoteHermesPath: (ssh || savedSsh)?.remoteHermesPath || '',
+    sshRemoteProfile: (ssh || savedSsh)?.remoteProfile || '',
     // The env override only forces the global/primary connection; a per-profile
     // scope is never overridden by HERMES_DESKTOP_REMOTE_URL.
     envOverride
@@ -7128,7 +7129,8 @@ function buildSshBlock(input: any, existingBlock: any = {}) {
     user: input.sshUser ?? existingBlock.user,
     port: input.sshPort ?? existingBlock.port,
     keyPath: input.sshKeyPath ?? existingBlock.keyPath,
-    remoteHermesPath: input.sshRemoteHermesPath ?? existingBlock.remoteHermesPath
+    remoteHermesPath: input.sshRemoteHermesPath ?? existingBlock.remoteHermesPath,
+    remoteProfile: input.sshRemoteProfile ?? existingBlock.remoteProfile
   })
 
   if (!merged) {
@@ -7417,7 +7419,7 @@ async function bootstrapSshConnectionInner(profile, sshConfig, reuseToken, sourc
     const lifecycle = platform.os === 'Windows' ? connectWindowsRemote : remoteLifecycle.connect
     result = await lifecycle({
       ssh,
-      profile: connectionScopeKey(profile) || '',
+      profile: sshConfig.remoteProfile || connectionScopeKey(profile) || '',
       remoteHermesPath: sshConfig.remoteHermesPath || '',
       ownershipId: sshOwnershipKey(profile),
       reuseToken: reuseToken || '',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/remote-lifecycle.test.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/remote-lifecycle.test.ts
index b421b0ef0c31d..c6f411475fd33 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/remote-lifecycle.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/remote-lifecycle.test.ts
@@ -440,6 +440,33 @@ test('connect() reuses a healthy dashboard when fingerprint + probe pass', async
   assert.ok(!ssh.calls.some(c => /setsid/.test(c)), 'reuse path must not spawn a new dashboard')
 })
 
+test('connect() respawns when the requested remote profile differs from the lockfile profile', async () => {
+  const reuseToken = 'stored-token'
+  const lock = ownedLock({ profile: 'desktop-work', tokenFingerprint: fingerprintToken(reuseToken) })
+
+  const ssh = fakeSsh([
+    [/uname/, 'Linux\nx86_64'],
+    [/\[ -x/, 'OK'],
+    [/cat .*lock\.json/, JSON.stringify(lock)],
+    [/kill -0 333/, 'ALIVE'],
+    [/print\("OWNED"/, 'OWNED\n'],
+    [/kill 333/, ''],
+    [/--version/, 'Hermes Agent v0.18.2\n'],
+    [/grep -q ssh-session-token-file/, 'YES\n'],
+    [/python3 -c/, ''],
+    [/setsid/, '890\n'],
+    [/kill -0 890/, 'ALIVE'],
+    [/cat .*\.log/, 'HERMES_DASHBOARD_READY port=52050\n']
+  ])
+
+  const result = await connect(
+    connectDeps(ssh, { profile: 'default', reuseToken, adoptServedToken: async () => 'fresh' })
+  )
+
+  assert.equal(result.reused, false)
+  assert.ok(ssh.calls.some(c => /setsid/.test(c)), 'profile mismatch must spawn a fresh dashboard')
+})
+
 test('connect() respawns when the lockfile hermesPath differs from the resolved path', async () => {
   const reuseToken = 'stored-token'
   const lock = ownedLock({ hermesPath: '/old/stale/hermes', tokenFingerprint: fingerprintToken(reuseToken) })
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/remote-lifecycle.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/remote-lifecycle.ts
index 705c80000b927..db4d5b20dda3f 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/remote-lifecycle.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/remote-lifecycle.ts
@@ -713,6 +713,7 @@ async function connect(deps) {
       pidAlive &&
       owned &&
       lock.port > 0 &&
+      lock.profile === profile &&
       Boolean(reuseToken) &&
       lock.tokenFingerprint === fingerprintToken(reuseToken) &&
       lock.hermesPath === hermesPath &&
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/ssh-bootstrap-coordinator.test.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/ssh-bootstrap-coordinator.test.ts
index cf5c24e97270a..d3ffb99e0eee7 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/ssh-bootstrap-coordinator.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/ssh-bootstrap-coordinator.test.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ test('sshConfigFingerprint covers scope and every connection field', () => {
     port: 2222,
     keyPath: '/other',
     remoteHermesPath: '/other-hermes',
+    remoteProfile: 'default',
     effectiveConfigFingerprint: 'changed-config'
   })) {
     assert.notEqual(base, sshConfigFingerprint('', { ...config, [field]: value }))
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/ssh-bootstrap-coordinator.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/ssh-bootstrap-coordinator.ts
index 827e9a4e7a18b..c38e0473aae2c 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/ssh-bootstrap-coordinator.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/ssh-bootstrap-coordinator.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ function sshConfigFingerprint(scope, config) {
     config.port,
     config.keyPath,
     config.remoteHermesPath,
+    config.remoteProfile,
     config.effectiveConfigFingerprint
   ]
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/windows-remote-lifecycle.test.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/windows-remote-lifecycle.test.ts
index 56cfb4d45d280..b63d9c69bff9d 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/windows-remote-lifecycle.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/windows-remote-lifecycle.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict'
+import crypto from 'node:crypto'
 
 import { test } from 'vitest'
 
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ import {
   helperCommand,
   powerShellCommand,
   psLiteral,
+  reusableWindowsLock,
   validLock
 } from './windows-remote-lifecycle'
 
@@ -114,6 +116,31 @@ test('Windows lock validation is scoped and exact', () => {
   assert.equal(validLock({ ...lock, port: -1 }, ownershipId), false)
 })
 
+test('Windows SSH reuse requires the requested remote profile to match the lock', () => {
+  const token = 'stored-token'
+
+  const lock = {
+    schemaVersion: 2,
+    protocolVersion: 1,
+    ownershipId,
+    spawnNonce: '0123456789abcdef',
+    pid: 10,
+    creationTimeNs: '1784219690452757504',
+    port: 1234,
+    profile: 'default',
+    tokenFingerprint: crypto.createHash('sha256').update(token).digest('hex').slice(0, 32),
+    hermesPath: 'C:\\h\\hermes.exe',
+    hermesHome: 'C:\\h'
+  }
+
+  const state = { alive: true, owned: true }
+  const runtime = { hermesPath: lock.hermesPath, hermesHome: lock.hermesHome }
+
+  assert.equal(reusableWindowsLock(lock, state, 'default', token, runtime), true)
+  assert.equal(reusableWindowsLock(lock, state, 'desktop-work', token, runtime), false)
+  assert.equal(reusableWindowsLock({ ...lock, profile: '' }, state, '', token, runtime), true)
+})
+
 test('Windows integrated terminal uses encoded PowerShell and preserves cwd as literal data', () => {
   const command = buildWindowsInteractiveCommand("C:\\Users\\O'Brien\\repo")
   const script = Buffer.from(command.split(' ').pop()!, 'base64').toString('utf16le')
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/windows-remote-lifecycle.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/windows-remote-lifecycle.ts
index ff03d6a8c791d..5d96853a1a105 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/windows-remote-lifecycle.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/windows-remote-lifecycle.ts
@@ -149,6 +149,19 @@ function validLock(lock, ownershipId) {
   )
 }
 
+function reusableWindowsLock(lock, state, profile, reuseToken, runtime) {
+  return Boolean(
+    state.alive &&
+    state.owned &&
+    lock.port > 0 &&
+    lock.profile === profile &&
+    reuseToken &&
+    lock.tokenFingerprint === fingerprintToken(reuseToken) &&
+    lock.hermesPath === runtime.hermesPath &&
+    lock.hermesHome === runtime.hermesHome
+  )
+}
+
 function assertCurrent(signal) {
   if (signal?.aborted) {
     const error: any = new Error('SSH bootstrap was cancelled.')
@@ -299,14 +312,7 @@ async function connectWindowsRemote(deps) {
       throw error
     }
 
-    const reusable =
-      state.alive &&
-      state.owned &&
-      lock.port > 0 &&
-      Boolean(reuseToken) &&
-      lock.tokenFingerprint === fingerprintToken(reuseToken) &&
-      lock.hermesPath === runtime.hermesPath &&
-      lock.hermesHome === runtime.hermesHome
+    const reusable = reusableWindowsLock(lock, state, profile, reuseToken, runtime)
 
     if (reusable) {
       const localPort = await pickLocalPort()
@@ -451,5 +457,6 @@ export {
   powerShellCommand,
   probeWindowsRemote,
   psLiteral,
+  reusableWindowsLock,
   validLock
 }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/gateway-settings.test.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/gateway-settings.test.tsx
index 89df6a90491e1..06f3a99d71468 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/gateway-settings.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/gateway-settings.test.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 import type { ProfileInfo } from '@/types/hermes'
 
 const getConnectionConfig = vi.fn()
+const saveConnectionConfig = vi.fn()
 const profiles = atom<ProfileInfo[]>([])
 
 vi.mock('@/store/profile', () => ({
@@ -45,9 +46,10 @@ beforeEach(() => {
     }
   ])
   getConnectionConfig.mockResolvedValue(localConnection)
+  saveConnectionConfig.mockResolvedValue(localConnection)
   Object.defineProperty(window, 'hermesDesktop', {
     configurable: true,
-    value: { getConnectionConfig }
+    value: { getConnectionConfig, saveConnectionConfig }
   })
 })
 
@@ -75,4 +77,43 @@ describe('GatewaySettings', () => {
       screen.queryByText('Start a private Hermes backend on localhost. This is the default and works offline.')
     ).toBeNull()
   })
+
+  it('shows and clears an SSH remote-profile mapping for a named Desktop profile', async () => {
+    getConnectionConfig.mockImplementation(async profile =>
+      profile === 'work'
+        ? {
+            ...localConnection,
+            mode: 'ssh',
+            profile: 'work',
+            sshHost: 'remote-box',
+            sshUser: 'alice',
+            sshPort: 22,
+            sshKeyPath: '',
+            sshRemoteHermesPath: '/opt/hermes/bin/hermes',
+            sshRemoteProfile: 'default'
+          }
+        : localConnection
+    )
+    saveConnectionConfig.mockReturnValue(new Promise(() => {}))
+    const { GatewaySettings } = await import('./gateway-settings')
+
+    render(<GatewaySettings />)
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByRole('button', { name: 'work' }))
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(getConnectionConfig).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith('work'))
+    expect(await screen.findByText('Remote profile (optional)')).toBeTruthy()
+
+    const input = screen.getByPlaceholderText('work')
+
+    expect((input as HTMLInputElement).value).toBe('default')
+    fireEvent.change(input, { target: { value: '' } })
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Save for next restart' }))
+
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(saveConnectionConfig).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.objectContaining({
+        profile: 'work',
+        sshRemoteProfile: ''
+      }))
+    )
+  })
 })
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/gateway-settings.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/gateway-settings.tsx
index 2750a06eccd37..23773ae525618 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/gateway-settings.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/gateway-settings.tsx
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ interface GatewaySettingsState {
   sshPort: number | null
   sshKeyPath: string
   sshRemoteHermesPath: string
+  sshRemoteProfile: string
 }
 
 const SSH_HOST_CUSTOM = '__custom__'
@@ -68,7 +69,8 @@ const EMPTY_STATE: GatewaySettingsState = {
   sshUser: '',
   sshPort: null,
   sshKeyPath: '',
-  sshRemoteHermesPath: ''
+  sshRemoteHermesPath: '',
+  sshRemoteProfile: ''
 }
 
 export function savedCloudConnectionUrl(config: Pick<GatewaySettingsState, 'mode' | 'remoteUrl'>): string {
@@ -413,7 +415,16 @@ export function GatewaySettings({ embedded = false }: { embedded?: boolean } = {
     signingSeq.current += 1
     cloudConnectSeq.current += 1
     setLastTest(null)
-  }, [scope, state.mode, state.sshHost, state.sshUser, state.sshPort, state.sshKeyPath, state.sshRemoteHermesPath])
+  }, [
+    scope,
+    state.mode,
+    state.sshHost,
+    state.sshUser,
+    state.sshPort,
+    state.sshKeyPath,
+    state.sshRemoteHermesPath,
+    state.sshRemoteProfile
+  ])
 
   const oauthConnected = state.remoteOauthConnected
 
@@ -439,7 +450,10 @@ export function GatewaySettings({ embedded = false }: { embedded?: boolean } = {
     sshUser: state.sshUser.trim() || undefined,
     sshPort: state.sshPort,
     sshKeyPath: state.sshKeyPath.trim() || undefined,
-    sshRemoteHermesPath: state.sshRemoteHermesPath.trim()
+    sshRemoteHermesPath: state.sshRemoteHermesPath.trim(),
+    // Preserve an intentional blank so an existing remote-profile mapping can
+    // be cleared instead of being mistaken for an omitted field.
+    sshRemoteProfile: state.sshRemoteProfile.trim()
   })
 
   const save = async (apply: boolean) => {
@@ -1424,6 +1438,20 @@ export function GatewaySettings({ embedded = false }: { embedded?: boolean } = {
             description={g.sshHermesPathDesc}
             title={g.sshHermesPathTitle}
           />
+          {scope !== null ? (
+            <ListRow
+              action={
+                <Input
+                  className={cn('h-8 font-mono', CONTROL_TEXT)}
+                  onChange={event => setState(current => ({ ...current, sshRemoteProfile: event.target.value }))}
+                  placeholder={scope}
+                  value={state.sshRemoteProfile}
+                />
+              }
+              description={g.sshRemoteProfileDesc}
+              title={g.sshRemoteProfileTitle}
+            />
+          ) : null}
         </div>
       ) : null}
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/boot-failure-reauth.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/components/boot-failure-reauth.test.ts
index 42527604b14f9..78b58329ce577 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/boot-failure-reauth.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/boot-failure-reauth.test.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ function config(overrides: Partial<DesktopConnectionConfig> = {}): DesktopConnec
     sshPort: null,
     sshKeyPath: '',
     sshRemoteHermesPath: '',
+    sshRemoteProfile: '',
     ...overrides
   }
 }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/global.d.ts b/apps/desktop/src/global.d.ts
index 7d21757775920..c2b677619ec41 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/global.d.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/global.d.ts
@@ -531,6 +531,7 @@ export interface DesktopConnectionConfig {
   sshPort: number | null
   sshKeyPath: string
   sshRemoteHermesPath: string
+  sshRemoteProfile: string
 }
 
 export interface DesktopConnectionConfigInput {
@@ -549,6 +550,7 @@ export interface DesktopConnectionConfigInput {
   sshPort?: number | null
   sshKeyPath?: string
   sshRemoteHermesPath?: string
+  sshRemoteProfile?: string
 }
 
 export interface DesktopConnectionTestResult {
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
index c08e289c0374d..70b7cea9ce28e 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
@@ -719,6 +719,8 @@ export const en: Translations = {
       sshHermesPathTitle: 'Hermes path (optional)',
       sshHermesPathDesc: 'Full path to the remote hermes binary. Blank = auto-detect.',
       sshHermesPathPlaceholder: 'auto-detect',
+      sshRemoteProfileTitle: 'Remote profile (optional)',
+      sshRemoteProfileDesc: 'Profile name on the remote host. Blank = use the Desktop profile name.',
       sshTestConnection: 'Test SSH',
       sshConnect: 'Connect',
       sshButtonsHint: 'Save applies on the next launch. Connect reconnects now.',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts
index a3f949dc9ec83..3841bcdbf1399 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts
@@ -788,6 +788,8 @@ export const ja = defineLocale({
       sshHermesPathTitle: 'Hermes パス（任意）',
       sshHermesPathDesc: 'リモートの hermes バイナリへのフルパス。空欄 = 自動検出。',
       sshHermesPathPlaceholder: '自動検出',
+      sshRemoteProfileTitle: 'リモートプロファイル（任意）',
+      sshRemoteProfileDesc: 'リモートホスト上のプロファイル名。空欄 = Desktop のプロファイル名を使用。',
       sshTestConnection: 'SSH をテスト',
       sshConnect: '接続',
       sshButtonsHint: '「保存」は次回起動時に適用され、「接続」は今すぐ再接続します。',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
index 3511e866a17e1..976dc8b9821c7 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
@@ -611,6 +611,8 @@ export interface Translations {
       sshHermesPathTitle: string
       sshHermesPathDesc: string
       sshHermesPathPlaceholder: string
+      sshRemoteProfileTitle: string
+      sshRemoteProfileDesc: string
       sshTestConnection: string
       sshConnect: string
       sshButtonsHint: string
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts
index 0c382484a0454..9cf9c99a378e2 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts
@@ -764,6 +764,8 @@ export const zhHant = defineLocale({
       sshHermesPathTitle: 'Hermes 路徑（選用）',
       sshHermesPathDesc: '遠端 hermes 執行檔的完整路徑。留空 = 自動偵測。',
       sshHermesPathPlaceholder: '自動偵測',
+      sshRemoteProfileTitle: '遠端設定檔（選用）',
+      sshRemoteProfileDesc: '遠端主機上的設定檔名稱。留空 = 使用 Desktop 設定檔名稱。',
       sshTestConnection: '測試 SSH',
       sshConnect: '連線',
       sshButtonsHint: '「儲存」會在下次啟動時生效，「連線」則立即重新連線。',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
index 0295d4817863a..9e4845f452264 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
@@ -925,6 +925,8 @@ export const zh: Translations = {
       sshHermesPathTitle: 'Hermes 路径（可选）',
       sshHermesPathDesc: '远程 hermes 可执行文件的完整路径。留空 = 自动检测。',
       sshHermesPathPlaceholder: '自动检测',
+      sshRemoteProfileTitle: '远程配置文件（可选）',
+      sshRemoteProfileDesc: '远程主机上的配置文件名称。留空 = 使用 Desktop 配置文件名称。',
       sshTestConnection: '测试 SSH',
       sshConnect: '连接',
       sshButtonsHint: '“保存”将在下次启动时生效，“连接”则立即重新连接。',