diff --git a/internal/routing/routing.go b/internal/routing/routing.go
index 144b362c..990be7e7 100644
--- a/internal/routing/routing.go
+++ b/internal/routing/routing.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ const (
 // Detection strategy:
 // 1. Check if user has push access to origin (git remote -v shows write URL)
 // 2. Check git config for beads.role setting (explicit override)
-// 3. Fall back to contributor if uncertain
+// 3. Fall back to maintainer for local projects (no remote configured)
 func DetectUserRole(repoPath string) (UserRole, error) {
 	// First check for explicit role in git config
 	output, err := gitCommandRunner(repoPath, "config", "--get", "beads.role")
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ func DetectUserRole(repoPath string) (UserRole, error) {
 		// Fallback to standard fetch URL if push URL fails (some git versions/configs)
 		output, err = gitCommandRunner(repoPath, "remote", "get-url", "origin")
 		if err != nil {
-			// No remote or error - default to contributor
-			return Contributor, nil
+			// No remote means local project - default to maintainer
+			return Maintainer, nil
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/routing/routing_test.go b/internal/routing/routing_test.go
index fdcbf02b..d2afcfae 100644
--- a/internal/routing/routing_test.go
+++ b/internal/routing/routing_test.go
@@ -83,13 +83,13 @@ func TestDetermineTargetRepo(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestDetectUserRole_Fallback(t *testing.T) {
-	// Test fallback behavior when git is not available
+	// Test fallback behavior when git is not available - local projects default to maintainer
 	role, err := DetectUserRole("/nonexistent/path/that/does/not/exist")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("DetectUserRole() error = %v, want nil", err)
 	}
-	if role != Contributor {
-		t.Errorf("DetectUserRole() = %v, want %v (fallback)", role, Contributor)
+	if role != Maintainer {
+		t.Errorf("DetectUserRole() = %v, want %v (local project fallback)", role, Maintainer)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ func TestDetectUserRole_HTTPSCredentialsMaintainer(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestDetectUserRole_DefaultContributor(t *testing.T) {
+func TestDetectUserRole_HTTPSNoCredentialsContributor(t *testing.T) {
 	orig := gitCommandRunner
 	stub := &gitStub{t: t, responses: []gitResponse{
 		{expect: gitCall{"", []string{"config", "--get", "beads.role"}}, err: errors.New("missing")},
@@ -289,6 +289,29 @@ func TestDetectUserRole_DefaultContributor(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestDetectUserRole_NoRemoteMaintainer(t *testing.T) {
+	// When no git remote is configured, default to maintainer (local project)
+	orig := gitCommandRunner
+	stub := &gitStub{t: t, responses: []gitResponse{
+		{expect: gitCall{"/local", []string{"config", "--get", "beads.role"}}, err: errors.New("missing")},
+		{expect: gitCall{"/local", []string{"remote", "get-url", "--push", "origin"}}, err: errors.New("no remote")},
+		{expect: gitCall{"/local", []string{"remote", "get-url", "origin"}}, err: errors.New("no remote")},
+	}}
+	gitCommandRunner = stub.run
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		gitCommandRunner = orig
+		stub.verify()
+	})
+
+	role, err := DetectUserRole("/local")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("DetectUserRole error = %v", err)
+	}
+	if role != Maintainer {
+		t.Fatalf("expected %s for local project with no remote, got %s", Maintainer, role)
+	}
+}
+
 // TestFindTownRoutes_SymlinkedBeadsDir verifies that findTownRoutes correctly
 // handles symlinked .beads directories by using findTownRootFromCWD() instead of
 // walking up from the beadsDir path.