diff --git a/internal/config/agents.go b/internal/config/agents.go
index 08e8d654..d822fbaf 100644
--- a/internal/config/agents.go
+++ b/internal/config/agents.go
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ type AgentPresetInfo struct {
 	// Args are the default command-line arguments for autonomous mode.
 	Args []string `json:"args"`
 
+	// Env are environment variables to set when starting the agent.
+	// These are merged with the standard GT_* variables.
+	// Used for agent-specific configuration like OPENCODE_PERMISSION.
+	Env map[string]string `json:"env,omitempty"`
+
 	// ProcessNames are the process names to look for when detecting if the agent is running.
 	// Used by tmux.IsAgentRunning to check pane_current_command.
 	// E.g., ["node"] for Claude, ["cursor-agent"] for Cursor.
@@ -318,7 +323,7 @@ func DefaultAgentPreset() AgentPreset {
 }
 
 // RuntimeConfigFromPreset creates a RuntimeConfig from an agent preset.
-// This provides the basic Command/Args; additional fields from AgentPresetInfo
+// This provides the basic Command/Args/Env; additional fields from AgentPresetInfo
 // can be accessed separately for extended functionality.
 func RuntimeConfigFromPreset(preset AgentPreset) *RuntimeConfig {
 	info := GetAgentPreset(preset)
@@ -327,9 +332,19 @@ func RuntimeConfigFromPreset(preset AgentPreset) *RuntimeConfig {
 		return DefaultRuntimeConfig()
 	}
 
+	// Copy Env map to avoid mutation
+	var envCopy map[string]string
+	if len(info.Env) > 0 {
+		envCopy = make(map[string]string, len(info.Env))
+		for k, v := range info.Env {
+			envCopy[k] = v
+		}
+	}
+
 	rc := &RuntimeConfig{
 		Command: info.Command,
 		Args:    append([]string(nil), info.Args...), // Copy to avoid mutation
+		Env:     envCopy,
 	}
 
 	// Resolve command path for claude preset (handles alias installations)
diff --git a/internal/config/agents_test.go b/internal/config/agents_test.go
index ef5596f4..80f64dbf 100644
--- a/internal/config/agents_test.go
+++ b/internal/config/agents_test.go
@@ -102,6 +102,21 @@ func TestRuntimeConfigFromPreset(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRuntimeConfigFromPresetReturnsNilEnvForPresetsWithoutEnv(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	// Built-in presets like Claude don't have Env set
+	// This verifies nil Env handling in RuntimeConfigFromPreset
+	rc := RuntimeConfigFromPreset(AgentClaude)
+	if rc == nil {
+		t.Fatal("RuntimeConfigFromPreset returned nil")
+	}
+
+	// Claude preset doesn't have Env, so it should be nil
+	if rc.Env != nil && len(rc.Env) > 0 {
+		t.Errorf("Expected nil/empty Env for Claude preset, got %v", rc.Env)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestIsKnownPreset(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	tests := []struct {
diff --git a/internal/config/loader.go b/internal/config/loader.go
index 87357df5..9af9aaa1 100644
--- a/internal/config/loader.go
+++ b/internal/config/loader.go
@@ -1085,6 +1085,13 @@ func fillRuntimeDefaults(rc *RuntimeConfig) *RuntimeConfig {
 		Args:          rc.Args,
 		InitialPrompt: rc.InitialPrompt,
 	}
+	// Copy Env map to avoid mutation and preserve agent-specific env vars
+	if len(rc.Env) > 0 {
+		result.Env = make(map[string]string, len(rc.Env))
+		for k, v := range rc.Env {
+			result.Env[k] = v
+		}
+	}
 	if result.Command == "" {
 		result.Command = "claude"
 	}
@@ -1252,6 +1259,10 @@ func BuildStartupCommand(envVars map[string]string, rigPath, prompt string) stri
 	if rc.Session != nil && rc.Session.SessionIDEnv != "" {
 		resolvedEnv["GT_SESSION_ID_ENV"] = rc.Session.SessionIDEnv
 	}
+	// Merge agent-specific env vars (e.g., OPENCODE_PERMISSION for yolo mode)
+	for k, v := range rc.Env {
+		resolvedEnv[k] = v
+	}
 
 	// Build environment export prefix
 	var exports []string
@@ -1362,6 +1373,10 @@ func BuildStartupCommandWithAgentOverride(envVars map[string]string, rigPath, pr
 	if agentOverride != "" {
 		resolvedEnv["GT_AGENT"] = agentOverride
 	}
+	// Merge agent-specific env vars (e.g., OPENCODE_PERMISSION for yolo mode)
+	for k, v := range rc.Env {
+		resolvedEnv[k] = v
+	}
 
 	// Build environment export prefix
 	var exports []string
diff --git a/internal/config/loader_test.go b/internal/config/loader_test.go
index 09a3be08..e99349e4 100644
--- a/internal/config/loader_test.go
+++ b/internal/config/loader_test.go
@@ -2777,3 +2777,97 @@ func TestBuildStartupCommandWithAgentOverride_NoGTAgentWhenNoOverride(t *testing
 		t.Errorf("expected no GT_AGENT in command when no override, got: %q", cmd)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestFillRuntimeDefaultsPreservesEnv(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	tests := []struct {
+		name     string
+		input    *RuntimeConfig
+		wantEnv  map[string]string
+		wantNil  bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name:    "nil input returns default",
+			input:   nil,
+			wantNil: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "preserves Env map",
+			input: &RuntimeConfig{
+				Command: "test-cmd",
+				Env: map[string]string{
+					"TEST_VAR": "test-value",
+					"JSON_VAR": `{"*":"allow"}`,
+				},
+			},
+			wantEnv: map[string]string{
+				"TEST_VAR": "test-value",
+				"JSON_VAR": `{"*":"allow"}`,
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "nil Env stays nil",
+			input: &RuntimeConfig{
+				Command: "test-cmd",
+				Env:     nil,
+			},
+			wantEnv: nil,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "empty Env stays empty",
+			input: &RuntimeConfig{
+				Command: "test-cmd",
+				Env:     map[string]string{},
+			},
+			wantEnv: nil, // Empty map is treated as nil (not copied)
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			result := fillRuntimeDefaults(tt.input)
+			if result == nil {
+				if !tt.wantNil {
+					t.Fatal("fillRuntimeDefaults returned nil unexpectedly")
+				}
+				return
+			}
+
+			if tt.wantEnv == nil {
+				if result.Env != nil && len(result.Env) > 0 {
+					t.Errorf("expected nil/empty Env, got %v", result.Env)
+				}
+				return
+			}
+
+			if len(result.Env) != len(tt.wantEnv) {
+				t.Errorf("expected %d env vars, got %d", len(tt.wantEnv), len(result.Env))
+			}
+			for k, want := range tt.wantEnv {
+				if got := result.Env[k]; got != want {
+					t.Errorf("Env[%s] = %q, want %q", k, got, want)
+				}
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestFillRuntimeDefaultsEnvIsCopy(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	original := &RuntimeConfig{
+		Command: "test-cmd",
+		Env: map[string]string{
+			"ORIGINAL": "value",
+		},
+	}
+
+	result := fillRuntimeDefaults(original)
+
+	// Mutate the result
+	result.Env["MUTATED"] = "yes"
+
+	// Original should be unchanged
+	if _, exists := original.Env["MUTATED"]; exists {
+		t.Error("Mutation of result.Env affected original config")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/config/types.go b/internal/config/types.go
index 9489e0de..8f7f3964 100644
--- a/internal/config/types.go
+++ b/internal/config/types.go
@@ -263,6 +263,11 @@ type RuntimeConfig struct {
 	// Empty array [] means no args (not "use defaults").
 	Args []string `json:"args"`
 
+	// Env are environment variables to set when starting the agent.
+	// These are merged with the standard GT_* variables.
+	// Used for agent-specific configuration like OPENCODE_PERMISSION.
+	Env map[string]string `json:"env,omitempty"`
+
 	// InitialPrompt is an optional first message to send after startup.
 	// For claude, this is passed as the prompt argument.
 	// Empty by default (hooks handle context).