diff --git a/ui/src/components/AgentConfigForm.tsx b/ui/src/components/AgentConfigForm.tsx
index 7d5c4f45..c3c9bdfa 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/AgentConfigForm.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/AgentConfigForm.tsx
@@ -1155,9 +1155,17 @@ function EnvVarEditor({
   const [rows, setRows] = useState<Row[]>(() => toRows(value));
   const [sealError, setSealError] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const valueRef = useRef(value);
+  const emittingRef = useRef(false);
 
-  // Sync when value identity changes (overlay reset after save)
+  // Sync when value identity changes (overlay reset after save).
+  // Skip re-sync when the change was triggered by our own emit() to avoid
+  // reverting local row state (e.g. a secret-transition dropdown choice).
   useEffect(() => {
+    if (emittingRef.current) {
+      emittingRef.current = false;
+      valueRef.current = value;
+      return;
+    }
     if (value !== valueRef.current) {
       valueRef.current = value;
       setRows(toRows(value));
@@ -1173,13 +1181,15 @@ function EnvVarEditor({
         if (row.secretId) {
           rec[k] = { type: "secret_ref", secretId: row.secretId, version: "latest" };
         } else {
-          // Preserve as plain during transition to avoid data loss
+          // Row is transitioning to secret but user hasn't picked one yet.
+          // Preserve the plain value so it isn't silently dropped.
           rec[k] = { type: "plain", value: row.plainValue };
         }
       } else {
         rec[k] = { type: "plain", value: row.plainValue };
       }
     }
+    emittingRef.current = true;
     onChange(Object.keys(rec).length > 0 ? rec : undefined);
   }