diff --git a/src/memory/cortex-mode-overrides.ts b/src/memory/cortex-mode-overrides.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..90e2f1a0cdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/memory/cortex-mode-overrides.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+import fs from "node:fs/promises";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { resolveStateDir } from "../config/paths.js";
+import type { CortexPolicy } from "./cortex.js";
+
+export type CortexModeScope = "session" | "channel";
+
+export type CortexModeOverride = {
+  agentId: string;
+  scope: CortexModeScope;
+  targetId: string;
+  mode: CortexPolicy;
+  updatedAt: string;
+};
+
+type CortexModeOverrideStore = {
+  session: Record<string, CortexModeOverride>;
+  channel: Record<string, CortexModeOverride>;
+};
+
+function buildKey(agentId: string, targetId: string): string {
+  return `${agentId}:${targetId}`;
+}
+
+export function resolveCortexModeOverridesPath(env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env): string {
+  return path.join(resolveStateDir(env), "cortex-mode-overrides.json");
+}
+
+async function readStore(
+  pathname = resolveCortexModeOverridesPath(),
+): Promise<CortexModeOverrideStore> {
+  try {
+    const raw = await fs.readFile(pathname, "utf-8");
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(raw) as Partial<CortexModeOverrideStore>;
+    return {
+      session: parsed.session ?? {},
+      channel: parsed.channel ?? {},
+    };
+  } catch {
+    return {
+      session: {},
+      channel: {},
+    };
+  }
+}
+
+async function writeStore(
+  store: CortexModeOverrideStore,
+  pathname = resolveCortexModeOverridesPath(),
+): Promise<void> {
+  await fs.mkdir(path.dirname(pathname), { recursive: true });
+  await fs.writeFile(pathname, JSON.stringify(store, null, 2));
+}
+
+export async function getCortexModeOverride(params: {
+  agentId: string;
+  sessionId?: string;
+  channelId?: string;
+  pathname?: string;
+}): Promise<CortexModeOverride | null> {
+  const store = await readStore(params.pathname);
+  const sessionId = params.sessionId?.trim();
+  if (sessionId) {
+    const session = store.session[buildKey(params.agentId, sessionId)];
+    if (session) {
+      return session;
+    }
+  }
+  const channelId = params.channelId?.trim();
+  if (channelId) {
+    const channel = store.channel[buildKey(params.agentId, channelId)];
+    if (channel) {
+      return channel;
+    }
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
+export async function setCortexModeOverride(params: {
+  agentId: string;
+  scope: CortexModeScope;
+  targetId: string;
+  mode: CortexPolicy;
+  pathname?: string;
+}): Promise<CortexModeOverride> {
+  const store = await readStore(params.pathname);
+  const next: CortexModeOverride = {
+    agentId: params.agentId,
+    scope: params.scope,
+    targetId: params.targetId,
+    mode: params.mode,
+    updatedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+  };
+  store[params.scope][buildKey(params.agentId, params.targetId)] = next;
+  await writeStore(store, params.pathname);
+  return next;
+}
+
+export async function clearCortexModeOverride(params: {
+  agentId: string;
+  scope: CortexModeScope;
+  targetId: string;
+  pathname?: string;
+}): Promise<boolean> {
+  const store = await readStore(params.pathname);
+  const key = buildKey(params.agentId, params.targetId);
+  if (!store[params.scope][key]) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  delete store[params.scope][key];
+  await writeStore(store, params.pathname);
+  return true;
+}