diff --git a/desktop/src/__tests__/agentsSettings.test.tsx b/desktop/src/__tests__/agentsSettings.test.tsx
index a186bc31..9550f5ee 100644
--- a/desktop/src/__tests__/agentsSettings.test.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/__tests__/agentsSettings.test.tsx
@@ -24,9 +24,7 @@ vi.mock('../stores/providerStore', () => ({
     activeId: null,
     presets: [],
     isLoading: false,
-    isPresetsLoading: false,
     fetchProviders: vi.fn(),
-    fetchPresets: vi.fn(),
     deleteProvider: vi.fn(),
     activateProvider: vi.fn(),
     activateOfficial: vi.fn(),
diff --git a/desktop/src/__tests__/diagnosticsSettings.test.tsx b/desktop/src/__tests__/diagnosticsSettings.test.tsx
index 023adec3..b08fe2f5 100644
--- a/desktop/src/__tests__/diagnosticsSettings.test.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/__tests__/diagnosticsSettings.test.tsx
@@ -94,9 +94,7 @@ vi.mock('../stores/providerStore', () => ({
     hasLoadedProviders: true,
     presets: [],
     isLoading: false,
-    isPresetsLoading: false,
     fetchProviders: vi.fn(),
-    fetchPresets: vi.fn(),
     deleteProvider: vi.fn(),
     activateProvider: vi.fn(),
     activateOfficial: vi.fn(),
diff --git a/desktop/src/__tests__/generalSettings.test.tsx b/desktop/src/__tests__/generalSettings.test.tsx
index d895ba39..96446312 100644
--- a/desktop/src/__tests__/generalSettings.test.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/__tests__/generalSettings.test.tsx
@@ -40,9 +40,7 @@ const providerStoreState = {
   hasLoadedProviders: true,
   presets: [] as ProviderPreset[],
   isLoading: false,
-  isPresetsLoading: false,
   fetchProviders: vi.fn(),
-  fetchPresets: vi.fn(),
   deleteProvider: MOCK_DELETE_PROVIDER,
   activateProvider: vi.fn(),
   activateOfficial: vi.fn(),
@@ -199,9 +197,7 @@ describe('Settings > General tab', () => {
     providerStoreState.hasLoadedProviders = true
     providerStoreState.presets = []
     providerStoreState.isLoading = false
-    providerStoreState.isPresetsLoading = false
     providerStoreState.fetchProviders = vi.fn()
-    providerStoreState.fetchPresets = vi.fn()
     providerStoreState.activateProvider = vi.fn()
     providerStoreState.activateOfficial = vi.fn()
     providerStoreState.testProvider = vi.fn()
@@ -1687,6 +1683,21 @@ describe('Settings > Providers tab', () => {
     expect(MOCK_DELETE_PROVIDER).toHaveBeenCalledWith('provider-1')
   })
 
+  it('keeps custom provider creation available when presets are unavailable', () => {
+    providerStoreState.presets = []
+
+    render(<Settings />)
+
+    const addButton = screen.getByRole('button', { name: /Add Provider/i })
+    expect(addButton).toBeEnabled()
+
+    fireEvent.click(addButton)
+
+    const dialog = screen.getByRole('dialog')
+    expect(within(dialog).getByLabelText(/Name/i)).toHaveValue('Custom')
+    expect(within(dialog).getByLabelText(/Base URL/i)).toBeEnabled()
+  })
+
   it('uses the shared dropdown for API format in the provider form', () => {
     providerStoreState.presets = [
       {
diff --git a/desktop/src/__tests__/pluginsSettings.test.tsx b/desktop/src/__tests__/pluginsSettings.test.tsx
index 010bda8d..6c174e0f 100644
--- a/desktop/src/__tests__/pluginsSettings.test.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/__tests__/pluginsSettings.test.tsx
@@ -25,9 +25,7 @@ vi.mock('../stores/providerStore', () => ({
     activeId: null,
     presets: [],
     isLoading: false,
-    isPresetsLoading: false,
     fetchProviders: vi.fn(),
-    fetchPresets: vi.fn(),
     deleteProvider: vi.fn(),
     activateProvider: vi.fn(),
     activateOfficial: vi.fn(),
diff --git a/desktop/src/__tests__/skillsSettings.test.tsx b/desktop/src/__tests__/skillsSettings.test.tsx
index d1aa1eba..4674a484 100644
--- a/desktop/src/__tests__/skillsSettings.test.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/__tests__/skillsSettings.test.tsx
@@ -21,9 +21,7 @@ vi.mock('../stores/providerStore', () => ({
     activeId: null,
     presets: [],
     isLoading: false,
-    isPresetsLoading: false,
     fetchProviders: vi.fn(),
-    fetchPresets: vi.fn(),
     deleteProvider: vi.fn(),
     activateProvider: vi.fn(),
     activateOfficial: vi.fn(),
diff --git a/desktop/src/api/providers.ts b/desktop/src/api/providers.ts
index 00adabeb..f9a12bfd 100644
--- a/desktop/src/api/providers.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/api/providers.ts
@@ -8,13 +8,11 @@ import type {
   TestProviderConfigInput,
   ProviderTestResult,
 } from '../types/provider'
-import type { ProviderPreset } from '../types/providerPreset'
 
 type ProvidersResponse = { providers: SavedProvider[]; activeId: string | null }
 type ProvidersListResponse = ProvidersResponse & { providerOrder?: string[] }
 type ProvidersReorderResponse = { providers: SavedProvider[]; providerOrder?: string[] }
 type ProviderResponse = { provider: SavedProvider }
-type PresetsResponse = { presets: ProviderPreset[] }
 type TestResultResponse = { result: ProviderTestResult }
 type AuthStatusResponse = {
   hasAuth: boolean
@@ -27,10 +25,6 @@ export const providersApi = {
     return api.get<ProvidersListResponse>('/api/providers')
   },
 
-  presets() {
-    return api.get<PresetsResponse>('/api/providers/presets')
-  },
-
   authStatus() {
     return api.get<AuthStatusResponse>('/api/providers/auth-status')
   },
diff --git a/desktop/src/config/providerPresets.ts b/desktop/src/config/providerPresets.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b5fcee83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/src/config/providerPresets.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+import providerPresetsJson from '../../../src/server/config/providerPresets.json'
+import type { ProviderPreset } from '../types/providerPreset'
+
+// Presets ship with the desktop bundle. Provider creation must remain available
+// even when the local HTTP control plane is temporarily unavailable.
+export const BUNDLED_PROVIDER_PRESETS = providerPresetsJson as ProviderPreset[]
diff --git a/desktop/src/pages/Settings.tsx b/desktop/src/pages/Settings.tsx
index 1469d507..406f7c22 100644
--- a/desktop/src/pages/Settings.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/pages/Settings.tsx
@@ -361,9 +361,7 @@ function ProviderSettings() {
     hasLoadedProviders,
     presets,
     isLoading,
-    isPresetsLoading,
     fetchProviders,
-    fetchPresets,
     deleteProvider,
     reorderProviders,
     activateProvider,
@@ -388,8 +386,7 @@ function ProviderSettings() {
 
   useEffect(() => {
     void fetchProviders()
-    void fetchPresets()
-  }, [fetchPresets, fetchProviders])
+  }, [fetchProviders])
 
   const presetMap = useMemo(
     () => new Map(presets.map((preset) => [preset.id, preset])),
@@ -462,7 +459,7 @@ function ProviderSettings() {
           <h2 className="text-base font-semibold text-[var(--color-text-primary)]">{t('settings.providers.title')}</h2>
           <p className="text-sm text-[var(--color-text-tertiary)] mt-0.5">{t('settings.providers.description')}</p>
         </div>
-        <Button size="sm" onClick={() => setShowCreateModal(true)} disabled={isPresetsLoading || presets.length === 0}>
+        <Button size="sm" onClick={() => setShowCreateModal(true)}>
           <span className="material-symbols-outlined text-[16px]">add</span>
           {t('settings.providers.addProvider')}
         </Button>
@@ -1211,21 +1208,18 @@ function ProviderFormModal({ open, onClose, mode, provider, presets }: ProviderF
   const fetchSettings = useSettingsStore((s) => s.fetchAll)
   const t = useTranslation()
 
-  const availablePresets = presets.filter((p) => p.id !== 'official')
+  const fallbackPreset = buildFallbackPreset(provider)
+  const loadedPresets = presets.filter((p) => p.id !== 'official')
+  const availablePresets = loadedPresets.length > 0 ? loadedPresets : [fallbackPreset]
   const regularPresets = availablePresets.filter((p) => !p.featured)
   const featuredPresets = availablePresets.filter((p) => p.featured)
   const presetDefaultEnvKeys = useMemo(
     () => presets.flatMap((preset) => Object.keys(preset.defaultEnv ?? {})),
     [presets],
   )
-  const fallbackPreset = provider
-    ? buildFallbackPreset(provider)
-    : requirePreset(availablePresets[availablePresets.length - 1])
-  const initialPreset = requirePreset(
-    provider
-      ? availablePresets.find((p) => p.id === provider.presetId) ?? fallbackPreset
-      : availablePresets[0] ?? fallbackPreset,
-  )
+  const initialPreset = provider
+    ? availablePresets.find((p) => p.id === provider.presetId) ?? fallbackPreset
+    : availablePresets[0] ?? fallbackPreset
   const initialModels = stripModel1mMarkers(provider?.models ?? initialPreset.defaultModels)
   const initialModel1mSupport = getInitialModel1mSupport(
     provider?.models ?? initialPreset.defaultModels,
diff --git a/desktop/src/stores/providerStore.test.ts b/desktop/src/stores/providerStore.test.ts
index 7fa15cb8..232fb38a 100644
--- a/desktop/src/stores/providerStore.test.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/stores/providerStore.test.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ const {
 } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   providersApiMock: {
     list: vi.fn(),
-    presets: vi.fn(),
     authStatus: vi.fn(),
     getSettings: vi.fn(),
     updateSettings: vi.fn(),
@@ -88,6 +87,17 @@ function makeProvider(overrides: Partial<SavedProvider> = {}): SavedProvider {
   }
 }
 
+describe('providerStore presets', () => {
+  it('starts with the provider presets bundled into the desktop app', async () => {
+    const { useProviderStore } = await import('./providerStore')
+
+    expect(useProviderStore.getState().presets).toEqual(expect.arrayContaining([
+      expect.objectContaining({ id: 'custom' }),
+      expect.objectContaining({ id: 'deepseek' }),
+    ]))
+  })
+})
+
 describe('providerStore runtime refresh', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     vi.clearAllMocks()
diff --git a/desktop/src/stores/providerStore.ts b/desktop/src/stores/providerStore.ts
index 728595a9..fd0f5702 100644
--- a/desktop/src/stores/providerStore.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/stores/providerStore.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
   GROK_OFFICIAL_DEFAULT_MODEL_ID,
   GROK_OFFICIAL_PROVIDER_ID,
 } from '../constants/grokOfficialProvider'
+import { BUNDLED_PROVIDER_PRESETS } from '../config/providerPresets'
 import type {
   SavedProvider,
   CreateProviderInput,
@@ -32,11 +33,9 @@ type ProviderStore = {
   hasLoadedProviders: boolean
   presets: ProviderPreset[]
   isLoading: boolean
-  isPresetsLoading: boolean
   error: string | null
 
   fetchProviders: () => Promise<void>
-  fetchPresets: () => Promise<void>
   createProvider: (input: CreateProviderInput) => Promise<SavedProvider>
   updateProvider: (id: string, input: UpdateProviderInput) => Promise<SavedProvider>
   deleteProvider: (id: string) => Promise<void>
@@ -164,9 +163,8 @@ export const useProviderStore = create<ProviderStore>((set, get) => ({
   providerOrder: [...BUILT_IN_PROVIDER_IDS],
   activeId: null,
   hasLoadedProviders: false,
-  presets: [],
+  presets: BUNDLED_PROVIDER_PRESETS,
   isLoading: false,
-  isPresetsLoading: false,
   error: null,
 
   fetchProviders: async () => {
@@ -188,16 +186,6 @@ export const useProviderStore = create<ProviderStore>((set, get) => ({
     }
   },
 
-  fetchPresets: async () => {
-    set({ isPresetsLoading: true, error: null })
-    try {
-      const { presets } = await providersApi.presets()
-      set({ presets, isPresetsLoading: false })
-    } catch (err) {
-      set({ isPresetsLoading: false, error: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err) })
-    }
-  },
-
   createProvider: async (input) => {
     const { provider } = await providersApi.create(input)
     await get().fetchProviders()
diff --git a/desktop/tsconfig.json b/desktop/tsconfig.json
index be91bcd8..ab993ee5 100644
--- a/desktop/tsconfig.json
+++ b/desktop/tsconfig.json
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
     "module": "ESNext",
     "skipLibCheck": true,
     "moduleResolution": "bundler",
+    "resolveJsonModule": true,
     "allowImportingTsExtensions": true,
     "isolatedModules": true,
     "moduleDetection": "force",