diff --git a/TESTING.md b/TESTING.md
index e6c8585..dbf523d 100644
--- a/TESTING.md
+++ b/TESTING.md
@@ -75,6 +75,10 @@ representative repositories.
 - [ ] Server profiles can be added, authenticated, selected, edited, renamed,
       and deleted. Blank token on edit preserves the existing token; removing
       the last server leaves the server manager available.
+- [ ] Select a different server, quit, and relaunch without `--server`; the TUI
+      restores that server. Relaunch with `--server NAME`; the explicit server
+      wins and becomes the restored server after a clean exit. Renaming or
+      deleting the remembered profile leaves a valid selection.
 - [ ] Editors move between fields with Tab/Shift-Tab, support cursor movement,
       Unicode insertion, Delete, and Backspace without navigating back, mask
       tokens, save with Ctrl-S, and cancel with Esc.
diff --git a/crates/gitea/src/config.rs b/crates/gitea/src/config.rs
index 341aa9c..8cc0574 100644
--- a/crates/gitea/src/config.rs
+++ b/crates/gitea/src/config.rs
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ pub struct TuiPreferences {
     pub refresh_seconds: u64,
     #[serde(default)]
     pub favorites: BTreeSet<String>,
+    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    pub last_server: Option<String>,
 }
 
 impl Default for TuiPreferences {
@@ -37,6 +39,7 @@ impl Default for TuiPreferences {
         Self {
             refresh_seconds: default_refresh_seconds(),
             favorites: BTreeSet::new(),
+            last_server: None,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -150,6 +153,9 @@ impl Config {
         if old_url != new_url {
             migrate_favorites(&mut updated.tui.favorites, &old_url, new_url);
         }
+        if updated.tui.last_server.as_deref() == Some(original_name) {
+            updated.tui.last_server = Some(name.into());
+        }
         updated.save()?;
         *self = updated;
         Ok(())
@@ -169,6 +175,9 @@ impl Config {
         {
             remove_favorites(&mut updated.tui.favorites, &removed_url);
         }
+        if updated.tui.last_server.as_deref() == Some(name) {
+            updated.tui.last_server = updated.servers.keys().next().cloned();
+        }
         updated.save()?;
         *self = updated;
         Ok(())
@@ -182,6 +191,22 @@ impl Config {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    pub fn set_tui_last_server(&mut self, name: Option<&str>) -> Result<()> {
+        if let Some(name) = name
+            && !self.servers.contains_key(name)
+        {
+            return Err(format!("server profile {name:?} does not exist"));
+        }
+        if self.tui.last_server.as_deref() == name {
+            return Ok(());
+        }
+        let mut updated = self.clone();
+        updated.tui.last_server = name.map(str::to_owned);
+        updated.save()?;
+        *self = updated;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     pub fn is_tui_favorite(&self, pane: &str, server_url: &str, repository: &RepositoryId) -> bool {
         self.tui
             .favorites
@@ -455,9 +480,11 @@ mod tests {
             .login("code.example", "secret", Provider::Forgejo)
             .unwrap();
         config.set_tui_refresh_seconds(9).unwrap();
+        config.set_tui_last_server(Some("code.example")).unwrap();
 
         let mut loaded = Config::load_from(path).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(loaded.tui.refresh_seconds, 9);
+        assert_eq!(loaded.tui.last_server.as_deref(), Some("code.example"));
         assert_eq!(loaded.servers["code.example"].token, "secret");
         assert_eq!(loaded.servers["code.example"].provider, Provider::Forgejo);
         assert_eq!(
@@ -484,6 +511,7 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(loaded.is_tui_favorite("issues", "https://new.example", &repository));
         assert!(!loaded.servers.contains_key("code.example"));
         assert_eq!(loaded.servers["new.example"].token, "new-secret");
+        assert_eq!(loaded.tui.last_server.as_deref(), Some("new.example"));
         assert!(
             fs::read_to_string(&loaded.path)
                 .unwrap()
@@ -506,6 +534,8 @@ mod tests {
             fs::metadata(&loaded.path).unwrap().permissions().mode() & 0o777,
             0o600
         );
+        loaded.logout("new.example").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(loaded.tui.last_server, None);
 
         fs::remove_dir_all(directory).unwrap();
     }
diff --git a/crates/tui/src/app.rs b/crates/tui/src/app.rs
index 7089ae1..0eda38f 100644
--- a/crates/tui/src/app.rs
+++ b/crates/tui/src/app.rs
@@ -257,6 +257,15 @@ impl App {
             })
     }
 
+    pub fn persist_selected_server(&mut self) -> Result<(), String> {
+        let selected = self
+            .config
+            .servers
+            .contains_key(&self.server_name)
+            .then_some(self.server_name.as_str());
+        self.config.set_tui_last_server(selected)
+    }
+
     pub async fn handle_key(&mut self, key: KeyEvent) {
         self.last_input = Instant::now();
         self.status_deadline = None;
@@ -1675,6 +1684,14 @@ fn initial_selection(config: &Config, requested: Option<&str>) -> Result<Selecti
     if let Some(name) = requested {
         return config.select(Some(name), None);
     }
+    if let Some(name) = config
+        .tui
+        .last_server
+        .as_deref()
+        .filter(|name| config.servers.contains_key(*name))
+    {
+        return config.select(Some(name), None);
+    }
     config.select(None, None).or_else(|_| {
         let name = config
             .servers
@@ -1929,6 +1946,30 @@ fn clock() -> String {
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
+    fn config_with_servers() -> Config {
+        let mut config = Config::default();
+        config.servers = [
+            (
+                "first.example".into(),
+                gotcha_gitea::ServerProfile {
+                    url: "https://first.example".into(),
+                    token: "first".into(),
+                    provider: Provider::Gitea,
+                },
+            ),
+            (
+                "second.example".into(),
+                gotcha_gitea::ServerProfile {
+                    url: "https://second.example".into(),
+                    token: "second".into(),
+                    provider: Provider::Forgejo,
+                },
+            ),
+        ]
+        .into();
+        config
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn changed_files_open_only_their_own_diff() {
         let diff = "diff --git a/one.txt b/one.txt\n--- a/one.txt\n+++ b/one.txt\n+one\ndiff --git a/two.txt b/two.txt\n--- a/two.txt\n+++ b/two.txt\n+two\n";
@@ -1941,6 +1982,29 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn startup_prefers_the_last_server_unless_explicitly_overridden() {
+        let mut config = config_with_servers();
+        config.tui.last_server = Some("second.example".into());
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            initial_selection(&config, None).unwrap().name.as_deref(),
+            Some("second.example")
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            initial_selection(&config, Some("first.example"))
+                .unwrap()
+                .name
+                .as_deref(),
+            Some("first.example")
+        );
+        config.tui.last_server = Some("removed.example".into());
+        assert_eq!(
+            initial_selection(&config, None).unwrap().name.as_deref(),
+            Some("first.example")
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn list_clicks_follow_the_rendered_offset_and_rows() {
         let area = ratatui::layout::Rect::new(10, 4, 30, 10);
diff --git a/crates/tui/src/main.rs b/crates/tui/src/main.rs
index 1351d4e..2a7d26c 100644
--- a/crates/tui/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/tui/src/main.rs
@@ -44,7 +44,9 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
     let result = run(&mut terminal, &mut app).await;
     execute!(io::stdout(), DisableMouseCapture)?;
     ratatui::restore();
-    result
+    result?;
+    app.persist_selected_server()?;
+    Ok(())
 }
 
 async fn run(