diff --git a/ChatTwo/Configuration.cs b/ChatTwo/Configuration.cs
index 67901e7..8b4d18f 100755
--- a/ChatTwo/Configuration.cs
+++ b/ChatTwo/Configuration.cs
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ public class Configuration : IPluginConfiguration
     {
         if (RetentionPerChannelDays.TryGetValue(type, out var userOverride))
             return userOverride;
+        if (Privacy.PrivacyDefaults.DefaultRetentionDays.TryGetValue(type, out var specDefault))
+            return specDefault;
         return RetentionDefaultDays;
     }
 
diff --git a/ChatTwo/Plugin.cs b/ChatTwo/Plugin.cs
index 00fc10f..84aef30 100755
--- a/ChatTwo/Plugin.cs
+++ b/ChatTwo/Plugin.cs
@@ -318,7 +318,12 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IDalamudPlugin
             return;
 
         // Snapshot the policy so the user can edit settings while we run.
-        var policy = Config.RetentionPerChannelDays.ToDictionary(p => (int)(ushort)p.Key, p => p.Value);
+        // Spec defaults form the baseline; explicit user overrides win.
+        var policy = new Dictionary<int, int>();
+        foreach (var (type, days) in Privacy.PrivacyDefaults.DefaultRetentionDays)
+            policy[(int)(ushort)type] = days;
+        foreach (var (type, days) in Config.RetentionPerChannelDays)
+            policy[(int)(ushort)type] = days;
         var defaultDays = Config.RetentionDefaultDays;
 
         new Thread(() =>
diff --git a/ChatTwo/Ui/SettingsTabs/Privacy.cs b/ChatTwo/Ui/SettingsTabs/Privacy.cs
index 36f785e..2ae1fd4 100644
--- a/ChatTwo/Ui/SettingsTabs/Privacy.cs
+++ b/ChatTwo/Ui/SettingsTabs/Privacy.cs
@@ -190,10 +190,16 @@ internal sealed class Privacy : ISettingsTab
                             foreach (var type in types)
                             {
                                 var hasOverride = Mutable.RetentionPerChannelDays.TryGetValue(type, out var days);
+                                var hasSpecDefault = PrivacyDefaults.DefaultRetentionDays.TryGetValue(type, out var specDays);
                                 if (!hasOverride)
-                                    days = Mutable.RetentionDefaultDays;
+                                    days = hasSpecDefault ? specDays : Mutable.RetentionDefaultDays;
 
-                                if (ImGui.InputInt($"{type}##retention-{(int)type}", ref days))
+                                var tag = hasOverride
+                                    ? "[override]"
+                                    : hasSpecDefault
+                                        ? "[spec]"
+                                        : "[global]";
+                                if (ImGui.InputInt($"{type} {tag}##retention-{(int)type}", ref days))
                                 {
                                     days = Math.Max(0, days);
                                     Mutable.RetentionPerChannelDays[type] = days;