diff --git a/HellionChat/Configuration.cs b/HellionChat/Configuration.cs
index 5efebfd..d8bfd55 100755
--- a/HellionChat/Configuration.cs
+++ b/HellionChat/Configuration.cs
@@ -57,8 +57,12 @@ public class Configuration : IPluginConfiguration
     // Empty set means the migration has not run yet — see Plugin.cs v6→v7.
     public HashSet<ChatType> PrivacyPersistChannels = [];
 
-    // Failsafe for ChatTypes added by future FFXIV patches.
-    public bool PrivacyPersistUnknownChannels;
+    // Failsafe for ChatTypes added by future FFXIV patches. New configs default
+    // to the failsafe via PrivacyDefaults; existing configs keep their saved
+    // choice because the deserializer overrides this initializer.
+    public bool PrivacyPersistUnknownChannels = Privacy
+        .PrivacyDefaults
+        .DefaultPersistUnknownChannels;
 
     public bool IsAllowedForStorage(ChatType type)
     {
diff --git a/HellionChat/Privacy/PrivacyDefaults.cs b/HellionChat/Privacy/PrivacyDefaults.cs
index 2a3e503..ae5f569 100644
--- a/HellionChat/Privacy/PrivacyDefaults.cs
+++ b/HellionChat/Privacy/PrivacyDefaults.cs
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ namespace HellionChat.Privacy;
 
 internal static class PrivacyDefaults
 {
+    // F3.1: failsafe for ChatTypes added by future FFXIV patches. New installs
+    // persist unknown channels so a major patch's added ChatType isn't silently
+    // dropped before the user can opt in or out. Existing configs keep their
+    // explicit choice — see Configuration.cs PrivacyPersistUnknownChannels.
+    internal const bool DefaultPersistUnknownChannels = true;
+
     // DSGVO Art. 25 (Privacy by Default): only the player's own conversations
     // are persisted out-of-the-box. Public chat, NPC dialogue, system logs and
     // battle messages require explicit opt-in.