diff --git a/Keybinding.Test/DefaultProfileReactivationTests.cs b/Keybinding.Test/DefaultProfileReactivationTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e56adc2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Keybinding.Test/DefaultProfileReactivationTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2023-2026 ktsu-dev contributors
+
+namespace ktsu.Keybinding.Test;
+
+using ktsu.Keybinding.Core;
+using ktsu.Keybinding.Core.Models;
+
+[TestClass]
+public class DefaultProfileReactivationTests
+{
+	private string _testDataDirectory = null!;
+
+	[TestInitialize]
+	public void Setup()
+	{
+		_testDataDirectory = Path.Combine(Path.GetTempPath(), Guid.NewGuid().ToString());
+		Directory.CreateDirectory(_testDataDirectory);
+	}
+
+	[TestCleanup]
+	public void Cleanup()
+	{
+		if (Directory.Exists(_testDataDirectory))
+		{
+			Directory.Delete(_testDataDirectory, recursive: true);
+		}
+	}
+
+	[TestMethod]
+	public async Task CreateDefaultProfile_AfterActiveProfileWasDeleted_ActivatesExistingDefaultOnNextLaunch()
+	{
+		{
+			using KeybindingManager manager = new(_testDataDirectory);
+			await manager.InitializeAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
+			manager.CreateDefaultProfile();
+			manager.Profiles.CreateProfile("vim", "Vim");
+			Assert.IsTrue(manager.Profiles.SetActiveProfile("vim"));
+			Assert.IsTrue(manager.Profiles.DeleteProfile("vim"));
+			await manager.SaveAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
+		}
+
+		{
+			using KeybindingManager manager = new(_testDataDirectory);
+			await manager.InitializeAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
+			manager.CreateDefaultProfile();
+			manager.RegisterCommands([new Command("file.save", "Save")]);
+
+			Assert.AreEqual("default", manager.Profiles.GetActiveProfile()?.Id);
+			Assert.IsTrue(manager.Keybindings.BindChord("file.save", Chord.Parse("Ctrl+S")));
+			Assert.AreEqual("file.save", manager.Keybindings.ExecuteChord(Chord.Parse("Ctrl+S")));
+		}
+	}
+
+	[TestMethod]
+	public void CreateDefaultProfile_ExistingDefaultWhileAnotherIsActive_LeavesActiveProfileAlone()
+	{
+		using KeybindingManager manager = new(_testDataDirectory);
+		manager.CreateDefaultProfile();
+		manager.Profiles.CreateProfile("vim", "Vim");
+		Assert.IsTrue(manager.Profiles.SetActiveProfile("vim"));
+
+		Assert.IsNull(manager.CreateDefaultProfile());
+		Assert.AreEqual("vim", manager.Profiles.GetActiveProfile()?.Id);
+	}
+
+	[TestMethod]
+	public void CreateDefaultProfile_ExistingDefaultWithDoNotActivate_LeavesNoActiveProfile()
+	{
+		using KeybindingManager manager = new(_testDataDirectory);
+		manager.CreateDefaultProfile();
+		manager.Profiles.ClearActiveProfile();
+
+		Assert.IsNull(manager.CreateDefaultProfile(activation: ProfileActivation.DoNotActivate));
+		Assert.IsNull(manager.Profiles.GetActiveProfile());
+	}
+}
diff --git a/Keybinding/KeybindingManager.cs b/Keybinding/KeybindingManager.cs
index b73c08d..e1b2a6a 100644
--- a/Keybinding/KeybindingManager.cs
+++ b/Keybinding/KeybindingManager.cs
@@ -150,7 +150,11 @@ public async Task SaveAsync()
 	/// </summary>
 	/// <param name="profileId">The ID for the default profile</param>
 	/// <param name="profileName">The name for the default profile</param>
-	/// <param name="activation">Whether to set as the active profile</param>
+	/// <param name="activation">
+	/// Whether to set as the active profile. When the profile already exists, it is activated only if no
+	/// profile is active, so a startup call recovers from a deleted or unset active profile without
+	/// overriding the one the user chose.
+	/// </param>
 	/// <returns>The created profile, or null if a profile already exists with the given ID</returns>
 	public Profile? CreateDefaultProfile(string profileId = "default", string profileName = "Default", ProfileActivation activation = ProfileActivation.Activate)
 	{
@@ -158,6 +162,11 @@ public async Task SaveAsync()
 
 		if (Profiles.ProfileExists(profileId))
 		{
+			if (activation == ProfileActivation.Activate && Profiles.GetActiveProfile() is null)
+			{
+				Profiles.SetActiveProfile(profileId);
+			}
+
 			return null;
 		}