diff --git a/packages/shared/src/projectSettings.test.ts b/packages/shared/src/projectSettings.test.ts
index 950867d36dc7c682375126592a1647e4a4bc220f..8760433182d68200f607e89e96eb505344ee8182 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/projectSettings.test.ts
+++ b/packages/shared/src/projectSettings.test.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,14 @@ describe("resolveProjectSettings", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it("treats a null project like an absent one before the shell snapshot arrives", () => {
+    // The mobile new-task flow resolves settings while its selected project is
+    // still null; reading the aggregate's legacy fields off null crashed launch.
+    expect(resolveProjectSettings(DEFAULT_SERVER_SETTINGS, null, null).settings).toBe(
+      DEFAULT_SERVER_SETTINGS,
+    );
+  });
+
   it("applies overrides per key and reports their source", () => {
     const settings = applyServerSettingsPatch(DEFAULT_SERVER_SETTINGS, {
       defaultAutoPull: true,
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/projectSettings.ts b/packages/shared/src/projectSettings.ts
index 742e1cb8d140c82d0a202ca1602407ca8fb432db..edb56654f5d03f8313a78aea65d6c7c94ec66c2e 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/projectSettings.ts
+++ b/packages/shared/src/projectSettings.ts
@@ -59,11 +59,13 @@ export interface LegacyProjectSettingsFields {
 export function resolveProjectSettings(
   settings: ServerSettings,
   projectId: ProjectId | null,
-  project?: LegacyProjectSettingsFields,
+  // Nullable, not just optional: the mobile new-task flow passes its selected
+  // project straight through, and that is null until the shell snapshot lands.
+  project?: LegacyProjectSettingsFields | null,
 ): ResolvedProjectSettings {
   const stored = projectId === null ? undefined : settings.projectSettingsOverrides[projectId];
   const overrides: ProjectSettingsOverrides =
-    project === undefined || settings.projectSettingsFolded
+    project == null || settings.projectSettingsFolded
       ? (stored ?? EMPTY_OVERRIDES)
       : {
           ...(project.defaultModelSelection != null