diff --git a/lib/harness/capability_score.ex b/lib/harness/capability_score.ex
index 9c65e284..c6566470 100644
--- a/lib/harness/capability_score.ex
+++ b/lib/harness/capability_score.ex
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ defmodule Harness.CapabilityScore do
   alias Harness.Batch.AgentEvaluation.Comparison
   alias Harness.Batch.AgentEvaluation.Entry
   alias Harness.CapabilityDomain
+  alias Harness.Config
   alias Harness.ResultStore
   alias Harness.Run.Review
   alias Harness.TokenUsage
@@ -48,7 +49,6 @@ defmodule Harness.CapabilityScore do
   @freshness_window_days 30
   @seconds_per_day 86_400
   @stale_discount 0.5
-  @fallback_agent :claude
 
   @type freshness :: :fresh | :stale
 
@@ -324,9 +324,13 @@ defmodule Harness.CapabilityScore do
     end
   end
 
+  # No measured scores for this domain: route to the operator-configured default
+  # dispatch agent (`{:dispatch, :default_agent}`, default :codex — keeping
+  # precious Claude tokens for the reviewer axis), not a hardcoded :claude. An
+  # explicit `:fallback_agent` opt still wins (tests, deliberate overrides).
   @spec fallback_recommendation(CapabilityDomain.t(), [map()], keyword()) :: map()
   defp fallback_recommendation(domain, rows, opts) do
-    fallback_agent = Keyword.get(opts, :fallback_agent, @fallback_agent)
+    fallback_agent = Keyword.get(opts, :fallback_agent, Config.get({:dispatch, :default_agent}))
     selected = Enum.find(rows, &(&1.agent == fallback_agent)) || hd(rows)
 
     %{
diff --git a/lib/harness/config.ex b/lib/harness/config.ex
index e238c554..829a7989 100644
--- a/lib/harness/config.ex
+++ b/lib/harness/config.ex
@@ -47,6 +47,12 @@ defmodule Harness.Config do
   @filename "config_settings.term"
   @store_key :config
 
+  # The implementer agents an unassigned task may default-route to — the closed
+  # set the `:agent`-typed `{:dispatch, :default_agent}` key validates against and
+  # the dashboard select renders. Mirrors `Harness.Roadmap`'s `@valid_agents`
+  # (minus `:human`, which is never an autonomous dispatch target).
+  @implementer_agents [:claude, :codex, :cursor, :grok, :antigravity, :pi]
+
   @doc """
   The full declarative config schema — one `Entry` per operator-relevant key.
 
@@ -79,6 +85,7 @@ defmodule Harness.Config do
       ),
       e("Cron polling", "enabled", {:cron_polling, :enabled}, false, :boolean),
       e("Cron polling", "schedule", {:cron_polling, :schedule}, "0 */2 * * *", :string, restart_required?: true),
+      e("Dispatch", "default_agent", {:dispatch, :default_agent}, :codex, :agent, ui_editable?: true),
       e("Notifications", "sinks", :notification_sinks, [], :atom_list),
       e("Paths", "chat_store root", {:chat_store, :root}, Path.expand("~/.harness/chats"), :path),
       e("Paths", "project cache_root", {:project, :cache_root}, Path.expand("~/_DATA/harness/projects"), :path),
@@ -101,6 +108,10 @@ defmodule Harness.Config do
   @spec editable_entries() :: [Entry.t()]
   def editable_entries, do: Enum.filter(schema(), & &1.ui_editable?)
 
+  @doc "The implementer agents an unassigned task may default-route to — the dashboard select's option source and the `:agent`-type validation set."
+  @spec dispatch_agents() :: [atom()]
+  def dispatch_agents, do: @implementer_agents
+
   @doc """
   Resolves a schema key's effective value from app env, falling back to the
   schema default. Raises on an unknown key (a typo is a programming error, not a
@@ -176,6 +187,7 @@ defmodule Harness.Config do
   @spec validate(Entry.t(), term()) :: :ok | {:error, :invalid_value}
   defp validate(%Entry{type: :duration_ms}, value) when is_nil(value) or (is_integer(value) and value >= 0), do: :ok
   defp validate(%Entry{type: :integer}, value) when is_integer(value) and value > 0, do: :ok
+  defp validate(%Entry{type: :agent}, value) when value in @implementer_agents, do: :ok
   defp validate(_entry, _value), do: {:error, :invalid_value}
 
   @spec read_env(Entry.key(), term()) :: term()
diff --git a/lib/harness/config/entry.ex b/lib/harness/config/entry.ex
index 9d3d7c80..2889a1c5 100644
--- a/lib/harness/config/entry.ex
+++ b/lib/harness/config/entry.ex
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ defmodule Harness.Config.Entry do
   @type key :: {atom() | module(), atom()} | atom()
 
   @typedoc "The value's kind — drives inspector formatting and editable-input parsing/validation."
-  @type value_type :: :duration_ms | :integer | :boolean | :string | :path | :float | :atom_list
+  @type value_type :: :duration_ms | :integer | :boolean | :string | :path | :float | :atom_list | :agent
 
   @type t :: %__MODULE__{
           section: String.t(),
diff --git a/lib/harness/dashboard/settings_live.ex b/lib/harness/dashboard/settings_live.ex
index 4e6cdbb7..a9e67747 100644
--- a/lib/harness/dashboard/settings_live.ex
+++ b/lib/harness/dashboard/settings_live.ex
@@ -135,6 +135,16 @@ defmodule Harness.Dashboard.SettingsLive do
     {:noreply, socket |> assign(:notice, notice) |> refresh()}
   end
 
+  def handle_event("set_default_agent", %{"agent" => raw}, socket) do
+    notice =
+      case dispatch_agent_atom(raw) do
+        {:ok, agent} -> persist_default_agent(agent)
+        :error -> {:error, "Unknown dispatch agent."}
+      end
+
+    {:noreply, socket |> assign(:notice, notice) |> refresh()}
+  end
+
   def handle_event("dispatch_now", _params, socket) do
     {:noreply, assign(socket, :notice, dispatch_now())}
   end
@@ -340,6 +350,32 @@ defmodule Harness.Dashboard.SettingsLive do
         </ul>
       </section>
 
+      <section class="setting-card">
+        <h2 class="setting-section-title">Dispatch default</h2>
+        <p class="setting-desc">
+          The implementer agent an <strong>unassigned</strong> task routes to when capability
+          scores have no data yet (the <code>recommend</code> no-data fallback). Defaults to a
+          cheap agent so unassigned work doesn't silently spend Claude tokens — Claude stays
+          available on the separate <strong>reviewer</strong> axis above.
+        </p>
+        <form id="dispatch-default-form" class="reviewer-form" phx-submit="set_default_agent">
+          <div class="project-id">
+            <span class="project-name">Unassigned → implementer</span>
+            <span class="pill" data-state="on">{@dispatch.current}</span>
+          </div>
+          <select name="agent" aria-label="Default dispatch agent">
+            <option
+              :for={agent <- @dispatch.agents}
+              value={to_string(agent)}
+              selected={agent == @dispatch.current}
+            >
+              {agent}
+            </option>
+          </select>
+          <button type="submit" class="btn-save">Save</button>
+        </form>
+      </section>
+
       <Components.config_form entries={@config_edit} />
 
       <Components.config_inspector sections={@config} />
@@ -383,6 +419,15 @@ defmodule Harness.Dashboard.SettingsLive do
     |> assign(:reviewers, reviewer_state(projects))
     |> assign(:config, ConfigInspector.resolve())
     |> assign(:config_edit, config_edit_state())
+    |> assign(:dispatch, dispatch_state())
+  end
+
+  # The dispatch-default view-model: the configured no-data fallback agent plus
+  # the closed option set the `<select>` renders. `:agent`-typed config is steered
+  # by this dedicated card, so it never reaches the number-input `config_form`.
+  @spec dispatch_state() :: %{current: atom(), agents: [atom()]}
+  defp dispatch_state do
+    %{current: Config.get({:dispatch, :default_agent}), agents: Config.dispatch_agents()}
   end
 
   # The editable-config view-model: the `ui_editable?` schema subset, each row
@@ -391,7 +436,9 @@ defmodule Harness.Dashboard.SettingsLive do
   # `String.to_atom` on request input.
   @spec config_edit_state() :: [map()]
   defp config_edit_state do
-    Enum.map(Config.editable_entries(), fn entry ->
+    Config.editable_entries()
+    |> Enum.reject(&(&1.type == :agent))
+    |> Enum.map(fn entry ->
       %{
         id: config_id(entry.key),
         label: entry.label,
@@ -561,6 +608,26 @@ defmodule Harness.Dashboard.SettingsLive do
   defp reviewer_atom(""), do: {:ok, nil}
   defp reviewer_atom(name), do: agent_atom(name)
 
+  # Maps the dispatch-default select's string value to an agent atom against the
+  # closed `Config.dispatch_agents/0` set (never String.to_atom on request input).
+  # Unlike `agent_atom/1`, the source is the validation set, not the installed
+  # registry — the default may name an adapter not currently registered.
+  @spec dispatch_agent_atom(String.t()) :: {:ok, atom()} | :error
+  defp dispatch_agent_atom(name) do
+    case Enum.find(Config.dispatch_agents(), &(Atom.to_string(&1) == name)) do
+      nil -> :error
+      agent -> {:ok, agent}
+    end
+  end
+
+  @spec persist_default_agent(atom()) :: {:ok | :error, String.t()}
+  defp persist_default_agent(agent) do
+    case Config.put({:dispatch, :default_agent}, agent, "dashboard") do
+      :ok -> {:ok, "Default dispatch agent set to #{agent}."}
+      {:error, _reason} -> {:error, "Could not save default dispatch agent."}
+    end
+  end
+
   @spec reviewer_options() :: [map()]
   defp reviewer_options do
     Enum.map(AgentRegistry.agents(), fn {agent, _module} ->
diff --git a/test/harness/capability_score_test.exs b/test/harness/capability_score_test.exs
index 92306bdc..34f87ebd 100644
--- a/test/harness/capability_score_test.exs
+++ b/test/harness/capability_score_test.exs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ defmodule Harness.CapabilityScoreTest do
   alias Harness.Batch.AgentEvaluation.Comparison
   alias Harness.Batch.AgentEvaluation.Entry
   alias Harness.CapabilityScore
+  alias Harness.Config
   alias Harness.ResultStore
   alias Harness.ResultStore.File, as: FileStore
   alias Harness.Run.Result, as: RunResult
@@ -272,6 +273,22 @@ defmodule Harness.CapabilityScoreTest do
       assert recommendation.strategy == :fallback_no_data
       assert Enum.all?(recommendation.ranked, &(&1.measurement == :unmeasured))
     end
+
+    test "with no :fallback_agent opt, falls back to the configured default dispatch agent (not :claude)",
+         %{store: store} do
+      configured = Config.get({:dispatch, :default_agent})
+
+      assert {:ok, recommendation} =
+               CapabilityScore.recommend(:otp,
+                 agents: [:claude, :codex, :cursor],
+                 reference_time: @reference_time,
+                 result_store: store
+               )
+
+      assert recommendation.strategy == :fallback_no_data
+      assert recommendation.agent == configured
+      assert configured == :codex, "schema default keeps Claude tokens for the reviewer axis"
+    end
   end
 
   defp comparison(task_id, entries) do
diff --git a/test/harness/config_test.exs b/test/harness/config_test.exs
index dc3e336f..ad96b593 100644
--- a/test/harness/config_test.exs
+++ b/test/harness/config_test.exs
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ defmodule Harness.ConfigTest do
   setup do
     prior_run = Application.get_env(:harness, :run)
     prior_dashboard = Application.get_env(:harness, :dashboard)
+    prior_dispatch = Application.get_env(:harness, :dispatch)
     prior_store = Application.get_env(:harness, :config_settings)
 
     # Isolate the persistence file to a throwaway root.
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ defmodule Harness.ConfigTest do
     on_exit(fn ->
       restore(:run, prior_run)
       restore(:dashboard, prior_dashboard)
+      restore(:dispatch, prior_dispatch)
       restore(:config_settings, prior_store)
       File.rm_rf(root)
     end)
@@ -35,7 +37,7 @@ defmodule Harness.ConfigTest do
 
   describe "schema/0" do
     test "every entry is a well-formed Entry with a known type" do
-      types = ~w(duration_ms integer boolean string path float atom_list)a
+      types = ~w(duration_ms integer boolean string path float atom_list agent)a
 
       for %Entry{} = entry <- Config.schema() do
         assert is_binary(entry.section)
@@ -116,6 +118,31 @@ defmodule Harness.ConfigTest do
       # The live value is unchanged — applies only on the next boot via load_into_env/0.
       assert Config.get({:dashboard, :port}) == 4018
     end
+
+    test "accepts an :agent-typed value in the implementer set and hot-applies it" do
+      assert :ok = Config.put({:dispatch, :default_agent}, :cursor, "test")
+      assert Config.get({:dispatch, :default_agent}) == :cursor
+    end
+
+    test "rejects an agent outside the implementer set without mutating" do
+      Application.put_env(:harness, :dispatch, default_agent: :codex)
+      assert {:error, :invalid_value} = Config.put({:dispatch, :default_agent}, :droid, "test")
+      assert {:error, :invalid_value} = Config.put({:dispatch, :default_agent}, :human, "test")
+      assert Config.get({:dispatch, :default_agent}) == :codex
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "dispatch default agent" do
+    test "schema default is :codex — unassigned work avoids spending Claude tokens" do
+      assert Config.get({:dispatch, :default_agent}) == :codex
+    end
+
+    test "dispatch_agents/0 is the implementer set, excluding :human" do
+      agents = Config.dispatch_agents()
+      assert :claude in agents and :codex in agents and :cursor in agents
+      refute :human in agents
+      refute :droid in agents
+    end
   end
 
   describe "load_into_env/0" do
diff --git a/test/harness/dashboard/settings_live_test.exs b/test/harness/dashboard/settings_live_test.exs
index d1ecae64..b7490f16 100644
--- a/test/harness/dashboard/settings_live_test.exs
+++ b/test/harness/dashboard/settings_live_test.exs
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ defmodule Harness.Dashboard.SettingsLiveTest do
     prior_reviewer = Application.get_env(:harness, :agent_reviewer_ineligible)
     prior_landing = Application.get_env(:harness, :landing_overrides)
     prior_run = Application.get_env(:harness, :run)
+    prior_dispatch = Application.get_env(:harness, :dispatch)
     prior_config_store = Application.get_env(:harness, :config_settings)
 
     # Isolate the Harness.Config persistence file to a throwaway root.
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ defmodule Harness.Dashboard.SettingsLiveTest do
       restore_env(:agent_reviewer_ineligible, prior_reviewer)
       restore_env(:landing_overrides, prior_landing)
       restore_env(:run, prior_run)
+      restore_env(:dispatch, prior_dispatch)
       restore_env(:config_settings, prior_config_store)
       File.rm_rf(config_root)
     end)
@@ -258,6 +260,42 @@ defmodule Harness.Dashboard.SettingsLiveTest do
     assert Config.get({:run, :lifetime_timeout}) == 5_400_000
   end
 
+  test "renders the Dispatch default card seeded with the configured agent (Task 207)", %{conn: conn} do
+    Application.put_env(:harness, :dispatch, default_agent: :codex)
+
+    {:ok, _view, html} = live(conn, "/harness/settings")
+
+    assert html =~ "Dispatch default"
+    assert html =~ "Unassigned →"
+  end
+
+  test "choosing a dispatch default persists through Harness.Config and confirms (Task 207)", %{conn: conn} do
+    Application.put_env(:harness, :dispatch, default_agent: :codex)
+
+    {:ok, view, _html} = live(conn, "/harness/settings")
+
+    html =
+      view
+      |> form("#dispatch-default-form", %{agent: "cursor"})
+      |> render_submit()
+
+    assert html =~ "Default dispatch agent set to cursor."
+    assert Config.get({:dispatch, :default_agent}) == :cursor
+  end
+
+  test "an unknown dispatch agent is rejected with an error notice (Task 207)", %{conn: conn} do
+    Application.put_env(:harness, :dispatch, default_agent: :codex)
+
+    {:ok, view, _html} = live(conn, "/harness/settings")
+
+    # The select only offers valid agents, so push the event directly to exercise
+    # the handler's rejection of a crafted out-of-set value.
+    html = render_hook(view, "set_default_agent", %{"agent" => "droid"})
+
+    assert html =~ "Unknown dispatch agent."
+    assert Config.get({:dispatch, :default_agent}) == :codex
+  end
+
   test "renders the Landing card with a per-project policy control", %{conn: conn, project: project} do
     {:ok, _view, html} = live(conn, "/harness/settings")