diff --git a/src/config/preferences.c b/src/config/preferences.c
index 5c044a3d..6580cb62 100644
--- a/src/config/preferences.c
+++ b/src/config/preferences.c
@@ -1974,7 +1974,9 @@ prefs_ai_get_providers(void)
     }
     prefs_free_ai_providers(configured);
 
-    /* Nothing configured — return built-in defaults */
+    prefs_ai_set_provider("openai", "https://api.openai.com/");
+    prefs_ai_set_provider("perplexity", "https://api.perplexity.ai/");
+
     GList* result = NULL;
     result = g_list_append(result, g_strdup("openai"));
     result = g_list_append(result, g_strdup("https://api.openai.com/"));