diff --git a/src/plyngent/cli/app.py b/src/plyngent/cli/app.py
index aa41982..12b60c3 100644
--- a/src/plyngent/cli/app.py
+++ b/src/plyngent/cli/app.py
@@ -347,8 +347,10 @@ async def _run_chat(  # noqa: C901, PLR0915 — chat orchestration
             quiet=quiet,
             mcp_manager=mcp_manager,
         )
-        # Path denylist and policy confirm live on instance.workspace (no process bag).
+        # Path denylist, trash switch and policy confirm live on
+        # instance.workspace (no process bag).
         state.instance_state.workspace.path_denylist = tuple(store.agent_config.path_denylist or ())
+        state.instance_state.workspace.trash_enabled = store.trash_config.enabled
         from plyngent.tools.net import set_ssrf_assume_public_cidrs
 
         # Clash Fake-IP etc.: treat configured CIDRs as public for fetch_local SSRF.
diff --git a/src/plyngent/cli/state.py b/src/plyngent/cli/state.py
index ad6b19c..cb04005 100644
--- a/src/plyngent/cli/state.py
+++ b/src/plyngent/cli/state.py
@@ -655,6 +655,7 @@ class ReplState:
 
         self.config.reload()
         self.instance_state.workspace.path_denylist = tuple(self.config.agent_config.path_denylist or ())
+        self.instance_state.workspace.trash_enabled = self.config.trash_config.enabled
         # Roots and their switches came from the file that was just re-read.
         self._install_skills()
 
diff --git a/src/plyngent/tools/__init__.py b/src/plyngent/tools/__init__.py
index 45b8153..8212649 100644
--- a/src/plyngent/tools/__init__.py
+++ b/src/plyngent/tools/__init__.py
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ from .workspace import denylist_match as denylist_match
 from .workspace import get_command_denylist as get_command_denylist
 from .workspace import get_path_denylist as get_path_denylist
 from .workspace import get_policy_confirm_timeout as get_policy_confirm_timeout
+from .workspace import get_trash_enabled as get_trash_enabled
 from .workspace import get_workspace_root as get_workspace_root
 from .workspace import grant_policy_command as grant_policy_command
 from .workspace import granted_access_mode as granted_access_mode
@@ -116,5 +117,6 @@ from .workspace import set_path_denylist as set_path_denylist
 from .workspace import set_policy_confirm_hook as set_policy_confirm_hook
 from .workspace import set_policy_confirm_timeout as set_policy_confirm_timeout
 from .workspace import set_static_read_roots as set_static_read_roots
+from .workspace import set_trash_enabled as set_trash_enabled
 from .workspace import set_workspace_root as set_workspace_root
 from .workspace import within_workspace_roots as within_workspace_roots
diff --git a/src/plyngent/tools/file/fs_ops.py b/src/plyngent/tools/file/fs_ops.py
index 98b6495..7e60b0d 100644
--- a/src/plyngent/tools/file/fs_ops.py
+++ b/src/plyngent/tools/file/fs_ops.py
@@ -5,7 +5,13 @@ from pathlib import Path
 
 from plyngent.agent import ToolTag, invalidate_lineno_read, tool
 from plyngent.tools.trash import move_to_trash, under_system_temp
-from plyngent.tools.workspace import AccessMode, WorkspaceError, get_workspace_root, resolve_path
+from plyngent.tools.workspace import (
+    AccessMode,
+    WorkspaceError,
+    get_trash_enabled,
+    get_workspace_root,
+    resolve_path,
+)
 
 
 def _kind(path: Path) -> str:
@@ -164,7 +170,8 @@ async def delete_path(path: str, *, recursive: bool = False, permanent: bool = F
     path, nothing is deleted and the error says how to delete on purpose.
 
     Paths under the OS temporary directory are deleted for good either way: they
-    are scratch space, not something to restore.
+    are scratch space, not something to restore. A host with ``[trash] enabled =
+    false`` removes the path outright, as ``permanent=true`` does.
     """
     try:
         target = resolve_path(path, required=AccessMode.WRITE)
@@ -181,7 +188,7 @@ async def delete_path(path: str, *, recursive: bool = False, permanent: bool = F
             target,
             path,
             recursive=recursive,
-            permanent=permanent or under_system_temp(target),
+            permanent=permanent or not get_trash_enabled() or under_system_temp(target),
         )
     except OSError as exc:
         return f"error: delete failed: {exc}"
diff --git a/src/plyngent/tools/workspace.py b/src/plyngent/tools/workspace.py
index e90e69d..d94301c 100644
--- a/src/plyngent/tools/workspace.py
+++ b/src/plyngent/tools/workspace.py
@@ -120,6 +120,8 @@ class WorkspacePolicy:
     # read them, nothing may write them. Not a grant, so they stay out of
     # ``/grants``; writes go through the owning tool's own confirm.
     static_read: list[Path] = field(default_factory=list)
+    # ``[trash] enabled``: deletes go to the system trash unless cleared.
+    trash_enabled: bool = True
 
 
 def _bound_instance() -> InstanceState | None:
@@ -188,6 +190,16 @@ def get_path_denylist() -> tuple[str, ...]:
     return active_workspace_policy().path_denylist
 
 
+def set_trash_enabled(*, enabled: bool) -> None:
+    """Set whether ``delete_path`` moves to the system trash (``[trash]``)."""
+    active_workspace_policy().trash_enabled = bool(enabled)
+
+
+def get_trash_enabled() -> bool:
+    """Whether deletes go to the system trash rather than being final."""
+    return active_workspace_policy().trash_enabled
+
+
 def set_command_denylist(names: list[str] | tuple[str, ...] | frozenset[str] | None) -> None:
     """Set denied command basenames (None restores defaults)."""
     policy = active_workspace_policy()
diff --git a/tests/test_tools/test_fs_ops.py b/tests/test_tools/test_fs_ops.py
index 085096b..ccbb582 100644
--- a/tests/test_tools/test_fs_ops.py
+++ b/tests/test_tools/test_fs_ops.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 import pytest
 
 from plyngent.tools.file import copy_path, delete_path, fs_ops, move_path, read_file, write_file
+from plyngent.tools.workspace import set_trash_enabled
 from tests.test_tools.helpers import call_sync
 
 
@@ -169,3 +170,16 @@ def test_permanent_delete_skips_the_trash(workspace: object, monkeypatch: pytest
 
     assert out == "deleted file t.txt"
     assert not (workspace / "t.txt").exists()
+
+
+def test_the_host_switch_turns_the_trash_off(workspace: object, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    """``[trash] enabled = false`` restores the behaviour from before the trash."""
+    assert isinstance(workspace, Path)
+    _elsewhere_than_temp(monkeypatch)
+    set_trash_enabled(enabled=False)
+    _ = call_sync(write_file, "t.txt", "x")
+
+    out = call_sync(delete_path, "t.txt")
+
+    assert out == "deleted file t.txt"
+    assert not (workspace / "t.txt").exists()
diff --git a/tests/test_tools/test_workspace.py b/tests/test_tools/test_workspace.py
index 18bc9f1..90c139d 100644
--- a/tests/test_tools/test_workspace.py
+++ b/tests/test_tools/test_workspace.py
@@ -7,12 +7,14 @@ from plyngent.tools import (
     WorkspaceError,
     active_workspace_policy,
     check_command_allowed,
+    get_trash_enabled,
     get_workspace_root,
     mode_covers,
     parse_access_mode,
     resolve_path,
     set_command_denylist,
     set_path_denylist,
+    set_trash_enabled,
 )
 from plyngent.tools.context import SessionState, bind_session
 
@@ -55,6 +57,16 @@ def test_access_mode_parse_and_covers() -> None:
     assert not mode_covers(AccessMode.READ, AccessMode.WRITE)
 
 
+def test_trash_switch(workspace: object) -> None:
+    """Deletes go to the trash until a host clears the switch."""
+    del workspace
+    assert get_trash_enabled() is True
+    set_trash_enabled(enabled=False)
+    assert get_trash_enabled() is False
+    set_trash_enabled(enabled=True)
+    assert get_trash_enabled() is True
+
+
 def test_config_grant_modes(workspace: object, tmp_path_factory: pytest.TempPathFactory) -> None:
     del workspace
     outside = tmp_path_factory.mktemp("granted")