diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9ca3ba58..63754b61 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -111,19 +111,22 @@ DCP uses its own config file:
 >         },
 >         // Distills key findings into preserved knowledge before removing raw content
 >         "distill": {
->             "enabled": true,
+>             // Permission mode: "allow" (no prompt), "ask" (prompt), "deny" (tool not registered)
+>             "permission": "allow",
 >             // Show distillation content as an ignored message notification
 >             "showDistillation": false,
 >         },
 >         // Collapses a range of conversation content into a single summary
 >         "compress": {
->             "enabled": true,
+>             // Permission mode: "ask" (prompt), "allow" (no prompt), "deny" (tool not registered)
+>             "permission": "ask",
 >             // Show summary content as an ignored message notification
 >             "showCompression": false,
 >         },
 >         // Removes tool content from context without preservation (for completed tasks or noise)
 >         "prune": {
->             "enabled": true,
+>             // Permission mode: "allow" (no prompt), "ask" (prompt), "deny" (tool not registered)
+>             "permission": "allow",
 >         },
 >     },
 >     // Automatic pruning strategies
diff --git a/dcp.schema.json b/dcp.schema.json
index 32a1398f..82c85733 100644
--- a/dcp.schema.json
+++ b/dcp.schema.json
@@ -129,10 +129,11 @@
                     "description": "Configuration for the distill tool",
                     "additionalProperties": false,
                     "properties": {
-                        "enabled": {
-                            "type": "boolean",
-                            "default": true,
-                            "description": "Enable the distill tool"
+                        "permission": {
+                            "type": "string",
+                            "enum": ["ask", "allow", "deny"],
+                            "default": "allow",
+                            "description": "Permission mode (deny disables the tool)"
                         },
                         "showDistillation": {
                             "type": "boolean",
@@ -146,10 +147,11 @@
                     "description": "Configuration for the compress tool",
                     "additionalProperties": false,
                     "properties": {
-                        "enabled": {
-                            "type": "boolean",
-                            "default": true,
-                            "description": "Enable the compress tool"
+                        "permission": {
+                            "type": "string",
+                            "enum": ["ask", "allow", "deny"],
+                            "default": "ask",
+                            "description": "Permission mode (deny disables the tool)"
                         },
                         "showCompression": {
                             "type": "boolean",
@@ -163,10 +165,11 @@
                     "description": "Configuration for the prune tool",
                     "additionalProperties": false,
                     "properties": {
-                        "enabled": {
-                            "type": "boolean",
-                            "default": true,
-                            "description": "Enable the prune tool"
+                        "permission": {
+                            "type": "string",
+                            "enum": ["ask", "allow", "deny"],
+                            "default": "allow",
+                            "description": "Permission mode (deny disables the tool)"
                         }
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/index.ts b/index.ts
index 8aafd5c5..60c1b3ec 100644
--- a/index.ts
+++ b/index.ts
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ const plugin: Plugin = (async (ctx) => {
             ctx.directory,
         ),
         tool: {
-            ...(config.tools.distill.enabled && {
+            ...(config.tools.distill.permission !== "deny" && {
                 distill: createDistillTool({
                     client: ctx.client,
                     state,
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ const plugin: Plugin = (async (ctx) => {
                     workingDirectory: ctx.directory,
                 }),
             }),
-            ...(config.tools.compress.enabled && {
+            ...(config.tools.compress.permission !== "deny" && {
                 compress: createCompressTool({
                     client: ctx.client,
                     state,
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ const plugin: Plugin = (async (ctx) => {
                     workingDirectory: ctx.directory,
                 }),
             }),
-            ...(config.tools.prune.enabled && {
+            ...(config.tools.prune.permission !== "deny" && {
                 prune: createPruneTool({
                     client: ctx.client,
                     state,
@@ -99,9 +99,9 @@ const plugin: Plugin = (async (ctx) => {
             }
 
             const toolsToAdd: string[] = []
-            if (config.tools.distill.enabled) toolsToAdd.push("distill")
-            if (config.tools.compress.enabled) toolsToAdd.push("compress")
-            if (config.tools.prune.enabled) toolsToAdd.push("prune")
+            if (config.tools.distill.permission !== "deny") toolsToAdd.push("distill")
+            if (config.tools.compress.permission !== "deny") toolsToAdd.push("compress")
+            if (config.tools.prune.permission !== "deny") toolsToAdd.push("prune")
 
             if (toolsToAdd.length > 0) {
                 const existingPrimaryTools = opencodeConfig.experimental?.primary_tools ?? []
@@ -112,18 +112,16 @@ const plugin: Plugin = (async (ctx) => {
                 logger.info(
                     `Added ${toolsToAdd.map((t) => `'${t}'`).join(" and ")} to experimental.primary_tools via config mutation`,
                 )
-
-                // Set compress permission to ask (only if not already configured)
-                if (config.tools.compress.enabled) {
-                    const permission = opencodeConfig.permission ?? {}
-                    if (!("compress" in permission)) {
-                        opencodeConfig.permission = {
-                            ...permission,
-                            compress: "ask",
-                        } as typeof permission
-                    }
-                }
             }
+
+            // Set tool permissions from DCP config
+            const permission = opencodeConfig.permission ?? {}
+            opencodeConfig.permission = {
+                ...permission,
+                distill: config.tools.distill.permission,
+                compress: config.tools.compress.permission,
+                prune: config.tools.prune.permission,
+            } as typeof permission
         },
     }
 }) satisfies Plugin
diff --git a/lib/config.ts b/lib/config.ts
index d75fd5b8..e2e6da61 100644
--- a/lib/config.ts
+++ b/lib/config.ts
@@ -10,16 +10,16 @@ export interface Deduplication {
 }
 
 export interface PruneTool {
-    enabled: boolean
+    permission: "ask" | "allow" | "deny"
 }
 
 export interface DistillTool {
-    enabled: boolean
+    permission: "ask" | "allow" | "deny"
     showDistillation: boolean
 }
 
 export interface CompressTool {
-    enabled: boolean
+    permission: "ask" | "allow" | "deny"
     showCompression: boolean
 }
 
@@ -108,13 +108,13 @@ export const VALID_CONFIG_KEYS = new Set([
     "tools.settings.protectedTools",
     "tools.settings.contextLimit",
     "tools.distill",
-    "tools.distill.enabled",
+    "tools.distill.permission",
     "tools.distill.showDistillation",
     "tools.compress",
-    "tools.compress.enabled",
+    "tools.compress.permission",
     "tools.compress.showCompression",
     "tools.prune",
-    "tools.prune.enabled",
+    "tools.prune.permission",
     "strategies",
     // strategies.deduplication
     "strategies.deduplication",
@@ -303,12 +303,15 @@ function validateConfigTypes(config: Record<string, any>): ValidationError[] {
             }
         }
         if (tools.distill) {
-            if (tools.distill.enabled !== undefined && typeof tools.distill.enabled !== "boolean") {
-                errors.push({
-                    key: "tools.distill.enabled",
-                    expected: "boolean",
-                    actual: typeof tools.distill.enabled,
-                })
+            if (tools.distill.permission !== undefined) {
+                const validValues = ["ask", "allow", "deny"]
+                if (!validValues.includes(tools.distill.permission)) {
+                    errors.push({
+                        key: "tools.distill.permission",
+                        expected: '"ask" | "allow" | "deny"',
+                        actual: JSON.stringify(tools.distill.permission),
+                    })
+                }
             }
             if (
                 tools.distill.showDistillation !== undefined &&
@@ -322,15 +325,15 @@ function validateConfigTypes(config: Record<string, any>): ValidationError[] {
             }
         }
         if (tools.compress) {
-            if (
-                tools.compress.enabled !== undefined &&
-                typeof tools.compress.enabled !== "boolean"
-            ) {
-                errors.push({
-                    key: "tools.compress.enabled",
-                    expected: "boolean",
-                    actual: typeof tools.compress.enabled,
-                })
+            if (tools.compress.permission !== undefined) {
+                const validValues = ["ask", "allow", "deny"]
+                if (!validValues.includes(tools.compress.permission)) {
+                    errors.push({
+                        key: "tools.compress.permission",
+                        expected: '"ask" | "allow" | "deny"',
+                        actual: JSON.stringify(tools.compress.permission),
+                    })
+                }
             }
             if (
                 tools.compress.showCompression !== undefined &&
@@ -344,12 +347,15 @@ function validateConfigTypes(config: Record<string, any>): ValidationError[] {
             }
         }
         if (tools.prune) {
-            if (tools.prune.enabled !== undefined && typeof tools.prune.enabled !== "boolean") {
-                errors.push({
-                    key: "tools.prune.enabled",
-                    expected: "boolean",
-                    actual: typeof tools.prune.enabled,
-                })
+            if (tools.prune.permission !== undefined) {
+                const validValues = ["ask", "allow", "deny"]
+                if (!validValues.includes(tools.prune.permission)) {
+                    errors.push({
+                        key: "tools.prune.permission",
+                        expected: '"ask" | "allow" | "deny"',
+                        actual: JSON.stringify(tools.prune.permission),
+                    })
+                }
             }
         }
     }
@@ -499,15 +505,15 @@ const defaultConfig: PluginConfig = {
             contextLimit: 100000,
         },
         distill: {
-            enabled: true,
+            permission: "allow",
             showDistillation: false,
         },
         compress: {
-            enabled: true,
+            permission: "ask",
             showCompression: false,
         },
         prune: {
-            enabled: true,
+            permission: "allow",
         },
     },
     strategies: {
@@ -678,15 +684,15 @@ function mergeTools(
             contextLimit: override.settings?.contextLimit ?? base.settings.contextLimit,
         },
         distill: {
-            enabled: override.distill?.enabled ?? base.distill.enabled,
+            permission: override.distill?.permission ?? base.distill.permission,
             showDistillation: override.distill?.showDistillation ?? base.distill.showDistillation,
         },
         compress: {
-            enabled: override.compress?.enabled ?? base.compress.enabled,
+            permission: override.compress?.permission ?? base.compress.permission,
             showCompression: override.compress?.showCompression ?? base.compress.showCompression,
         },
         prune: {
-            enabled: override.prune?.enabled ?? base.prune.enabled,
+            permission: override.prune?.permission ?? base.prune.permission,
         },
     }
 }
diff --git a/lib/hooks.ts b/lib/hooks.ts
index 508b98f0..b3ecf7ff 100644
--- a/lib/hooks.ts
+++ b/lib/hooks.ts
@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@ export function createSystemPromptHandler(
         }
 
         const flags = {
-            prune: config.tools.prune.enabled,
-            distill: config.tools.distill.enabled,
-            compress: config.tools.compress.enabled,
+            prune: config.tools.prune.permission !== "deny",
+            distill: config.tools.distill.permission !== "deny",
+            compress: config.tools.compress.permission !== "deny",
         }
 
         if (!flags.prune && !flags.distill && !flags.compress) {
diff --git a/lib/messages/inject.ts b/lib/messages/inject.ts
index daa00e72..28d9854c 100644
--- a/lib/messages/inject.ts
+++ b/lib/messages/inject.ts
@@ -57,9 +57,9 @@ Context management was just performed. Do NOT use the ${toolName} again. A fresh
 
 const getNudgeString = (config: PluginConfig): string => {
     const flags = {
-        prune: config.tools.prune.enabled,
-        distill: config.tools.distill.enabled,
-        compress: config.tools.compress.enabled,
+        prune: config.tools.prune.permission !== "deny",
+        distill: config.tools.distill.permission !== "deny",
+        compress: config.tools.compress.permission !== "deny",
     }
 
     if (!flags.prune && !flags.distill && !flags.compress) {
@@ -71,9 +71,9 @@ const getNudgeString = (config: PluginConfig): string => {
 
 const getCooldownMessage = (config: PluginConfig): string => {
     return wrapCooldownMessage({
-        prune: config.tools.prune.enabled,
-        distill: config.tools.distill.enabled,
-        compress: config.tools.compress.enabled,
+        prune: config.tools.prune.permission !== "deny",
+        distill: config.tools.distill.permission !== "deny",
+        compress: config.tools.compress.permission !== "deny",
     })
 }
 
@@ -157,9 +157,9 @@ export const insertPruneToolContext = (
     logger: Logger,
     messages: WithParts[],
 ): void => {
-    const pruneEnabled = config.tools.prune.enabled
-    const distillEnabled = config.tools.distill.enabled
-    const compressEnabled = config.tools.compress.enabled
+    const pruneEnabled = config.tools.prune.permission !== "deny"
+    const distillEnabled = config.tools.distill.permission !== "deny"
+    const compressEnabled = config.tools.compress.permission !== "deny"
 
     if (!pruneEnabled && !distillEnabled && !compressEnabled) {
         return