diff --git a/plugins/memory/honcho/cli.py b/plugins/memory/honcho/cli.py
index 411ce049d2..36a5c94703 100644
--- a/plugins/memory/honcho/cli.py
+++ b/plugins/memory/honcho/cli.py
@@ -140,12 +140,15 @@ def _write_config(cfg: dict, path: Path | None = None) -> None:
     path = path or _local_config_path()
     with _config_refresh_lock(path):
         _refuse_unparseable(path)
+        out = cfg
         if getattr(cfg, "path", None) == path:
-            cfg = _apply_edits(cfg.snapshot, cfg, _read_config_strict(path))
+            out = _apply_edits(cfg.snapshot, cfg, _read_config_strict(path))
         elif isinstance(cfg, _ReadConfig) and path.exists():
-            cfg = _apply_edits(cfg.snapshot, cfg, _overlay_local(cfg.snapshot, _read_config_strict(path)))
+            out = _apply_edits(cfg.snapshot, cfg, _overlay_local(cfg.snapshot, _read_config_strict(path)))
         path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-        atomic_json_write(path, cfg, mode=0o600)
+        atomic_json_write(path, out, mode=0o600)
+        if isinstance(cfg, _ReadConfig):  # a later write on the same object applies only edits made after this one
+            cfg.snapshot, cfg.path = copy.deepcopy(dict(cfg)), path
 
 
 def _label(host: str) -> str:
diff --git a/tests/honcho_plugin/test_cli.py b/tests/honcho_plugin/test_cli.py
index 954ac7120d..201bbf2885 100644
--- a/tests/honcho_plugin/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/honcho_plugin/test_cli.py
@@ -892,6 +892,18 @@ class TestWriteConfigMergesOntoDisk:
         honcho_cli._write_config(cfg)
         assert json.loads(cfg_path.read_text())["hosts"]["hermes"] == {"apiKey": "hch-v3-pasted"}
 
+    def test_a_second_write_on_the_same_read_applies_only_the_edits_made_since_the_first(self, monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+        disk = {"hosts": {"hermes": {"apiKey": "hch-at-old", "oauth": {"refreshToken": "hch-rt-old"}, "workspace": "A"}}}
+        honcho_cli, cfg_path = self._paths(monkeypatch, tmp_path, disk)
+        cfg = honcho_cli._read_config()
+        cfg["hosts"]["hermes"]["workspace"] = "B"
+        honcho_cli._write_config(cfg)
+        self._rotate_on_disk(cfg_path)
+        cfg["hosts"]["hermes"]["workspace"] = "A"
+        honcho_cli._write_config(cfg)
+        out = json.loads(cfg_path.read_text())["hosts"]["hermes"]
+        assert out == {"apiKey": "hch-at-new", "oauth": {"refreshToken": "hch-rt-new"}, "workspace": "A"}
+
     def test_a_grant_the_login_installed_yields_to_a_later_rotation(self, monkeypatch, tmp_path):
         import plugins.memory.honcho.oauth as oauth
         honcho_cli, cfg_path = self._paths(monkeypatch, tmp_path, {"hosts": {"hermes": {"peerName": "alice"}}})