diff --git a/app/(dashboard)/proxy-hosts/actions.ts b/app/(dashboard)/proxy-hosts/actions.ts
index 3f8b05b7..88592c09 100644
--- a/app/(dashboard)/proxy-hosts/actions.ts
+++ b/app/(dashboard)/proxy-hosts/actions.ts
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ function parseWafConfig(formData: FormData): { waf?: WafHostConfig | null } {
   const wafMode: WafHostConfig["waf_mode"] = rawMode === "override" ? "override" : "merge";
   const rawEngineMode = formData.get("waf_engine_mode");
   const engineMode: WafHostConfig["mode"] =
-    rawEngineMode === "On" ? "On" : rawEngineMode === "Off" ? "Off" : "DetectionOnly";
+    rawEngineMode === "On" ? "On" : rawEngineMode === "Off" ? "Off" : rawEngineMode === "DetectionOnly" ? "DetectionOnly" : undefined;
   const loadCrs = parseCheckbox(formData.get("waf_load_owasp_crs"));
   const customDirectives = typeof formData.get("waf_custom_directives") === "string"
     ? (formData.get("waf_custom_directives") as string).trim()
diff --git a/app/(dashboard)/settings/actions.ts b/app/(dashboard)/settings/actions.ts
index 12314283..c5f77500 100644
--- a/app/(dashboard)/settings/actions.ts
+++ b/app/(dashboard)/settings/actions.ts
@@ -678,9 +678,9 @@ export async function suppressWafRuleForHostAction(ruleId: number, hostname: str
     if (!host) {
       return { success: false, message: `No proxy host found for ${hostname}.` };
     }
-    const existingWaf = host.waf ?? {};
+    const existingWaf = host.waf ?? { enabled: true, waf_mode: 'merge' as const };
     const ids = [...new Set([...(existingWaf.excluded_rule_ids ?? []), ruleId])];
-    await updateProxyHost(host.id, { waf: { ...existingWaf, enabled: existingWaf.enabled ?? false, excluded_rule_ids: ids } }, userId);
+    await updateProxyHost(host.id, { waf: { ...existingWaf, enabled: true, waf_mode: existingWaf.waf_mode ?? 'merge', excluded_rule_ids: ids } }, userId);
     revalidatePath("/proxy-hosts");
     revalidatePath("/waf-events");
     return { success: true, message: `Rule ${ruleId} suppressed for ${hostname}.` };
diff --git a/src/components/proxy-hosts/WafFields.tsx b/src/components/proxy-hosts/WafFields.tsx
index bc4b9d7a..773ab8cf 100644
--- a/src/components/proxy-hosts/WafFields.tsx
+++ b/src/components/proxy-hosts/WafFields.tsx
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import { type WafHostConfig } from "@/src/lib/models/proxy-hosts";
 import { WafRuleExclusions } from "./WafRuleExclusions";
 
 type WafMode = "merge" | "override";
-type EngineMode = "Off" | "DetectionOnly" | "On";
+type EngineMode = "Off" | "DetectionOnly" | "On" | "inherit";
 
 const QUICK_TEMPLATES = [
   { label: "Allow IP", snippet: `SecRule REMOTE_ADDR "@ipMatch 1.2.3.4" "id:9000,phase:1,allow,nolog,msg:'Allow IP'"` },
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ type Props = {
 export function WafFields({ value, showModeSelector = true }: Props) {
   const [enabled, setEnabled] = useState(value?.enabled ?? false);
   const [wafMode, setWafMode] = useState<WafMode>(value?.waf_mode ?? "merge");
-  const [engineMode, setEngineMode] = useState<EngineMode>(value?.mode ?? "DetectionOnly");
+  const [engineMode, setEngineMode] = useState<EngineMode>(value?.mode ?? "inherit");
   const [loadCrs, setLoadCrs] = useState(value?.load_owasp_crs ?? true);
   const [customDirectives, setCustomDirectives] = useState(value?.custom_directives ?? "");
   const [showTemplates, setShowTemplates] = useState(false);
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ export function WafFields({ value, showModeSelector = true }: Props) {
             Engine Mode
           </Typography>
           <Stack direction="row" spacing={1} mt={0.75}>
-            {(["Off", "DetectionOnly", "On"] as EngineMode[]).map((v) => (
+            {(["inherit", "Off", "DetectionOnly", "On"] as EngineMode[]).map((v) => (
               <Box
                 key={v}
                 onClick={() => setEngineMode(v)}
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ export function WafFields({ value, showModeSelector = true }: Props) {
                   color={engineMode === v ? "error.main" : "text.secondary"}
                   sx={{ transition: "all 0.15s ease", fontSize: "0.8rem" }}
                 >
-                  {v === "DetectionOnly" ? "Detect only" : v}
+                  {v === "DetectionOnly" ? "Detect only" : v === "inherit" ? "Global default" : v}
                 </Typography>
               </Box>
             ))}