diff --git a/lib/helpers/config_profile_diff.dart b/lib/helpers/config_profile_diff.dart
index 8df667e..cfa850d 100644
--- a/lib/helpers/config_profile_diff.dart
+++ b/lib/helpers/config_profile_diff.dart
@@ -100,25 +100,7 @@ ProfileDiff buildProfileDiff(
         ),
       );
     }
-    // enabled change (add/change), never danger/secret
-    if (b.enabled != null) {
-      final current = cur[ConfigKeys.brokerEnabled];
-      final newVal = b.enabled! ? '1' : '0';
-      if (current != newVal) {
-        rows.add(
-          DiffRow(
-            label: 'broker ${b.slot}.${ConfigKeys.brokerEnabled}',
-            oldValue: current,
-            newValue: newVal,
-            kind: (current == null || current.isEmpty)
-                ? DiffKind.add
-                : DiffKind.change,
-            danger: false,
-            secret: false,
-          ),
-        );
-      }
-    }
+    // Broker enabled is not a profile field (#456) — never diffed/applied.
   }
 
   return ProfileDiff(rows);
diff --git a/lib/helpers/config_profile_parser.dart b/lib/helpers/config_profile_parser.dart
index 8ce7fda..12b6d10 100644
--- a/lib/helpers/config_profile_parser.dart
+++ b/lib/helpers/config_profile_parser.dart
@@ -114,7 +114,6 @@ List<BrokerConfig> _parseBrokers(dynamic node) {
     final map = _asMap(node[i], ctx);
     _rejectUnknownKeys(map, const {
       'slot',
-      'enabled',
       'url',
       'port',
       'transport',
@@ -151,7 +150,6 @@ List<BrokerConfig> _parseBrokers(dynamic node) {
     brokers.add(
       BrokerConfig(
         slot: slot,
-        enabled: _optBool(map, 'enabled', ctx),
         url: _optString(map, 'url', ctx),
         port: port,
         transport: _optEnum(
diff --git a/lib/helpers/config_profile_writes.dart b/lib/helpers/config_profile_writes.dart
index 176cedd..e589fae 100644
--- a/lib/helpers/config_profile_writes.dart
+++ b/lib/helpers/config_profile_writes.dart
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ import '../models/config_profile.dart';
 /// - **Skip null or empty**, a profile only touches keys it actually sets; a
 ///   blank never clobbers a configured value. Clearing is a separate explicit op.
 /// - **Skip `jwt_token`**, it's live-minted by firmware at connect, never config.
-/// - **`enabled` is written last** (the executor's activation guard), so it is
-///   returned separately from [BrokerWrites.fields].
+/// - **Skip broker `enabled`** (#456), enabling a broker is the operator's
+///   runtime decision, not profile config; apply preserves the current state.
 /// - **Danger fields** (owner/identity/credentials) are flagged so the preview
 ///   (#406) can gate them: broker `username`/`password`/`jwt_owner`/`jwt_email`,
 ///   and global `wifi.pwd`.
@@ -31,19 +31,17 @@ class FlatWrite {
   final bool danger;
 }
 
-/// The writes for one broker slot. [fields] excludes `enabled` (written last by
-/// the executor) and `jwt_token` (never written). [enabled] is null when the
-/// profile doesn't set it, so the executor preserves the device's current state.
+/// The writes for one broker slot. [fields] excludes `jwt_token` (never written)
+/// and the broker `enabled` flag (#456: not a profile field — apply preserves
+/// the device's current enabled state).
 class BrokerWrites {
   const BrokerWrites({
     required this.slot,
     required this.fields,
-    required this.enabled,
     required this.dangerFields,
   });
   final int slot;
   final Map<String, String> fields;
-  final bool? enabled;
   final Set<String> dangerFields;
 }
 
@@ -65,8 +63,7 @@ class ProfileWrites {
 
 /// Partition writes into (safe, danger) so the preview's two buttons each apply
 /// their own set: the normal Apply writes safe changes; the red gate writes the
-/// credential/identity ones. A broker with both is split across both, its
-/// `enabled` toggle rides with the safe half only.
+/// credential/identity ones. A broker with both is split across both.
 ({ProfileWrites safe, ProfileWrites danger}) splitProfileWrites(
   ProfileWrites w,
 ) {
@@ -84,14 +81,9 @@ class ProfileWrites {
       for (final e in b.fields.entries)
         if (b.dangerFields.contains(e.key)) e.key: e.value,
     };
-    if (safeFields.isNotEmpty || b.enabled != null) {
+    if (safeFields.isNotEmpty) {
       safeBrokers.add(
-        BrokerWrites(
-          slot: b.slot,
-          fields: safeFields,
-          enabled: b.enabled,
-          dangerFields: const {},
-        ),
+        BrokerWrites(slot: b.slot, fields: safeFields, dangerFields: const {}),
       );
     }
     if (dangerFields.isNotEmpty) {
@@ -99,7 +91,6 @@ class ProfileWrites {
         BrokerWrites(
           slot: b.slot,
           fields: dangerFields,
-          enabled: null, // never toggle activation from the credential pass
           dangerFields: dangerFields.keys.toSet(),
         ),
       );
@@ -171,13 +162,12 @@ ProfileWrites enumerateProfileWrites(ConfigProfile p) {
     put(ConfigKeys.brokerTopicPrefix, b.topicPrefix);
     put(ConfigKeys.brokerIataOverride, b.iataOverride);
 
-    if (fields.isEmpty && b.enabled == null) continue; // nothing to write
+    if (fields.isEmpty) continue; // nothing to write
 
     brokers.add(
       BrokerWrites(
         slot: b.slot,
         fields: fields,
-        enabled: b.enabled,
         dangerFields: fields.keys.where(kDangerBrokerFields.contains).toSet(),
       ),
     );
diff --git a/lib/models/config_profile.dart b/lib/models/config_profile.dart
index 51ee47e..3706d1a 100644
--- a/lib/models/config_profile.dart
+++ b/lib/models/config_profile.dart
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@ class WifiConfig {
 class BrokerConfig {
   const BrokerConfig({
     required this.slot,
-    this.enabled,
     this.url,
     this.port,
     this.transport,
@@ -92,8 +91,12 @@ class BrokerConfig {
   });
 
   /// 0-based slot index, `0 <= slot < kMaxBrokerSlots`.
+  ///
+  /// Broker `enabled` is deliberately NOT a profile field (#456): enabling a
+  /// broker is the operator's runtime decision (firmware ships slots disabled,
+  /// opt-in per #262). A profile configures the connection; apply preserves the
+  /// device's current enabled state.
   final int slot;
-  final bool? enabled;
   final String? url;
   final int? port;
   final MqttTransport? transport;
diff --git a/lib/services/observer_apply_service.dart b/lib/services/observer_apply_service.dart
index 74c8ff3..bd0034f 100644
--- a/lib/services/observer_apply_service.dart
+++ b/lib/services/observer_apply_service.dart
@@ -38,16 +38,15 @@ class ObserverApplyService {
     }
 
     for (final b in writes.brokers) {
-      // Current state: wasLive for the safe-save dance, and to preserve `enabled`
-      // when the profile doesn't set it.
+      // Profiles never set broker enabled (#456) — preserve the device's current
+      // state: read wasLive for the safe-save dance and re-enable to the same.
       final current = await _svc.getBroker(b.slot);
       final wasLive = current?.enabled ?? false;
-      final enable = b.enabled ?? wasLive;
 
       final res = await _svc.saveBroker(
         b.slot,
         fields: b.fields,
-        enable: enable,
+        enable: wasLive,
         wasLive: wasLive,
       );
       items.add(
diff --git a/test/helpers/config_profile_diff_test.dart b/test/helpers/config_profile_diff_test.dart
index 07aba57..e53168c 100644
--- a/test/helpers/config_profile_diff_test.dart
+++ b/test/helpers/config_profile_diff_test.dart
@@ -77,26 +77,34 @@ void main() {
       });
     });
 
-    test('broker enabled change is a plain (non-danger) row', () {
-      final w = _writes(
-        const ConfigProfile(
-          schemaVersion: 2,
-          mqtt: MqttSection(
-            brokers: [BrokerConfig(slot: 2, enabled: true, url: 'h')],
+    test(
+      'broker field change is a plain (non-danger) row; unchanged dropped',
+      () {
+        final w = _writes(
+          const ConfigProfile(
+            schemaVersion: 2,
+            mqtt: MqttSection(
+              brokers: [
+                BrokerConfig(slot: 2, url: 'new-host', topicPrefix: 'mc'),
+              ],
+            ),
           ),
-        ),
-      );
-      final d = buildProfileDiff(
-        w,
-        currentFlat: const {},
-        currentBroker: {
-          2: {ConfigKeys.brokerEnabled: '0', ConfigKeys.brokerUrl: 'h'},
-        },
-      );
-      // url unchanged (h==h) dropped; enabled 0->1 present, not danger
-      final labels = d.rows.map((r) => r.label).toList();
-      expect(labels, ['broker 2.${ConfigKeys.brokerEnabled}']);
-      expect(d.rows.single.danger, isFalse);
-    });
+        );
+        final d = buildProfileDiff(
+          w,
+          currentFlat: const {},
+          currentBroker: {
+            2: {
+              ConfigKeys.brokerUrl: 'old-host',
+              ConfigKeys.brokerTopicPrefix: 'mc', // unchanged -> dropped
+            },
+          },
+        );
+        final labels = d.rows.map((r) => r.label).toList();
+        expect(labels, ['broker 2.${ConfigKeys.brokerUrl}']);
+        expect(d.rows.single.kind, DiffKind.change);
+        expect(d.rows.single.danger, isFalse);
+      },
+    );
   });
 }
diff --git a/test/helpers/config_profile_parser_test.dart b/test/helpers/config_profile_parser_test.dart
index b8df6a9..36c5dfc 100644
--- a/test/helpers/config_profile_parser_test.dart
+++ b/test/helpers/config_profile_parser_test.dart
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ mqtt:
   status_interval: 60
   brokers:
     - slot: 0
-      enabled: true
       url: mqtt.example.org
       port: 8883
       transport: tls
@@ -26,7 +25,6 @@ mqtt:
       password: p
       topic_prefix: meshcore
     - slot: 2
-      enabled: false
       transport: wss
       auth_type: jwt
       jwt_refresh: 3600
@@ -46,7 +44,6 @@ mqtt:
       expect(b0.authType, MqttAuthType.basic);
 
       final b2 = p.mqtt!.brokers.firstWhere((b) => b.slot == 2);
-      expect(b2.enabled, false);
       expect(b2.transport, MqttTransport.wss);
       expect(b2.authType, MqttAuthType.jwt);
       expect(b2.jwtRefresh, 3600);
@@ -119,6 +116,15 @@ mqtt:
       );
     });
 
+    test('rejects broker "enabled" (#456 — not a profile field)', () {
+      expect(
+        () => parseConfigProfile(
+          'schema_version: 2\nmqtt:\n  brokers:\n    - slot: 0\n      enabled: true\n',
+        ),
+        throwsA(isA<ConfigProfileFormatException>()),
+      );
+    });
+
     test('rejects an out-of-range broker slot', () {
       expect(
         () => parseConfigProfile(
diff --git a/test/helpers/config_profile_writes_test.dart b/test/helpers/config_profile_writes_test.dart
index 8753450..8d593e0 100644
--- a/test/helpers/config_profile_writes_test.dart
+++ b/test/helpers/config_profile_writes_test.dart
@@ -49,18 +49,16 @@ void main() {
       expect(b.fields[ConfigKeys.brokerUrl], 'h');
     });
 
-    test('enabled kept out of fields (executor writes it last)', () {
+    test('broker enabled is never emitted (#456 — not a profile field)', () {
       final w = enumerateProfileWrites(
         const ConfigProfile(
           schemaVersion: 2,
-          mqtt: MqttSection(
-            brokers: [BrokerConfig(slot: 1, url: 'h', enabled: true)],
-          ),
+          mqtt: MqttSection(brokers: [BrokerConfig(slot: 1, url: 'h')]),
         ),
       );
       final b = w.brokers.single;
       expect(b.fields.containsKey(ConfigKeys.brokerEnabled), isFalse);
-      expect(b.enabled, true);
+      expect(b.fields[ConfigKeys.brokerUrl], 'h');
     });
 
     test('formats enums as wire strings and ints as text', () {
@@ -135,20 +133,14 @@ void main() {
   });
 
   group('splitProfileWrites', () {
-    test('splits a mixed broker; enabled rides with safe half only', () {
+    test('splits a mixed broker into safe + danger halves', () {
       final w = enumerateProfileWrites(
         const ConfigProfile(
           schemaVersion: 2,
           wifi: WifiConfig(ssid: 'net', password: 'pw', enabled: true),
           mqtt: MqttSection(
             brokers: [
-              BrokerConfig(
-                slot: 0,
-                url: 'h',
-                username: 'u',
-                password: 'p',
-                enabled: true,
-              ),
+              BrokerConfig(slot: 0, url: 'h', username: 'u', password: 'p'),
             ],
           ),
         ),
@@ -160,7 +152,6 @@ void main() {
       expect(safeFlatKeys, contains(ConfigKeys.wifiEnabled));
       expect(safeFlatKeys.contains(ConfigKeys.wifiPassword), isFalse);
       expect(s.safe.brokers.single.fields.keys, contains(ConfigKeys.brokerUrl));
-      expect(s.safe.brokers.single.enabled, true);
 
       final dangerFlatKeys = s.danger.flats.map((f) => f.key).toSet();
       expect(dangerFlatKeys, {ConfigKeys.wifiPassword});
@@ -169,7 +160,6 @@ void main() {
         ConfigKeys.brokerUsername,
         ConfigKeys.brokerPassword,
       });
-      expect(db.enabled, isNull);
     });
   });
 }