diff --git a/backend/internal/domain/projectconfig.go b/backend/internal/domain/projectconfig.go
index 840ad34b9..828890e39 100644
--- a/backend/internal/domain/projectconfig.go
+++ b/backend/internal/domain/projectconfig.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ type ProjectConfig struct {
 
 	// Reviewers names the agent(s) that review a worker's PR when a review is
 	// triggered. It is configured independently of the Worker override; an empty
-	// list falls back to the worker's own harness (see ResolveReviewerHarness).
+	// list falls back to claude-code (see ResolveReviewerHarness).
 	Reviewers []ReviewerConfig `json:"reviewers,omitempty"`
 }
 
@@ -55,15 +55,11 @@ type ReviewerConfig struct {
 const FallbackReviewerHarness = ReviewerClaudeCode
 
 // ResolveReviewerHarness picks the reviewer harness for a worker. A configured
-// reviewer wins; otherwise it reuses the worker's own harness when that harness
-// is also a supported reviewer, falling back to claude-code.
-func (c ProjectConfig) ResolveReviewerHarness(workerHarness AgentHarness) ReviewerHarness {
+// reviewer wins; otherwise claude-code is used.
+func (c ProjectConfig) ResolveReviewerHarness(_ AgentHarness) ReviewerHarness {
 	if len(c.Reviewers) > 0 {
 		return c.Reviewers[0].Harness
 	}
-	if h := ReviewerHarness(workerHarness); h.IsKnown() {
-		return h
-	}
 	return FallbackReviewerHarness
 }
 
diff --git a/backend/internal/domain/projectconfig_test.go b/backend/internal/domain/projectconfig_test.go
index 58d9c3bad..4ad643d1c 100644
--- a/backend/internal/domain/projectconfig_test.go
+++ b/backend/internal/domain/projectconfig_test.go
@@ -80,13 +80,12 @@ func TestResolveReviewerHarness(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("configured reviewer = %q, want claude-code", got)
 	}
 
-	// No reviewer configured: reuse the worker harness when it is also a
-	// supported reviewer (claude-code is).
+	// No reviewer configured: always use claude-code.
 	if got := (ProjectConfig{}).ResolveReviewerHarness(HarnessClaudeCode); got != ReviewerClaudeCode {
 		t.Fatalf("default = %q, want reviewer claude-code", got)
 	}
 
-	// A worker harness that is not a supported reviewer falls back to claude-code.
+	// A worker harness that is not claude-code also falls back to claude-code.
 	if got := (ProjectConfig{}).ResolveReviewerHarness(HarnessAider); got != FallbackReviewerHarness {
 		t.Fatalf("fallback = %q, want %q", got, FallbackReviewerHarness)
 	}
diff --git a/backend/internal/review/review.go b/backend/internal/review/review.go
index 46d47b67c..c6c88f336 100644
--- a/backend/internal/review/review.go
+++ b/backend/internal/review/review.go
@@ -375,8 +375,7 @@ func (e *Engine) List(ctx stdctx.Context, workerID domain.SessionID) (SessionRev
 }
 
 // reviewerHarness resolves which harness reviews the worker's PR: a configured
-// reviewer wins, otherwise the worker's own harness is reused (falling back to
-// claude-code), per domain.ResolveReviewerHarness.
+// reviewer wins, otherwise claude-code is used, per domain.ResolveReviewerHarness.
 func (e *Engine) reviewerHarness(ctx stdctx.Context, worker domain.SessionRecord) (domain.ReviewerHarness, error) {
 	var cfg domain.ProjectConfig
 	if e.projects != nil {
diff --git a/frontend/src/renderer/components/ProjectSettingsForm.tsx b/frontend/src/renderer/components/ProjectSettingsForm.tsx
index 1c86bb850..9b746b7cb 100644
--- a/frontend/src/renderer/components/ProjectSettingsForm.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/renderer/components/ProjectSettingsForm.tsx
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ function ReviewerSelect({ id, value, onChange }: { id: string; value: string; on
 				<SelectValue />
 			</SelectTrigger>
 			<SelectContent>
-				<SelectItem value="__default__">Project default</SelectItem>
+				<SelectItem value="__default__">claude-code (default)</SelectItem>
 				{REVIEWER_OPTIONS.map((reviewer) => (
 					<SelectItem key={reviewer} value={reviewer}>
 						{reviewer}
diff --git a/frontend/src/renderer/components/SessionInspector.test.tsx b/frontend/src/renderer/components/SessionInspector.test.tsx
index 7c7eddb28..bff3ac9d9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/renderer/components/SessionInspector.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/renderer/components/SessionInspector.test.tsx
@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@ const session = (prs: PullRequestFacts[]): WorkspaceSession => ({
 	prs,
 });
 
+const sessionWithProvider = (prs: PullRequestFacts[], provider: WorkspaceSession["provider"]): WorkspaceSession => ({
+	...session(prs),
+	provider,
+});
+
 function renderWithQuery(children: ReactNode) {
 	const client = new QueryClient({
 		defaultOptions: { queries: { retry: false }, mutations: { retry: false } },
@@ -199,6 +204,36 @@ describe("SessionInspector reviews tab", () => {
 		expect(onOpenReviewerTerminal).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ handleId: "reviewer-pane", harness: "codex" });
 	});
 
+	it("shows claude-code as the default reviewer before a run exists", async () => {
+		getMock.mockImplementation(async (path: string) => {
+			if (path === "/api/v1/sessions/{sessionId}/reviews") {
+				return { data: { reviewerHandleId: "", reviews: [] } };
+			}
+			if (path === "/api/v1/projects/{id}") {
+				return {
+					data: {
+						status: "ok",
+						project: {
+							id: "ws-1",
+							kind: "git",
+							name: "my-app",
+							path: "/repo",
+							repo: "my-app",
+							defaultBranch: "main",
+							config: {},
+						},
+					},
+				};
+			}
+			return { data: undefined };
+		});
+
+		renderWithQuery(<SessionInspector session={sessionWithProvider([pr(3, "open")], "codex")} />);
+		await openReviewsTab();
+
+		expect(await screen.findByText("claude-code")).toBeInTheDocument();
+	});
+
 	it("shows eligible and up-to-date PR review rows", async () => {
 		mockCommonGets([approvedReview], "reviewer-pane", [
 			reviewState(3, "needs_review", "abc123"),
diff --git a/frontend/src/renderer/components/SessionInspector.tsx b/frontend/src/renderer/components/SessionInspector.tsx
index e7ae9d64d..baad79ff4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/renderer/components/SessionInspector.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/renderer/components/SessionInspector.tsx
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ function ReviewPanel({
 	}
 
 	const latest = reviewStates.find((review) => review.latestRun)?.latestRun;
-	const harness = latest?.harness || config?.reviewers?.[0]?.harness || session.provider || "reviewer";
+	const harness = latest?.harness || config?.reviewers?.[0]?.harness || "claude-code";
 	const terminalEnabled = Boolean(reviewerHandleId && onOpenTerminal);
 	const aggregateVerdict = sessionReviewVerdict(reviewStates);
 	const runAction = reviewSessionRunAction(reviewStates, isTriggering);