diff --git a/crates/goose-server/src/routes/agent.rs b/crates/goose-server/src/routes/agent.rs
index 45e8521dd7..4ee020bdcc 100644
--- a/crates/goose-server/src/routes/agent.rs
+++ b/crates/goose-server/src/routes/agent.rs
@@ -1158,6 +1158,19 @@ async fn list_apps(
             .flat_map(|app| app.mcp_servers.iter().cloned())
             .collect();
 
+        // Before wiping the cache, save imported apps (cache-only) so they survive the refresh.
+        // These are apps with mcp_servers=["apps"] whose URIs don't appear in the live MCP response.
+        let live_uris: HashSet<&str> = apps.iter().map(|a| a.resource.uri.as_str()).collect();
+        let imported_apps: Vec<GooseApp> = cache
+            .list_apps()
+            .unwrap_or_default()
+            .into_iter()
+            .filter(|a| {
+                a.mcp_servers.contains(&"apps".to_string())
+                    && !live_uris.contains(a.resource.uri.as_str())
+            })
+            .collect();
+
         for extension_name in active_extensions {
             if let Err(e) = cache.delete_extension_apps(&extension_name) {
                 warn!(
@@ -1172,9 +1185,32 @@ async fn list_apps(
                 warn!("Failed to cache app {}: {}", app.resource.name, e);
             }
         }
+
+        // Restore imported apps back to cache
+        for app in &imported_apps {
+            if let Err(e) = cache.store_app(app) {
+                warn!(
+                    "Failed to restore imported app {}: {}",
+                    app.resource.name, e
+                );
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     let mut apps = apps;
+    // Merge imported apps into the response
+    if let Some(cache) = cache.as_ref() {
+        let live_uris: HashSet<String> = apps.iter().map(|a| a.resource.uri.clone()).collect();
+        let imported: Vec<GooseApp> = cache
+            .list_apps()
+            .unwrap_or_default()
+            .into_iter()
+            .filter(|a| {
+                a.mcp_servers.contains(&"apps".to_string()) && !live_uris.contains(&a.resource.uri)
+            })
+            .collect();
+        apps.extend(imported);
+    }
     mark_deletable_apps(&mut apps);
 
     Ok(Json(ListAppsResponse { apps }))