diff --git a/ui/src/lib/sessions/index.test.ts b/ui/src/lib/sessions/index.test.ts
index 92e0d7644cb3..2dc4347e8e49 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/sessions/index.test.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/sessions/index.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // @vitest-environment node
-import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import {
   GatewayRequestError,
   type GatewayBrowserClient,
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
   type GatewayHelloOk,
 } from "../../api/gateway.ts";
 import type { SessionsListResult } from "../../api/types.ts";
+import { createStorageMock } from "../../test-helpers/storage.ts";
 import { waitForFast } from "../../test-helpers/wait-for.ts";
 import { createSessionCapability, reconcileSessionRunTerminal } from "./index.ts";
 
@@ -30,7 +31,11 @@ function deferred<T>() {
   return { promise, reject, resolve };
 }
 
-function createGatewayHarness(client: GatewayBrowserClient, featureMethods?: string[]) {
+function createGatewayHarness(
+  client: GatewayBrowserClient,
+  featureMethods?: string[],
+  scopes?: string[],
+) {
   let snapshot: {
     client: GatewayBrowserClient | null;
     phase: "connected" | "reconnecting";
@@ -45,7 +50,10 @@ function createGatewayHarness(client: GatewayBrowserClient, featureMethods?: str
     hello:
       featureMethods === undefined
         ? null
-        : ({ features: { methods: featureMethods } } as GatewayHelloOk),
+        : ({
+            ...(scopes ? { auth: { role: "operator", scopes } } : {}),
+            features: { methods: featureMethods },
+          } as GatewayHelloOk),
   };
   const listeners = new Set<(next: typeof snapshot) => void>();
   const eventListeners = new Set<(event: GatewayEventFrame) => void>();
@@ -81,6 +89,10 @@ function createGatewayHarness(client: GatewayBrowserClient, featureMethods?: str
   };
 }
 
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.unstubAllGlobals();
+});
+
 function sessionChangedEvent(key: string): GatewayEventFrame {
   return {
     type: "event",
@@ -170,6 +182,61 @@ describe("createSessionCapability", () => {
     sessions.dispose();
   });
 
+  it("does not migrate legacy browser groups without operator.write", async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal("localStorage", createStorageMock());
+    localStorage.setItem("openclaw:sessions:custom-groups", JSON.stringify(["Research"]));
+    const request = vi.fn(async (method: string) => {
+      if (method === "sessions.groups.list") {
+        return { groups: [] };
+      }
+      throw new Error(`Unexpected request: ${method}`);
+    });
+    const client = { request } as unknown as GatewayBrowserClient;
+    const { gateway } = createGatewayHarness(
+      client,
+      ["sessions.groups.list", "sessions.groups.put"],
+      ["operator.read"],
+    );
+    const sessions = createSessionCapability(gateway);
+
+    await sessions.groupsLoad();
+
+    expect(request).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(request).toHaveBeenCalledWith("sessions.groups.list", {});
+    expect(localStorage.getItem("openclaw:sessions:custom-groups")).toBe(
+      JSON.stringify(["Research"]),
+    );
+    sessions.dispose();
+  });
+
+  it("migrates legacy browser groups with operator.write", async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal("localStorage", createStorageMock());
+    localStorage.setItem("openclaw:sessions:custom-groups", JSON.stringify(["Research"]));
+    const request = vi.fn(async (method: string) => {
+      if (method === "sessions.groups.list") {
+        return { groups: [] };
+      }
+      if (method === "sessions.groups.put") {
+        return { groups: [{ name: "Research" }] };
+      }
+      throw new Error(`Unexpected request: ${method}`);
+    });
+    const client = { request } as unknown as GatewayBrowserClient;
+    const { gateway } = createGatewayHarness(
+      client,
+      ["sessions.groups.list", "sessions.groups.put"],
+      ["operator.write"],
+    );
+    const sessions = createSessionCapability(gateway);
+
+    await sessions.groupsLoad();
+
+    expect(request).toHaveBeenCalledWith("sessions.groups.put", { names: ["Research"] });
+    expect(sessions.state.groups).toEqual(["Research"]);
+    expect(localStorage.getItem("openclaw:sessions:custom-groups")).toBeNull();
+    sessions.dispose();
+  });
+
   it("publishes state.error when group rename is rejected", async () => {
     const request = vi.fn(async (method: string) => {
       if (method === "sessions.groups.rename") {
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/sessions/session-group-catalog.ts b/ui/src/lib/sessions/session-group-catalog.ts
index 53ae2bcece93..adde83a0c7a6 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/sessions/session-group-catalog.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/sessions/session-group-catalog.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { getSafeLocalStorage } from "../../local-storage.ts";
 import { isGatewayMethodAdvertised } from "../gateway-methods.ts";
+import { readSessionMethodAccess } from "../session-method-access.ts";
 import { readSessionCustomGroupNames, readSidebarSectionOrder } from "./custom-groups.ts";
 import type {
   SessionConnectionOwner,
@@ -93,7 +94,11 @@ export function createSessionGroupCatalog(host: SessionGroupCatalogHost) {
       let sectionOrder = readSidebarSectionOrder(listed);
       // Browser-local catalogs predate the gateway store and migrate exactly once.
       const legacy = readLegacyStoredGroups();
-      if (names.length === 0 && legacy.length > 0) {
+      const legacyMigrationAccess = readSessionMethodAccess(host.snapshot(), {
+        method: "sessions.groups.put",
+        requiredScope: "operator.write",
+      });
+      if (names.length === 0 && legacy.length > 0 && legacyMigrationAccess.allowed) {
         const put = await scope.client.request("sessions.groups.put", { names: legacy });
         if (!host.connection.isCurrent(scope) || generation !== loadGeneration) {
           return;
@@ -101,7 +106,7 @@ export function createSessionGroupCatalog(host: SessionGroupCatalogHost) {
         names = readSessionCustomGroupNames(put);
         sectionOrder = readSidebarSectionOrder(put);
       }
-      if (legacy.length > 0) {
+      if (legacy.length > 0 && legacyMigrationAccess.allowed) {
         try {
           getSafeLocalStorage()?.removeItem(LEGACY_GROUPS_STORAGE_KEY);
         } catch {