diff --git a/client/internal/routeselector/routeselector_test.go b/client/internal/routeselector/routeselector_test.go
index 3f0d9f120..3af1961f4 100644
--- a/client/internal/routeselector/routeselector_test.go
+++ b/client/internal/routeselector/routeselector_test.go
@@ -825,3 +825,31 @@ func TestRouteSelector_ComplexScenarios(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+// TestRouteSelector_EnableExitNodeKeepsOtherRoutes is a regression test for the
+// tray exit-node toggle disabling every non-exit routed network. The tray used
+// to Select an exit node with append=false, which the RouteSelector treats as
+// "drop the whole current selection" (default-on semantics) — so enabling an
+// exit node also turned off every LAN/route the user had on. The fix sends
+// append=true and lets the daemon's SelectNetworks handler deselect only the
+// sibling exit nodes. This test models that handler sequence against the
+// selector: SelectRoutes(exit, append=true) followed by DeselectRoutes(other
+// exit nodes) must leave non-exit routes untouched.
+func TestRouteSelector_EnableExitNodeKeepsOtherRoutes(t *testing.T) {
+	rs := routeselector.NewRouteSelector()
+	all := []route.NetID{"exitA", "exitB", "lan1", "lan2"}
+
+	// User has two LAN routes on (default-on: nothing deselected => all selected).
+	require.True(t, rs.IsSelected("lan1"))
+	require.True(t, rs.IsSelected("lan2"))
+
+	// Tray enables exitA: SelectNetworks handler does SelectRoutes(append=true)
+	// then deselects sibling exit nodes (exitB), never the LAN routes.
+	require.NoError(t, rs.SelectRoutes([]route.NetID{"exitA"}, true, all))
+	require.NoError(t, rs.DeselectRoutes([]route.NetID{"exitB"}, all))
+
+	assert.True(t, rs.IsSelected("exitA"), "selected exit node stays on")
+	assert.False(t, rs.IsSelected("exitB"), "sibling exit node is deselected")
+	assert.True(t, rs.IsSelected("lan1"), "non-exit route must stay selected")
+	assert.True(t, rs.IsSelected("lan2"), "non-exit route must stay selected")
+}
diff --git a/client/ui/tray_exitnodes.go b/client/ui/tray_exitnodes.go
index 53a434653..0b87fb36e 100644
--- a/client/ui/tray_exitnodes.go
+++ b/client/ui/tray_exitnodes.go
@@ -97,17 +97,19 @@ func (t *Tray) refreshExitNodes() {
 }
 
 // toggleExitNode activates or deactivates one exit node by NetID. Exit nodes
-// are mutually exclusive, so Select uses append=false to clear any other
-// active node before turning this one on; deselecting an active node turns
-// routing off entirely. Mirrors the frontend's toggleExitNode semantics. Runs
-// the RPC off the menu-click goroutine and re-fetches so the ✓ moves to the
-// new selection.
+// are mutually exclusive, but enforcement of that lives daemon-side: the
+// SelectNetworks handler deselects every other exit node when this Select
+// activates one. So Select uses append=true — append=false would tell the
+// RouteSelector to drop the whole current selection (default-on semantics),
+// which also turns off every non-exit routed network the user had enabled.
+// Mirrors the frontend's toggleExitNode semantics. Runs the RPC off the
+// menu-click goroutine and re-fetches so the ✓ moves to the new selection.
 func (t *Tray) toggleExitNode(id string, selected bool) {
 	go func() {
 		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 10*time.Second)
 		defer cancel()
 
-		params := services.SelectNetworksParams{NetworkIDs: []string{id}, Append: false, All: false}
+		params := services.SelectNetworksParams{NetworkIDs: []string{id}, Append: true, All: false}
 		var err error
 		if selected {
 			err = t.svc.Networks.Deselect(ctx, params)