diff --git a/client/android/client.go b/client/android/client.go
index 99ccdf393..6345e2818 100644
--- a/client/android/client.go
+++ b/client/android/client.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/profilemanager"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/routemanager"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/stdnet"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/mdm"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/net"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/system"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/formatter"
@@ -75,6 +76,13 @@ type Client struct {
 	connectClient *internal.ConnectClient
 	config        *profilemanager.Config
 	cacheDir      string
+
+	// mdmLoader holds the per-Client MDM policy source. Set by
+	// SetMDMPolicyFetcher (called from the Kotlin side). Each Run
+	// passes this loader to the resolved Config so applyMDMPolicy
+	// picks up the active overlay. Nil means "MDM enforcement off
+	// for this Client".
+	mdmLoader *mdm.Loader
 }
 
 func (c *Client) setState(cfg *profilemanager.Config, cacheDir string, cc *internal.ConnectClient) {
@@ -129,6 +137,7 @@ func (c *Client) Run(platformFiles PlatformFiles, urlOpener URLOpener, isAndroid
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	c.applyMDMOverlay(cfg)
 	c.recorder.UpdateManagementAddress(cfg.ManagementURL.String())
 	c.recorder.UpdateRosenpass(cfg.RosenpassEnabled, cfg.RosenpassPermissive)
 
@@ -173,6 +182,7 @@ func (c *Client) RunWithoutLogin(platformFiles PlatformFiles, dns *DNSList, dnsR
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	c.applyMDMOverlay(cfg)
 	c.recorder.UpdateManagementAddress(cfg.ManagementURL.String())
 	c.recorder.UpdateRosenpass(cfg.RosenpassEnabled, cfg.RosenpassPermissive)
 
@@ -230,6 +240,7 @@ func (c *Client) DebugBundle(platformFiles PlatformFiles, anonymize bool) (strin
 		if err != nil {
 			return "", fmt.Errorf("load config: %w", err)
 		}
+		c.applyMDMOverlay(cfg)
 		cacheDir = platformFiles.CacheDir()
 	}
 
diff --git a/client/android/mdm.go b/client/android/mdm.go
index 2a72dfe78..30f081bb4 100644
--- a/client/android/mdm.go
+++ b/client/android/mdm.go
@@ -7,18 +7,19 @@ import (
 
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/profilemanager"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/mdm"
 )
 
 // PolicyFetcher is the mobile-side bridge for the MDM managed-config
 // snapshot. The native layer (Kotlin) implements this and registers
-// the instance via SetMobilePolicyFetcher at app start. Every
-// invocation must read the current RestrictionsManager state and
-// return the result as a JSON-encoded map[string]any string.
+// the instance per Client via Client.SetMDMPolicyFetcher. Every
+// invocation of fetchJSON must read the current RestrictionsManager
+// state and return the result as a JSON-encoded map[string]any string.
 //
 // JSON is used because gomobile does not support map[string]any
 // crossing the JNI boundary — the adapter on the Go side parses the
-// string back into the map[string]any expected by mdm.LoadPolicy.
+// string back into the map[string]any expected by mdm.Loader.
 //
 // Return value contract:
 //   - "" (empty)         : interpreted as "no MDM source / no managed keys"
@@ -49,14 +50,31 @@ func (a *jsonFetcherAdapter) Fetch() map[string]any {
 	return out
 }
 
-// SetMobilePolicyFetcher registers the native-provided MDM policy
-// fetcher. Call exactly once from the gomobile-init code (Kotlin
-// Application.onCreate) before the daemon starts. Passing nil
-// effectively disables MDM enforcement on this build.
-func SetMobilePolicyFetcher(p PolicyFetcher) {
+// SetMDMPolicyFetcher registers the native-provided MDM policy fetcher
+// on this Client. Call once from the gomobile-init code (Kotlin
+// Application.onCreate or Service onCreate) before invoking Run /
+// RunWithoutLogin. Passing nil disables MDM enforcement on this
+// Client.
+//
+// The fetcher is held as a *mdm.Loader instance on the Client (no
+// package-level state) — multiple Clients in the same process get
+// independent Loaders, and tests can inject fakes per Client.
+func (c *Client) SetMDMPolicyFetcher(p PolicyFetcher) {
 	if p == nil {
-		mdm.SetMobilePolicyFetcher(nil)
+		c.mdmLoader = mdm.NewLoader(nil)
 		return
 	}
-	mdm.SetMobilePolicyFetcher(&jsonFetcherAdapter{inner: p})
+	c.mdmLoader = mdm.NewLoader(&jsonFetcherAdapter{inner: p})
+}
+
+// applyMDMOverlay applies the Client-held MDM Loader's current policy
+// on top of the just-read Config. Called immediately after every
+// UpdateOrCreateConfig — profilemanager's apply() initialises the
+// policy to empty and leaves overlay responsibility to the lifecycle
+// owner. No-op when no fetcher was registered.
+func (c *Client) applyMDMOverlay(cfg *profilemanager.Config) {
+	if cfg == nil || c.mdmLoader == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	cfg.ApplyMDMPolicy(c.mdmLoader.Load())
 }
diff --git a/client/internal/profilemanager/config.go b/client/internal/profilemanager/config.go
index b0c7fd470..10aa22332 100644
--- a/client/internal/profilemanager/config.go
+++ b/client/internal/profilemanager/config.go
@@ -58,10 +58,6 @@ var DefaultInterfaceBlacklist = []string{
 	"Tailscale", "tailscale", "docker", "veth", "br-", "lo",
 }
 
-// loadMDMPolicy is the package-level indirection used by apply() to read the
-// active MDM policy. Tests override this to inject a fake policy.
-var loadMDMPolicy = mdm.LoadPolicy
-
 // ConfigInput carries configuration changes to the client
 type ConfigInput struct {
 	ManagementURL                 string
@@ -180,14 +176,27 @@ type Config struct {
 
 	MTU uint16
 
-	// policy is the MDM policy that produced the currently-set values for
-	// any MDM-enforced fields. Set by applyMDMPolicy at the tail of apply()
-	// and reset on every apply() invocation. Never persisted to disk.
-	// Callers query enforcement state via Policy() and the mdm.Policy API
-	// (HasKey, ManagedKeys, IsEmpty).
+	// policy is the MDM policy that produced the currently-set values
+	// for any MDM-enforced fields. Set by ApplyMDMPolicy on every
+	// invocation. Never persisted to disk. Callers query enforcement
+	// state via Policy() and the mdm.Policy API (HasKey, ManagedKeys,
+	// IsEmpty).
 	policy *mdm.Policy `json:"-"`
 }
 
+// ApplyMDMPolicy overlays the supplied MDM Policy on top of the
+// currently resolved Config values. Idempotent — pass an empty Policy
+// to clear any prior overlay. The lifecycle owner (Server.getConfig
+// on desktop, the Client.Run path on mobile) calls this with
+// loader.Load() once the per-process Loader is known; the Config
+// itself holds no reference to the Loader.
+func (config *Config) ApplyMDMPolicy(policy *mdm.Policy) {
+	if config == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	config.applyMDMPolicy(policy)
+}
+
 // Policy returns the MDM policy applied to this Config. Returns a non-nil
 // empty Policy when MDM enforcement is inactive; callers can always invoke
 // HasKey / ManagedKeys / IsEmpty without a nil check.
@@ -634,9 +643,11 @@ func (config *Config) apply(input ConfigInput) (updated bool, err error) {
 		updated = true
 	}
 
-	// MDM is the last override layer: any key present in the policy
-	// supersedes defaults, on-disk config, env vars and CLI input.
-	config.applyMDMPolicy(loadMDMPolicy())
+	// Initialise the MDM overlay to "no enforcement" so Config.Policy()
+	// never returns a stale or nil policy on a freshly applied Config.
+	// Lifecycle owners that want to enforce a real MDM policy invoke
+	// Config.ApplyMDMPolicy(loader.Load()) after this returns.
+	config.applyMDMPolicy(mdm.NewPolicy(nil))
 
 	return updated, nil
 }
diff --git a/client/internal/profilemanager/config_mdm_test.go b/client/internal/profilemanager/config_mdm_test.go
index 6a201235e..127104c31 100644
--- a/client/internal/profilemanager/config_mdm_test.go
+++ b/client/internal/profilemanager/config_mdm_test.go
@@ -10,24 +10,58 @@ import (
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/mdm"
 )
 
-// withMDMPolicy temporarily overrides the package-level loadMDMPolicy hook so
-// apply() observes the supplied Policy. The original loader is restored at
-// test cleanup.
-func withMDMPolicy(t *testing.T, policy *mdm.Policy) {
+// fakeFetcher implements mdm.PolicyFetcher returning a pre-set policy
+// map. Test helper used to construct a Loader without touching the OS
+// or any package-level state.
+type fakeFetcher struct{ values map[string]any }
+
+func (f *fakeFetcher) Fetch() map[string]any { return f.values }
+
+// loaderFor builds an mdm.Loader whose loadPlatform returns the
+// supplied Policy's underlying values.
+func loaderFor(policy *mdm.Policy) *mdm.Loader {
+	if policy == nil || policy.IsEmpty() {
+		return mdm.NewLoader(&fakeFetcher{values: nil})
+	}
+	values := make(map[string]any)
+	for _, k := range policy.ManagedKeys() {
+		if v, ok := policy.GetString(k); ok {
+			values[k] = v
+			continue
+		}
+		if v, ok := policy.GetBool(k); ok {
+			values[k] = v
+			continue
+		}
+		if v, ok := policy.GetInt(k); ok {
+			values[k] = v
+			continue
+		}
+		if v, ok := policy.GetStringSlice(k); ok {
+			values[k] = v
+		}
+	}
+	return mdm.NewLoader(&fakeFetcher{values: values})
+}
+
+// configWithMDM is the test convenience that builds a Config via
+// UpdateOrCreateConfig and overlays the supplied MDM policy on top —
+// mirrors the production pattern (Server.getConfig / Client.applyMDMOverlay)
+// where the Loader lives outside Config and the apply step is driven
+// by the lifecycle owner.
+func configWithMDM(t *testing.T, input ConfigInput, policy *mdm.Policy) *Config {
 	t.Helper()
-	prev := loadMDMPolicy
-	loadMDMPolicy = func() *mdm.Policy { return policy }
-	t.Cleanup(func() { loadMDMPolicy = prev })
+	cfg, err := UpdateOrCreateConfig(input)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NotNil(t, cfg)
+	cfg.ApplyMDMPolicy(loaderFor(policy).Load())
+	return cfg
 }
 
 func TestApply_MDMEmpty_NoEnforcement(t *testing.T) {
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(nil))
-
-	cfg, err := UpdateOrCreateConfig(ConfigInput{
+	cfg := configWithMDM(t, ConfigInput{
 		ConfigPath: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json"),
-	})
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, cfg)
+	}, mdm.NewPolicy(nil))
 
 	assert.True(t, cfg.Policy().IsEmpty(), "no MDM source ⇒ empty Policy")
 	assert.False(t, cfg.Policy().HasKey(mdm.KeyManagementURL))
@@ -39,18 +73,15 @@ func TestApply_MDMEmpty_NoEnforcement(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestApply_MDMOnly_OverridesDefaults(t *testing.T) {
 	const mdmURL = "https://corp.mdm.example.com:443"
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+
+	cfg := configWithMDM(t, ConfigInput{
+		ConfigPath: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json"),
+	}, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
 		mdm.KeyManagementURL:       mdmURL,
 		mdm.KeyDisableClientRoutes: true,
 		mdm.KeyBlockInbound:        true,
 	}))
 
-	cfg, err := UpdateOrCreateConfig(ConfigInput{
-		ConfigPath: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json"),
-	})
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, cfg)
-
 	assert.Equal(t, mdmURL, cfg.ManagementURL.String())
 	assert.True(t, cfg.DisableClientRoutes)
 	assert.True(t, cfg.BlockInbound)
@@ -65,16 +96,12 @@ func TestApply_MDMBeatsCLIInput(t *testing.T) {
 	const mdmURL = "https://mdm.example.com:443"
 	const cliURL = "https://cli.example.com:443"
 
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
-		mdm.KeyManagementURL: mdmURL,
-	}))
-
-	cfg, err := UpdateOrCreateConfig(ConfigInput{
+	cfg := configWithMDM(t, ConfigInput{
 		ConfigPath:    filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json"),
 		ManagementURL: cliURL,
-	})
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, cfg)
+	}, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+		mdm.KeyManagementURL: mdmURL,
+	}))
 
 	// MDM wins over CLI-supplied management URL.
 	assert.Equal(t, mdmURL, cfg.ManagementURL.String())
@@ -82,16 +109,12 @@ func TestApply_MDMBeatsCLIInput(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestApply_MDMInvalidURL_KeepsPreviousValue(t *testing.T) {
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+	cfg := configWithMDM(t, ConfigInput{
+		ConfigPath: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json"),
+	}, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
 		mdm.KeyManagementURL: "not-a-url",
 	}))
 
-	cfg, err := UpdateOrCreateConfig(ConfigInput{
-		ConfigPath: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json"),
-	})
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, cfg)
-
 	// Invalid MDM URL is logged and skipped: default URL stays in place
 	// to keep the client functional.
 	assert.Equal(t, DefaultManagementURL, cfg.ManagementURL.String())
@@ -106,24 +129,20 @@ func TestApply_MDMBoolKeysOverrideOnDiskValue(t *testing.T) {
 	tmp := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json")
 
 	// Seed without MDM.
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(nil))
-	_, err := UpdateOrCreateConfig(ConfigInput{
+	configWithMDM(t, ConfigInput{
 		ConfigPath:          tmp,
 		DisableClientRoutes: boolPtr(false),
 		RosenpassEnabled:    boolPtr(false),
-	})
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	}, mdm.NewPolicy(nil))
 
 	// Now enable MDM enforcement for these keys.
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+	cfg := configWithMDM(t, ConfigInput{
+		ConfigPath: tmp,
+	}, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
 		mdm.KeyDisableClientRoutes: true,
 		mdm.KeyRosenpassEnabled:    true,
 	}))
 
-	cfg, err := UpdateOrCreateConfig(ConfigInput{ConfigPath: tmp})
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, cfg)
-
 	assert.True(t, cfg.DisableClientRoutes, "MDM override should flip on-disk false to true")
 	assert.True(t, cfg.RosenpassEnabled)
 	assert.True(t, cfg.Policy().HasKey(mdm.KeyDisableClientRoutes))
@@ -133,16 +152,12 @@ func TestApply_MDMBoolKeysOverrideOnDiskValue(t *testing.T) {
 func TestApply_MDMPreSharedKeyRedactionSentinelRejected(t *testing.T) {
 	const maskSentinel = "**********"
 
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+	cfg := configWithMDM(t, ConfigInput{
+		ConfigPath: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json"),
+	}, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
 		mdm.KeyPreSharedKey: maskSentinel,
 	}))
 
-	cfg, err := UpdateOrCreateConfig(ConfigInput{
-		ConfigPath: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json"),
-	})
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, cfg)
-
 	// Mask sentinel must not be persisted as the actual PSK.
 	assert.NotEqual(t, maskSentinel, cfg.PreSharedKey)
 	// Key still marked managed so user writes are still rejected.
diff --git a/client/mdm/policy.go b/client/mdm/policy.go
index 109fb322e..7f00fc154 100644
--- a/client/mdm/policy.go
+++ b/client/mdm/policy.go
@@ -84,16 +84,48 @@ func NewPolicy(values map[string]any) *Policy {
 	return &Policy{values: values}
 }
 
-// LoadPolicy reads the platform-native MDM configuration. Returns an
-// empty (but non-nil) Policy when no source is present, the source is
-// empty, or the platform is unsupported.
+// PolicyFetcher is implemented by mobile platforms (Android / iOS) that
+// push the OS-managed configuration into the Go runtime instead of
+// having Go read an on-disk source directly. Desktop platforms ignore
+// this interface — Loader.loadPlatform on windows/darwin reads the
+// registry / plist on its own. A Loader constructed with a non-nil
+// fetcher delegates to it on mobile; passing nil disables MDM
+// enforcement (loadPlatform returns nil values).
+type PolicyFetcher interface {
+	Fetch() map[string]any
+}
+
+// Loader is the DI-friendly entry point for reading the active MDM
+// policy. Construct one at the daemon's lifecycle owner (Server on
+// desktop, gomobile-exposed bridge on mobile) and pass it to anything
+// that needs to read MDM state (the reload ticker, profilemanager's
+// Config). Each callsite has the Loader handed in instead of looking
+// up package-level state.
+type Loader struct {
+	fetcher PolicyFetcher
+}
+
+// NewLoader constructs a Loader. The fetcher is consulted only on
+// mobile builds (ios || android); on desktop it is unused but accepted
+// to keep a single constructor signature across platforms — pass nil
+// on desktop.
+func NewLoader(f PolicyFetcher) *Loader {
+	return &Loader{fetcher: f}
+}
+
+// Load reads the platform-native MDM configuration and returns a
+// Policy. Returns an empty (but non-nil) Policy when no source is
+// present, the source is empty, or the platform is unsupported.
 //
 // Diagnostic logging differentiates the three states:
 //   - source absent / unsupported platform: trace log only
 //   - source present, zero keys:             info "MDM enrolled (no managed keys)"
 //   - source present, N keys:                info "MDM enrolled with N managed keys: [...]"
-func LoadPolicy() *Policy {
-	values, err := loadPlatformPolicy()
+func (l *Loader) Load() *Policy {
+	if l == nil {
+		return &Policy{values: map[string]any{}}
+	}
+	values, err := l.loadPlatform()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Tracef("MDM policy load: %v", err)
 		return &Policy{values: map[string]any{}}
diff --git a/client/mdm/policy_darwin.go b/client/mdm/policy_darwin.go
index 57aa1168c..d7c0fc8f1 100644
--- a/client/mdm/policy_darwin.go
+++ b/client/mdm/policy_darwin.go
@@ -25,8 +25,10 @@ import (
 // writable plist, as a defense against tampered installs.
 const policyPlistPath = "/Library/Managed Preferences/io.netbird.client.plist"
 
-// loadPlatformPolicy reads the MDM-managed configuration from the macOS
-// managed-preferences plist at policyPlistPath. Returns:
+// loadPlatform reads the MDM-managed configuration from the macOS
+// managed-preferences plist at policyPlistPath. The Loader's fetcher
+// field is unused on this platform — the plist is the authoritative
+// source. Returns:
 //   - (nil, nil)  when the plist is absent (device not MDM-enrolled for
 //     NetBird, or admin has not yet pushed a payload)
 //   - (map, nil)  with N entries when N managed values are present
@@ -39,7 +41,13 @@ const policyPlistPath = "/Library/Managed Preferences/io.netbird.client.plist"
 // skipped so a stray entry in the payload does not block startup.
 // Native plist value types map naturally onto the Policy accessor
 // expectations (GetString / GetBool / GetInt / GetStringSlice).
-func loadPlatformPolicy() (map[string]any, error) {
+func (l *Loader) loadPlatform() (map[string]any, error) {
+	// Honour the injected fetcher when present so tests (and any
+	// future non-macOS MDM channel) can short-circuit the plist read
+	// with a scripted policy.
+	if l != nil && l.fetcher != nil {
+		return l.fetcher.Fetch(), nil
+	}
 	f, err := os.Open(policyPlistPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		if errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
diff --git a/client/mdm/policy_mobile.go b/client/mdm/policy_mobile.go
index 40ec0ceab..2e25a2bb5 100644
--- a/client/mdm/policy_mobile.go
+++ b/client/mdm/policy_mobile.go
@@ -2,41 +2,14 @@
 
 package mdm
 
-// PolicyFetcher is the bridge between Go and the mobile native layer
-// (Kotlin/Java on Android, Swift on iOS). The native layer registers
-// an implementation at gomobile init via SetMobilePolicyFetcher;
-// thereafter every call to loadPlatformPolicy delegates to the
-// registered fetcher, which reads the OS-native managed-config store
-// (RestrictionsManager on Android, com.apple.configuration.managed
-// UserDefaults on iOS) and returns the current snapshot.
-//
-// Set-once at init, never mutated at runtime → no synchronisation
-// required for the read path. The native layer must register before
-// any Go code starts polling or processing MDM events.
-type PolicyFetcher interface {
-	Fetch() map[string]any
-}
-
-var fetcher PolicyFetcher
-
-// SetMobilePolicyFetcher registers the native-provided fetcher. Call
-// exactly once from the gomobile init code (Kotlin Application.onCreate
-// / Swift AppDelegate) before the daemon starts. Passing nil disables
-// MDM enforcement on this build (loadPlatformPolicy returns
-// (nil, nil) — the platform-absent sentinel that LoadPolicy treats as
-// "no MDM source present").
-func SetMobilePolicyFetcher(p PolicyFetcher) {
-	fetcher = p
-}
-
-// loadPlatformPolicy delegates to the native-provided fetcher. Returns
-// (nil, nil) — the platform-absent sentinel — when no fetcher has been
-// registered yet, so the package behaves identically to a desktop
-// device without an MDM source.
-func loadPlatformPolicy() (map[string]any, error) {
-	if fetcher == nil {
-		//nolint:nilnil // (nil, nil) is the documented platform-absent sentinel; see LoadPolicy.
+// loadPlatform reads the OS-managed configuration via the native
+// PolicyFetcher injected at Loader construction. Returns
+// (nil, nil) — the platform-absent sentinel that Loader.Load treats as
+// "no MDM source present" — when no fetcher was provided.
+func (l *Loader) loadPlatform() (map[string]any, error) {
+	if l == nil || l.fetcher == nil {
+		//nolint:nilnil // (nil, nil) is the documented platform-absent sentinel; see Loader.Load.
 		return nil, nil
 	}
-	return fetcher.Fetch(), nil
+	return l.fetcher.Fetch(), nil
 }
diff --git a/client/mdm/policy_other.go b/client/mdm/policy_other.go
index f4263afa2..5d0b17cfd 100644
--- a/client/mdm/policy_other.go
+++ b/client/mdm/policy_other.go
@@ -2,13 +2,17 @@
 
 package mdm
 
-// loadPlatformPolicy returns no policy on platforms without an MDM channel
-// (Linux, FreeBSD). MDM enforcement is off and the client behaves as if
-// the feature did not exist. Returns (nil, nil) — the platform-absent
-// sentinel the caller (LoadPolicy in policy.go) treats as "no MDM
-// source present"; an error here would just translate to the same
-// outcome with an extra log line.
-func loadPlatformPolicy() (map[string]any, error) {
-	//nolint:nilnil // (nil, nil) is the documented platform-absent sentinel; see LoadPolicy.
+// loadPlatform reads the MDM policy on platforms without a native MDM
+// channel (Linux, FreeBSD). When no fetcher was injected the policy is
+// (nil, nil) — the platform-absent sentinel that Loader.Load treats as
+// "MDM enforcement disabled". A non-nil fetcher takes precedence: it
+// is the test-seam used by unit tests to inject a scripted policy
+// without touching the OS, and the same hook supports any future
+// non-mobile OS that grows an out-of-band MDM channel.
+func (l *Loader) loadPlatform() (map[string]any, error) {
+	if l != nil && l.fetcher != nil {
+		return l.fetcher.Fetch(), nil
+	}
+	//nolint:nilnil // (nil, nil) is the documented platform-absent sentinel; see Loader.Load.
 	return nil, nil
 }
diff --git a/client/mdm/policy_test.go b/client/mdm/policy_test.go
index 47a6ed2c9..e8d05cd56 100644
--- a/client/mdm/policy_test.go
+++ b/client/mdm/policy_test.go
@@ -150,10 +150,12 @@ func TestPolicy_GetStringSlice(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
-func TestLoadPolicy_PlatformStubReturnsEmpty(t *testing.T) {
-	// loadPlatformPolicy is a stub on every OS for Phase 1. LoadPolicy must
-	// degrade gracefully and never return nil.
-	p := LoadPolicy()
+func TestLoader_NilFetcherReturnsEmpty(t *testing.T) {
+	// Loader.Load with no fetcher (desktop construction) must degrade
+	// gracefully and never return nil; on linux loadPlatform is a stub
+	// returning (nil, nil), and Load is expected to translate that
+	// into a non-nil empty Policy.
+	p := NewLoader(nil).Load()
 	require.NotNil(t, p)
 	assert.True(t, p.IsEmpty())
 	assert.Empty(t, p.ManagedKeys())
diff --git a/client/mdm/policy_windows.go b/client/mdm/policy_windows.go
index 0c2629f98..d13085602 100644
--- a/client/mdm/policy_windows.go
+++ b/client/mdm/policy_windows.go
@@ -61,8 +61,10 @@ func readRegistryValue(k registry.Key, name, canonical string, out map[string]an
 	}
 }
 
-// loadPlatformPolicy reads the MDM-managed configuration from the
-// Windows registry under HKLM\Software\Policies\NetBird. Returns:
+// loadPlatform reads the MDM-managed configuration from the Windows
+// registry under HKLM\Software\Policies\NetBird. The Loader's fetcher
+// field is unused on this platform — the registry is the
+// authoritative source. Returns:
 //   - (nil, nil)  when the key is absent (device not MDM-enrolled for NetBird)
 //   - (map, nil)  with N entries when N managed values are set (N may be 0)
 //   - (nil, err)  on open / enumerate registry errors
@@ -70,7 +72,13 @@ func readRegistryValue(k registry.Key, name, canonical string, out map[string]an
 // Per-value type coercion + skip-on-error is delegated to
 // readRegistryValue. Unknown value names are logged and skipped so a
 // malformed deployment does not block startup.
-func loadPlatformPolicy() (map[string]any, error) {
+func (l *Loader) loadPlatform() (map[string]any, error) {
+	// Honour the injected fetcher when present so tests (and any
+	// future non-Windows MDM channel) can short-circuit the registry
+	// read with a scripted policy.
+	if l != nil && l.fetcher != nil {
+		return l.fetcher.Fetch(), nil
+	}
 	k, err := registry.OpenKey(registry.LOCAL_MACHINE, policyRegistryPath, registry.QUERY_VALUE)
 	if err != nil {
 		if errors.Is(err, registry.ErrNotExist) {
diff --git a/client/mdm/ticker.go b/client/mdm/ticker.go
index abd6ae233..8dc41943c 100644
--- a/client/mdm/ticker.go
+++ b/client/mdm/ticker.go
@@ -15,33 +15,33 @@ import (
 // instead, hence anticipating the ticker mechanism entirely.
 const DefaultReloadInterval = 1 * time.Minute
 
-// policyLoader is the indirection through which the ticker reads the
-// OS-native policy, both for the initial observation and on every tick.
-// Production points it at LoadPolicy; tests in this package override it to
-// feed a scripted sequence of policies without touching the real OS store.
-var policyLoader = LoadPolicy
-
-// Ticker periodically re-reads the OS-native MDM policy via LoadPolicy and
-// invokes the onChange callback (supplied to Run) whenever the observed
-// Policy diverges from the last observation (added / removed / changed
-// keys). Launch with Run from a goroutine; cancel the supplied context
-// to stop.
+// Ticker periodically re-reads the OS-native MDM policy via the
+// injected Loader and invokes the onChange callback (supplied to Run)
+// whenever the observed Policy diverges from the last observation
+// (added / removed / changed keys). Launch with Run from a goroutine;
+// cancel the supplied context to stop.
 type Ticker struct {
 	interval time.Duration
+	loader   *Loader
 	prev     *Policy
 }
 
 // NewTicker constructs a Ticker that will re-read the OS-native policy
-// every reloadInterval once Run is called.
-// The initial snapshot is populated by calling policyLoader at
+// every reloadInterval once Run is called. The Loader is injected so
+// the ticker doesn't depend on any package-level state — production
+// passes the daemon-owned Loader, tests pass a fake Loader (built with
+// a fake PolicyFetcher).
+//
+// The initial snapshot is populated by calling loader.Load() at
 // construction time so the first tick only fires
 // onChange when the policy actually changed since boot — without
 // this baseline the first tick would report every currently-managed
 // key as "added" and trigger a spurious engine restart.
-func NewTicker(reloadInterval time.Duration) *Ticker {
+func NewTicker(reloadInterval time.Duration, loader *Loader) *Ticker {
 	return &Ticker{
 		interval: reloadInterval,
-		prev:     policyLoader(),
+		loader:   loader,
+		prev:     loader.Load(),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func (t *Ticker) Run(ctx context.Context, onChange func(prev, curr *Policy) erro
 			log.Info("MDM policy reload ticker stopped")
 			return
 		case <-tk.C:
-			curr := policyLoader()
+			curr := t.loader.Load()
 			if policiesEqual(t.prev, curr) {
 				continue
 			}
diff --git a/client/mdm/ticker_test.go b/client/mdm/ticker_test.go
index 17f3cfc2f..29e48e728 100644
--- a/client/mdm/ticker_test.go
+++ b/client/mdm/ticker_test.go
@@ -13,28 +13,40 @@ import (
 // testReloadInterval for speeding up the ticker cadence under `go test`
 const testReloadInterval = 1 * time.Second
 
-// withPolicyLoader overrides the package-level policyLoader for the duration
-// of the test so the ticker observes a scripted policy instead of the real
-// OS-native store. The original loader is restored on cleanup.
-func withPolicyLoader(t *testing.T, fn func() *Policy) {
-	t.Helper()
-	prev := policyLoader
-	policyLoader = fn
-	t.Cleanup(func() { policyLoader = prev })
+// fakePolicyFetcher implements PolicyFetcher returning a scripted
+// policy map. Goroutine-safe so the test can mutate the script while
+// the ticker is observing it.
+type fakePolicyFetcher struct {
+	mu     sync.Mutex
+	values map[string]any
+}
+
+func (f *fakePolicyFetcher) Fetch() map[string]any {
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	defer f.mu.Unlock()
+	if f.values == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	out := make(map[string]any, len(f.values))
+	for k, v := range f.values {
+		out[k] = v
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
+func (f *fakePolicyFetcher) set(values map[string]any) {
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	defer f.mu.Unlock()
+	f.values = values
 }
 
 func TestTicker_FiresOnChangeWithDelta(t *testing.T) {
-	var mu sync.Mutex
-	current := NewPolicy(nil) // initial observation: empty (no enforcement)
-	withPolicyLoader(t, func() *Policy {
-		mu.Lock()
-		defer mu.Unlock()
-		return current
-	})
+	fetcher := &fakePolicyFetcher{} // initial observation: empty (no enforcement)
+	loader := NewLoader(fetcher)
 
 	type change struct{ prev, curr *Policy }
 	changes := make(chan change, 1)
-	tk := NewTicker(testReloadInterval)
+	tk := NewTicker(testReloadInterval, loader)
 	require.Equal(t, testReloadInterval, tk.interval)
 
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
@@ -49,15 +61,13 @@ func TestTicker_FiresOnChangeWithDelta(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 		close(done)
 	}()
-	// Stop Run and wait for it to exit before returning, so the policyLoader
-	// restore in t.Cleanup can't race the ticker goroutine still reading it.
+	// Stop Run and wait for it to exit before returning, so the test
+	// goroutine doesn't race the still-running ticker.
 	defer func() { cancel(); <-done }()
 
-	// Flip the OS-observed policy from empty to one managed key. The next
-	// tick must detect the diff and invoke onChange.
-	mu.Lock()
-	current = NewPolicy(map[string]any{KeyManagementURL: "https://mdm.example.com:443"})
-	mu.Unlock()
+	// Flip the OS-observed policy from empty to one managed key. The
+	// next tick must detect the diff and invoke onChange.
+	fetcher.set(map[string]any{KeyManagementURL: "https://mdm.example.com:443"})
 
 	select {
 	case c := <-changes:
@@ -69,12 +79,11 @@ func TestTicker_FiresOnChangeWithDelta(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestTicker_NoCallbackWhenPolicyUnchanged(t *testing.T) {
-	withPolicyLoader(t, func() *Policy {
-		return NewPolicy(map[string]any{KeyBlockInbound: true})
-	})
+	fetcher := &fakePolicyFetcher{values: map[string]any{KeyBlockInbound: true}}
+	loader := NewLoader(fetcher)
 
 	fired := make(chan struct{}, 1)
-	tk := NewTicker(testReloadInterval)
+	tk := NewTicker(testReloadInterval, loader)
 
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	done := make(chan struct{})
@@ -90,8 +99,8 @@ func TestTicker_NoCallbackWhenPolicyUnchanged(t *testing.T) {
 	}()
 	defer func() { cancel(); <-done }()
 
-	// Over ~2 ticks at the 1s test cadence the policy never changes, so the
-	// diff guard must suppress the callback entirely.
+	// Over ~2 ticks at the 1s test cadence the policy never changes,
+	// so the diff guard must suppress the callback entirely.
 	select {
 	case <-fired:
 		t.Fatal("onChange fired despite an unchanged policy")
diff --git a/client/server/mdm.go b/client/server/mdm.go
index 0da0ec5d1..153931124 100644
--- a/client/server/mdm.go
+++ b/client/server/mdm.go
@@ -20,10 +20,6 @@ import (
 // a no-op echo, never as a conflict with the policy.
 const preSharedKeyRedactedSentinel = "**********"
 
-// loadMDMPolicy is the indirection used by server handlers to read the
-// active MDM policy. Tests override this to inject a fake policy.
-var loadMDMPolicy = mdm.LoadPolicy
-
 // conflictCheck is a value-aware comparison between a single field in
 // the incoming request and the corresponding MDM-enforced value. It
 // runs only when the field was actually set in the request (presence
diff --git a/client/server/server.go b/client/server/server.go
index 32daf7718..a38b38568 100644
--- a/client/server/server.go
+++ b/client/server/server.go
@@ -110,6 +110,15 @@ type Server struct {
 	// stopped by the rootCtx cancellation.
 	mdmTicker *mdm.Ticker
 
+	// mdmLoader is the daemon-owned source of the active MDM policy.
+	// Constructed once during Server.Start (with a nil PolicyFetcher on
+	// desktop — the build-tagged Loader.loadPlatform reads the OS
+	// registry / plist directly) and injected into every consumer:
+	// mdmTicker for its periodic reload, the SetConfig / Login MDM
+	// gates for conflict detection, and every Config produced via
+	// getConfig() so its apply() picks up the same overlay.
+	mdmLoader *mdm.Loader
+
 	updateManager *updater.Manager
 
 	jwtCache *jwtCache
@@ -173,8 +182,14 @@ func (s *Server) Start() error {
 	// Runs re-resolves Config (re-running profilemanager.Config.apply which
 	// applies the freshly-read MDM policy as the last layer) and brings
 	// the engine back with the new values.
+	if s.mdmLoader == nil {
+		// Desktop builds pass a nil PolicyFetcher: the Loader's
+		// build-tagged loadPlatform reads the OS source directly
+		// (registry on Windows, plist on macOS, no-op elsewhere).
+		s.mdmLoader = mdm.NewLoader(nil)
+	}
 	if s.mdmTicker == nil {
-		s.mdmTicker = mdm.NewTicker(mdm.DefaultReloadInterval)
+		s.mdmTicker = mdm.NewTicker(mdm.DefaultReloadInterval, s.mdmLoader)
 		go s.mdmTicker.Run(s.rootCtx, s.onMDMPolicyChange)
 	}
 
@@ -370,7 +385,7 @@ func (s *Server) SetConfig(callerCtx context.Context, msg *proto.SetConfigReques
 	// by the active MDM policy. The error carries an MDMManagedFields-
 	// Violation detail listing the offending key names. Non-conflicting
 	// fields in the same request are not applied either.
-	policy := loadMDMPolicy()
+	policy := s.mdmLoader.Load()
 	if err := rejectMDMManagedFieldConflicts(mdmManagedFieldConflicts(msg, policy)); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -496,7 +511,7 @@ func (s *Server) Login(callerCtx context.Context, msg *proto.LoginRequest) (*pro
 		if s.checkUpdateSettingsDisabled() {
 			return nil, gstatus.Errorf(codes.Unavailable, errUpdateSettingsDisabled)
 		}
-		policy := loadMDMPolicy()
+		policy := s.mdmLoader.Load()
 		if err := rejectMDMManagedFieldConflicts(loginRequestMDMConflicts(msg, policy)); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -1088,6 +1103,12 @@ func (s *Server) getConfig(activeProf *profilemanager.ActiveProfileState) (*prof
 		return nil, false, fmt.Errorf("failed to get config: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	// Apply the daemon-owned MDM policy on top of the just-resolved
+	// Config. profilemanager's apply() initialises the policy to
+	// empty — the Loader lives outside Config, so this overlay step
+	// is driven externally here.
+	config.ApplyMDMPolicy(s.mdmLoader.Load())
+
 	return config, configExisted, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/client/server/setconfig_mdm_test.go b/client/server/setconfig_mdm_test.go
index 53232c70d..8707c3885 100644
--- a/client/server/setconfig_mdm_test.go
+++ b/client/server/setconfig_mdm_test.go
@@ -16,14 +16,40 @@ import (
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/proto"
 )
 
-// withMDMPolicy temporarily overrides the server-package loadMDMPolicy hook
-// so SetConfig observes the supplied Policy. Restores the original loader
-// at test cleanup.
-func withMDMPolicy(t *testing.T, policy *mdm.Policy) {
+// fakeMDMFetcher implements mdm.PolicyFetcher returning a pre-set
+// policy map. Tests build one per Server instance to inject a
+// scripted MDM overlay via a Loader rather than via package-level state.
+type fakeMDMFetcher struct{ values map[string]any }
+
+func (f *fakeMDMFetcher) Fetch() map[string]any { return f.values }
+
+// withMDMPolicy installs an mdm.Loader on the given Server whose
+// loadPlatform returns the supplied Policy's underlying values. Use
+// after setupServerWithProfile to inject the scripted policy the
+// SetConfig / Login MDM gates will observe.
+func withMDMPolicy(t *testing.T, s *Server, policy *mdm.Policy) {
 	t.Helper()
-	prev := loadMDMPolicy
-	loadMDMPolicy = func() *mdm.Policy { return policy }
-	t.Cleanup(func() { loadMDMPolicy = prev })
+	values := map[string]any{}
+	if policy != nil {
+		for _, k := range policy.ManagedKeys() {
+			if v, ok := policy.GetString(k); ok {
+				values[k] = v
+				continue
+			}
+			if v, ok := policy.GetBool(k); ok {
+				values[k] = v
+				continue
+			}
+			if v, ok := policy.GetInt(k); ok {
+				values[k] = v
+				continue
+			}
+			if v, ok := policy.GetStringSlice(k); ok {
+				values[k] = v
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	s.mdmLoader = mdm.NewLoader(&fakeMDMFetcher{values: values})
 }
 
 // setupServerWithProfile mirrors the boilerplate of TestSetConfig_AllFieldsSaved:
@@ -89,12 +115,11 @@ func extractViolation(t *testing.T, err error) *proto.MDMManagedFieldsViolation
 }
 
 func TestSetConfig_MDMReject_SingleField(t *testing.T) {
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+	s, ctx, profName, username, _ := setupServerWithProfile(t)
+	withMDMPolicy(t, s, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
 		mdm.KeyManagementURL: "https://mdm.example.com:443",
 	}))
 
-	s, ctx, profName, username, _ := setupServerWithProfile(t)
-
 	_, err := s.SetConfig(ctx, &proto.SetConfigRequest{
 		ProfileName:   profName,
 		Username:      username,
@@ -106,13 +131,12 @@ func TestSetConfig_MDMReject_SingleField(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestSetConfig_MDMReject_MultipleFields(t *testing.T) {
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
-		mdm.KeyManagementURL:     "https://mdm.example.com:443",
-		mdm.KeyBlockInbound:      true,
-		mdm.KeyRosenpassEnabled:  true,
-	}))
-
 	s, ctx, profName, username, _ := setupServerWithProfile(t)
+	withMDMPolicy(t, s, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+		mdm.KeyManagementURL:    "https://mdm.example.com:443",
+		mdm.KeyBlockInbound:     true,
+		mdm.KeyRosenpassEnabled: true,
+	}))
 
 	blockInbound := false
 	rosenpassEnabled := false
@@ -137,12 +161,11 @@ func TestSetConfig_MDMReject_AllOrNothing(t *testing.T) {
 	// enforced field AND a non-enforced field (RosenpassEnabled).
 	// The whole request must be rejected — non-conflicting fields are not
 	// applied either.
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+	s, ctx, profName, username, cfgPath := setupServerWithProfile(t)
+	withMDMPolicy(t, s, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
 		mdm.KeyManagementURL: "https://mdm.example.com:443",
 	}))
 
-	s, ctx, profName, username, cfgPath := setupServerWithProfile(t)
-
 	rosenpassEnabled := true
 	_, err := s.SetConfig(ctx, &proto.SetConfigRequest{
 		ProfileName:      profName,
@@ -164,12 +187,11 @@ func TestSetConfig_MDMReject_AllOrNothing(t *testing.T) {
 func TestSetConfig_MDMAllow_NonManagedFields(t *testing.T) {
 	// MDM enforces ManagementURL but the user only writes RosenpassEnabled.
 	// Request must succeed.
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+	s, ctx, profName, username, _ := setupServerWithProfile(t)
+	withMDMPolicy(t, s, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
 		mdm.KeyManagementURL: "https://mdm.example.com:443",
 	}))
 
-	s, ctx, profName, username, _ := setupServerWithProfile(t)
-
 	rosenpassEnabled := true
 	resp, err := s.SetConfig(ctx, &proto.SetConfigRequest{
 		ProfileName:      profName,
@@ -183,9 +205,8 @@ func TestSetConfig_MDMAllow_NonManagedFields(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestSetConfig_MDMEmpty_NoEnforcement(t *testing.T) {
 	// No MDM policy active: any field can be written.
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(nil))
-
 	s, ctx, profName, username, _ := setupServerWithProfile(t)
+	withMDMPolicy(t, s, mdm.NewPolicy(nil))
 
 	resp, err := s.SetConfig(ctx, &proto.SetConfigRequest{
 		ProfileName:   profName,