diff --git a/src/openhuman/credentials/profiles.rs b/src/openhuman/credentials/profiles.rs
index b5a7d77e5..efea98c1b 100644
--- a/src/openhuman/credentials/profiles.rs
+++ b/src/openhuman/credentials/profiles.rs
@@ -373,13 +373,23 @@ impl AuthProfilesStore {
             return Ok(PersistedAuthProfiles::default());
         }
 
-        let mut persisted: PersistedAuthProfiles =
-            serde_json::from_slice(&bytes).with_context(|| {
-                format!(
-                    "Failed to parse auth profile store at {}",
-                    self.path.display()
-                )
-            })?;
+        let mut persisted: PersistedAuthProfiles = match serde_json::from_slice(&bytes) {
+            Ok(p) => p,
+            Err(err) => {
+                let quarantined = quarantine_corrupt_store(&self.path)?;
+                let quarantined_file = quarantined
+                    .file_name()
+                    .and_then(|s| s.to_str())
+                    .unwrap_or("auth-profiles.corrupt");
+                tracing::warn!(
+                    path_file = PROFILES_FILENAME,
+                    quarantined_file = quarantined_file,
+                    error = %err,
+                    "[credentials] auth profile store unparseable; quarantined and reset to empty"
+                );
+                return Ok(PersistedAuthProfiles::default());
+            }
+        };
 
         if persisted.schema_version == 0 {
             persisted.schema_version = CURRENT_SCHEMA_VERSION;
@@ -598,6 +608,33 @@ pub fn profile_id(provider: &str, profile_name: &str) -> String {
     format!("{}:{}", provider.trim(), profile_name.trim())
 }
 
+fn quarantine_corrupt_store(path: &Path) -> Result<PathBuf> {
+    let stem = path
+        .file_stem()
+        .and_then(|s| s.to_str())
+        .unwrap_or("auth-profiles");
+    let ext = path.extension().and_then(|s| s.to_str()).unwrap_or("json");
+    let parent = path.parent().unwrap_or_else(|| Path::new("."));
+    let ts = std::time::SystemTime::now()
+        .duration_since(std::time::UNIX_EPOCH)
+        .map(|d| d.as_millis())
+        .unwrap_or(0);
+    let mut candidate = parent.join(format!("{stem}.corrupt-{ts}.{ext}"));
+    let mut suffix = 0u32;
+    while candidate.exists() {
+        suffix += 1;
+        candidate = parent.join(format!("{stem}.corrupt-{ts}-{suffix}.{ext}"));
+    }
+    fs::rename(path, &candidate).with_context(|| {
+        format!(
+            "Failed to quarantine corrupt auth profile store {} -> {}",
+            path.display(),
+            candidate.display()
+        )
+    })?;
+    Ok(candidate)
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 #[path = "profiles_tests.rs"]
 mod tests;
diff --git a/src/openhuman/credentials/profiles_tests.rs b/src/openhuman/credentials/profiles_tests.rs
index 8ccf781e6..9add44a1a 100644
--- a/src/openhuman/credentials/profiles_tests.rs
+++ b/src/openhuman/credentials/profiles_tests.rs
@@ -127,6 +127,33 @@ fn auth_profiles_data_default() {
     assert!(data.active_profiles.is_empty());
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn corrupt_store_is_quarantined_and_reset() {
+    let tmp = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+    let store = AuthProfilesStore::new(tmp.path(), false);
+    let path = store.path().to_path_buf();
+
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(path.parent().unwrap()).unwrap();
+    std::fs::write(&path, b"{ not valid json").unwrap();
+
+    let data = store.load().unwrap();
+    assert!(data.profiles.is_empty());
+    assert_eq!(data.schema_version, CURRENT_SCHEMA_VERSION);
+
+    let parent = path.parent().unwrap();
+    let quarantined: Vec<_> = std::fs::read_dir(parent)
+        .unwrap()
+        .filter_map(|e| e.ok())
+        .filter(|e| e.file_name().to_string_lossy().contains(".corrupt-"))
+        .collect();
+    assert_eq!(quarantined.len(), 1, "expected one quarantined file");
+
+    let profile = AuthProfile::new_token("openai", "default", "tok".into());
+    store.upsert_profile(profile, true).unwrap();
+    let reloaded = store.load().unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(reloaded.profiles.len(), 1);
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn remove_nonexistent_profile_returns_false() {
     let tmp = TempDir::new().unwrap();