diff --git a/functions/__config_settings_draw_value.fish b/functions/__config_settings_draw_value.fish
index 9957655..f289537 100644
--- a/functions/__config_settings_draw_value.fish
+++ b/functions/__config_settings_draw_value.fish
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ function __config_settings_draw_value
         set active_idx 2
         set vars  sponge_delay sponge_purge_only_on_exit sponge_allow_previously_successful sponge_successful_exit_codes __fish_sponge_extra_sensitive
         set labels Delay "Purge@exit" "Allow prev" "OK codes" "Extra secret"
-        set types  int toggle toggle list list
+        set types  int bool bool list list
         set hints  2 false true 0 "(none)"
     else
         set title "Path Settings"
@@ -94,12 +94,13 @@ function __config_settings_draw_value
         # Badge (7 visible cols) + value field
         set -l badge
         set -l field
-        if test $type = toggle
-            set -l val (__config_settings_get_val $var universal)
+        if test $type = bool
+            # Booleans store true/false (sponge convention); unset = DEFAULT.
+            set -l val (__config_settings_get_raw $var)
             switch $val
-                case on
+                case true
                     set badge "$c_ok""     ON$c_reset"
-                case off
+                case false
                     set badge "$c_err""OFF    $c_reset"
                 case '*'
                     set badge "$c_dim""DEFAULT$c_reset"
@@ -145,7 +146,7 @@ function __config_settings_draw_value
     printf '%s│%s│\n' $p $HBR
 
     # ── Hint line ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-    set -l hint_line " ↑↓/kj move  Enter edit  ←/h clear  Tab page  q quit"
+    set -l hint_line " ↑↓ move  Enter edit  ←/h clear  Tab page  q quit"
     printf '%s│%s%s%s│\n' $p $c_dim (string pad -r -w $iw -- $hint_line) $c_reset
 
     # ── Bottom border ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/functions/__config_settings_set_value.fish b/functions/__config_settings_set_value.fish
index 88f83db..e223071 100644
--- a/functions/__config_settings_set_value.fish
+++ b/functions/__config_settings_set_value.fish
@@ -38,10 +38,10 @@ function __config_settings_set_value
     else
         switch $type
             case list
-                set -U $varname (string split -n ' ' -- $value) 2>/dev/null
+                set -U -- $varname (string split -n ' ' -- $value) 2>/dev/null
             case '*'
-                # ponytail: values here are paths/ints/tokens, never leading-dash
-                set -U $varname $value 2>/dev/null
+                # -- (before the name) guards typed input that begins with a dash
+                set -U -- $varname $value 2>/dev/null
         end
     end
 
diff --git a/functions/config-settings.fish b/functions/config-settings.fish
index 9fcc328..a2d803e 100644
--- a/functions/config-settings.fish
+++ b/functions/config-settings.fish
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ function config-settings --description 'Interactive TUI for managing fish config
 
     # ── Value-page row metadata (parallel: var / type) ────────────────────
     set -l sponge_vars sponge_delay sponge_purge_only_on_exit sponge_allow_previously_successful sponge_successful_exit_codes __fish_sponge_extra_sensitive
-    set -l sponge_types int toggle toggle list list
+    set -l sponge_types int bool bool list list
     set -l sponge_labels Delay "Purge@exit" "Allow prev" "OK codes" "Extra secret"
     set -l paths_vars __fish_scrollback_history_dir __fish_scrollback_history_max_files __fish_user_dots_path
     set -l paths_types path int path
@@ -154,14 +154,17 @@ function config-settings --description 'Interactive TUI for managing fish config
                     test "$cur_val" = off; and set next_val DEFAULT
                     __config_settings_apply $varname $scope $next_val
                 else if test $cur_page -eq 2
-                    # Sponge page: only toggle-type rows respond to →
+                    # Sponge page: only bool rows respond to → (false ← DEFAULT → true).
+                    # Sponge reads true/false (not on/off), so write those literals.
                     set -l ridx (math $cur_row + 1)
-                    if test "$sponge_types[$ridx]" = toggle
+                    if test "$sponge_types[$ridx]" = bool
                         set -l varname $sponge_vars[$ridx]
-                        set -l cur_val (__config_settings_get_val $varname universal)
-                        set -l next_val on
-                        test "$cur_val" = off; and set next_val DEFAULT
-                        __config_settings_apply $varname universal $next_val
+                        set -l cur_val (__config_settings_get_raw $varname)
+                        if test "$cur_val" = false
+                            set -Ue $varname 2>/dev/null
+                        else
+                            set -U $varname true 2>/dev/null
+                        end
                     end
                 end
             case left h
@@ -183,11 +186,14 @@ function config-settings --description 'Interactive TUI for managing fish config
                     end
                     set -l varname $v_vars[(math $cur_row + 1)]
                     set -l vtype $v_types[(math $cur_row + 1)]
-                    if test "$vtype" = toggle
-                        set -l cur_val (__config_settings_get_val $varname universal)
-                        set -l next_val off
-                        test "$cur_val" = on; and set next_val DEFAULT
-                        __config_settings_apply $varname universal $next_val
+                    if test "$vtype" = bool
+                        # Step toward OFF (true → DEFAULT → false); sponge reads true/false.
+                        set -l cur_val (__config_settings_get_raw $varname)
+                        if test "$cur_val" = true
+                            set -Ue $varname 2>/dev/null
+                        else
+                            set -U $varname false 2>/dev/null
+                        end
                     else
                         __config_settings_set_value $varname $vtype ''
                     end