diff --git a/agent/assistant/load_test.go b/agent/assistant/load_test.go
index 48deaee2..08ec735e 100644
--- a/agent/assistant/load_test.go
+++ b/agent/assistant/load_test.go
@@ -73,7 +73,8 @@ func TestLoadPath(t *testing.T) {
 
 		// ConnectorOptions
 		assert.NotNil(t, assistant.ConnectorOptions)
-		assert.True(t, assistant.ConnectorOptions.Optional)
+		assert.NotNil(t, assistant.ConnectorOptions.Optional)
+		assert.True(t, *assistant.ConnectorOptions.Optional)
 		assert.NotNil(t, assistant.ConnectorOptions.Connectors)
 		assert.Contains(t, assistant.ConnectorOptions.Connectors, "gpt-4o")
 		assert.Contains(t, assistant.ConnectorOptions.Connectors, "gpt-4o-mini")
@@ -370,7 +371,8 @@ func TestUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
 		assert.NotNil(t, assistant.ConnectorOptions)
-		assert.False(t, assistant.ConnectorOptions.Optional)
+		assert.NotNil(t, assistant.ConnectorOptions.Optional)
+		assert.False(t, *assistant.ConnectorOptions.Optional)
 		assert.Contains(t, assistant.ConnectorOptions.Connectors, "new-connector")
 	})
 
diff --git a/agent/store/types/convert_test.go b/agent/store/types/convert_test.go
index b0b8b347..2ba0c752 100644
--- a/agent/store/types/convert_test.go
+++ b/agent/store/types/convert_test.go
@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ func TestToAssistantModel(t *testing.T) {
 		if result.ConnectorOptions == nil {
 			t.Error("Expected ConnectorOptions to be set")
 		} else {
-			if !result.ConnectorOptions.Optional {
+			if result.ConnectorOptions.Optional == nil || !*result.ConnectorOptions.Optional {
 				t.Error("Expected ConnectorOptions.Optional to be true")
 			}
 			if len(result.ConnectorOptions.Connectors) != 2 {
@@ -849,7 +849,7 @@ func TestToAssistantModelNewFields(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatal("Expected ConnectorOptions to be set")
 		}
 
-		if !result.ConnectorOptions.Optional {
+		if result.ConnectorOptions.Optional == nil || !*result.ConnectorOptions.Optional {
 			t.Error("Expected Optional to be true")
 		}
 
@@ -1349,8 +1349,9 @@ func TestToConnectorOptions(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 
 	t.Run("ConnectorOptionsPointer", func(t *testing.T) {
+		optionalTrue := true
 		opts := &ConnectorOptions{
-			Optional:   true,
+			Optional:   &optionalTrue,
 			Connectors: []string{"openai", "anthropic"},
 			Filters:    []ModelCapability{CapVision, CapToolCalls},
 		}
@@ -1364,8 +1365,9 @@ func TestToConnectorOptions(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 
 	t.Run("ConnectorOptionsValue", func(t *testing.T) {
+		optionalTrue := true
 		opts := ConnectorOptions{
-			Optional:   true,
+			Optional:   &optionalTrue,
 			Connectors: []string{"openai", "anthropic"},
 			Filters:    []ModelCapability{CapVision, CapToolCalls},
 		}
@@ -1373,7 +1375,7 @@ func TestToConnectorOptions(t *testing.T) {
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("Expected no error, got: %v", err)
 		}
-		if !result.Optional {
+		if result.Optional == nil || !*result.Optional {
 			t.Error("Expected Optional to be true")
 		}
 		if len(result.Connectors) != 2 {
@@ -1394,7 +1396,7 @@ func TestToConnectorOptions(t *testing.T) {
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("Expected no error, got: %v", err)
 		}
-		if !result.Optional {
+		if result.Optional == nil || !*result.Optional {
 			t.Error("Expected Optional to be true")
 		}
 		if len(result.Connectors) != 3 {
@@ -1413,7 +1415,7 @@ func TestToConnectorOptions(t *testing.T) {
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("Expected no error, got: %v", err)
 		}
-		if !result.Optional {
+		if result.Optional == nil || !*result.Optional {
 			t.Error("Expected Optional to be true")
 		}
 		if result.Connectors != nil {
@@ -1424,6 +1426,42 @@ func TestToConnectorOptions(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	})
 
+	t.Run("MapInputOptionalFalse", func(t *testing.T) {
+		data := map[string]interface{}{
+			"optional":   false,
+			"connectors": []string{"openai"},
+			"filters":    []string{"vision"},
+		}
+		result, err := ToConnectorOptions(data)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("Expected no error, got: %v", err)
+		}
+		if result.Optional == nil {
+			t.Error("Expected Optional to be set")
+		} else if *result.Optional {
+			t.Error("Expected Optional to be false")
+		}
+		if len(result.Connectors) != 1 {
+			t.Errorf("Expected 1 connector, got %d", len(result.Connectors))
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("MapInputOptionalNil", func(t *testing.T) {
+		data := map[string]interface{}{
+			"connectors": []string{"openai"},
+		}
+		result, err := ToConnectorOptions(data)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("Expected no error, got: %v", err)
+		}
+		if result.Optional != nil {
+			t.Errorf("Expected Optional to be nil (not set), got: %v", *result.Optional)
+		}
+		if len(result.Connectors) != 1 {
+			t.Errorf("Expected 1 connector, got %d", len(result.Connectors))
+		}
+	})
+
 	t.Run("InvalidInput", func(t *testing.T) {
 		// Test with data that can't be marshaled
 		invalidData := make(chan int)
diff --git a/agent/store/types/types.go b/agent/store/types/types.go
index c398219d..85f4dbf8 100644
--- a/agent/store/types/types.go
+++ b/agent/store/types/types.go
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ const (
 // ConnectorOptions the connector selection options
 // Allows defining optional connector selection with filtering capabilities
 type ConnectorOptions struct {
-	Optional   bool              `json:"optional,omitempty"`   // Whether connector is optional for user selection
+	Optional   *bool             `json:"optional"`             // Whether connector is optional for user selection (nil=default, false=hidden, true=shown)
 	Connectors []string          `json:"connectors,omitempty"` // List of available connectors, empty means all connectors are available
 	Filters    []ModelCapability `json:"filters,omitempty"`    // Filter by model capabilities, conditions can be stacked
 }
diff --git a/agent/store/xun/assistant_test.go b/agent/store/xun/assistant_test.go
index dc3350c6..042785c5 100644
--- a/agent/store/xun/assistant_test.go
+++ b/agent/store/xun/assistant_test.go
@@ -454,13 +454,14 @@ func TestSaveAssistant(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("ConnectorOptions", func(t *testing.T) {
 		// Test assistant with connector options
+		optionalTrue := true
 		assistant := &types.AssistantModel{
 			Name:      "Connector Options Test",
 			Type:      "assistant",
 			Connector: "openai",
 			Share:     "private",
 			ConnectorOptions: &types.ConnectorOptions{
-				Optional:   true,
+				Optional:   &optionalTrue,
 				Connectors: []string{"openai", "anthropic"},
 				Filters:    []types.ModelCapability{types.CapVision, types.CapToolCalls},
 			},
@@ -481,7 +482,7 @@ func TestSaveAssistant(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatal("Expected connector options to be set")
 		}
 
-		if !retrieved.ConnectorOptions.Optional {
+		if retrieved.ConnectorOptions.Optional == nil || !*retrieved.ConnectorOptions.Optional {
 			t.Error("Expected optional to be true")
 		}
 
@@ -596,13 +597,14 @@ func TestSaveAssistant(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("AllNewFieldsTogether", func(t *testing.T) {
 		// Test assistant with all new fields together
+		optionalFalse := false
 		assistant := &types.AssistantModel{
 			Name:      "All New Fields Test",
 			Type:      "assistant",
 			Connector: "openai",
 			Share:     "private",
 			ConnectorOptions: &types.ConnectorOptions{
-				Optional:   false,
+				Optional:   &optionalFalse,
 				Connectors: []string{"openai"},
 				Filters:    []types.ModelCapability{types.CapVision},
 			},