diff --git a/app/radio_sync.py b/app/radio_sync.py
index a2159d2..0a391e5 100644
--- a/app/radio_sync.py
+++ b/app/radio_sync.py
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ _GET_CONTACTS_TIMEOUT = 10
 AdvertMode = Literal["flood", "zero_hop"]
 
 _AUTO_ADD_OVERWRITE_OLDEST = 0x01
+_RADIO_CONTACT_FAVORITE = 0x01
 
 
 async def _enable_autoevict_on_radio(mc: MeshCore) -> bool:
@@ -1298,6 +1299,12 @@ async def _reconcile_radio_contacts_in_background(
                                 public_key = contact.public_key.lower()
                                 try:
                                     add_payload = contact.to_radio_dict()
+                                    # In autoevict mode, app-loaded contacts should
+                                    # remain evictable by the radio even if the
+                                    # stored contact record carries the favorite bit.
+                                    add_payload["flags"] = (
+                                        int(add_payload.get("flags", 0)) & ~_RADIO_CONTACT_FAVORITE
+                                    )
                                     add_result = await mc.commands.add_contact(add_payload)
                                 except Exception as exc:
                                     failed += 1
diff --git a/tests/test_radio_sync.py b/tests/test_radio_sync.py
index 2d4ebce..98dff18 100644
--- a/tests/test_radio_sync.py
+++ b/tests/test_radio_sync.py
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ async def _insert_contact(
     name="Alice",
     on_radio=False,
     contact_type=0,
+    flags=0,
     last_contacted=None,
     last_advert=None,
     direct_path=None,
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ async def _insert_contact(
             "public_key": public_key,
             "name": name,
             "type": contact_type,
-            "flags": 0,
+            "flags": flags,
             "direct_path": direct_path,
             "direct_path_len": direct_path_len,
             "direct_path_hash_mode": direct_path_hash_mode,
@@ -1013,7 +1014,7 @@ class TestBackgroundContactReconcile:
 
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_autoevict_blind_fill_readds_full_desired_set(self, test_db):
-        await _insert_contact(KEY_A, "Alice", last_contacted=2000)
+        await _insert_contact(KEY_A, "Alice", flags=0x01, last_contacted=2000)
         await _insert_contact(KEY_B, "Bob", last_contacted=1000)
         alice = await ContactRepository.get_by_key(KEY_A)
         bob = await ContactRepository.get_by_key(KEY_B)
@@ -1057,6 +1058,10 @@ class TestBackgroundContactReconcile:
             call.args[0]["public_key"] for call in mock_mc.commands.add_contact.call_args_list
         ]
         assert loaded_keys == [KEY_A, KEY_B]
+        loaded_flags = [
+            call.args[0]["flags"] for call in mock_mc.commands.add_contact.call_args_list
+        ]
+        assert loaded_flags == [0, 0]
 
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_autoevict_table_full_breaks_with_error(self, test_db):