diff --git a/src/app_controller.py b/src/app_controller.py
index a1bf4c46..6f8e39e7 100644
--- a/src/app_controller.py
+++ b/src/app_controller.py
@@ -2009,6 +2009,8 @@ class AppController:
     self.project_paths.append(fallback_path)
   self.preset_manager = presets.PresetManager(Path(self.active_project_path).parent if self.active_project_path else None)
   self.tool_preset_manager = tool_presets.ToolPresetManager(Path(self.active_project_path).parent if self.active_project_path else None)
+  from src.personas import PersonaManager
+  self.persona_manager = PersonaManager(Path(self.active_project_path).parent if self.active_project_path else None)
   self._refresh_from_project()
   self._configure_mcp_for_project()
 
diff --git a/src/gui_2.py b/src/gui_2.py
index 97566ff4..19e1800e 100644
--- a/src/gui_2.py
+++ b/src/gui_2.py
@@ -2140,7 +2140,11 @@ def render_persona_selector_panel(app: App) -> None:
       ai_client.set_bias_profile(persona.bias_profile)
      if getattr(persona, 'context_preset', None):
       app.ui_active_context_preset = persona.context_preset
-      app.load_context_preset(persona.context_preset)
+      try:
+       app.load_context_preset(persona.context_preset)
+      except KeyError as e:
+       app.ai_status = f"persona context preset missing: {e}"
+       app.ui_active_context_preset = ""
   imgui.end_combo()
  imgui.same_line()
  if imgui.button("Manage Personas"):
diff --git a/tests/test_project_switch_persona_preset.py b/tests/test_project_switch_persona_preset.py
index 6a93e095..d6f14da0 100644
--- a/tests/test_project_switch_persona_preset.py
+++ b/tests/test_project_switch_persona_preset.py
@@ -137,3 +137,36 @@ def test_switch_project_preserves_global_preset(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     ctrl._switch_project(str(project_b_path))
 
     assert ctrl.ui_global_preset_name == original_global
+
+
+def test_load_active_project_creates_persona_manager(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    project_a_path, _ = _setup_two_projects(tmp_path)
+
+    ctrl = AppController()
+    monkeypatch.setattr(ctrl, "_rebuild_rag_index", lambda: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(ctrl, "_flush_to_project", lambda: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(ctrl, "_configure_mcp_for_project", lambda: None)
+
+    assert not hasattr(ctrl, "persona_manager")
+
+    ctrl.active_project_path = str(project_a_path)
+    ctrl._load_active_project()
+
+    assert hasattr(ctrl, "persona_manager")
+    assert "PersonaA" in ctrl.personas
+    assert ctrl.ui_active_bias_profile is None or ctrl.ui_active_bias_profile in ctrl.bias_profiles
+
+
+def test_load_context_preset_missing_raises_keyerror(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    project_a_path, _ = _setup_two_projects(tmp_path)
+
+    ctrl = AppController()
+    monkeypatch.setattr(ctrl, "_rebuild_rag_index", lambda: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(ctrl, "_flush_to_project", lambda: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(ctrl, "_configure_mcp_for_project", lambda: None)
+
+    ctrl.active_project_path = str(project_a_path)
+    ctrl._load_active_project()
+
+    with pytest.raises(KeyError, match="Context preset 'NonexistentPreset' not found"):
+        ctrl.load_context_preset("NonexistentPreset")