diff --git a/proton/vpn/backend/networkmanager/protocol/protun/protun.py b/proton/vpn/backend/networkmanager/protocol/protun/protun.py
index 52ee6c8..717ac80 100644
--- a/proton/vpn/backend/networkmanager/protocol/protun/protun.py
+++ b/proton/vpn/backend/networkmanager/protocol/protun/protun.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 SERVICE_TYPE = "org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.protun"
-STORE_PRIVATE_KEY_IN_KEYRING = "1"
+SYSTEM_OWNED_PRIVATE_KEY = str(int(NM.SettingSecretFlags.NONE))
 PRIVATE_KEY = "private-key"
 PRIVATE_KEY_FLAGS = "private-key-flags"
 
@@ -142,7 +142,9 @@ def setup(self) -> Future:
         """Creates and registers the NM VPN connection."""
         self._generate_connection()
         self._modify_connection()
-        return self.nm_client.add_connection_async(self.connection)
+        return self.nm_client.add_connection_async(
+            self.connection, save_to_disk=False
+        )
 
     def start_connection_async(self, connection: NM.Connection) -> Future:
         """Activates the ProTun VPN plugin, explicitly passing the best physical
@@ -304,16 +306,18 @@ def _set_vpn_settings(self):
 
         vpn_settings.add_data_item("settings", settings_str)
 
-        # The WireGuard private key is stored as a VPN secret.
-        # NM passes it to the protun auth-dialog which forwards it to the plugin.
+        # The WireGuard private key is stored as a VPN secret. NM passes it
+        # directly to the plugin for this unsaved connection.
         vpn_settings.add_secret(
             PRIVATE_KEY,
             self._vpncredentials.pubkey_credentials.wg_private_key
         )
 
-        # Use the keyring to store the connection private key.
+        # Keep the key in NetworkManager instead of delegating it to a desktop
+        # secret agent. The profile is added with save_to_disk=False, so the
+        # key remains tied to the transient connection.
         vpn_settings.add_data_item(PRIVATE_KEY_FLAGS,
-                                   STORE_PRIVATE_KEY_IN_KEYRING)
+                                   SYSTEM_OWNED_PRIVATE_KEY)
 
         self.connection.add_setting(vpn_settings)
 
diff --git a/tests/python/networkmanager/protun/test_protun.py b/tests/python/networkmanager/protun/test_protun.py
index 6d38f81..658b6e1 100644
--- a/tests/python/networkmanager/protun/test_protun.py
+++ b/tests/python/networkmanager/protun/test_protun.py
@@ -18,11 +18,17 @@
 """
 from datetime import datetime
 from pathlib import Path
+from types import SimpleNamespace
 from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock, patch
 
+import gi
 import pytest
 
+gi.require_version("NM", "1.0")
+from gi.repository import NM  # pylint: disable=wrong-import-position
+
 from proton.vpn.backend.networkmanager.protocol.protun.protun import (
+    PRIVATE_KEY, PRIVATE_KEY_FLAGS, SYSTEM_OWNED_PRIVATE_KEY,
     Protun, ProtunUDP, ProtunTCP, ProtunTLS, ProtunSmart, generate_capture_path,
 )
 from proton.vpn.backend.networkmanager.core.networkmanager import LinuxNetworkManager
@@ -35,6 +41,7 @@ def test_generate_capture_path():
     result = generate_capture_path("/tmp", datetime(2026, 4, 30, 14, 30, 45))
     assert result == Path("/tmp/proton_vpn__2026_04_30__14_30_45.pcap")
 
+
 # ─── Protun class methods ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
@@ -101,6 +108,42 @@ def _make_instance(mode, directory_path="/tmp", max_bytes=512 * 1024 * 1024, pro
     return instance
 
 
+def test_vpn_private_key_is_owned_by_transient_networkmanager_profile():
+    instance = object.__new__(ProtunUDP)
+    instance.connection = NM.SimpleConnection.new()
+    instance._vpnserver = SimpleNamespace(
+        server_name="CH#1",
+        server_ip="192.0.2.1",
+        x25519pk="public-key",
+        wireguard_ports=SimpleNamespace(udp=[51820]),
+    )
+    instance._vpncredentials = SimpleNamespace(
+        pubkey_credentials=SimpleNamespace(wg_private_key="private-key")
+    )
+
+    instance._set_vpn_settings()
+
+    vpn_settings = instance.connection.get_setting_vpn()
+    assert vpn_settings.get_secret(PRIVATE_KEY) == "private-key"
+    assert vpn_settings.get_data_item(PRIVATE_KEY_FLAGS) == SYSTEM_OWNED_PRIVATE_KEY
+    assert SYSTEM_OWNED_PRIVATE_KEY == str(int(NM.SettingSecretFlags.NONE))
+
+
+def test_setup_explicitly_adds_an_unsaved_profile():
+    instance = object.__new__(ProtunUDP)
+    instance.connection = MagicMock()
+    instance._generate_connection = MagicMock()
+    instance._modify_connection = MagicMock()
+    instance._LinuxNetworkManager__nm_client = MagicMock()
+
+    result = instance.setup()
+
+    assert result is instance.nm_client.add_connection_async.return_value
+    instance.nm_client.add_connection_async.assert_called_once_with(
+        instance.connection, save_to_disk=False
+    )
+
+
 # ─── start_packet_capture ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio