diff --git a/core/internal/windowrules/providers/niri_parser.go b/core/internal/windowrules/providers/niri_parser.go
index 8f949fbd8..6387e3a41 100644
--- a/core/internal/windowrules/providers/niri_parser.go
+++ b/core/internal/windowrules/providers/niri_parser.go
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ type NiriWindowRule struct {
 	MatchIsUrgent           *bool
 	MatchAtStartup          *bool
 	Matches                 []NiriMatch
+	Excludes                []NiriMatch
 	Opacity                 *float64
 	OpenFloating            *bool
 	OpenMaximized           *bool
@@ -212,6 +213,8 @@ func (p *NiriRulesParser) parseWindowRuleNode(node *document.Node) {
 		switch childName {
 		case "match":
 			rule.Matches = append(rule.Matches, p.parseMatchNode(child))
+		case "exclude":
+			rule.Excludes = append(rule.Excludes, p.parseMatchNode(child))
 		case "opacity":
 			if len(child.Arguments) > 0 {
 				val := child.Arguments[0].ResolvedValue()
@@ -597,7 +600,8 @@ func ConvertNiriRulesToWindowRules(niriRules []NiriWindowRule) []windowrules.Win
 				IsUrgent:           nr.MatchIsUrgent,
 				AtStartup:          nr.MatchAtStartup,
 			},
-			Matches: convertNiriMatches(nr.Matches),
+			Matches:  convertNiriMatches(nr.Matches),
+			Excludes: convertNiriMatches(nr.Excludes),
 			Actions: windowrules.Actions{
 				Opacity:                   nr.Opacity,
 				OpenFloating:              nr.OpenFloating,
@@ -810,7 +814,8 @@ func (p *NiriWritableProvider) LoadDMSRules() ([]windowrules.WindowRule, error)
 				IsUrgent:           nr.MatchIsUrgent,
 				AtStartup:          nr.MatchAtStartup,
 			},
-			Matches: convertNiriMatches(nr.Matches),
+			Matches:  convertNiriMatches(nr.Matches),
+			Excludes: convertNiriMatches(nr.Excludes),
 			Actions: windowrules.Actions{
 				Opacity:                   nr.Opacity,
 				OpenFloating:              nr.OpenFloating,
@@ -874,7 +879,7 @@ func (p *NiriWritableProvider) writeDMSRules(rules []windowrules.WindowRule) err
 	return os.WriteFile(rulesPath, []byte(strings.Join(lines, "\n")), 0644)
 }
 
-func formatNiriMatchLine(m windowrules.MatchCriteria) (string, bool) {
+func formatNiriMatchLine(keyword string, m windowrules.MatchCriteria) (string, bool) {
 	var matchProps []string
 	if m.AppID != "" {
 		matchProps = append(matchProps, fmt.Sprintf("app-id=%q", m.AppID))
@@ -906,7 +911,7 @@ func formatNiriMatchLine(m windowrules.MatchCriteria) (string, bool) {
 	if len(matchProps) == 0 {
 		return "", false
 	}
-	return "    match " + strings.Join(matchProps, " "), true
+	return "    " + keyword + " " + strings.Join(matchProps, " "), true
 }
 
 func (p *NiriWritableProvider) formatRule(rule windowrules.WindowRule) string {
@@ -919,7 +924,12 @@ func (p *NiriWritableProvider) formatRule(rule windowrules.WindowRule) string {
 		matches = []windowrules.MatchCriteria{rule.MatchCriteria}
 	}
 	for _, m := range matches {
-		if line, ok := formatNiriMatchLine(m); ok {
+		if line, ok := formatNiriMatchLine("match", m); ok {
+			lines = append(lines, line)
+		}
+	}
+	for _, m := range rule.Excludes {
+		if line, ok := formatNiriMatchLine("exclude", m); ok {
 			lines = append(lines, line)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/core/internal/windowrules/providers/niri_parser_test.go b/core/internal/windowrules/providers/niri_parser_test.go
index f764b6a70..cf274b07e 100644
--- a/core/internal/windowrules/providers/niri_parser_test.go
+++ b/core/internal/windowrules/providers/niri_parser_test.go
@@ -333,3 +333,56 @@ window-rule {
 		t.Error("DMSStatus.Exists should be false when dms rules file doesn't exist")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestNiriExcludesSurviveEditOfOtherRule(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	provider := NewNiriWritableProvider(tmpDir)
+
+	dmsDir := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "dms")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(dmsDir, 0755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	existing := `// @id=thunderbird @name=Thunderbird
+window-rule {
+    match app-id="^org.mozilla.Thunderbird$"
+    open-floating true
+    exclude title="^Mozilla Thunderbird$"
+    exclude title="^Verfassen:.*"
+}
+
+// @id=firefox @name=Firefox
+window-rule {
+    match app-id="^firefox$"
+    open-floating true
+}
+`
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dmsDir, "windowrules.kdl"), []byte(existing), 0644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	edited := newTestWindowRule("firefox", "Firefox", "^firefox$")
+	edited.Actions.OpenFloating = boolPtr(false)
+	if err := provider.SetRule(edited); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("SetRule failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	rules, err := provider.LoadDMSRules()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("LoadDMSRules failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(rules) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected 2 rules, got %d", len(rules))
+	}
+	if len(rules[0].Excludes) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected 2 excludes on untouched rule, got %d", len(rules[0].Excludes))
+	}
+	if rules[0].Excludes[0].Title != "^Mozilla Thunderbird$" {
+		t.Errorf("Excludes[0].Title = %q", rules[0].Excludes[0].Title)
+	}
+	if rules[0].Excludes[1].Title != "^Verfassen:.*" {
+		t.Errorf("Excludes[1].Title = %q", rules[0].Excludes[1].Title)
+	}
+	if rules[1].Actions.OpenFloating == nil || *rules[1].Actions.OpenFloating {
+		t.Error("edited rule should have open-floating false")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/core/internal/windowrules/types.go b/core/internal/windowrules/types.go
index 1b6b9c904..52257636b 100644
--- a/core/internal/windowrules/types.go
+++ b/core/internal/windowrules/types.go
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ type WindowRule struct {
 	Enabled       bool            `json:"enabled"`
 	MatchCriteria MatchCriteria   `json:"matchCriteria"`
 	Matches       []MatchCriteria `json:"matches,omitempty"`
+	Excludes      []MatchCriteria `json:"excludes,omitempty"`
 	Actions       Actions         `json:"actions"`
 	Source        string          `json:"source,omitempty"`
 }
diff --git a/quickshell/Modals/WindowRuleModal.qml b/quickshell/Modals/WindowRuleModal.qml
index 75716d89c..987bee1d4 100644
--- a/quickshell/Modals/WindowRuleModal.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Modals/WindowRuleModal.qml
@@ -457,6 +457,9 @@ FloatingWindow {
         };
         if (isNiri && extraMatchModel.count > 0)
             ruleData.matches = matches;
+        // No exclude editor yet — carry existing excludes through so an edit doesn't delete them (#2996)
+        if (isEditMode && (editingRule.excludes?.length ?? 0) > 0)
+            ruleData.excludes = editingRule.excludes;
 
         submitting = true;