diff --git a/models/actions/config.go b/models/actions/config.go
index 45d248af65..c0bb3a0b74 100644
--- a/models/actions/config.go
+++ b/models/actions/config.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func GetOrgActionsConfig(ctx context.Context, orgID int64) (*repo_model.ActionsC
 	cfg := &repo_model.ActionsConfig{}
 	if val == "" {
 		// Return defaults if no config exists
-		cfg.AllowCrossRepoAccess = true
+		cfg.CrossRepoMode = repo_model.ActionsCrossRepoModeAll
 		return cfg, nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/models/perm/access/repo_permission.go b/models/perm/access/repo_permission.go
index da41878dc8..4b985fcbe5 100644
--- a/models/perm/access/repo_permission.go
+++ b/models/perm/access/repo_permission.go
@@ -305,8 +305,8 @@ func GetActionsUserRepoPermission(ctx context.Context, repo *repo_model.Reposito
 			if err != nil {
 				return perm, err
 			}
-			if !orgCfg.AllowCrossRepoAccess {
-				// Deny access if cross-repo is disabled in Org
+			if !orgCfg.IsRepoAllowedCrossAccess(repo.ID) {
+				// Deny access if cross-repo is disabled or not allowed for this specific repo
 				return perm, nil
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/models/repo/repo_unit.go b/models/repo/repo_unit.go
index cba643cd4f..86a16a3804 100644
--- a/models/repo/repo_unit.go
+++ b/models/repo/repo_unit.go
@@ -180,6 +180,18 @@ const (
 	ActionsTokenPermissionModeCustom ActionsTokenPermissionMode = "custom"
 )
 
+// ActionsCrossRepoMode defines the mode for cross-repository access
+type ActionsCrossRepoMode string
+
+const (
+	// ActionsCrossRepoModeNone - no cross-repository access allowed
+	ActionsCrossRepoModeNone ActionsCrossRepoMode = "none"
+	// ActionsCrossRepoModeAll - access allowed to all repositories in the organization
+	ActionsCrossRepoModeAll ActionsCrossRepoMode = "all"
+	// ActionsCrossRepoModeSelected - access allowed only to selected repositories
+	ActionsCrossRepoModeSelected ActionsCrossRepoMode = "selected"
+)
+
 // ActionsTokenPermissions defines the permissions for different repository units
 type ActionsTokenPermissions struct {
 	// Code (repository code) - read/write/none
@@ -306,8 +318,8 @@ type ActionsConfig struct {
 	// MaxTokenPermissions defines the absolute maximum permissions any token can have in this context.
 	// Workflow YAML "permissions" keywords can reduce permissions but never exceed this ceiling.
 	MaxTokenPermissions *ActionsTokenPermissions `json:"max_token_permissions,omitempty"`
-	// AllowCrossRepoAccess indicates if actions in this repo/org can access other repos in the same org
-	AllowCrossRepoAccess bool `json:"allow_cross_repo_access,omitempty"`
+	// CrossRepoMode indicates which repos in the org can be accessed (none, all, or selected)
+	CrossRepoMode ActionsCrossRepoMode `json:"cross_repo_mode,omitempty"`
 	// AllowedCrossRepoIDs is a list of specific repo IDs that can be accessed cross-repo (empty means all if AllowCrossRepoAccess is true)
 	AllowedCrossRepoIDs []int64 `json:"allowed_cross_repo_ids,omitempty"`
 	// OverrideOrgConfig indicates if this repository should override the organization-level configuration
@@ -405,17 +417,15 @@ func (cfg *ActionsConfig) ClampPermissions(perms ActionsTokenPermissions) Action
 }
 
 // IsRepoAllowedCrossAccess checks if a specific repo is allowed for cross-repo access
-// Returns true if AllowCrossRepoAccess is enabled AND (AllowedCrossRepoIDs is empty OR repoID is in the list)
 func (cfg *ActionsConfig) IsRepoAllowedCrossAccess(repoID int64) bool {
-	if !cfg.AllowCrossRepoAccess {
+	switch cfg.CrossRepoMode {
+	case ActionsCrossRepoModeAll:
+		return true
+	case ActionsCrossRepoModeSelected:
+		return slices.Contains(cfg.AllowedCrossRepoIDs, repoID)
+	default: // ActionsCrossRepoModeNone or invalid
 		return false
 	}
-	// If no specific repos are configured, allow all
-	if len(cfg.AllowedCrossRepoIDs) == 0 {
-		return true
-	}
-	// Check if repo is in the allowed list
-	return slices.Contains(cfg.AllowedCrossRepoIDs, repoID)
 }
 
 // FromDB fills up a ActionsConfig from serialized format.
diff --git a/routers/web/org/setting/actions.go b/routers/web/org/setting/actions.go
index a0b7c0d4ab..3c37c41aa4 100644
--- a/routers/web/org/setting/actions.go
+++ b/routers/web/org/setting/actions.go
@@ -37,8 +37,10 @@ func ActionsGeneralSettings(ctx *context.Context) {
 	ctx.Data["TokenPermissionModeCustom"] = repo_model.ActionsTokenPermissionModeCustom
 	ctx.Data["MaxTokenPermissions"] = actionsCfg.GetMaxTokenPermissions()
 
-	ctx.Data["AllowCrossRepoAccess"] = actionsCfg.AllowCrossRepoAccess
-	ctx.Data["HasSelectedRepos"] = len(actionsCfg.AllowedCrossRepoIDs) > 0
+	ctx.Data["CrossRepoMode"] = actionsCfg.CrossRepoMode
+	ctx.Data["ActionsCrossRepoModeNone"] = repo_model.ActionsCrossRepoModeNone
+	ctx.Data["ActionsCrossRepoModeAll"] = repo_model.ActionsCrossRepoModeAll
+	ctx.Data["ActionsCrossRepoModeSelected"] = repo_model.ActionsCrossRepoModeSelected
 
 	// Load Allowed Repositories
 	var allowedRepos []*repo_model.Repository
@@ -116,14 +118,17 @@ func UpdateTokenPermissions(ctx *context.Context) {
 	crossRepoMode := ctx.FormString("cross_repo_mode")
 	switch crossRepoMode {
 	case "none":
-		actionsCfg.AllowCrossRepoAccess = false
+		actionsCfg.CrossRepoMode = repo_model.ActionsCrossRepoModeNone
 		actionsCfg.AllowedCrossRepoIDs = nil
 	case "all":
-		actionsCfg.AllowCrossRepoAccess = true
+		actionsCfg.CrossRepoMode = repo_model.ActionsCrossRepoModeAll
 		actionsCfg.AllowedCrossRepoIDs = nil
 	case "selected":
-		actionsCfg.AllowCrossRepoAccess = true
+		actionsCfg.CrossRepoMode = repo_model.ActionsCrossRepoModeSelected
 		// Keep existing AllowedCrossRepoIDs, will be updated by separate API
+	default:
+		// Default to none if invalid
+		actionsCfg.CrossRepoMode = repo_model.ActionsCrossRepoModeNone
 	}
 
 	if err := actions_model.SetOrgActionsConfig(ctx, ctx.Org.Organization.AsUser().ID, actionsCfg); err != nil {
diff --git a/templates/org/settings/actions_general.tmpl b/templates/org/settings/actions_general.tmpl
index 3c1692a30f..e65c83d381 100644
--- a/templates/org/settings/actions_general.tmpl
+++ b/templates/org/settings/actions_general.tmpl
@@ -16,19 +16,19 @@
 			<div class="grouped fields">
 				<div class="field">
 					<div class="ui radio checkbox">
-						<input type="radio" name="cross_repo_mode" value="none" {{if not .AllowCrossRepoAccess}}checked{{end}} class="js-cross-repo-mode">
+						<input type="radio" name="cross_repo_mode" value="none" {{if eq .CrossRepoMode .ActionsCrossRepoModeNone}}checked{{end}} class="js-cross-repo-mode">
 						<label>{{ctx.Locale.Tr "settings.disabled"}}</label>
 					</div>
 				</div>
 				<div class="field">
 					<div class="ui radio checkbox">
-						<input type="radio" name="cross_repo_mode" value="all" {{if and .AllowCrossRepoAccess (not .HasSelectedRepos)}}checked{{end}} class="js-cross-repo-mode">
+						<input type="radio" name="cross_repo_mode" value="all" {{if eq .CrossRepoMode .ActionsCrossRepoModeAll}}checked{{end}} class="js-cross-repo-mode">
 						<label>{{ctx.Locale.Tr "actions.general.token_permissions.cross_repo_all"}}</label>
 					</div>
 				</div>
 				<div class="field">
 					<div class="ui radio checkbox">
-						<input type="radio" name="cross_repo_mode" value="selected" {{if and .AllowCrossRepoAccess .HasSelectedRepos}}checked{{end}} class="js-cross-repo-mode">
+						<input type="radio" name="cross_repo_mode" value="selected" {{if eq .CrossRepoMode .ActionsCrossRepoModeSelected}}checked{{end}} class="js-cross-repo-mode">
 						<label>{{ctx.Locale.Tr "actions.general.token_permissions.cross_repo_selected"}}</label>
 					</div>
 				</div>
diff --git a/tests/integration/actions_job_token_test.go b/tests/integration/actions_job_token_test.go
index dc52955497..1d8ce58bc4 100644
--- a/tests/integration/actions_job_token_test.go
+++ b/tests/integration/actions_job_token_test.go
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ func TestActionsCrossRepoAccess(t *testing.T) {
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
 		cfg := &repo_model.ActionsConfig{
-			AllowCrossRepoAccess: false,
+			CrossRepoMode: repo_model.ActionsCrossRepoModeNone,
 		}
 		err = actions_model.SetOrgActionsConfig(t.Context(), org.ID, cfg)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ func TestActionsCrossRepoAccess(t *testing.T) {
 			// By default, cross-repo is disabled
 			// Explicitly set it to false to ensure test determinism (in case defaults change)
 			require.NoError(t, actions_model.SetOrgActionsConfig(t.Context(), org.ID, &repo_model.ActionsConfig{
-				AllowCrossRepoAccess: false,
+				CrossRepoMode: repo_model.ActionsCrossRepoModeNone,
 			}))
 
 			// Try to download with cross-repo disabled - should fail
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ func TestActionsCrossRepoAccess(t *testing.T) {
 
 			// Enable cross-repo access
 			require.NoError(t, actions_model.SetOrgActionsConfig(t.Context(), org.ID, &repo_model.ActionsConfig{
-				AllowCrossRepoAccess: true,
+				CrossRepoMode: repo_model.ActionsCrossRepoModeAll,
 			}))
 
 			// Try to download with cross-repo enabled - should succeed