diff --git a/crates/radicle-cli/examples/rad-seed-scope.md b/crates/radicle-cli/examples/rad-seed-scope.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a5023369
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/radicle-cli/examples/rad-seed-scope.md
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+By default `rad seed` should add a seeding policy with the `followed` scope:
+
+```
+$ rad seed --no-fetch rad:z42hL2jL4XNk6K8oHQaSWfMgCL7ji
+✓ Seeding policy updated for rad:z42hL2jL4XNk6K8oHQaSWfMgCL7ji with scope 'followed'
+$ rad seed
+╭──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
+│ Repository                          Name   Policy   Scope    │
+├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
+│ rad:z42hL2jL4XNk6K8oHQaSWfMgCL7ji          allow    followed │
+╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
+```
+
+The policy can be updated by explicitly specifying a different scope:
+
+```
+$ rad seed --no-fetch rad:z42hL2jL4XNk6K8oHQaSWfMgCL7ji --scope all
+✓ Seeding policy updated for rad:z42hL2jL4XNk6K8oHQaSWfMgCL7ji with scope 'all'
+$ rad seed
+╭───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
+│ Repository                          Name   Policy   Scope │
+├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
+│ rad:z42hL2jL4XNk6K8oHQaSWfMgCL7ji          allow    all   │
+╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
+```
+
+Running `rad seed` again without an explicit scope parameter should not change the existing policy:
+
+```
+$ rad seed --no-fetch rad:z42hL2jL4XNk6K8oHQaSWfMgCL7ji
+✓ Seeding policy exists for rad:z42hL2jL4XNk6K8oHQaSWfMgCL7ji with scope 'all'
+$ rad seed
+╭───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
+│ Repository                          Name   Policy   Scope │
+├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
+│ rad:z42hL2jL4XNk6K8oHQaSWfMgCL7ji          allow    all   │
+╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
+```
diff --git a/crates/radicle-cli/src/commands/seed.rs b/crates/radicle-cli/src/commands/seed.rs
index edc31149..05294b13 100644
--- a/crates/radicle-cli/src/commands/seed.rs
+++ b/crates/radicle-cli/src/commands/seed.rs
@@ -41,10 +41,19 @@ pub fn run(args: Args, ctx: impl term::Context) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
 
 pub fn update(
     rid: RepoId,
-    scope: Scope,
+    scope: Option<Scope>,
     node: &mut Node,
     profile: &Profile,
 ) -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
+    let scope = match scope {
+        Some(scope) => scope,
+        None => profile
+            .policies()?
+            .seed_policy(&rid)?
+            .scope()
+            .unwrap_or(Scope::Followed),
+    };
+
     let updated = profile.seed(rid, scope, node)?;
     let outcome = if updated { "updated" } else { "exists" };
 
diff --git a/crates/radicle-cli/src/commands/seed/args.rs b/crates/radicle-cli/src/commands/seed/args.rs
index d5b331c7..db457061 100644
--- a/crates/radicle-cli/src/commands/seed/args.rs
+++ b/crates/radicle-cli/src/commands/seed/args.rs
@@ -47,12 +47,8 @@ pub struct Args {
     timeout: u64,
 
     /// Peer follow scope for this repository
-    #[arg(
-        long,
-        default_value_t = Scope::Followed,
-        value_parser = terminal::args::ScopeParser
-    )]
-    pub(super) scope: Scope,
+    #[arg(long, value_parser = terminal::args::ScopeParser)]
+    pub(super) scope: Option<Scope>,
 
     /// Verbose output
     #[arg(long, short)]
@@ -65,7 +61,7 @@ pub(super) enum Operation {
         rids: NonEmpty<RepoId>,
         should_fetch: bool,
         settings: SyncSettings,
-        scope: Scope,
+        scope: Option<Scope>,
     },
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/radicle-cli/tests/commands/policy.rs b/crates/radicle-cli/tests/commands/policy.rs
index ecbdacaa..8ca61ef7 100644
--- a/crates/radicle-cli/tests/commands/policy.rs
+++ b/crates/radicle-cli/tests/commands/policy.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@ fn rad_seed_and_follow() {
     Environment::alice(["rad-seed-and-follow"]);
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn rad_seed_scope() {
+    Environment::alice(["rad-seed-scope"]);
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn rad_seed_many() {
     let mut environment = Environment::new();