diff --git a/cmd/hostkeeper/add.go b/cmd/hostkeeper/add.go
index 7c40526..8a9056b 100644
--- a/cmd/hostkeeper/add.go
+++ b/cmd/hostkeeper/add.go
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import (
 
 	"git.tukangketik.id/swanadiva/hostkeeper/internal/models"
 	"git.tukangketik.id/swanadiva/hostkeeper/pkg/config"
-	"git.tukangketik.id/swanadiva/hostkeeper/pkg/storage"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -155,7 +154,7 @@ func runAddHost(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	}
 
 	// Initialize storage
-	store, err := storage.NewJSONStorage(cfg.GetDataDir())
+	store, err := newStorage(cfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to initialize storage: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -278,7 +277,7 @@ func addHostInteractive(cfg *config.Config) error {
 	}
 
 	// Initialize storage
-	store, err := storage.NewJSONStorage(cfg.GetDataDir())
+	store, err := newStorage(cfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to initialize storage: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/hostkeeper/delete.go b/cmd/hostkeeper/delete.go
index 869fe1d..d694f97 100644
--- a/cmd/hostkeeper/delete.go
+++ b/cmd/hostkeeper/delete.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
 	"git.tukangketik.id/swanadiva/hostkeeper/pkg/config"
-	"git.tukangketik.id/swanadiva/hostkeeper/pkg/storage"
 )
 
 var deleteForce bool
@@ -49,7 +48,7 @@ func runDeleteHost(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	store, err := storage.NewJSONStorage(cfg.GetDataDir())
+	store, err := newStorage(cfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to initialize storage: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/hostkeeper/edit.go b/cmd/hostkeeper/edit.go
index 6fd8fd2..0217a56 100644
--- a/cmd/hostkeeper/edit.go
+++ b/cmd/hostkeeper/edit.go
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ func runEditHost(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	store, err := storage.NewJSONStorage(cfg.GetDataDir())
+	store, err := newStorage(cfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to initialize storage: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/hostkeeper/list.go b/cmd/hostkeeper/list.go
index cd377b7..3ea7f2b 100644
--- a/cmd/hostkeeper/list.go
+++ b/cmd/hostkeeper/list.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 
 	"git.tukangketik.id/swanadiva/hostkeeper/internal/models"
 	"git.tukangketik.id/swanadiva/hostkeeper/pkg/config"
-	"git.tukangketik.id/swanadiva/hostkeeper/pkg/storage"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -69,7 +68,7 @@ func runListHosts(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	}
 
 	// Initialize storage
-	store, err := storage.NewJSONStorage(cfg.GetDataDir())
+	store, err := newStorage(cfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to initialize storage: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/hostkeeper/root.go b/cmd/hostkeeper/root.go
index bfa2e4e..cbe340b 100644
--- a/cmd/hostkeeper/root.go
+++ b/cmd/hostkeeper/root.go
@@ -7,13 +7,15 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 
 	"git.tukangketik.id/swanadiva/hostkeeper/pkg/config"
+	"git.tukangketik.id/swanadiva/hostkeeper/pkg/storage"
 )
 
 var (
-	cfgFile string
-	appCfg  *config.Config
-	verbose int
-	debug   bool
+	cfgFile        string
+	appCfg         *config.Config
+	verbose        int
+	debug          bool
+	passwordFlag   string
 )
 
 var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
@@ -47,6 +49,7 @@ func init() {
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&cfgFile, "config", "", "config file (default is platform-specific app dir)")
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().CountVarP(&verbose, "verbose", "v", "verbose output (-v for info, -vv for debug)")
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&debug, "debug", false, "enable debug mode")
+	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&passwordFlag, "password", "", "master password for encrypted storage")
 
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(versionCmd)
 }
@@ -84,4 +87,16 @@ var versionCmd = &cobra.Command{
 // Execute runs the root command
 func Execute() error {
 	return rootCmd.Execute()
+}
+
+// newStorage creates a new JSONStorage with the password flag applied
+func newStorage(cfg *config.Config) (*storage.JSONStorage, error) {
+	store, err := storage.NewJSONStorage(cfg.GetDataDir())
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if passwordFlag != "" {
+		store.SetPassword(passwordFlag)
+	}
+	return store, nil
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cmd/hostkeeper/tui.go b/cmd/hostkeeper/tui.go
index 6e20ac1..6066563 100644
--- a/cmd/hostkeeper/tui.go
+++ b/cmd/hostkeeper/tui.go
@@ -49,22 +49,26 @@ func runTUI(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		fmt.Printf("Warning: failed to load known_hosts: %v\n", err)
 	}
 
-	ctx := context.Background()
-	hosts, err := store.ListHosts(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to load hosts: %w", err)
-	}
+	// Auto-detect encrypted data files
+	needPassword := encryptFlag || store.IsDataEncrypted()
 
 	model := tui.New()
 	model.SetDataDir(cfg.GetDataDir())
-	model.LoadHosts(hosts)
 	if kh != nil {
 		model.SetKnownHosts(kh)
 	}
 
-	// If --encrypt flag, show password prompt first
-	if encryptFlag {
+	if needPassword {
+		// Show password prompt first — hosts will be loaded after password is set
 		model.ShowEncryptPrompt()
+	} else {
+		// No encryption — load hosts normally
+		ctx := context.Background()
+		hosts, err := store.ListHosts(ctx)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to load hosts: %w", err)
+		}
+		model.LoadHosts(hosts)
 	}
 
 	p := tea.NewProgram(model)
diff --git a/pkg/storage/json_storage.go b/pkg/storage/json_storage.go
index 609abcb..829ed9e 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/json_storage.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/json_storage.go
@@ -52,6 +52,16 @@ func (s *JSONStorage) IsEncrypted() bool {
 	return s.password != ""
 }
 
+// IsDataEncrypted checks if the data files are actually encrypted
+func (s *JSONStorage) IsDataEncrypted() bool {
+	path := filepath.Join(s.dataDir, "hosts.json")
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	return crypto.IsEncrypted(string(data))
+}
+
 func (s *JSONStorage) ensureDataFiles() error {
 	files := map[string]string{
 		"hosts.json":    "hosts",
diff --git a/pkg/tui/tui.go b/pkg/tui/tui.go
index ef70d10..33a0378 100644
--- a/pkg/tui/tui.go
+++ b/pkg/tui/tui.go
@@ -117,9 +117,28 @@ func (m *Model) Update(msg tea.Msg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 		return m, cmd
 
 	case passwordSetMsg:
-		// Password was set — store it and proceed to host list
+		// Password was set — store it and load hosts
 		m.storagePassword = msg.password
-		// Close the password prompt tab, host list should already be there
+
+		// Load hosts with the password
+		store, err := storage.NewJSONStorage(m.dataDir)
+		if err == nil {
+			store.SetPassword(msg.password)
+			ctx := context.Background()
+			hosts, loadErr := store.ListHosts(ctx)
+			if loadErr == nil {
+				m.Hosts = hosts
+				// Update host list tab if it exists
+				if hl, ok := m.tabs.Active().(*HostListTab); ok {
+					hl.SetHosts(hosts)
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		// Close the password prompt tab
+		if m.tabs.Len() > 1 {
+			m.tabs.CloseActive()
+		}
 		return m, nil
 
 	case openEncryptPromptMsg: