diff --git a/hermes_cli/main_desktop.py b/hermes_cli/main_desktop.py
index 9547f5aabb..dcfceb79a7 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/main_desktop.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/main_desktop.py
@@ -1228,6 +1228,22 @@ def _promote_staged_desktop_app(
     return packaged_executable
 
 
+def _diagnose_esbuild_ignore_scripts(output: Optional[str]) -> None:
+    """Print an actionable hint when a desktop build failed because esbuild's platform
+    binary was never staged (`ignore-scripts=true` skips esbuild's postinstall, so the
+    ``@esbuild/<platform>`` optional dependency is absent) — #53082. Best-effort: only
+    adds context, never masks the original error."""
+    text = output or ""
+    if not ("@esbuild/" in text and "could not be found" in text) and "ignore-scripts" not in text:
+        return
+    print("  ⚠ This looks like esbuild's native binary is missing — commonly caused by")
+    print("    `ignore-scripts=true` in your npm config, which skips esbuild's postinstall")
+    print("    that stages the @esbuild/<platform> package.")
+    print("    Fix: run `npm config get ignore-scripts` — if true, either set it to false")
+    print("    (`npm config set ignore-scripts false`), then reinstall: `npm ci` in the repo root,")
+    print("    or stage the binary directly: `node node_modules/esbuild/install.js` in apps/desktop.")
+
+
 def build_prepared_desktop(desktop_dir: Path, *, source_mode: bool, npm: str, env: dict,
                            icons: Path | None = None) -> Optional[Path]:
     """Build prepared desktop sources, then publish the verified staged app."""
@@ -1264,6 +1280,9 @@ def build_prepared_desktop(desktop_dir: Path, *, source_mode: bool, npm: str, en
             _promote_staged_desktop_app(desktop_dir, staging_dir) if staging_dir is not None else None
         )
         return packaged_executable
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError as exc:
+        _diagnose_esbuild_ignore_scripts(exc.output)
+        raise
     finally:
         if staging_dir is not None:
             _discard_desktop_staging(staging_dir)
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_desktop_esbuild_ignore_scripts.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_desktop_esbuild_ignore_scripts.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4051edf79f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_desktop_esbuild_ignore_scripts.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+"""Regression tests for the esbuild / ignore-scripts build-failure diagnosis (#53082)."""
+
+import io
+import contextlib
+
+from hermes_cli.main_desktop import _diagnose_esbuild_ignore_scripts
+
+
+def _hintprinted(output: str | None) -> bool:
+    buf = io.StringIO()
+    with contextlib.redirect_stdout(buf):
+        _diagnose_esbuild_ignore_scripts(output)
+    return "esbuild" in buf.getvalue()
+
+
+def test_diagnose_triggers_on_missing_esbuild_binary() -> None:
+    output = (
+        "Error: The package \"@esbuild/darwin-arm64\" could not be found, "
+        "and is needed by esbuild."
+    )
+    assert _hintprinted(output)
+
+
+def test_diagnose_triggers_on_ignore_scripts_mention() -> None:
+    assert _hintprinted("npm error code ERESOLVE\nnpm warn config ignore-scripts=true")
+
+
+def test_diagnose_silent_on_unrelated_failure() -> None:
+    assert not _hintprinted("vite build failed: unexpected token in index.html")
+
+
+def test_diagnose_silent_on_none_output() -> None:
+    assert not _hintprinted(None)