diff --git a/scripts/bundles/desktop.py b/scripts/bundles/desktop.py
index fce8a1d75b..64840ec662 100644
--- a/scripts/bundles/desktop.py
+++ b/scripts/bundles/desktop.py
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ def run(argv: list[str], *, cwd: Path, env: dict[str, str]) -> None:
     subprocess.run(argv, cwd=cwd, env=env, check=True)
 
 
-def capture(argv: list[str], repo: Path) -> str:
-    return subprocess.check_output(argv, cwd=repo, text=True, encoding="utf-8").strip()
+def capture(argv: list[str], repo: Path, env: dict[str, str]) -> str:
+    return subprocess.check_output(argv, cwd=repo, env=env, text=True, encoding="utf-8").strip()
 
 
 def release_version(_repo: Path, tag: str) -> str:
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ def _build_prepared(prepared, builder_args: list[str], variant: str | None) -> N
     version_args = []
     if sys.platform == "win32" and request.channel_request is None and request.tag is not None:
         script = "const m=require('./scripts/msix-shared.mjs');console.log(m.nativeQuad(process.argv[1], Number(process.env.HERMES_RELEASE_EPOCH)))"
-        quad = capture([node, "-e", script, request.tag], repo).strip()
+        quad = capture([node, "-e", script, request.tag], repo, env)
         version_args = [f'-c.extraMetadata.shortVersion={quad}', f'-c.extraMetadata.shortVersionWindows={quad}']
     require_source(repo, request.commit)
     run([node, "scripts/run-electron-builder.mjs", *package_args, *version_args, *builder_args], cwd=desktop,
diff --git a/tests/scripts/test_desktop_preparation.py b/tests/scripts/test_desktop_preparation.py
index 2caf3c9538..270b28255b 100644
--- a/tests/scripts/test_desktop_preparation.py
+++ b/tests/scripts/test_desktop_preparation.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import json
+import os
 from pathlib import Path
 import subprocess
 import sys
@@ -65,6 +66,15 @@ def test_stable_build_accepts_the_admitted_commit_before_the_final_tag_exists(tm
         )
 
 
+def test_native_version_capture_uses_admitted_build_environment(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    from scripts.bundles.desktop import capture
+
+    monkeypatch.delenv("HERMES_RELEASE_EPOCH", raising=False)
+    env = {**os.environ, "HERMES_RELEASE_EPOCH": "1787965323"}
+    script = "import os; print(os.environ['HERMES_RELEASE_EPOCH'])"
+    assert capture([sys.executable, "-c", script], tmp_path, env) == env["HERMES_RELEASE_EPOCH"]
+
+
 def test_stable_build_rejects_a_claim_tag_for_another_version(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     from scripts.bundles.desktop_prepare import BuildRequest