diff --git a/hermes_cli/main.py b/hermes_cli/main.py
index 69ae0ce567..92fad1ecbd 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/main.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/main.py
@@ -2640,6 +2640,28 @@ def _dashboard_sanitize_desktop_env(headless_backend) -> None:
         os.environ.pop("HERMES_SERVE_HEADLESS", None)
 
 
+def _require_dashboard_web_deps() -> None:
+    """Exit with the right message when the dashboard's web-server packages can't import.
+
+    A plain missing-package ImportError gets the standard repair guidance; the
+    ``DLL load failed ... _ssl`` signature of Windows Smart App Control blocking the
+    embedded runtime gets the policy guidance instead, so users stop looping on
+    repair for a block repair can never lift (#63796)."""
+    try:
+        import fastapi  # noqa: F401
+        import uvicorn  # noqa: F401
+    except ImportError as e:
+        from hermes_cli.main_dep_hints import (
+            missing_optional_deps_message,
+            smart_app_control_block_message,
+        )
+
+        print(smart_app_control_block_message(e) or missing_optional_deps_message(
+            "dashboard", "its web-server packages (fastapi, uvicorn)", "all"))
+        print(f"Details: {e}")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+
 def _dashboard_prepare_runtime(args, headless_backend) -> bool:
     """Deps check, skills seed, terminal env bridge, plugins, MCP discovery.
 
@@ -2653,15 +2675,7 @@ def _dashboard_prepare_runtime(args, headless_backend) -> bool:
     except Exception:
         pass
 
-    try:
-        import fastapi  # noqa: F401
-        import uvicorn  # noqa: F401
-    except ImportError as e:
-        from hermes_cli.main_dep_hints import missing_optional_deps_message
-
-        print(missing_optional_deps_message("dashboard", "its web-server packages (fastapi, uvicorn)", "all"))
-        print(f"Details: {e}")
-        sys.exit(1)
+    _require_dashboard_web_deps()
 
     # Seed bundled skills on first dashboard launch so the desktop GUI's
     # skills picker / agent skill discovery sees the bundled library.
diff --git a/hermes_cli/main_dep_hints.py b/hermes_cli/main_dep_hints.py
index 70fbb5381c..e2f5134468 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/main_dep_hints.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/main_dep_hints.py
@@ -7,3 +7,38 @@ def missing_optional_deps_message(surface: str, what: str, extra: str) -> str:
         "Run `hermes pm install` to prepare the declared dependencies.\n"
         "If an installed dependency is damaged, run `hermes pm repair`, then restart Hermes."
     )
+
+
+def smart_app_control_block_message(error: BaseException) -> "str | None":
+    """Guidance for Windows Smart App Control / Application Control blocking the embedded
+    Python runtime's ``_ssl`` module, or ``None`` when *error* is not that case.
+
+    fastapi/uvicorn import ``ssl``; when the policy blocks the ``_ssl`` DLL, the import
+    fails with the signature ``DLL load failed ... _ssl`` — and the generic
+    missing-deps repair loop above can never fix it, so users looped on repair
+    (#63796). The desktop's embedded runtime is the usual victim; the CLI and the
+    gateway run on the system Python and stay unaffected.
+    """
+    message = str(error)
+    if "DLL load failed" not in message or "_ssl" not in message:
+        return None
+    return "\n".join([
+        "✗ The embedded Python runtime is blocked by Windows security policy.",
+        "",
+        "Root cause: Python's SSL module (_ssl) could not be loaded:",
+        f"  {message}",
+        "",
+        "This happens when Windows Smart App Control or an Application Control",
+        "policy blocks the embedded Python runtime that ships with Hermes Desktop.",
+        "A repair / reinstall loop cannot fix this — the packages are not missing,",
+        "the runtime's DLL is being blocked.",
+        "",
+        "Recovery options:",
+        "  1. Use a trusted system Python installation instead of the embedded",
+        "     runtime (if your organization allows it).",
+        "  2. Ask your IT administrator for an exemption for the Hermes Desktop",
+        "     application (Smart App Control / Application Control).",
+        "  3. Use the CLI or gateway instead (they use your system Python).",
+        "",
+        "See https://aka.ms/smartappcontrol for Windows Smart App Control details.",
+    ])
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_smart_app_control_block.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_smart_app_control_block.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0ab10095ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_smart_app_control_block.py
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+"""Windows Smart App Control detection in the dashboard deps check (#63796).
+
+When the policy blocks the embedded Python runtime's ``_ssl`` DLL, the
+fastapi/uvicorn import fails with the ``DLL load failed ... _ssl`` signature.
+The dashboard must say so instead of the generic missing-deps repair guidance
+— repair can never lift a policy block, and users looped on it.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import builtins
+
+import pytest
+
+from hermes_cli import main
+from hermes_cli.main_dep_hints import smart_app_control_block_message
+
+SAC_ERROR = ImportError(
+    "DLL load failed while importing _ssl: "
+    "An Application Control policy has blocked this file."
+)
+
+
+def _raise_for(names, error):
+    """``__import__`` stand-in that raises *error* for the given module names."""
+    real_import = builtins.__import__
+
+    def fake_import(name, *args, **kwargs):
+        if name in names:
+            raise error
+        return real_import(name, *args, **kwargs)
+
+    return fake_import
+
+
+def test_smart_app_control_block_message_matches_the_dll_ssl_signature():
+    message = smart_app_control_block_message(SAC_ERROR)
+    assert message is not None
+    assert "Smart App Control" in message
+    assert "embedded Python runtime" in message
+    assert "_ssl" in message
+    assert "repair" in message  # must say the repair loop cannot fix this
+    assert "https://aka.ms/smartappcontrol" in message
+
+
+def test_smart_app_control_block_message_ignores_other_errors():
+    assert smart_app_control_block_message(ImportError("No module named 'fastapi'")) is None
+    assert smart_app_control_block_message(ImportError("cannot import name '_ssl' from 'ssl'")) is None
+
+
+def test_dashboard_deps_check_names_the_policy_block(monkeypatch, capsys):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(builtins, "__import__", _raise_for({"fastapi"}, SAC_ERROR))
+    with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc:
+        main._require_dashboard_web_deps()
+    assert exc.value.code == 1
+    output = capsys.readouterr().out
+    assert "Smart App Control" in output
+    assert "embedded Python runtime" in output
+    assert "hermes pm install" not in output  # the repair hint must not appear
+
+
+def test_dashboard_deps_check_keeps_repair_guidance_for_plain_missing_deps(
+        monkeypatch, capsys):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        builtins, "__import__", _raise_for({"fastapi"}, ImportError("No module named 'fastapi'")))
+    with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc:
+        main._require_dashboard_web_deps()
+    assert exc.value.code == 1
+    output = capsys.readouterr().out
+    assert "hermes pm install" in output
+    assert "Smart App Control" not in output