diff --git a/hermes_cli/main_desktop.py b/hermes_cli/main_desktop.py
index fe8d9aee1b..b6406cd659 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/main_desktop.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/main_desktop.py
@@ -1423,14 +1423,15 @@ def _install_desktop_workspace_deps(npm: str, env: dict) -> None:
     """npm-install the desktop workspace; exits on a failure that isn't a repairable missing Electron dist."""
     from hermes_cli.main import PROJECT_ROOT
     from hermes_cli.main_web_build import _run_npm_install_deterministic
-    from hermes_cli.update_cmd_deps import _clear_npm_lockfile_hash, _desktop_deps_changed, _record_npm_lockfile_hash
+    from hermes_cli.update_cmd_deps import (
+        DESKTOP_NPM_SCOPE, _clear_npm_lockfile_hash, _desktop_deps_changed, _record_npm_lockfile_hash)
     from hermes_constants import get_default_hermes_root, with_hermes_node_path
     hermes_root = get_default_hermes_root()
-    if not _desktop_deps_changed(hermes_root):
+    if not _desktop_deps_changed(hermes_root) and (_electron_dir(PROJECT_ROOT) / "package.json").is_file():
         print("→ Desktop workspace dependencies unchanged, skipping install")
         return
     print("→ Installing desktop workspace dependencies...")
-    _clear_npm_lockfile_hash(hermes_root, "_desktop")
+    _clear_npm_lockfile_hash(hermes_root, DESKTOP_NPM_SCOPE)
     _remove_half_installed_get_windows(PROJECT_ROOT)
     # Managed Node on PATH so npm's child scripts that shell out to bare `node`
     # (e.g. electron-winstaller's select-7z-arch.js) resolve it even when the
@@ -1439,7 +1440,7 @@ def _install_desktop_workspace_deps(npm: str, env: dict) -> None:
     nixos_env = with_hermes_node_path(_nixos_build_env())
     install_result = _run_npm_install_deterministic(npm, PROJECT_ROOT, capture_output=False, env=nixos_env)
     if install_result.returncode == 0:
-        _record_npm_lockfile_hash(hermes_root, "_desktop")
+        _record_npm_lockfile_hash(hermes_root, DESKTOP_NPM_SCOPE)
         return
     if not _electron_pkg_staged_missing_dist(PROJECT_ROOT):
         print(f"✗ Desktop dependency install failed\n  Run manually:  cd {PROJECT_ROOT} && npm ci")
diff --git a/hermes_cli/update_cmd_deps.py b/hermes_cli/update_cmd_deps.py
index 6b024b47d9..8778260776 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/update_cmd_deps.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/update_cmd_deps.py
@@ -564,15 +564,15 @@ def _record_npm_lockfile_hash(hermes_root: Path, scope: str = "") -> None:
         logger.debug("Could not write npm lockfile hash cache")
 
 
+# Stamp scope of the full-graph desktop install (pass 1's workspace-scoped stamp has none).
+DESKTOP_NPM_SCOPE = "_desktop"
+
+
 def _desktop_deps_changed(hermes_root: Path) -> bool:
-    """True when the full-graph root ``npm ci`` the desktop build needs must run again: manifests
-    changed since its last success, or Electron is gone (the workspace-scoped pass-1 install prunes
-    it whenever it runs). See #43837."""
-    from hermes_cli.update_cmd import _m
+    """True when the manifests changed since the full-graph desktop ``npm ci`` last succeeded (#43837).
+    The caller also re-installs when Electron is missing: pass 1 prunes it whenever it runs."""
     current = _npm_manifests_digest()
-    if current is None or not (_m().PROJECT_ROOT / "node_modules" / "electron" / "package.json").is_file():
-        return True
-    return not _npm_stamp_matches(hermes_root, current, "_desktop")
+    return current is None or not _npm_stamp_matches(hermes_root, current, DESKTOP_NPM_SCOPE)
 
 
 def _repair_node_deps_on_current_checkout(
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_desktop_half_installed_get_windows.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_desktop_half_installed_get_windows.py
index 524d5ad9af..d30d4d0a45 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_desktop_half_installed_get_windows.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_desktop_half_installed_get_windows.py
@@ -5,9 +5,29 @@ mid-package, leaving the dir without ``package.json``; npm never revisits an exi
 the optional dep stayed broken on every later update until a manual repair.
 """
 
+import shutil
+from pathlib import Path
+
 from hermes_cli import main_desktop
 
 
+def _desktop_checkout(tmp_path: Path, monkeypatch, *, electron_dir: Path | None = None) -> Path:
+    """A minimal checkout with a staged Electron package; returns the electron dir."""
+    import hermes_cli.main as main_mod
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path / "home"))
+    (tmp_path / "home").mkdir()
+    monkeypatch.setattr(main_mod, "PROJECT_ROOT", tmp_path)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(main_desktop, "_nixos_build_env", lambda: {})
+    (tmp_path / "package.json").write_text('{"workspaces": ["apps/*"]}', encoding="utf-8")
+    (tmp_path / "package-lock.json").write_text("{}", encoding="utf-8")
+    (tmp_path / "apps" / "desktop").mkdir(parents=True)
+    (tmp_path / "apps" / "desktop" / "package.json").write_text("{}", encoding="utf-8")
+    electron = electron_dir or tmp_path / "node_modules" / "electron"
+    electron.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (electron / "package.json").write_text("{}", encoding="utf-8")
+    return electron
+
+
 def test_half_installed_dir_is_removed_and_a_complete_one_is_kept(tmp_path):
     half = tmp_path / "node_modules" / "get-windows" / "lib" / "binding"
     half.mkdir(parents=True)
@@ -44,19 +64,10 @@ def test_install_removes_the_half_installed_dir_before_npm_runs(tmp_path, monkey
 
 def test_install_is_skipped_while_manifests_and_electron_are_unchanged(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     """Root `npm ci` re-reifies the whole graph; only manifest changes or a pruned Electron warrant it. See #43837."""
-    import hermes_cli.main as main_mod
     import hermes_cli.main_web_build as web_build
     from hermes_constants import get_default_hermes_root
-    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path / "home"))
-    (tmp_path / "home").mkdir()
-    monkeypatch.setattr(main_mod, "PROJECT_ROOT", tmp_path)
-    monkeypatch.setattr(main_desktop, "_nixos_build_env", lambda: {})
-    (tmp_path / "package.json").write_text('{"workspaces": ["apps/*"]}', encoding="utf-8")
-    (tmp_path / "package-lock.json").write_text("{}", encoding="utf-8")
-    (tmp_path / "apps" / "desktop").mkdir(parents=True)
-    (tmp_path / "apps" / "desktop" / "package.json").write_text("{}", encoding="utf-8")
-    (tmp_path / "node_modules" / "electron").mkdir(parents=True)
-    (tmp_path / "node_modules" / "electron" / "package.json").write_text("{}", encoding="utf-8")
+    # Electron under the workspace-local hoist, where electronDist points (_electron_dir).
+    electron = _desktop_checkout(tmp_path, monkeypatch, electron_dir=tmp_path / "apps" / "desktop" / "node_modules" / "electron")
     calls: list[Path] = []
     monkeypatch.setattr(web_build, "_run_npm_install_deterministic",
                         lambda npm, cwd, **kw: calls.append(cwd) or type("R", (), {"returncode": 0})())
@@ -64,11 +75,16 @@ def test_install_is_skipped_while_manifests_and_electron_are_unchanged(tmp_path,
     main_desktop._install_desktop_workspace_deps("npm", {})
     main_desktop._install_desktop_workspace_deps("npm", {})
     assert calls == [tmp_path], "second build with unchanged manifests must not npm ci again"
-    assert list(get_default_hermes_root().glob(".npm_lock_hash_*_desktop")), "stamp lives beside pass 1's"
+
+    shutil.rmtree(electron)  # pass 1 pruned Electron → the full install must run even with a matching stamp
+    main_desktop._install_desktop_workspace_deps("npm", {})
+    assert calls == [tmp_path, tmp_path]
+    electron.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (electron / "package.json").write_text("{}", encoding="utf-8")
 
     (tmp_path / "apps" / "desktop" / "package.json").write_text('{"name": "bumped"}', encoding="utf-8")
     main_desktop._install_desktop_workspace_deps("npm", {})
-    assert calls == [tmp_path, tmp_path], "a changed manifest must reinstall"
+    assert calls == [tmp_path] * 3, "a changed manifest must reinstall"
 
 
 def test_failed_reinstall_drops_the_stamp_so_the_next_update_repairs(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
@@ -76,20 +92,9 @@ def test_failed_reinstall_drops_the_stamp_so_the_next_update_repairs(tmp_path, m
     must not leave an older matching stamp behind, or the half-installed tree is never revisited."""
     import pytest
 
-    import hermes_cli.main as main_mod
     import hermes_cli.main_web_build as web_build
     from hermes_constants import get_default_hermes_root
-    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path / "home"))
-    (tmp_path / "home").mkdir()
-    monkeypatch.setattr(main_mod, "PROJECT_ROOT", tmp_path)
-    monkeypatch.setattr(main_desktop, "_nixos_build_env", lambda: {})
-    (tmp_path / "package.json").write_text('{"workspaces": ["apps/*"]}', encoding="utf-8")
-    (tmp_path / "package-lock.json").write_text("{}", encoding="utf-8")
-    (tmp_path / "apps" / "desktop").mkdir(parents=True)
-    (tmp_path / "apps" / "desktop" / "package.json").write_text("{}", encoding="utf-8")
-    electron = tmp_path / "node_modules" / "electron"
-    electron.mkdir(parents=True)
-    (electron / "package.json").write_text("{}", encoding="utf-8")
+    electron = _desktop_checkout(tmp_path, monkeypatch)
     codes = [0, 1, 0]
     monkeypatch.setattr(web_build, "_run_npm_install_deterministic",
                         lambda npm, cwd, **kw: type("R", (), {"returncode": codes.pop(0)})())
@@ -100,6 +105,5 @@ def test_failed_reinstall_drops_the_stamp_so_the_next_update_repairs(tmp_path, m
         main_desktop._install_desktop_workspace_deps("npm", {})  # interrupted mid-extract
     (electron / "package.json").write_text("{}", encoding="utf-8")  # partially reified tree
 
-    assert not list(get_default_hermes_root().glob(".npm_lock_hash_*_desktop"))
     main_desktop._install_desktop_workspace_deps("npm", {})
     assert codes == [], "the next update must run the install again, not skip on the stale stamp"