diff --git a/scripts/install.ps1 b/scripts/install.ps1
index b93df59cb0f..691f7b912a4 100644
--- a/scripts/install.ps1
+++ b/scripts/install.ps1
@@ -139,6 +139,11 @@ foreach ($tmpVar in @('TEMP', 'TMP')) {
 $RepoUrlSsh = "git@github.com:NousResearch/hermes-agent.git"
 $RepoUrlHttps = "https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent.git"
 $PythonVersion = "3.11"
+# Minor versions the installer accepts when the requested $PythonVersion isn't
+# available, in preference order.  uv discovers both uv-managed and system
+# interpreters, so this list also matches a pre-existing system Python.  Single
+# source of truth shared by Test-Python's fallback and Resolve-AvailablePythonVersion.
+$PythonFallbackVersions = @("3.12", "3.13", "3.10")
 $NodeVersion = "22"
 
 # Stage-protocol version.  Bumped only for genuinely breaking changes to the
@@ -510,6 +515,31 @@ function Resolve-UvCmd {
     throw "uv is not installed. Run install.ps1 -Stage uv first."
 }
 
+function Resolve-AvailablePythonVersion {
+    # Return the first Python minor version uv can actually find, preferring the
+    # requested $PythonVersion and then $PythonFallbackVersions.  Returns $null
+    # when none are available.
+    #
+    # This is the cross-process-safe counterpart to Test-Python's in-memory
+    # ``$script:PythonVersion = $fallbackVer`` mutation.  Under Hermes-Setup.exe
+    # each ``-Stage NAME`` runs in a *fresh* powershell.exe, so the fallback the
+    # ``python`` stage settled on (e.g. 3.12 when 3.11 is absent) does NOT
+    # survive into the ``venv`` stage's process -- there $PythonVersion is back
+    # at its "3.11" default.  Consumers re-resolve here instead of trusting that
+    # default, which is exactly the propagation gap behind issue #50769.
+    $candidates = @($PythonVersion) + $PythonFallbackVersions
+    $seen = @{}
+    foreach ($ver in $candidates) {
+        if (-not $ver -or $seen.ContainsKey($ver)) { continue }
+        $seen[$ver] = $true
+        try {
+            $found = & $UvCmd python find $ver 2>$null
+            if ($found) { return $ver }
+        } catch { }
+    }
+    return $null
+}
+
 function Test-Python {
     Write-Info "Checking Python $PythonVersion..."
     
@@ -566,7 +596,7 @@ function Test-Python {
 
     # Fallback: check if ANY Python 3.10+ is already available on the system
     Write-Info "Trying to find any existing Python 3.10+..."
-    foreach ($fallbackVer in @("3.12", "3.13", "3.10")) {
+    foreach ($fallbackVer in $PythonFallbackVersions) {
         try {
             $pythonPath = & $UvCmd python find $fallbackVer 2>$null
             if ($pythonPath) {
@@ -1513,7 +1543,19 @@ function Install-Venv {
         Write-Info "Skipping virtual environment (-NoVenv)"
         return
     }
-    
+
+    # Re-resolve the interpreter before creating the venv.  Under Hermes-Setup.exe
+    # each stage runs in its own powershell.exe, so the fallback the `python`
+    # stage picked (e.g. 3.12 when 3.11 is absent) did NOT propagate into this
+    # fresh process -- $PythonVersion is back at its "3.11" default.  Trusting it
+    # here made `uv venv venv --python 3.11` fail with exit 2 on machines without
+    # 3.11 even though the `python` stage reported success (issue #50769).
+    $resolved = Resolve-AvailablePythonVersion
+    if ($resolved -and $resolved -ne $PythonVersion) {
+        Write-Info "Python $PythonVersion not available; using detected Python $resolved"
+        $script:PythonVersion = $resolved
+    }
+
     Write-Info "Creating virtual environment with Python $PythonVersion..."
     
     Push-Location $InstallDir