diff --git a/scripts/install.sh b/scripts/install.sh
index 166d984fa..109b819a9 100755
--- a/scripts/install.sh
+++ b/scripts/install.sh
@@ -752,7 +752,12 @@ clone_repo() {
                 if [ "$restore_now" = "yes" ]; then
                     log_info "Restoring local changes..."
                     if git stash apply "$autostash_ref"; then
-                        git stash drop "$autostash_ref" >/dev/null
+                        # Apply succeeded; dropping the captured stash ref can still fail
+                        # after an interrupted prior install (stale hash / not a stash ref).
+                        # Never abort the installer here — user changes are already applied (#14735).
+                        if ! git stash drop "$autostash_ref" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+                            log_warn "Could not drop installer autostash (already removed or not a stash reference). Continuing. (#14735)"
+                        fi
                         log_warn "Local changes were restored on top of the updated codebase."
                         log_warn "Review git diff / git status if Hermes behaves unexpectedly."
                     else
diff --git a/tests/test_install_sh_issue_14735.py b/tests/test_install_sh_issue_14735.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..77d9d716e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_install_sh_issue_14735.py
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+"""Regression tests for scripts/install.sh autostash cleanup (issue #14735).
+
+The installer uses ``set -e``. A stale ``git stash drop <ref>`` after a prior
+interrupted run must not abort the whole script. These tests validate the
+guard pattern and that install.sh still contains it.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import re
+import subprocess
+import textwrap
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+def _repo_root() -> Path:
+    return Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
+
+
+def test_install_sh_stash_drop_after_apply_is_non_fatal() -> None:
+    """Reproduce #14735: drop of a non-stash ref must not exit under set -e."""
+    script = textwrap.dedent(
+        r"""
+        set -euo pipefail
+        tmp=$(mktemp -d)
+        trap 'rm -rf "$tmp"' EXIT
+        cd "$tmp"
+        git init -q
+        git config user.email "test@example.com"
+        git config user.name "Hermes Install Test"
+        echo v1 >tracked.txt
+        git add tracked.txt
+        git commit -q -m "base"
+        echo dirty >>tracked.txt
+        git stash push -u -q -m "hermes-install-autostash-test"
+        stash_ref=$(git rev-parse refs/stash)
+        stale_ref=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
+        git stash apply "$stash_ref"
+        # Same pattern as scripts/install.sh after fix: drop must not abort.
+        if ! git stash drop "$stale_ref" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            echo "drop_failed_as_expected"
+        fi
+        echo "survived"
+        """
+    )
+    proc = subprocess.run(
+        ["bash", "-c", script],
+        check=False,
+        capture_output=True,
+        text=True,
+        timeout=60,
+    )
+    assert proc.returncode == 0, (proc.stdout, proc.stderr, proc.returncode)
+    assert "survived" in proc.stdout
+    assert "drop_failed_as_expected" in proc.stdout
+
+
+def test_install_sh_documents_guarded_autostash_drop() -> None:
+    """install.sh must keep the non-fatal autostash drop guard (issue #14735)."""
+    install_sh = _repo_root() / "scripts" / "install.sh"
+    text = install_sh.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    # After successful apply: guarded drop + user-facing warning.
+    assert re.search(
+        r'git stash apply "\$autostash_ref"[\s\S]{0,800}?'
+        r'if ! git stash drop "\$autostash_ref"\s*>\s*/dev/null\s*2>&1',
+        text,
+    ), "expected guarded 'git stash drop' after successful apply"
+    assert "Could not drop installer autostash" in text
+    assert "#14735" in text
+
+
+def test_stash_pop_round_trip_succeeds() -> None:
+    """Sanity: stash / pop succeeds in a fresh repo (install path uses apply+drop)."""
+    script = textwrap.dedent(
+        r"""
+        set -euo pipefail
+        tmp=$(mktemp -d)
+        trap 'rm -rf "$tmp"' EXIT
+        cd "$tmp"
+        git init -q
+        git config user.email "test@example.com"
+        git config user.name "Hermes Install Test"
+        echo v1 >f
+        git add f && git commit -q -m one
+        echo v2 >>f
+        git stash push -u -q -m stash1
+        if ! git stash pop -q; then
+          echo "stash_pop_failed" >&2
+          exit 2
+        fi
+        echo ok
+        """
+    )
+    proc = subprocess.run(
+        ["bash", "-c", script],
+        check=False,
+        capture_output=True,
+        text=True,
+        timeout=60,
+    )
+    assert proc.returncode == 0, (proc.stdout, proc.stderr)
+    assert "ok" in proc.stdout