diff --git a/cron/jobs.py b/cron/jobs.py
index 3af18d3b411c..d3bb624128c3 100644
--- a/cron/jobs.py
+++ b/cron/jobs.py
@@ -115,26 +115,40 @@ _cron_store_override: ContextVar[Optional[_CronStorePaths]] = ContextVar(
 )
 
 
+# Import-time snapshot of the compatibility constants, so deliberate
+# re-pointing of the module surface (monkeypatched CRON_DIR/JOBS_FILE/
+# OUTPUT_DIR — the documented escape hatch existing tests/embedders use)
+# is distinguishable from the constants merely being stale.
+_IMPORT_STORE = _CronStorePaths(CRON_DIR, JOBS_FILE, OUTPUT_DIR)
+
+
 def _current_cron_store() -> _CronStorePaths:
     """Return paths pinned to this execution context's profile.
 
-    With no use_cron_store() override active, the active profile home is
-    resolved FRESH via get_hermes_home() (context-local override, then the
-    HERMES_HOME env var) instead of trusting the import-time capture. A test
-    or embedder that re-points HERMES_HOME after this module was imported
-    therefore reads/writes ITS OWN store — not whatever jobs.json the import
-    happened to freeze (the filed incident: fixtures that patched the env too
-    late silently rewrote the user's real jobs file). The module-level
-    constants keep their import-time values as the documented compatibility
-    surface, and the common path (home unchanged since import) still returns
-    them unchanged.
+    Precedence, most explicit first:
+
+    1. an active use_cron_store() override (ContextVar);
+    2. deliberately re-pointed module constants — if CRON_DIR/JOBS_FILE/
+       OUTPUT_DIR no longer match their import-time values, someone chose
+       the documented process-wide compatibility surface; honor it;
+    3. the ACTIVE profile home, resolved fresh via get_hermes_home()
+       (context-local override, then the HERMES_HOME env var) — so a test
+       or embedder that re-points HERMES_HOME after this module was
+       imported reads/writes ITS OWN store, not whatever jobs.json the
+       import happened to freeze (the filed incident: fixtures that patched
+       the env too late silently rewrote the user's real jobs file);
+    4. the import-time constants (home unchanged since import — the common
+       path, returned unchanged).
     """
     override = _cron_store_override.get()
     if override is not None:
         return override
+    live_constants = _CronStorePaths(CRON_DIR, JOBS_FILE, OUTPUT_DIR)
+    if live_constants != _IMPORT_STORE:
+        return live_constants
     home = get_hermes_home().resolve()
     if home == HERMES_DIR:
-        return _CronStorePaths(CRON_DIR, JOBS_FILE, OUTPUT_DIR)
+        return live_constants
     cron_dir = home / "cron"
     return _CronStorePaths(cron_dir, cron_dir / "jobs.json", cron_dir / "output")
 
diff --git a/tests/cron/test_jobs.py b/tests/cron/test_jobs.py
index 689413b3d8d6..ea265ae8f88c 100644
--- a/tests/cron/test_jobs.py
+++ b/tests/cron/test_jobs.py
@@ -1978,3 +1978,16 @@ class TestLateEnvRepointScopesStore:
         with jobs.use_cron_store(tmp_path / "override-home"):
             store = jobs._current_cron_store()
             assert store.jobs_file == (tmp_path / "override-home").resolve() / "cron" / "jobs.json"
+
+    def test_patched_compatibility_constants_beat_env(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        """Deliberately re-pointed module constants are the documented
+        process-wide escape hatch — they win over a repointed HERMES_HOME."""
+        import cron.jobs as jobs
+
+        patched_dir = tmp_path / "patched-cron"
+        monkeypatch.setattr(jobs, "CRON_DIR", patched_dir)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(jobs, "JOBS_FILE", patched_dir / "jobs.json")
+        monkeypatch.setattr(jobs, "OUTPUT_DIR", patched_dir / "output")
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path / "env-home"))
+        store = jobs._current_cron_store()
+        assert store.jobs_file == patched_dir / "jobs.json"