diff --git a/hermes_cli/main.py b/hermes_cli/main.py
index 09752fed433..a75e4ff40e8 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/main.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/main.py
@@ -6827,6 +6827,74 @@ def _cleanup_quarantined_exes(scripts_dir: Path | None = None) -> None:
         pass
 
 
+def _refresh_active_lazy_features() -> None:
+    """Refresh lazy-installed backends after a code update.
+
+    When pyproject.toml's ``[all]`` extra was slimmed down (May 2026), most
+    optional backends moved to ``tools/lazy_deps.py`` and only install on
+    first use. ``hermes update`` runs ``uv pip install -e .[all]`` which
+    leaves those packages untouched — so if we bump a pin in
+    :data:`LAZY_DEPS` (CVE response, transitive bug fix), users who already
+    activated the backend keep the stale version forever.
+
+    This function asks lazy_deps which features the user has previously
+    activated and reinstalls them under the current pins. Features the
+    user never enabled stay quiet — no churn for cold backends.
+
+    Never raises. A failure here must not block the rest of the update.
+    """
+    try:
+        from tools import lazy_deps
+    except Exception as exc:
+        logger.debug("Lazy refresh skipped (import failed): %s", exc)
+        return
+
+    try:
+        active = lazy_deps.active_features()
+    except Exception as exc:
+        logger.debug("Lazy refresh skipped (active_features failed): %s", exc)
+        return
+
+    if not active:
+        return
+
+    print()
+    print(f"→ Refreshing {len(active)} active lazy backend(s)...")
+
+    try:
+        results = lazy_deps.refresh_active_features(prompt=False)
+    except Exception as exc:
+        # refresh_active_features is documented as never-raise, but defend
+        # the update flow against future regressions.
+        print(f"  ⚠ Lazy refresh failed unexpectedly: {exc}")
+        return
+
+    refreshed = [f for f, s in results.items() if s == "refreshed"]
+    current = [f for f, s in results.items() if s == "current"]
+    failed = [(f, s) for f, s in results.items() if s.startswith("failed:")]
+    skipped = [(f, s) for f, s in results.items() if s.startswith("skipped:")]
+
+    if refreshed:
+        print(f"  ↑ {len(refreshed)} refreshed: {', '.join(refreshed)}")
+    if current:
+        print(f"  ✓ {len(current)} already current")
+    if skipped:
+        # Most common reason: security.allow_lazy_installs=false. Show one
+        # line so the user knows why; not an error.
+        names = ", ".join(f for f, _ in skipped)
+        reason = skipped[0][1].split(": ", 1)[-1]
+        print(f"  · {len(skipped)} skipped ({reason}): {names}")
+    if failed:
+        for feature, status in failed:
+            reason = status.split(": ", 1)[-1]
+            # Clip noisy pip stderr to keep update output legible.
+            if len(reason) > 200:
+                reason = reason[:200] + "..."
+            print(f"  ⚠ {feature} failed to refresh: {reason}")
+        print("  Backends keep their previously-installed version; rerun")
+        print("  `hermes update` once the upstream issue is resolved.")
+
+
 def _install_python_dependencies_with_optional_fallback(
     install_cmd_prefix: list[str],
     *,
@@ -7749,6 +7817,8 @@ def _cmd_update_impl(args, gateway_mode: bool):
                 _install_psutil_android_compat(pip_cmd)
             _install_python_dependencies_with_optional_fallback(pip_cmd, group=install_group)
 
+        _refresh_active_lazy_features()
+
         _update_node_dependencies()
         _build_web_ui(PROJECT_ROOT / "web")
 
diff --git a/tests/tools/test_lazy_deps.py b/tests/tools/test_lazy_deps.py
index 9beecc0d995..714c5995eaa 100644
--- a/tests/tools/test_lazy_deps.py
+++ b/tests/tools/test_lazy_deps.py
@@ -226,3 +226,182 @@ class TestIsAvailable:
         monkeypatch.setitem(ld.LAZY_DEPS, "test.miss", ("zzzfake>=1",))
         monkeypatch.setattr(ld, "_is_satisfied", lambda spec: False)
         assert ld.is_available("test.miss") is False
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Version-aware _is_satisfied (Piece B — "stale pin" detection)
+#
+# The original implementation returned True the moment the package name
+# was importable, ignoring the spec's version range. That meant pin bumps
+# in LAZY_DEPS never propagated to users who already lazy-installed the
+# backend at an older version. _is_satisfied now parses the spec and
+# checks the installed version against the constraint.
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+class TestIsSatisfiedVersionAware:
+    def _fake_version(self, monkeypatch, installed_versions: dict):
+        """Patch importlib.metadata.version() inside lazy_deps."""
+        from importlib.metadata import PackageNotFoundError
+
+        def _version(pkg):
+            if pkg in installed_versions:
+                return installed_versions[pkg]
+            raise PackageNotFoundError(pkg)
+
+        # Patch at the import site lazy_deps uses (inside the function).
+        import importlib.metadata as _md
+        monkeypatch.setattr(_md, "version", _version)
+
+    def test_exact_pin_match_returns_true(self, monkeypatch):
+        self._fake_version(monkeypatch, {"honcho-ai": "2.0.1"})
+        assert ld._is_satisfied("honcho-ai==2.0.1") is True
+
+    def test_exact_pin_mismatch_returns_false(self, monkeypatch):
+        # Installed 2.0.0, spec requires 2.0.1 → False (needs upgrade).
+        self._fake_version(monkeypatch, {"honcho-ai": "2.0.0"})
+        assert ld._is_satisfied("honcho-ai==2.0.1") is False
+
+    def test_range_within_returns_true(self, monkeypatch):
+        self._fake_version(monkeypatch, {"slack-bolt": "1.27.0"})
+        assert ld._is_satisfied("slack-bolt>=1.18.0,<2") is True
+
+    def test_range_above_returns_false(self, monkeypatch):
+        # Installed too new for the upper bound.
+        self._fake_version(monkeypatch, {"slack-bolt": "2.0.0"})
+        assert ld._is_satisfied("slack-bolt>=1.18.0,<2") is False
+
+    def test_range_below_returns_false(self, monkeypatch):
+        self._fake_version(monkeypatch, {"slack-bolt": "1.0.0"})
+        assert ld._is_satisfied("slack-bolt>=1.18.0,<2") is False
+
+    def test_package_not_installed_returns_false(self, monkeypatch):
+        self._fake_version(monkeypatch, {})
+        assert ld._is_satisfied("anthropic==0.86.0") is False
+
+    def test_bare_package_name_presence_is_enough(self, monkeypatch):
+        # No version constraint — presence alone counts as satisfied.
+        self._fake_version(monkeypatch, {"somepkg": "1.0.0"})
+        assert ld._is_satisfied("somepkg") is True
+
+    def test_extras_block_in_spec_is_stripped(self, monkeypatch):
+        # mautrix[encryption]==0.21.0 — the [encryption] block must not
+        # confuse the specifier parser.
+        self._fake_version(monkeypatch, {"mautrix": "0.21.0"})
+        assert ld._is_satisfied("mautrix[encryption]==0.21.0") is True
+
+    def test_extras_block_mismatch_returns_false(self, monkeypatch):
+        self._fake_version(monkeypatch, {"mautrix": "0.20.0"})
+        assert ld._is_satisfied("mautrix[encryption]==0.21.0") is False
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# active_features + refresh_active_features (Piece A — hermes update wiring)
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+class TestActiveFeatures:
+    def test_no_packages_installed_returns_empty(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setattr(ld, "_is_present", lambda spec: False)
+        assert ld.active_features() == []
+
+    def test_finds_features_with_at_least_one_package_installed(self, monkeypatch):
+        # Pretend only honcho-ai is installed; nothing else.
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            ld, "_is_present",
+            lambda spec: ld._pkg_name_from_spec(spec) == "honcho-ai",
+        )
+        active = ld.active_features()
+        assert "memory.honcho" in active
+        # Backends the user never enabled stay quiet.
+        assert "memory.hindsight" not in active
+        assert "platform.slack" not in active
+
+    def test_multi_package_feature_active_if_any_present(self, monkeypatch):
+        # platform.slack has 3 packages; only one needs to be present
+        # for the feature to count as active (user activated it before,
+        # one transitive may have been uninstalled separately).
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            ld, "_is_present",
+            lambda spec: ld._pkg_name_from_spec(spec) == "slack-bolt",
+        )
+        assert "platform.slack" in ld.active_features()
+
+
+class TestRefreshActiveFeatures:
+    def test_no_active_features_returns_empty(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setattr(ld, "active_features", lambda: [])
+        assert ld.refresh_active_features() == {}
+
+    def test_already_current_is_noop(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setattr(ld, "active_features", lambda: ["test.feat"])
+        monkeypatch.setitem(ld.LAZY_DEPS, "test.feat", ("zzzfake==1.0.0",))
+        monkeypatch.setattr(ld, "_is_satisfied", lambda spec: True)
+        # If pip were called, this would fail loudly.
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            ld, "_venv_pip_install",
+            lambda *a, **kw: pytest.fail("pip should not be called"),
+        )
+        result = ld.refresh_active_features()
+        assert result == {"test.feat": "current"}
+
+    def test_stale_pin_triggers_reinstall(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setattr(ld, "active_features", lambda: ["test.feat"])
+        monkeypatch.setitem(ld.LAZY_DEPS, "test.feat", ("zzzfake==2.0.0",))
+        # First _is_satisfied check (in feature_missing) says no; after
+        # install, post-install check says yes.
+        states = iter([False, True])
+        monkeypatch.setattr(ld, "_is_satisfied", lambda spec: next(states))
+        monkeypatch.setattr(ld, "_allow_lazy_installs", lambda: True)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            ld, "_venv_pip_install",
+            lambda specs, **kw: ld._InstallResult(True, "ok", ""),
+        )
+        result = ld.refresh_active_features()
+        assert result == {"test.feat": "refreshed"}
+
+    def test_install_failure_recorded_not_raised(self, monkeypatch):
+        # A failed refresh must NOT raise out of hermes update.
+        monkeypatch.setattr(ld, "active_features", lambda: ["test.feat"])
+        monkeypatch.setitem(ld.LAZY_DEPS, "test.feat", ("zzzfake==2.0.0",))
+        monkeypatch.setattr(ld, "_is_satisfied", lambda spec: False)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(ld, "_allow_lazy_installs", lambda: True)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            ld, "_venv_pip_install",
+            lambda specs, **kw: ld._InstallResult(
+                False, "", "ERROR: PyPI 404 quarantine"
+            ),
+        )
+        result = ld.refresh_active_features()
+        assert "test.feat" in result
+        assert result["test.feat"].startswith("failed:")
+        assert "404 quarantine" in result["test.feat"]
+
+    def test_lazy_installs_disabled_marked_skipped(self, monkeypatch):
+        # security.allow_lazy_installs=false → don't error, mark skipped
+        # so hermes update can render "respecting your config" message.
+        monkeypatch.setattr(ld, "active_features", lambda: ["test.feat"])
+        monkeypatch.setitem(ld.LAZY_DEPS, "test.feat", ("zzzfake==2.0.0",))
+        monkeypatch.setattr(ld, "_is_satisfied", lambda spec: False)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(ld, "_allow_lazy_installs", lambda: False)
+        result = ld.refresh_active_features()
+        assert "test.feat" in result
+        assert result["test.feat"].startswith("skipped:")
+
+    def test_mixed_results_returns_per_feature_status(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setattr(ld, "active_features", lambda: ["a.ok", "b.fail"])
+        monkeypatch.setitem(ld.LAZY_DEPS, "a.ok", ("pkga==1.0",))
+        monkeypatch.setitem(ld.LAZY_DEPS, "b.fail", ("pkgb==1.0",))
+        # a.ok: already satisfied → "current"
+        # b.fail: missing + install fails → "failed:"
+        def fake_satisfied(spec):
+            return ld._pkg_name_from_spec(spec) == "pkga"
+        monkeypatch.setattr(ld, "_is_satisfied", fake_satisfied)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(ld, "_allow_lazy_installs", lambda: True)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            ld, "_venv_pip_install",
+            lambda specs, **kw: ld._InstallResult(False, "", "nope"),
+        )
+        result = ld.refresh_active_features()
+        assert result["a.ok"] == "current"
+        assert result["b.fail"].startswith("failed:")
diff --git a/tools/lazy_deps.py b/tools/lazy_deps.py
index 60883663439..09347e8281c 100644
--- a/tools/lazy_deps.py
+++ b/tools/lazy_deps.py
@@ -248,12 +248,69 @@ def _pkg_name_from_spec(spec: str) -> str:
     return m.group(1) if m else spec
 
 
-def _is_satisfied(spec: str) -> bool:
-    """Best-effort check: is ``spec`` already satisfied in the current env?
+def _specifier_from_spec(spec: str) -> str:
+    """Extract just the version-specifier portion of a pip spec.
 
-    We don't enforce the version range — if the package is importable
-    we assume the user knows what they're doing. This matches how the
-    lazy-import sites already behave.
+    ``"honcho-ai==2.0.1"`` → ``"==2.0.1"``
+    ``"mautrix[encryption]>=0.20,<1"`` → ``">=0.20,<1"``
+    ``"package"`` → ``""`` (no version constraint)
+    """
+    # Strip the package name + optional [extras] block.
+    m = re.match(r"^[A-Za-z0-9_][A-Za-z0-9_.\-]*(?:\[[A-Za-z0-9_,\-]+\])?", spec)
+    if not m:
+        return ""
+    return spec[m.end():]
+
+
+def _is_satisfied(spec: str) -> bool:
+    """Is ``spec`` already satisfied in the current env?
+
+    Checks both presence AND version. If the package is installed at a
+    version outside the spec's range, returns False so the caller will
+    upgrade/downgrade to the pinned version. This is what makes
+    ``hermes update`` propagate pin bumps in :data:`LAZY_DEPS` to already-
+    installed backends instead of silently leaving stale versions in place.
+
+    If ``packaging`` is unavailable for any reason (it's a transitive of
+    pip so this should never happen), we fall back to a presence-only check
+    so we err on the side of "don't churn".
+    """
+    pkg = _pkg_name_from_spec(spec)
+    try:
+        from importlib.metadata import PackageNotFoundError, version
+    except ImportError:
+        return False
+    try:
+        installed = version(pkg)
+    except PackageNotFoundError:
+        return False
+    except Exception:
+        return False
+
+    spec_tail = _specifier_from_spec(spec)
+    if not spec_tail:
+        # Bare ``"package"`` — no version constraint, presence is enough.
+        return True
+
+    try:
+        from packaging.specifiers import InvalidSpecifier, SpecifierSet
+        from packaging.version import InvalidVersion, Version
+    except ImportError:
+        # packaging unavailable — fall back to "installed counts as satisfied".
+        return True
+
+    try:
+        return Version(installed) in SpecifierSet(spec_tail)
+    except (InvalidSpecifier, InvalidVersion, Exception):
+        # Malformed spec or installed version we can't parse — don't churn.
+        return True
+
+
+def _is_present(spec: str) -> bool:
+    """Cheap presence-only check (package name installed at any version).
+
+    Used by :func:`active_features` to detect backends the user has
+    previously activated, regardless of whether the version pin moved.
     """
     pkg = _pkg_name_from_spec(spec)
     try:
@@ -442,6 +499,57 @@ def feature_install_command(feature: str) -> Optional[str]:
     return "uv pip install " + " ".join(repr(s) for s in specs)
 
 
+def active_features() -> list[str]:
+    """Return the list of features the user has ever lazy-installed.
+
+    A feature counts as "active" if at least one of its declared packages
+    is currently installed in the venv (presence check, ignoring version).
+    Features the user has never enabled stay quiet.
+
+    Used by ``hermes update`` to figure out which lazy backends need a
+    refresh pass when pins move in :data:`LAZY_DEPS`.
+    """
+    active = []
+    for feature, specs in LAZY_DEPS.items():
+        if any(_is_present(s) for s in specs):
+            active.append(feature)
+    return active
+
+
+def refresh_active_features(*, prompt: bool = False) -> dict[str, str]:
+    """Re-run ``ensure`` for every feature the user has previously activated.
+
+    Returns a ``{feature: status}`` map where status is one of:
+        ``"current"``  — pins already satisfied, no install run
+        ``"refreshed"`` — pins were stale, reinstall succeeded
+        ``"failed: <reason>"`` — install attempt failed; caller decides
+                                  whether to surface it (we don't raise)
+        ``"skipped: <reason>"`` — gated off (config flag, user decline)
+
+    Intended for ``hermes update``. Never raises; lazy-install failures
+    here must not block the rest of the update flow.
+    """
+    results: dict[str, str] = {}
+    for feature in active_features():
+        missing = feature_missing(feature)
+        if not missing:
+            results[feature] = "current"
+            continue
+        try:
+            ensure(feature, prompt=prompt)
+            results[feature] = "refreshed"
+        except FeatureUnavailable as e:
+            # Distinguish "user opted out" from "install failed" so the
+            # update command can render the right message.
+            if "lazy installs disabled" in str(e) or "declined" in str(e):
+                results[feature] = f"skipped: {e.reason}"
+            else:
+                results[feature] = f"failed: {e.reason}"
+        except Exception as e:
+            results[feature] = f"failed: {e}"
+    return results
+
+
 def ensure_and_bind(
     feature: str,
     importer: Callable[[], dict[str, Any]],