diff --git a/hermes_cli/plugins_cmd.py b/hermes_cli/plugins_cmd.py
index bb4fe0f29da..cd3520016aa 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/plugins_cmd.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/plugins_cmd.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ rendered with Rich Markdown.  Otherwise a default confirmation is shown.
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import functools
 import logging
 import os
 import shutil
@@ -23,6 +24,41 @@ from hermes_cli.config import cfg_get
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
+@functools.lru_cache(maxsize=1)
+def _resolve_git_executable() -> Optional[str]:
+    """Resolve a git binary for subprocess use when ``PATH`` may be minimal.
+
+    Matches other Hermes subprocess resolution: :func:`shutil.which` first,
+    then common Git for Windows install paths and POSIX defaults.
+    """
+    found = shutil.which("git")
+    if found:
+        return found
+    if os.name == "nt":
+        prog = os.environ.get("ProgramFiles", r"C:\Program Files")
+        prog_x86 = os.environ.get("ProgramFiles(x86)", r"C:\Program Files (x86)")
+        local = os.environ.get("LOCALAPPDATA", "")
+        candidates = [
+            os.path.join(prog, "Git", "cmd", "git.exe"),
+            os.path.join(prog, "Git", "bin", "git.exe"),
+            os.path.join(prog_x86, "Git", "cmd", "git.exe"),
+            os.path.join(prog_x86, "Git", "bin", "git.exe"),
+        ]
+        if local:
+            candidates.extend(
+                (
+                    os.path.join(local, "Programs", "Git", "cmd", "git.exe"),
+                    os.path.join(local, "Programs", "Git", "bin", "git.exe"),
+                )
+            )
+    else:
+        candidates = ["/usr/bin/git", "/usr/local/bin/git", "/bin/git"]
+    for c in candidates:
+        if c and os.path.isfile(c):
+            return c
+    return None
+
+
 class PluginOperationError(Exception):
     """Recoverable plugin install/update failure (CLI exits; HTTP maps to 4xx)."""
 
@@ -324,9 +360,13 @@ def _install_plugin_core(identifier: str, *, force: bool) -> tuple[Path, dict, s
     with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
         tmp_target = Path(tmp) / "plugin"
 
+        git_exe = _resolve_git_executable()
+        if not git_exe:
+            raise PluginOperationError("git is not installed or not in PATH.")
+
         try:
             result = subprocess.run(
-                ["git", "clone", "--depth", "1", git_url, str(tmp_target)],
+                [git_exe, "clone", "--depth", "1", git_url, str(tmp_target)],
                 capture_output=True,
                 text=True,
                 timeout=60,
@@ -1472,9 +1512,12 @@ def dashboard_update_user_plugin(name: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
 
 
 def _git_pull_plugin_dir(target: Path) -> tuple[bool, str]:
+    git_exe = _resolve_git_executable()
+    if not git_exe:
+        return False, "git is not installed or not in PATH."
     try:
         result = subprocess.run(
-            ["git", "pull", "--ff-only"],
+            [git_exe, "pull", "--ff-only"],
             capture_output=True,
             text=True,
             timeout=60,
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_plugins_cmd.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_plugins_cmd.py
index 11231350e10..180646c935d 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_plugins_cmd.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_plugins_cmd.py
@@ -12,9 +12,11 @@ import pytest
 import yaml
 
 from hermes_cli.plugins_cmd import (
+    PluginOperationError,
     _copy_example_files,
     _read_manifest,
     _repo_name_from_url,
+    _resolve_git_executable,
     _resolve_git_url,
     _sanitize_plugin_name,
     plugins_command,
@@ -99,6 +101,69 @@ class TestResolveGitUrl:
             _resolve_git_url("a/b/c")
 
 
+# ── _resolve_git_executable ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+class TestResolveGitExecutable:
+    """Fallback resolution when bare ``git`` is not discoverable via ``PATH``."""
+
+    def teardown_method(self):
+        _resolve_git_executable.cache_clear()
+
+    def test_prefers_shutil_which(self):
+        import hermes_cli.plugins_cmd as pc
+
+        _resolve_git_executable.cache_clear()
+        with patch.object(pc.shutil, "which", return_value="/usr/local/bin/git"):
+            assert pc._resolve_git_executable() == "/usr/local/bin/git"
+
+    def test_fallback_posix_first_matching_path(self):
+        import hermes_cli.plugins_cmd as pc
+
+        _resolve_git_executable.cache_clear()
+
+        def _isfile(p: str) -> bool:
+            return p == "/usr/local/bin/git"
+
+        with patch.object(pc.shutil, "which", return_value=None):
+            with patch.object(pc.os, "name", "posix"):
+                with patch.object(pc.os.path, "isfile", side_effect=_isfile):
+                    assert pc._resolve_git_executable() == "/usr/local/bin/git"
+
+    def test_returns_none_when_unavailable(self):
+        import hermes_cli.plugins_cmd as pc
+
+        _resolve_git_executable.cache_clear()
+        with patch.object(pc.shutil, "which", return_value=None):
+            with patch.object(pc.os, "name", "posix"):
+                with patch.object(pc.os.path, "isfile", return_value=False):
+                    assert pc._resolve_git_executable() is None
+
+    def test_git_pull_uses_resolved_executable(self, tmp_path):
+        import hermes_cli.plugins_cmd as pc
+
+        _resolve_git_executable.cache_clear()
+        with patch.object(
+            pc,
+            "_resolve_git_executable",
+            return_value="/resolved/git",
+        ):
+            with patch.object(pc.subprocess, "run") as run:
+                run.return_value = MagicMock(returncode=0, stdout="Already up to date\n", stderr="")
+                ok, msg = pc._git_pull_plugin_dir(tmp_path)
+        assert ok is True
+        run.assert_called_once()
+        assert run.call_args[0][0][0] == "/resolved/git"
+
+    def test_install_core_raises_when_git_unresolved(self):
+        import hermes_cli.plugins_cmd as pc
+
+        _resolve_git_executable.cache_clear()
+        with patch.object(pc, "_resolve_git_executable", return_value=None):
+            with pytest.raises(PluginOperationError, match="git is not installed"):
+                pc._install_plugin_core("owner/repo", force=True)
+
+
 # ── _repo_name_from_url ──────────────────────────────────────────────────