diff --git a/hermes_cli/doctor.py b/hermes_cli/doctor.py
index 2ccb0e0d1e..4940b7fa5a 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/doctor.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/doctor.py
@@ -107,15 +107,35 @@ def _honcho_is_configured_for_doctor() -> bool:
         return False
 
 
+def _is_kanban_worker_env_gate(item: dict) -> bool:
+    """Return True when Kanban is unavailable only because this is not a worker process."""
+    if item.get("name") != "kanban":
+        return False
+    if os.environ.get("HERMES_KANBAN_TASK"):
+        return False
+
+    tools = item.get("tools") or []
+    return bool(tools) and all(str(tool).startswith("kanban_") for tool in tools)
+
+
+def _doctor_tool_availability_detail(toolset: str) -> str:
+    """Optional explanatory suffix for toolsets whose doctor status needs context."""
+    if toolset == "kanban" and not os.environ.get("HERMES_KANBAN_TASK"):
+        return "(runtime-gated; loaded only for dispatcher-spawned workers)"
+    return ""
+
+
 def _apply_doctor_tool_availability_overrides(available: list[str], unavailable: list[dict]) -> tuple[list[str], list[dict]]:
     """Adjust runtime-gated tool availability for doctor diagnostics."""
-    if not _honcho_is_configured_for_doctor():
-        return available, unavailable
-
     updated_available = list(available)
     updated_unavailable = []
     for item in unavailable:
-        if item.get("name") == "honcho":
+        name = item.get("name")
+        if _is_kanban_worker_env_gate(item):
+            if "kanban" not in updated_available:
+                updated_available.append("kanban")
+            continue
+        if name == "honcho" and _honcho_is_configured_for_doctor():
             if "honcho" not in updated_available:
                 updated_available.append("honcho")
             continue
@@ -1278,7 +1298,7 @@ def run_doctor(args):
         
         for tid in available:
             info = TOOLSET_REQUIREMENTS.get(tid, {})
-            check_ok(info.get("name", tid))
+            check_ok(info.get("name", tid), _doctor_tool_availability_detail(tid))
         
         for item in unavailable:
             env_vars = item.get("missing_vars") or item.get("env_vars") or []
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_doctor.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_doctor.py
index 0f48606141..374ef2dea4 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_doctor.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_doctor.py
@@ -126,6 +126,47 @@ class TestDoctorToolAvailabilityOverrides:
         assert available == []
         assert unavailable == [honcho_entry]
 
+    def test_marks_kanban_available_only_when_missing_worker_env_gate(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setattr(doctor, "_honcho_is_configured_for_doctor", lambda: False)
+        monkeypatch.delenv("HERMES_KANBAN_TASK", raising=False)
+
+        available, unavailable = doctor._apply_doctor_tool_availability_overrides(
+            [],
+            [{"name": "kanban", "env_vars": [], "tools": ["kanban_show"]}],
+        )
+
+        assert available == ["kanban"]
+        assert unavailable == []
+
+    def test_leaves_kanban_unavailable_when_worker_env_is_set(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_KANBAN_TASK", "probe")
+        kanban_entry = {"name": "kanban", "env_vars": [], "tools": ["kanban_show"]}
+
+        available, unavailable = doctor._apply_doctor_tool_availability_overrides(
+            [],
+            [kanban_entry],
+        )
+
+        assert available == []
+        assert unavailable == [kanban_entry]
+
+    def test_leaves_non_worker_kanban_failure_unavailable(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.delenv("HERMES_KANBAN_TASK", raising=False)
+        kanban_entry = {"name": "kanban", "env_vars": [], "tools": ["kanban_show", "not_a_kanban_tool"]}
+
+        available, unavailable = doctor._apply_doctor_tool_availability_overrides(
+            [],
+            [kanban_entry],
+        )
+
+        assert available == []
+        assert unavailable == [kanban_entry]
+
+    def test_kanban_doctor_detail_explains_worker_gate(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.delenv("HERMES_KANBAN_TASK", raising=False)
+
+        assert doctor._doctor_tool_availability_detail("kanban") == "(runtime-gated; loaded only for dispatcher-spawned workers)"
+
 
 class TestHonchoDoctorConfigDetection:
     def test_reports_configured_when_enabled_with_api_key(self, monkeypatch):