diff --git a/hermes_cli/tools_config.py b/hermes_cli/tools_config.py
index 8db88ec0c4..e228edf9a0 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/tools_config.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/tools_config.py
@@ -1072,10 +1072,16 @@ def install_cua_driver(
         # baked in by CD and errors cleanly on missing-arch assets.
         return _run_cua_driver_installer(label="Installing")
 
+    # An installed driver that fails Hermes' runtime contract (version floor,
+    # missing manifest verbs) is repaired regardless of the caller's mode.
+    # Hermes' own minimum requirement IS the confirmation that an upgrade is
+    # needed, so the ``upgrade=True`` path must not defer to the driver's
+    # ``check-update`` verb here — a cached/indeterminate "no update" answer
+    # would otherwise pin users on an unusable driver forever (observed:
+    # 0.19.3 installs hard-failing every computer_use call after the 0.20
+    # contract landed, with `hermes update` declining to refresh).
     contract = _cua_driver_contract_status(binary) if binary else None
-    repair_existing = bool(
-        binary and not upgrade and contract and not contract.get("ready")
-    )
+    repair_existing = bool(binary and contract and not contract.get("ready"))
 
     # A compatible existing installation needs no download. Finish the small
     # host-specific setup that the upstream installer normally owns.
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_install_cua_driver.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_install_cua_driver.py
index a6a8941b9f..39b997323d 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_install_cua_driver.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_install_cua_driver.py
@@ -149,6 +149,11 @@ class TestInstallCuaDriverUpgrade:
         with patch.object(tools_config.shutil, "which",
                           side_effect=lambda n: "/usr/local/bin/" + n
                                                  if n in {"cua-driver", "curl"} else None), \
+             patch.object(
+                 tools_config,
+                 "_cua_driver_contract_status",
+                 return_value={"ready": True, "version": "0.20.0", "reason": ""},
+             ), \
              patch.object(tools_config, "_run_cua_driver_installer",
                           return_value=True) as runner, \
              patch("subprocess.run"):
@@ -245,6 +250,11 @@ class TestInstallCuaDriverUpgrade:
                      else None
                  ),
              ), \
+             patch.object(
+                 tools_config,
+                 "_cua_driver_contract_status",
+                 return_value={"ready": True, "version": "0.20.0", "reason": ""},
+             ), \
              patch.object(
                  tools_config,
                  "_run_cua_driver_installer",
@@ -450,6 +460,11 @@ class TestRequireConfirmedUpdate:
                           return_value="/x/cua-driver"), \
              patch.object(tools_config, "_cua_install_target_writable",
                           return_value=True), \
+             patch.object(
+                 tools_config,
+                 "_cua_driver_contract_status",
+                 return_value={"ready": True, "version": "0.20.0", "reason": ""},
+             ), \
              patch("tools.computer_use.cua_backend.cua_driver_update_check",
                    return_value=check_state), \
              patch.object(tools_config, "_run_cua_driver_installer",
@@ -503,6 +518,55 @@ class TestRequireConfirmedUpdate:
         assert ok is True
         runner.assert_called_once()
 
+    def test_incompatible_driver_repairs_despite_indeterminate_check(self):
+        """Hermes' own version floor is the confirmation. When the installed
+        driver fails the runtime contract, the `hermes update` refresh must
+        repair it even though ``check-update`` can't confirm a newer release
+        (its ~20h cache routinely lags a same-day floor bump — the 0.19.3
+        wedge)."""
+        from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+        from hermes_cli import tools_config
+
+        incompatible = {
+            "ready": False,
+            "version": "0.19.3",
+            "reason": "Hermes computer use requires cua-driver 0.20.0 or newer",
+        }
+        with patch.object(tools_config.shutil, "which",
+                          side_effect=lambda n: "/x/" + n
+                          if n in {"cua-driver", "curl", "powershell"} else None), \
+             patch.object(tools_config, "_resolved_cua_driver_cmd",
+                          return_value="/x/cua-driver"), \
+             patch.object(tools_config, "_cua_install_target_writable",
+                          return_value=True), \
+             patch.object(
+                 tools_config,
+                 "_cua_driver_contract_status",
+                 side_effect=[incompatible,
+                              {"ready": True, "version": "0.20.0", "reason": ""}],
+             ), \
+             patch("tools.computer_use.cua_backend.cua_driver_update_check",
+                   return_value=None) as check, \
+             patch.object(tools_config, "_run_cua_driver_installer",
+                          return_value=True) as runner, \
+             patch("subprocess.run",
+                   return_value=MagicMock(stdout="cua-driver 0.19.3",
+                                          returncode=0)), \
+             patch.object(tools_config, "_print_success"), \
+             patch.object(tools_config, "_print_warning"), \
+             patch.object(tools_config, "_print_info"):
+            ok = tools_config.install_cua_driver(
+                upgrade=True, require_confirmed_update=True
+            )
+
+        assert ok is True
+        runner.assert_called_once()
+        assert runner.call_args.kwargs["label"] == "Repairing"
+        # The confirmed-update gate must not even consult check-update:
+        # the contract failure already confirmed the need.
+        check.assert_not_called()
+
 
 class TestUpdateCheckTimeoutDefaults:
     """cua_driver_update_check: platform-sensitive default timeout.
@@ -623,6 +687,11 @@ class TestArchProbeRemoval:
         with patch.object(tools_config.shutil, "which",
                           side_effect=lambda n: "/usr/local/bin/" + n
                                                  if n in ("cua-driver", "curl", "powershell") else None), \
+             patch.object(
+                 tools_config,
+                 "_cua_driver_contract_status",
+                 return_value={"ready": True, "version": "0.20.0", "reason": ""},
+             ), \
              patch("urllib.request.urlopen") as urlopen, \
              patch("subprocess.run"), \
              patch.object(tools_config, "_run_cua_driver_installer",
@@ -1055,6 +1124,11 @@ class TestConfirmedVersionPinning:
                           return_value="/x/cua-driver"), \
              patch.object(tools_config, "_cua_install_target_writable",
                           return_value=True), \
+             patch.object(
+                 tools_config,
+                 "_cua_driver_contract_status",
+                 return_value={"ready": True, "version": "0.20.0", "reason": ""},
+             ), \
              patch("tools.computer_use.cua_backend.cua_driver_update_check",
                    return_value=check_state), \
              patch.object(tools_config, "_run_cua_driver_installer",
diff --git a/tests/tools/test_computer_use.py b/tests/tools/test_computer_use.py
index f42efa6b56..1da5b0666f 100644
--- a/tests/tools/test_computer_use.py
+++ b/tests/tools/test_computer_use.py
@@ -819,6 +819,122 @@ class TestLazyMcpInstall:
         mock_sess_start.assert_not_called()  # never reaches the MCP session
 
 
+class TestContractAutoRepair:
+    """An installed-but-incompatible driver is repaired automatically, once.
+
+    The 0.20 runtime-contract gate fails closed; when the failure is an old
+    installed driver (a state Hermes' own version-floor bump created),
+    start() runs the standard install/repair path once instead of failing
+    every computer_use call until the user runs the CLI by hand.
+    """
+
+    def _incompatible(self):
+        return {
+            "ready": False,
+            "binary": "/usr/local/bin/cua-driver",
+            "version": "0.19.3",
+            "reason": "Hermes computer use requires cua-driver 0.20.0 or newer",
+        }
+
+    def test_start_auto_repairs_incompatible_driver(self, monkeypatch):
+        from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+        from tools.computer_use import cua_backend
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(cua_backend, "_contract_repair_attempted", False)
+        backend = cua_backend.CuaDriverBackend()
+        backend._session = MagicMock()
+
+        with patch.object(
+                 cua_backend,
+                 "cua_driver_runtime_contract_status",
+                 side_effect=[self._incompatible(), {"ready": True}],
+             ), \
+             patch("hermes_cli.tools_config.install_cua_driver",
+                   return_value=True) as installer, \
+             patch.object(cua_backend, "_maybe_nudge_update"), \
+             patch("tools.lazy_deps.ensure"):
+            backend.start()
+
+        installer.assert_called_once_with(
+            upgrade=False, show_installer_progress=False
+        )
+        backend._session.start.assert_called_once()
+
+    def test_failed_repair_surfaces_original_error(self, monkeypatch):
+        from unittest.mock import patch
+        from tools.computer_use import cua_backend
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(cua_backend, "_contract_repair_attempted", False)
+        with patch.object(
+                 cua_backend,
+                 "cua_driver_runtime_contract_status",
+                 return_value=self._incompatible(),
+             ), \
+             patch("hermes_cli.tools_config.install_cua_driver",
+                   return_value=False), \
+             patch("tools.lazy_deps.ensure") as mock_ensure:
+            with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="0.20.0 or newer"):
+                cua_backend.CuaDriverBackend().start()
+        mock_ensure.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_repair_is_attempted_once_per_process(self, monkeypatch):
+        from unittest.mock import patch
+        from tools.computer_use import cua_backend
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(cua_backend, "_contract_repair_attempted", False)
+        with patch.object(
+                 cua_backend,
+                 "cua_driver_runtime_contract_status",
+                 return_value=self._incompatible(),
+             ), \
+             patch("hermes_cli.tools_config.install_cua_driver",
+                   return_value=False) as installer, \
+             patch("tools.lazy_deps.ensure"):
+            for _ in range(2):
+                with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
+                    cua_backend.CuaDriverBackend().start()
+        installer.assert_called_once()
+
+    def test_explicit_override_is_never_repaired(self, monkeypatch):
+        from unittest.mock import patch
+        from tools.computer_use import cua_backend
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(cua_backend, "_contract_repair_attempted", False)
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_CUA_DRIVER_CMD", "/opt/custom/cua-driver")
+        with patch.object(
+                 cua_backend,
+                 "cua_driver_runtime_contract_status",
+                 return_value=self._incompatible(),
+             ), \
+             patch("hermes_cli.tools_config.install_cua_driver") as installer, \
+             patch("tools.lazy_deps.ensure"):
+            with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="HERMES_CUA_DRIVER_CMD"):
+                cua_backend.CuaDriverBackend().start()
+        installer.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_missing_binary_is_not_repaired(self, monkeypatch):
+        from unittest.mock import patch
+        from tools.computer_use import cua_backend
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(cua_backend, "_contract_repair_attempted", False)
+        state = {
+            "ready": False,
+            "binary": None,
+            "version": None,
+            "reason": "cua-driver is not installed",
+        }
+        with patch.object(
+                 cua_backend,
+                 "cua_driver_runtime_contract_status",
+                 return_value=state,
+             ), \
+             patch("hermes_cli.tools_config.install_cua_driver") as installer, \
+             patch("tools.lazy_deps.ensure"):
+            with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="not installed"):
+                cua_backend.CuaDriverBackend().start()
+        installer.assert_not_called()
+
+
 class TestCaptureAfterAppContext:
     """Bug 2: capture_after=True loses app context after actions.
 
diff --git a/tools/computer_use/cua_backend.py b/tools/computer_use/cua_backend.py
index 6b436c0308..09e58772f2 100644
--- a/tools/computer_use/cua_backend.py
+++ b/tools/computer_use/cua_backend.py
@@ -1191,6 +1191,52 @@ def cua_driver_update_nudge() -> Optional[str]:
 
 _update_checked = False
 
+# One auto-repair attempt per process. The runtime-contract gate in
+# ``CuaDriverBackend.start()`` fails closed on an incompatible driver; when
+# the incompatibility is something a reinstall fixes (old version, missing
+# manifest verbs) we run the standard install/repair path once instead of
+# telling the user to do it by hand. Guarded so a failing installer can't
+# loop — the second start() in the same process goes straight to the error.
+_contract_repair_attempted = False
+
+
+def _maybe_repair_runtime_contract(contract: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+    """Try one automatic driver repair for a failed runtime contract.
+
+    Returns the post-repair contract state (or the original state when no
+    repair was attempted / the repair failed). Never raises. An explicit
+    ``HERMES_CUA_DRIVER_CMD`` override is authoritative even when broken, and
+    a missing binary means installation was never requested — both are left
+    for the caller's error message.
+    """
+    global _contract_repair_attempted
+    if contract.get("ready"):
+        return contract
+    if _contract_repair_attempted:
+        return contract
+    if os.environ.get(_CUA_DRIVER_CMD_ENV, "").strip():
+        return contract
+    if not contract.get("binary"):
+        return contract
+    _contract_repair_attempted = True
+    logger.info(
+        "computer_use: installed cua-driver is not usable (%s); "
+        "attempting automatic repair",
+        contract.get("reason") or "runtime contract is incomplete",
+    )
+    try:
+        from hermes_cli.tools_config import install_cua_driver
+
+        if not install_cua_driver(upgrade=False, show_installer_progress=False):
+            return contract
+    except Exception as exc:
+        logger.warning("computer_use: automatic cua-driver repair failed: %s", exc)
+        return contract
+    try:
+        return cua_driver_runtime_contract_status()
+    except Exception:
+        return contract
+
 
 def _maybe_nudge_update() -> None:
     """Emit an update nudge at most once per process, off-thread so the
@@ -2526,6 +2572,11 @@ class CuaDriverBackend(ComputerUseBackend):
     # ── Lifecycle ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
     def start(self) -> None:
         contract = cua_driver_runtime_contract_status()
+        if not contract.get("ready"):
+            # An installed-but-incompatible driver (e.g. predating a Hermes
+            # version-floor bump) is a state we created — repair it once
+            # automatically instead of failing every computer_use call.
+            contract = _maybe_repair_runtime_contract(contract)
         if not contract.get("ready"):
             reason = contract.get("reason") or "runtime contract is incomplete"
             if os.environ.get(_CUA_DRIVER_CMD_ENV, "").strip():