diff --git a/cli.py b/cli.py
index 8b9661f023..f807ccb76f 100644
--- a/cli.py
+++ b/cli.py
@@ -6115,7 +6115,9 @@ class HermesCLI(CLIAgentSetupMixin, CLICommandsMixin, CLIBillingMixin):
             display = cfg.get("display", {}) if isinstance(cfg.get("display"), dict) else {}
             pet_cfg = display.get("pet", {}) if isinstance(display.get("pet"), dict) else {}
 
-            enabled = bool(pet_cfg.get("enabled"))
+            from utils import is_truthy_value
+
+            enabled = is_truthy_value(pet_cfg.get("enabled"), default=False)
             slug = str(pet_cfg.get("slug", "") or "")
             scale = float(pet_cfg.get("scale", constants.DEFAULT_SCALE) or constants.DEFAULT_SCALE)
             cols = constants.resolve_cols(scale, pet_cfg.get("unicode_cols", 0))
diff --git a/tui_gateway/server.py b/tui_gateway/server.py
index 9a05c1ee4f..2375c91fcc 100644
--- a/tui_gateway/server.py
+++ b/tui_gateway/server.py
@@ -3562,7 +3562,7 @@ def _pet_sig() -> tuple:
     hatch flow rebuilds a sheet, or the scale changes."""
     display = _load_cfg().get("display") or {}
     pet_cfg = display.get("pet") if isinstance(display.get("pet"), dict) else {}
-    if not pet_cfg or not pet_cfg.get("enabled"):
+    if not pet_cfg or not is_truthy_value(pet_cfg.get("enabled"), default=False):
         return ("off",)
     try:
         enabled, pet, scale = _pet_active_selection()