diff --git a/hermes_cli/web_server.py b/hermes_cli/web_server.py
index 52a8f05b0d..d5ad2e9ab6 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/web_server.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/web_server.py
@@ -7416,17 +7416,18 @@ _AUX_TASK_SLOTS: Tuple[str, ...] = (
 
 
 def _dashboard_code_skew_guard() -> Optional[str]:
-    """Return a clear \"restart required\" message when the dashboard runs stale code.
+    """Return a clear \"restart required\" message when this process runs stale code.
 
-    The dashboard is a long-lived process; its ``sys.modules`` is frozen at
-    boot.  When ``hermes update`` (or a manual ``git pull``) replaces the
-    checkout underneath it, a first-time lazy import on a new code path can
-    resolve a freshly-pulled consumer module against a stale cached dependency
-    -> ImportError — e.g. ``/api/model/options`` 500 after the update added
-    ``agent.model_metadata.is_grok_46_family`` while the running process kept
-    serving the pre-update module (#86207).  Mirror the gateway's
-    ``_model_switch_skew_guard``: refuse the risky call with an actionable
-    message instead of crashing with a cryptic import error.
+    The dashboard and Desktop-owned ``hermes serve`` are long-lived; their
+    ``sys.modules`` is frozen at boot.  When ``hermes update`` (or a manual
+    ``git pull``) replaces the checkout underneath them, a first-time lazy
+    import on a new code path can resolve a freshly-pulled consumer module
+    against a stale cached dependency -> ImportError — e.g. ``/api/model/options``
+    500 after the update added ``agent.model_metadata.is_grok_46_family`` while
+    the running process kept serving the pre-update module (#86207).  Mirror
+    the gateway's ``_model_switch_skew_guard``: refuse the risky call with an
+    actionable, deployment-aware message instead of crashing with a cryptic
+    import error (#97046).
 
     Returns None when no drift is detectable (fresh process, or a non-git
     install where the boot fingerprint could not be read — never a false
@@ -7439,10 +7440,28 @@ def _dashboard_code_skew_guard() -> Optional[str]:
         return None
     boot_rev, disk_rev = skew
     return (
-        f"This dashboard is running code from {boot_rev} but the checkout on "
+        f"This process is running code from {boot_rev} but the checkout on "
         f"disk is now {disk_rev}. The model picker would risk a stale-module "
-        f"crash — restart the dashboard to load the new code "
-        f"(systemctl --user restart hermes-dashboard, or hermes dashboard --port <port>)"
+        f"crash — {_dashboard_skew_restart_hint()}"
+    )
+
+
+def _dashboard_skew_restart_hint() -> str:
+    """Restart advice that matches how this process is actually owned.
+
+    The same FastAPI app backs the browser dashboard *and* Desktop-owned
+    ``hermes serve --isolated`` (local or SSH). Hardcoding a systemd unit
+    misleads macOS/launchd hosts and Desktop SSH backends, which have no
+    ``hermes-dashboard`` unit (#97046).
+    """
+    if os.environ.get("HERMES_SERVE_HEADLESS") == "1":
+        return (
+            "restart the Desktop-owned backend to load the new code "
+            "(use Restart backend in Hermes Desktop, or quit and reopen the app)"
+        )
+    return (
+        "restart this Hermes process to load the new code "
+        "(hermes dashboard --port <port>, or the equivalent service restart for this install)"
     )
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_code_skew.py b/tests/test_code_skew.py
index 646260ff47..3f9539cfbc 100644
--- a/tests/test_code_skew.py
+++ b/tests/test_code_skew.py
@@ -81,12 +81,26 @@ class TestDashboardCodeSkewGuard:
     def test_dashboard_guard_message_names_revs_and_restart(self, monkeypatch):
         from hermes_cli import web_server
 
+        monkeypatch.delenv("HERMES_SERVE_HEADLESS", raising=False)
         monkeypatch.setattr(code_skew, "detect_code_skew", lambda: ("abc1234567", "def4567890"))
         msg = web_server._dashboard_code_skew_guard()
         assert msg is not None
         assert "abc1234567" in msg
         assert "def4567890" in msg
         assert "restart" in msg.lower()
+        # Browser-dashboard path: never hardcode a Linux-only unit (#97046).
+        assert "systemctl" not in msg
+
+    def test_serve_guard_message_points_at_desktop_backend(self, monkeypatch):
+        from hermes_cli import web_server
+
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_SERVE_HEADLESS", "1")
+        monkeypatch.setattr(code_skew, "detect_code_skew", lambda: ("abc1234567", "def4567890"))
+        msg = web_server._dashboard_code_skew_guard()
+        assert msg is not None
+        assert "Desktop-owned backend" in msg
+        assert "systemctl" not in msg
+        assert "hermes-dashboard" not in msg
 
 
 class TestModelOptionsSkewGuard: