diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index c333e23..b74f2d2 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "hermes-web-ui",
-  "version": "0.6.7",
+  "version": "0.6.8",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 288842e..de4d567 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "hermes-web-ui",
-  "version": "0.6.7",
+  "version": "0.6.8",
   "description": "Self-hosted AI chat dashboard for Hermes Agent — multi-model web UI with multi-platform integration",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/packages/desktop/package-lock.json b/packages/desktop/package-lock.json
index 85f67e2..d2f3702 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/package-lock.json
+++ b/packages/desktop/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "hermes-studio",
-  "version": "0.6.7",
+  "version": "0.6.8",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "hermes-studio",
-      "version": "0.6.7",
+      "version": "0.6.8",
       "license": "BSL-1.1",
       "dependencies": {
         "electron-updater": "^6.3.9"
diff --git a/packages/desktop/package.json b/packages/desktop/package.json
index bf18918..ef339ba 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/package.json
+++ b/packages/desktop/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "hermes-studio",
-  "version": "0.6.7",
+  "version": "0.6.8",
   "description": "Hermes Studio desktop distribution with bundled Python runtime and hermes-agent",
   "homepage": "https://ekkolearnai.com",
   "author": {
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/main/runtime-manager.ts b/packages/desktop/src/main/runtime-manager.ts
index eb511a4..48f7587 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/main/runtime-manager.ts
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/main/runtime-manager.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import {
 } from 'node:fs'
 import { get as httpGet } from 'node:http'
 import { get as httpsGet } from 'node:https'
-import { basename, dirname, join } from 'node:path'
+import { basename, dirname, join, relative } from 'node:path'
 import { promisify } from 'node:util'
 import { app } from 'electron'
 import {
@@ -58,6 +58,25 @@ export type RuntimeProgress = {
 
 type RuntimeProgressHandler = (progress: RuntimeProgress) => void
 
+function requiredRuntimeFiles(root: string): string[] {
+  const pythonBin = process.platform === 'win32'
+    ? join(root, 'python', 'python.exe')
+    : join(root, 'python', 'bin', 'python3')
+  const hermesBin = process.platform === 'win32'
+    ? join(root, 'python', 'Scripts', 'hermes.exe')
+    : join(root, 'python', 'bin', 'hermes')
+  const nodeBin = process.platform === 'win32'
+    ? join(root, 'node', 'node.exe')
+    : join(root, 'node', 'bin', 'node')
+  const files = [pythonBin, hermesBin, nodeBin, join(root, RUNTIME_MANIFEST_NAME)]
+  if (process.platform === 'win32') files.push(join(root, 'git', 'cmd', 'git.exe'))
+  return files
+}
+
+function missingRuntimeFiles(root: string): string[] {
+  return requiredRuntimeFiles(root).filter(file => !existsSync(file))
+}
+
 function runtimeReady(): boolean {
   const gitReady = process.platform !== 'win32' || !!bundledGit()
   return hermesBinExists() && existsSync(bundledNode()) && gitReady
@@ -230,10 +249,9 @@ async function extractRuntimeArchive(archive: string, targetRoot: string): Promi
     await execFileAsync(process.platform === 'win32' ? 'tar.exe' : 'tar', ['-xzf', archive, '-C', tempRoot], {
       windowsHide: true,
     })
-    for (const required of ['python', 'node']) {
-      if (!existsSync(join(tempRoot, required))) {
-        throw new Error(`Runtime archive did not contain ${required}/`)
-      }
+    const missing = missingRuntimeFiles(tempRoot)
+    if (missing.length > 0) {
+      throw new Error(`Runtime archive is missing required files: ${missing.map(file => relative(tempRoot, file)).join(', ')}`)
     }
     rmSync(targetRoot, { recursive: true, force: true })
     mkdirSync(parent, { recursive: true })
@@ -265,19 +283,23 @@ export async function ensureDesktopRuntime(onProgress?: RuntimeProgressHandler):
   const archive = join(dirname(runtimeRoot), `${descriptor.name}.download`)
   console.log(`[runtime] downloading Hermes runtime ${descriptor.name}`)
   onProgress?.({ stage: 'download', message: `Downloading ${descriptor.name}...` })
-  await downloadFile(descriptor.url, archive, onProgress)
-  if (descriptor.sha256) {
-    onProgress?.({ stage: 'verify', message: 'Verifying Hermes runtime...' })
-    const actual = await sha256File(archive)
-    if (actual !== descriptor.sha256) {
-      throw new Error(`Runtime checksum mismatch for ${descriptor.name}`)
+  let archiveSize = 0
+  try {
+    await downloadFile(descriptor.url, archive, onProgress)
+    archiveSize = statSync(archive).size
+    if (descriptor.sha256) {
+      onProgress?.({ stage: 'verify', message: 'Verifying Hermes runtime...' })
+      const actual = await sha256File(archive)
+      if (actual !== descriptor.sha256) {
+        throw new Error(`Runtime checksum mismatch for ${descriptor.name}`)
+      }
     }
-  }
 
-  onProgress?.({ stage: 'extract', message: 'Extracting Hermes runtime...' })
-  await extractRuntimeArchive(archive, runtimeRoot)
-  const archiveSize = statSync(archive).size
-  rmSync(archive, { force: true })
+    onProgress?.({ stage: 'extract', message: 'Extracting Hermes runtime...' })
+    await extractRuntimeArchive(archive, runtimeRoot)
+  } finally {
+    rmSync(archive, { force: true })
+  }
 
   const manifestPath = join(runtimeRoot, RUNTIME_MANIFEST_NAME)
   if (!existsSync(manifestPath)) {
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/main/webui-server.ts b/packages/desktop/src/main/webui-server.ts
index ae584a7..6d5d3bf 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/main/webui-server.ts
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/main/webui-server.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import {
 } from './paths'
 
 const DEFAULT_PORT = 8748
-const DEFAULT_READY_TIMEOUT_MS = 30_000
+const DEFAULT_READY_TIMEOUT_MS = 120_000
 const AGENT_BRIDGE_STARTED_MARKER = '[bootstrap] agent bridge started'
 const AGENT_BRIDGE_FAILED_MARKER = '[bootstrap] agent bridge failed to start'
 const execFileAsync = promisify(execFile)
@@ -405,10 +405,10 @@ export async function startWebUiServer(port = DEFAULT_PORT): Promise<string> {
   })
 
   const timeoutMs = readyTimeoutMs()
-  await Promise.all([
-    waitForReady(port, timeoutMs),
-    bridgeStartup.wait(timeoutMs),
-  ])
+  void bridgeStartup.wait(timeoutMs).catch(err => {
+    console.warn(`[webui] agent bridge was not ready during startup: ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)}`)
+  })
+  await waitForReady(port, timeoutMs)
   return getServerUrl(port)
 }