diff --git a/apps/daemon/src/agents.ts b/apps/daemon/src/agents.ts
index 2195fd961..66e2b33ad 100644
--- a/apps/daemon/src/agents.ts
+++ b/apps/daemon/src/agents.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ export {
   inspectAgentExecutableResolution,
   resolveAgentExecutable,
 } from './runtimes/executables.js';
-export { applyAgentLaunchEnv, resolveAgentLaunch } from './runtimes/launch.js';
+export { applyAgentLaunchEnv, resolveAgentLaunch, resolveAgentLaunchWithMinVersion } from './runtimes/launch.js';
 export { resolveAgentBin } from './runtimes/resolution.js';
 export { spawnEnvForAgent } from './runtimes/env.js';
 export { buildLiveArtifactsMcpServersForAgent } from './runtimes/mcp.js';
diff --git a/apps/daemon/src/connectionTest.ts b/apps/daemon/src/connectionTest.ts
index fe2bb957f..959761b05 100644
--- a/apps/daemon/src/connectionTest.ts
+++ b/apps/daemon/src/connectionTest.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import {
   applyAgentLaunchEnv,
   getAgentDef,
   resolveAgentLaunch,
+  resolveAgentLaunchWithMinVersion,
   spawnEnvForAgent,
 } from './agents.js';
 import {
@@ -1664,7 +1665,13 @@ async function testAgentConnectionInternal(
     validateAgentCliEnv(input.agentCliEnv),
     input.agentId,
   );
-  const executableResolution = resolveAgentLaunch(def, configuredAgentEnv);
+  // Async variant so any def with `minVersion` (currently Gemini,
+  // #978) warms the version-aware resolver cache before the
+  // connection test spawn picks a binary — otherwise the test could
+  // succeed against the version-checked pick while the actual chat
+  // run still launches the stale first-PATH match (or vice versa),
+  // making the test result misleading.
+  const executableResolution = await resolveAgentLaunchWithMinVersion(def, configuredAgentEnv);
   const resolvedBin = executableResolution.selectedPath;
   if (!resolvedBin || !executableResolution.launchPath) {
     return {
@@ -2192,6 +2199,11 @@ export async function testAgentConnection(
   const configuredCodexBin = validatedPrefs?.codex?.CODEX_BIN?.trim() || '';
   const configuredAgentEnv = agentCliEnvForAgent(validatedPrefs, input.agentId);
   const def = getAgentDef(input.agentId);
+  // testAgentConnectionInternal above already warmed the chooser
+  // cache for this agent via resolveAgentLaunchWithMinVersion, so
+  // this synchronous resolveAgentLaunch reads the same
+  // version-checked pick that the spawn just used (the diagnostics
+  // summary must match what actually ran).
   const executableResolution = def
     ? resolveAgentLaunch(def, configuredAgentEnv)
     : {
diff --git a/apps/daemon/src/memory-llm.ts b/apps/daemon/src/memory-llm.ts
index 49ebc7ae4..49cc51c86 100644
--- a/apps/daemon/src/memory-llm.ts
+++ b/apps/daemon/src/memory-llm.ts
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ import {
   applyAgentLaunchEnv,
   getAgentDef,
   resolveAgentLaunch,
+  resolveAgentLaunchWithMinVersion,
   spawnEnvForAgent,
 } from './agents.js';
 import { agentCliEnvForAgent, readAppConfig } from './app-config.js';
@@ -811,7 +812,13 @@ async function callLocalCli(provider, system, user, options) {
     configuredAgentEnv = {};
   }
 
-  const launch = resolveAgentLaunch(def, configuredAgentEnv);
+  // Async variant so any def with `minVersion` (currently Gemini,
+  // #978) warms the version-aware resolver cache before the
+  // memory-llm spawn picks a binary. Without this an auto-memory
+  // extract on a fresh daemon (no /api/agents call yet) could pick
+  // up a stale `/usr/local/bin/gemini` even when a modern Homebrew
+  // install sits later on PATH.
+  const launch = await resolveAgentLaunchWithMinVersion(def, configuredAgentEnv);
   if (!launch?.launchPath) {
     throw new Error(`${def.name} CLI is not installed or not on PATH`);
   }
diff --git a/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/defs/gemini.ts b/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/defs/gemini.ts
index e265f8d93..253bec81d 100644
--- a/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/defs/gemini.ts
+++ b/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/defs/gemini.ts
@@ -35,4 +35,14 @@ export const geminiAgentDef = {
     promptViaStdin: true,
     streamFormat: 'json-event-stream',
     eventParser: 'gemini',
+    // The `--output-format stream-json` flag did not exist in early
+    // Gemini CLI builds; an old `npm i -g @google/gemini-cli` left in
+    // `/usr/local/bin` shadows the modern Homebrew/nvm install on
+    // macOS GUI launches and the spawn fails with yargs
+    // `Unknown arguments: output-format, outputFormat` (#978). Pin a
+    // version floor so the resolver picks the first candidate on
+    // PATH+toolchain that actually supports the flag we send.
+    // 0.30.0 is the cited baseline from #978 where the flag shipped
+    // in stable form.
+    minVersion: '0.30.0',
 } satisfies RuntimeAgentDef;
diff --git a/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/detection.ts b/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/detection.ts
index 4ee50853e..02ea210e7 100644
--- a/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/detection.ts
+++ b/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/detection.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { chooseExecutableByMinVersion } from './executables.js';
 import { execAgentFile } from './invocation.js';
 import { AGENT_DEFS } from './registry.js';
 import { DEFAULT_MODEL_OPTION, rememberLiveModels } from './models.js';
@@ -131,6 +132,20 @@ async function probe(
   def: RuntimeAgentDef,
   configuredEnv: Record<string, string> = {},
 ): Promise<DetectedAgent> {
+  // For agents that declare a minimum CLI version, warm the
+  // version-aware resolver cache first so the version-checked binary
+  // is cached before `resolveAgentLaunch` reads it (#978). Without
+  // this pre-step, `inspectAgentExecutableResolution` would still
+  // return first-found and we would probe a stale binary even though
+  // a modern one sits later on the PATH/toolchain. The two-step
+  // shape (await chooser, then sync resolveAgentLaunch) — instead of
+  // the `resolveAgentLaunchWithMinVersion` helper that the spawn
+  // paths use — keeps the existing `detection-resilience` mock
+  // intact, which exercises module-level `resolveAgentLaunch` to
+  // simulate a single-agent throw.
+  if (def.minVersion) {
+    await chooseExecutableByMinVersion(def, configuredEnv);
+  }
   // Detection must probe the exact path the runtime will spawn, not just the
   // PATH-visible shim. This is load-bearing for Codex under nvm/fnm/mise:
   // the discovered `codex` entry is often a `#!/usr/bin/env node` wrapper
diff --git a/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/executables.ts b/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/executables.ts
index ce0135a64..fdc4da109 100644
--- a/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/executables.ts
+++ b/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/executables.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
-import { accessSync, constants, existsSync, statSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { accessSync, constants, existsSync, realpathSync, statSync } from 'node:fs';
 import { delimiter } from 'node:path';
 import path from 'node:path';
 import { homedir } from 'node:os';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
 import { wellKnownUserToolchainBins } from '@open-design/platform';
 import { resolveSandboxRuntimeConfigFromEnv } from '../sandbox-mode.js';
+import { execAgentFile } from './invocation.js';
 import { expandHomePath } from './paths.js';
 import type { RuntimeAgentDef } from './types.js';
 
@@ -105,6 +106,31 @@ export function resolveOnPath(bin: string): string | null {
   return null;
 }
 
+// Same search shape as `resolveOnPath`, but returns *every* directory
+// the bin resolves in (PATH order, then toolchain dirs). Used by the
+// version-aware chooser to evaluate every candidate rather than stop
+// at the first match (#978).
+export function enumerateOnPath(bin: string): string[] {
+  const exts =
+    process.platform === 'win32'
+      ? (process.env.PATHEXT || '.EXE;.CMD;.BAT').split(';')
+      : [''];
+  const dirs = resolvePathDirs();
+  const found: string[] = [];
+  const seen = new Set<string>();
+  for (const dir of dirs) {
+    for (const ext of exts) {
+      const full = path.join(dir, bin + ext);
+      if (!full || seen.has(full)) continue;
+      if (existsSync(full)) {
+        seen.add(full);
+        found.push(full);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return found;
+}
+
 function looksExecutableOnWindows(filePath: string): boolean {
   const ext = path.extname(filePath).trim().toUpperCase();
   if (!ext) return false;
@@ -253,16 +279,26 @@ export function inspectAgentExecutableResolution(
     };
   }
   const configuredOverridePath = configuredExecutableOverride(def, configuredEnv);
-  const candidates = [
-    def.bin,
-    ...(Array.isArray(def.fallbackBins) ? def.fallbackBins : []),
-  ];
+  // Version-aware cache lookup runs only when there is no explicit
+  // override and the def opts in via `minVersion`. The cache is
+  // populated by `chooseExecutableByMinVersion` during detection so
+  // chat-time spawn sees the same binary detection picked instead of
+  // falling back to first-match (#978).
   let pathResolvedPath: string | null = null;
-  for (const bin of candidates) {
-    const resolved = resolveOnPath(bin);
-    if (resolved) {
-      pathResolvedPath = resolved;
-      break;
+  if (!configuredOverridePath && def.minVersion) {
+    pathResolvedPath = cachedVersionAwarePath(def.id);
+  }
+  if (!pathResolvedPath) {
+    const candidates = [
+      def.bin,
+      ...(Array.isArray(def.fallbackBins) ? def.fallbackBins : []),
+    ];
+    for (const bin of candidates) {
+      const resolved = resolveOnPath(bin);
+      if (resolved) {
+        pathResolvedPath = resolved;
+        break;
+      }
     }
   }
   const builtInPath = packagedBuiltInExecutable(def, configuredEnv);
@@ -272,3 +308,242 @@ export function inspectAgentExecutableResolution(
     selectedPath: configuredOverridePath || builtInPath || pathResolvedPath,
   };
 }
+
+// ---- Version-aware resolution (#978) -------------------------------------
+//
+// Gemini-style "stale binary shadows the modern one" problem: macOS GUI
+// launches inherit `/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/usr/local/bin`, and an
+// ancient `/usr/local/bin/gemini=0.1.12` left by an old `npm i -g
+// @google/gemini-cli` shadows the modern Homebrew/nvm install. The old
+// binary lacks `--output-format`, so the daemon spawn lands on yargs
+// `Unknown arguments`. The fix runs `--version` against every candidate
+// and picks the first that meets the floor pinned on the def.
+
+const VERSION_PROBE_TIMEOUT_MS = 1_500;
+
+interface VersionAwareExecutableIdentity {
+  realpath: string;
+  dev: number;
+  ino: number;
+  mode: number;
+  size: number;
+  mtimeMs: number;
+  ctimeMs: number;
+}
+
+interface VersionAwareCacheEntry {
+  path: string;
+  identity: VersionAwareExecutableIdentity;
+}
+
+// agent.id → resolved path + file identity that passed the version gate.
+// Populated by `chooseExecutableByMinVersion`; consulted by
+// `inspectAgentExecutableResolution` so the sync chat-spawn path sees
+// the same pick detection landed on. Only writes for the auto-pick path
+// — an explicit `<AGENT>_BIN` override is intentionally NOT cached so
+// clearing the env reliably falls back to auto-pick (#1007 round-2 P2).
+const versionAwareCache = new Map<string, VersionAwareCacheEntry>();
+
+export function clearVersionAwareResolutionCache(agentId?: string): void {
+  if (agentId === undefined) {
+    versionAwareCache.clear();
+  } else {
+    versionAwareCache.delete(agentId);
+  }
+}
+
+function readVersionAwareExecutableIdentity(filePath: string): VersionAwareExecutableIdentity | null {
+  try {
+    const realpath = realpathSync(filePath);
+    const stat = statSync(realpath);
+    if (!stat.isFile()) return null;
+    return {
+      realpath,
+      dev: stat.dev,
+      ino: stat.ino,
+      mode: stat.mode,
+      size: stat.size,
+      mtimeMs: stat.mtimeMs,
+      ctimeMs: stat.ctimeMs,
+    };
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
+}
+
+function versionAwareExecutableIdentityEquals(
+  a: VersionAwareExecutableIdentity,
+  b: VersionAwareExecutableIdentity,
+): boolean {
+  return (
+    a.realpath === b.realpath &&
+    a.dev === b.dev &&
+    a.ino === b.ino &&
+    a.mode === b.mode &&
+    a.size === b.size &&
+    a.mtimeMs === b.mtimeMs &&
+    a.ctimeMs === b.ctimeMs
+  );
+}
+
+function cachedVersionAwarePath(agentId: string): string | null {
+  const cached = versionAwareCache.get(agentId);
+  if (!cached) return null;
+  const currentIdentity = readVersionAwareExecutableIdentity(cached.path);
+  if (
+    !currentIdentity ||
+    !versionAwareExecutableIdentityEquals(cached.identity, currentIdentity)
+  ) {
+    versionAwareCache.delete(agentId);
+    return null;
+  }
+  return cached.path;
+}
+
+function rememberVersionAwarePath(agentId: string, selectedPath: string): void {
+  const identity = readVersionAwareExecutableIdentity(selectedPath);
+  if (!identity) {
+    versionAwareCache.delete(agentId);
+    return;
+  }
+  versionAwareCache.set(agentId, { path: selectedPath, identity });
+}
+
+// Strict, anchored semver parse. Accepts a leading `v` and tolerates
+// trailing pre-release (`-rc.1`) / build metadata (`+build.5`) but
+// only major.minor.patch participates in comparison. Returns `null`
+// for unparseable input so the chooser explicitly rejects the
+// candidate instead of letting it pass the gate (#1007 round-1 P1).
+const SEMVER_RE = /^v?(\d+)\.(\d+)\.(\d+)(?:[-+][0-9A-Za-z.-]+)?$/;
+
+export function compareSemver(a: string, b: string): number | null {
+  const left = parseSemver(a);
+  const right = parseSemver(b);
+  if (!left || !right) return null;
+  const [la, lb, lc] = left;
+  const [ra, rb, rc] = right;
+  if (la !== ra) return la - ra;
+  if (lb !== rb) return lb - rb;
+  if (lc !== rc) return lc - rc;
+  return 0;
+}
+
+function parseSemver(value: string): [number, number, number] | null {
+  if (typeof value !== 'string') return null;
+  const m = SEMVER_RE.exec(value.trim());
+  if (!m) return null;
+  return [Number(m[1]), Number(m[2]), Number(m[3])];
+}
+
+export interface ChooseExecutableByMinVersionOptions {
+  // Test seam: inject a fake `runVersion(path)` so unit tests do not
+  // need real binaries that print versions. Production passes the
+  // default that spawns `<path> <def.versionArgs>` with a timeout.
+  runVersion?: (resolvedPath: string) => Promise<string>;
+}
+
+export async function chooseExecutableByMinVersion(
+  def: RuntimeAgentDef,
+  configuredEnv: Record<string, string> = {},
+  options: ChooseExecutableByMinVersionOptions = {},
+): Promise<string | null> {
+  if (!def?.bin || !def.minVersion) return resolveAgentExecutable(def, configuredEnv);
+
+  // Explicit user override always wins; do not probe and do not pollute
+  // the cache (a later run with the override cleared must rediscover
+  // a fresh auto-pick).
+  const override = configuredExecutableOverride(def, configuredEnv);
+  if (override) return override;
+
+  // Cached fast path: reuse the resolution from a prior call without
+  // re-probing every PATH candidate. `probeVersionWithTimeout` has a
+  // ~1.5 s timeout per candidate and the enumeration below waits on
+  // `Promise.all`, so a stale `.cmd` shim or a hung wrapper would add
+  // that delay to every chat-run / connection-test / memory-extract
+  // launch instead of only the first cold lookup (#2797 mrcfps review
+  // on `launch.ts:30`). The cache is cleared on negative resolution
+  // (line ~390 below) and via `clearVersionAwareResolutionCache()`, so
+  // a missing or relocated cached pick still gets re-probed at the
+  // next launch.
+  const cached = cachedVersionAwarePath(def.id);
+  if (cached) {
+    return cached;
+  }
+
+  // Enumerate every match for def.bin and (if declared) any fallback
+  // bins, in the same order resolveOnPath would walk.
+  const candidates: string[] = [];
+  const seen = new Set<string>();
+  const bins = [def.bin, ...(Array.isArray(def.fallbackBins) ? def.fallbackBins : [])];
+  for (const bin of bins) {
+    for (const hit of enumerateOnPath(bin)) {
+      if (seen.has(hit)) continue;
+      seen.add(hit);
+      candidates.push(hit);
+    }
+  }
+  if (candidates.length === 0) {
+    versionAwareCache.delete(def.id);
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  const runVersion = options.runVersion ?? ((p) => probeVersionWithTimeout(p, def));
+  const probes = await Promise.all(
+    candidates.map(async (p) => {
+      try {
+        const out = await runVersion(p);
+        return { path: p, version: typeof out === 'string' ? out.trim().split('\n')[0] ?? '' : '' };
+      } catch {
+        return { path: p, version: '' };
+      }
+    }),
+  );
+
+  for (const probe of probes) {
+    const cmp = compareSemver(probe.version, def.minVersion);
+    if (cmp !== null && cmp >= 0) {
+      rememberVersionAwarePath(def.id, probe.path);
+      return probe.path;
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Regression-safe fallback: keep the previous behavior (first-found)
+  // so the existing "agent exited with code 1" surface still fires
+  // when nothing meets the floor, instead of the agent silently
+  // disappearing from the picker. Drop any stale cache entry so a
+  // later install of a modern binary is not occluded.
+  versionAwareCache.delete(def.id);
+  return candidates[0] ?? null;
+}
+
+async function probeVersionWithTimeout(
+  resolvedPath: string,
+  def: RuntimeAgentDef,
+): Promise<string> {
+  // Mirror the core of `applyAgentLaunchEnv`: prepend the daemon's
+  // own Node binary directory and the candidate's directory to PATH so
+  // Node-wrapper CLIs (`#!/usr/bin/env node`, npm `.cmd` shims on
+  // Windows) can resolve `node` even when the daemon was GUI-launched
+  // with a stripped PATH. We do NOT import `applyAgentLaunchEnv`
+  // directly: launch.ts depends on executables.ts and the import
+  // cycle would break.
+  const env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = { ...process.env, ...(def.env || {}) };
+  const pathKey = Object.keys(env).find((k) => k.toLowerCase() === 'path') ?? 'PATH';
+  const existing = typeof env[pathKey] === 'string' ? (env[pathKey] as string) : '';
+  const prepend = [path.dirname(process.execPath), path.dirname(resolvedPath)].filter(Boolean);
+  const merged = [...prepend, ...existing.split(delimiter).filter(Boolean)];
+  const seen = new Set<string>();
+  const deduped: string[] = [];
+  for (const dir of merged) {
+    if (!seen.has(dir)) {
+      seen.add(dir);
+      deduped.push(dir);
+    }
+  }
+  env[pathKey] = deduped.join(delimiter);
+  const { stdout } = await execAgentFile(resolvedPath, def.versionArgs, {
+    env,
+    timeout: VERSION_PROBE_TIMEOUT_MS,
+  });
+  return String(stdout);
+}
diff --git a/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/launch.ts b/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/launch.ts
index 0fbcf10c5..a23906fd1 100644
--- a/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/launch.ts
+++ b/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/launch.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { accessSync, constants, readdirSync, readFileSync, realpathSync, statSync } from 'node:fs';
 import path, { delimiter } from 'node:path';
-import { inspectAgentExecutableResolution } from './executables.js';
+import { chooseExecutableByMinVersion, inspectAgentExecutableResolution } from './executables.js';
 import type { RuntimeAgentDef } from './types.js';
 
 export type AgentLaunchKind = 'selected' | 'codex-native';
@@ -12,6 +12,26 @@ export type AgentLaunchResolution = ReturnType<typeof inspectAgentExecutableReso
   diagnostic: string | null;
 };
 
+// Async wrapper around `resolveAgentLaunch` that first warms the
+// version-aware resolver cache for any def that opts in via
+// `minVersion` (#978). Spawn paths must use this — `resolveAgentLaunch`
+// itself stays sync to keep its existing callers, but on its own it
+// reads the cache the chooser populates, which means a chat-spawn or
+// connection-test launched before detection ran would still land on
+// the stale first-PATH match. Calling this helper guarantees the
+// cache is populated before the launch decision happens, regardless
+// of whether `/api/agents` has been hit first (#978 round-2 review
+// on PR #2797).
+export async function resolveAgentLaunchWithMinVersion(
+  def: RuntimeAgentDef,
+  configuredEnv: Record<string, string> = {},
+): Promise<AgentLaunchResolution> {
+  if (def.minVersion) {
+    await chooseExecutableByMinVersion(def, configuredEnv);
+  }
+  return resolveAgentLaunch(def, configuredEnv);
+}
+
 export function resolveAgentLaunch(
   def: RuntimeAgentDef,
   configuredEnv: Record<string, string> = {},
diff --git a/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/types.ts b/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/types.ts
index 48eb927bb..5ca9cd364 100644
--- a/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/types.ts
+++ b/apps/daemon/src/runtimes/types.ts
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ export type RuntimeAgentDef = {
   // present in the daemon's `process.env`; Settings-UI per-agent env
   // values only reach the spawned child and are NOT consulted here.
   defaultModelEnvVar?: string;
+  minVersion?: string;
 };
 
 export type DetectedAgent = Omit<
diff --git a/apps/daemon/src/server.ts b/apps/daemon/src/server.ts
index b42733d65..70fd7a66c 100644
--- a/apps/daemon/src/server.ts
+++ b/apps/daemon/src/server.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import {
   isKnownModel,
   applyAgentLaunchEnv,
   resolveAgentLaunch,
+  resolveAgentLaunchWithMinVersion,
   sanitizeCustomModel,
   spawnEnvForAgent,
 } from './agents.js';
@@ -11305,7 +11306,12 @@ export async function startServer({
       configuredAgentEnv = {};
     }
 
-    const agentLaunch = resolveAgentLaunch(def, configuredAgentEnv);
+    // Use the async variant so any def with `minVersion` set
+    // (currently Gemini, #978) warms the version-aware resolver cache
+    // before this spawn picks a binary. Without this the chat-run
+    // launch could land on the stale first-PATH match even when
+    // detection had not run yet.
+    const agentLaunch = await resolveAgentLaunchWithMinVersion(def, configuredAgentEnv);
     const resolvedBin = agentLaunch.selectedPath;
 
     // Hoisted above the AMR catalog preflight: the empty-catalog branch
diff --git a/apps/daemon/tests/runtimes/version-aware-resolver.test.ts b/apps/daemon/tests/runtimes/version-aware-resolver.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..64e3270a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/daemon/tests/runtimes/version-aware-resolver.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,625 @@
+// Version-aware executable resolution for Gemini (#978).
+//
+// macOS GUI launchers strip PATH to `/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/usr/local/bin`,
+// then `userToolchainDirs()` appends Homebrew / nvm / npm-global / mise paths
+// at the end. The previous `resolveOnPath()` was first-match, so a stale
+// `/usr/local/bin/gemini=0.1.12` left over from an old global npm install
+// would shadow the modern `/opt/homebrew/bin/gemini=0.40.1+` and the daemon
+// spawn landed on yargs `Unknown arguments: output-format, outputFormat`
+// (PR #1007 design, reviewer-approved).
+//
+// The fix is opt-in per agent via `RuntimeAgentDef.minVersion`. When set,
+// the resolver enumerates every candidate path, probes `--version` on each
+// in parallel, and returns the first whose version meets `minVersion`. Other
+// agents (claude / codex / opencode / ...) skip the version walk and keep
+// first-match resolution unchanged.
+
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import {
+  chmodSync,
+  mkdirSync,
+  mkdtempSync,
+  readFileSync,
+  rmSync,
+  writeFileSync,
+} from 'node:fs';
+import { tmpdir } from 'node:os';
+import { join } from 'node:path';
+import { delimiter } from 'node:path';
+import {
+  chooseExecutableByMinVersion,
+  clearVersionAwareResolutionCache,
+  compareSemver,
+  enumerateOnPath,
+  inspectAgentExecutableResolution,
+  resolveAgentExecutable,
+} from '../../src/runtimes/executables.js';
+import { resolveAgentLaunchWithMinVersion } from '../../src/runtimes/launch.js';
+import { gemini, minimalAgentDef } from './helpers/test-helpers.js';
+
+const fsTest = process.platform === 'win32' ? it.skip : it;
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  clearVersionAwareResolutionCache();
+});
+
+describe('compareSemver (#978 reviewer round 1: unparseable input must not pass through)', () => {
+  it('returns 0 for equal versions', () => {
+    expect(compareSemver('1.2.3', '1.2.3')).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it('returns positive when a > b on major / minor / patch', () => {
+    expect(compareSemver('2.0.0', '1.99.99')).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    expect(compareSemver('1.3.0', '1.2.99')).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    expect(compareSemver('1.2.4', '1.2.3')).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+  });
+
+  it('returns negative when a < b', () => {
+    expect(compareSemver('0.1.12', '0.30.0')).toBeLessThan(0);
+    expect(compareSemver('0.29.9', '0.30.0')).toBeLessThan(0);
+  });
+
+  it('tolerates a leading "v" and trailing pre-release / metadata', () => {
+    // Real-world Gemini CLI prints like "0.40.1", but other CLIs print
+    // "v1.2.3", "1.2.3-rc.1", or "1.2.3+build.5". Major.minor.patch is
+    // the only thing the version gate cares about.
+    expect(compareSemver('v0.40.1', '0.30.0')).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    expect(compareSemver('0.40.1-rc.1', '0.30.0')).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    expect(compareSemver('0.40.1+build.5', '0.30.0')).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+  });
+
+  it('returns null for unparseable input — prose like CLI help text must not be silently accepted as ≥ minVersion', () => {
+    // The previous draft of compareSemver let unparseable input return 0,
+    // which meant a stale binary that printed `Usage: gemini ...` on
+    // --version would silently pass the version gate. The reviewer
+    // P1 fix forces unparseable inputs to null so the chooser explicitly
+    // rejects them.
+    expect(compareSemver('not-a-version', '0.30.0')).toBeNull();
+    expect(compareSemver('Usage: gemini [options]', '0.30.0')).toBeNull();
+    expect(compareSemver('', '0.30.0')).toBeNull();
+    expect(compareSemver('0.30.0', 'minVersion-broken')).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('is anchored — refuses prose-wrapped versions to prevent a partial regex match', () => {
+    // "Help: see version 1.2.3 for details" must not parse as 1.2.3.
+    expect(compareSemver('Help: see version 1.2.3 for details', '0.30.0')).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+
+describe('enumerateOnPath (#978: list every match across PATH + toolchain, not just the first)', () => {
+  fsTest('returns one entry per PATH directory that contains the binary, in PATH order', () => {
+    const a = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-enum-a-'));
+    const b = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-enum-b-'));
+    try {
+      writeFileSync(join(a, 'gemini'), '#!/bin/sh\necho 0.1.12\n');
+      writeFileSync(join(b, 'gemini'), '#!/bin/sh\necho 0.40.1\n');
+      chmodSync(join(a, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      chmodSync(join(b, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      process.env.OD_AGENT_HOME = a; // suppresses toolchain leakage
+      process.env.PATH = `${a}${delimiter}${b}`;
+
+      const found = enumerateOnPath('gemini');
+      expect(found).toEqual([join(a, 'gemini'), join(b, 'gemini')]);
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(a, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      rmSync(b, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  fsTest('returns an empty array when the binary is not on PATH', () => {
+    const dir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-enum-empty-'));
+    try {
+      process.env.OD_AGENT_HOME = dir;
+      process.env.PATH = dir;
+      expect(enumerateOnPath('gemini')).toEqual([]);
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  fsTest('deduplicates identical paths that appear twice in PATH', () => {
+    const dir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-enum-dedup-'));
+    try {
+      writeFileSync(join(dir, 'gemini'), '#!/bin/sh\necho 0.40.1\n');
+      chmodSync(join(dir, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      process.env.OD_AGENT_HOME = dir;
+      process.env.PATH = `${dir}${delimiter}${dir}`;
+      expect(enumerateOnPath('gemini')).toEqual([join(dir, 'gemini')]);
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+});
+
+describe('chooseExecutableByMinVersion (#978: skip stale binaries that fail the floor)', () => {
+  // The chooser is pure on top of an injectable `runVersion` — we pass a
+  // fake probe so the tests do not depend on a real `gemini` install.
+
+  fsTest('picks the second-on-PATH when the first is too old (the headline #978 scenario)', async () => {
+    const usrLocal = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-mv-usrlocal-'));
+    const homebrew = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-mv-homebrew-'));
+    try {
+      writeFileSync(join(usrLocal, 'gemini'), '');
+      writeFileSync(join(homebrew, 'gemini'), '');
+      chmodSync(join(usrLocal, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      chmodSync(join(homebrew, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      process.env.OD_AGENT_HOME = usrLocal;
+      process.env.PATH = `${usrLocal}${delimiter}${homebrew}`;
+
+      const def = minimalAgentDef({ id: 'gemini', bin: 'gemini', minVersion: '0.30.0' });
+      const versions = new Map<string, string>([
+        [join(usrLocal, 'gemini'), '0.1.12'],
+        [join(homebrew, 'gemini'), '0.40.1'],
+      ]);
+
+      const chosen = await chooseExecutableByMinVersion(def, {}, {
+        runVersion: async (p) => versions.get(p) ?? '',
+      });
+      expect(chosen).toBe(join(homebrew, 'gemini'));
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(usrLocal, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      rmSync(homebrew, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  fsTest('returns the first candidate when no candidate meets minVersion (regression-safe fallback)', async () => {
+    // When every installed gemini is too old, fall through to the
+    // first-found path. The existing "agent exited with code 1" error
+    // surfaces — same as before — instead of the chooser silently
+    // hiding the agent.
+    const a = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-mv-allold-a-'));
+    const b = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-mv-allold-b-'));
+    try {
+      writeFileSync(join(a, 'gemini'), '');
+      writeFileSync(join(b, 'gemini'), '');
+      chmodSync(join(a, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      chmodSync(join(b, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      process.env.OD_AGENT_HOME = a;
+      process.env.PATH = `${a}${delimiter}${b}`;
+
+      const def = minimalAgentDef({ id: 'gemini', bin: 'gemini', minVersion: '0.30.0' });
+      const chosen = await chooseExecutableByMinVersion(def, {}, {
+        runVersion: async () => '0.1.12',
+      });
+      expect(chosen).toBe(join(a, 'gemini'));
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(a, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      rmSync(b, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  fsTest('returns null when the binary is on no PATH directory at all', async () => {
+    const dir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-mv-none-'));
+    try {
+      process.env.OD_AGENT_HOME = dir;
+      process.env.PATH = dir;
+      const def = minimalAgentDef({ id: 'gemini', bin: 'gemini', minVersion: '0.30.0' });
+      const chosen = await chooseExecutableByMinVersion(def, {}, {
+        runVersion: async () => '0.40.1',
+      });
+      expect(chosen).toBeNull();
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  fsTest('rejects unparseable version output and continues probing the next candidate', async () => {
+    // A stale binary that prints help text to `--version` (typical of
+    // pre-1.0 CLIs) used to silently pass when compareSemver returned 0
+    // for unparseable input. Now it does not parse, the chooser treats
+    // the candidate as failed, and proceeds to the next one.
+    const broken = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-mv-broken-'));
+    const ok = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-mv-ok-'));
+    try {
+      writeFileSync(join(broken, 'gemini'), '');
+      writeFileSync(join(ok, 'gemini'), '');
+      chmodSync(join(broken, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      chmodSync(join(ok, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      process.env.OD_AGENT_HOME = broken;
+      process.env.PATH = `${broken}${delimiter}${ok}`;
+
+      const def = minimalAgentDef({ id: 'gemini', bin: 'gemini', minVersion: '0.30.0' });
+      const versions = new Map<string, string>([
+        [join(broken, 'gemini'), 'Usage: gemini [options]'],
+        [join(ok, 'gemini'), '0.40.1'],
+      ]);
+      const chosen = await chooseExecutableByMinVersion(def, {}, {
+        runVersion: async (p) => versions.get(p) ?? '',
+      });
+      expect(chosen).toBe(join(ok, 'gemini'));
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(broken, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      rmSync(ok, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  fsTest('honors the configured `<AGENT>_BIN` override without running any version probes', async () => {
+    // Explicit env override means the user has opted out of auto-pick.
+    // The chooser must return the override verbatim and must not run
+    // --version on anything (probing the override would be both
+    // pointless and a noisy startup-time side effect).
+    const override = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-mv-override-'));
+    const onPath = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-mv-onpath-'));
+    try {
+      writeFileSync(join(override, 'gemini'), '');
+      writeFileSync(join(onPath, 'gemini'), '');
+      chmodSync(join(override, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      chmodSync(join(onPath, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      process.env.OD_AGENT_HOME = onPath;
+      process.env.PATH = onPath;
+
+      const def = minimalAgentDef({ id: 'gemini', bin: 'gemini', minVersion: '0.30.0' });
+      let probeCalls = 0;
+      const chosen = await chooseExecutableByMinVersion(
+        def,
+        { GEMINI_BIN: join(override, 'gemini') },
+        {
+          runVersion: async () => {
+            probeCalls++;
+            return '0.40.1';
+          },
+        },
+      );
+      expect(chosen).toBe(join(override, 'gemini'));
+      expect(probeCalls).toBe(0);
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(override, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      rmSync(onPath, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  fsTest('falls through to first-found when a version probe throws (e.g. binary times out or segfaults)', async () => {
+    // We do not want a single misbehaving binary to break detection
+    // for every Gemini install on the box. A throw should be treated
+    // the same as "could not parse" — try the next candidate; if
+    // nothing meets the floor, regression-safe fallback fires.
+    const flaky = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-mv-flaky-'));
+    const ok = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-mv-flaky-ok-'));
+    try {
+      writeFileSync(join(flaky, 'gemini'), '');
+      writeFileSync(join(ok, 'gemini'), '');
+      chmodSync(join(flaky, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      chmodSync(join(ok, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      process.env.OD_AGENT_HOME = flaky;
+      process.env.PATH = `${flaky}${delimiter}${ok}`;
+
+      const def = minimalAgentDef({ id: 'gemini', bin: 'gemini', minVersion: '0.30.0' });
+      const chosen = await chooseExecutableByMinVersion(def, {}, {
+        runVersion: async (p) => {
+          if (p === join(flaky, 'gemini')) throw new Error('boom');
+          return '0.40.1';
+        },
+      });
+      expect(chosen).toBe(join(ok, 'gemini'));
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(flaky, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      rmSync(ok, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  fsTest('second call reuses the cached pick without re-probing every PATH candidate (mrcfps review on PR #2797)', async () => {
+    // Background: chooseExecutableByMinVersion enumerates every PATH
+    // candidate and runs `--version` on each in parallel. Without a
+    // cached fast path, a stale `.cmd` shim that hangs to the probe
+    // timeout (1.5 s) would add that delay to every chat-run /
+    // connection-test / memory-extract launch instead of only the
+    // first cold lookup. The fix consults the version-aware cache
+    // before re-probing, and the regression below proves a second
+    // call uses zero `runVersion` invocations.
+    const flaky = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-cache-flaky-'));
+    const ok = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-cache-ok-'));
+    try {
+      writeFileSync(join(flaky, 'gemini'), '');
+      writeFileSync(join(ok, 'gemini'), '');
+      chmodSync(join(flaky, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      chmodSync(join(ok, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      process.env.OD_AGENT_HOME = flaky;
+      process.env.PATH = `${flaky}${delimiter}${ok}`;
+
+      const def = minimalAgentDef({ id: 'gemini', bin: 'gemini', minVersion: '0.30.0' });
+      let probes = 0;
+      const runVersion = async (p: string) => {
+        probes += 1;
+        if (p === join(flaky, 'gemini')) return '0.1.12';
+        return '0.40.1';
+      };
+
+      // First call: cold cache — probes every candidate (>= 2 here).
+      const firstChosen = await chooseExecutableByMinVersion(def, {}, { runVersion });
+      expect(firstChosen).toBe(join(ok, 'gemini'));
+      const probesAfterCold = probes;
+      expect(probesAfterCold).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(2);
+
+      // Second call: warm cache — must not invoke runVersion at all.
+      const secondChosen = await chooseExecutableByMinVersion(def, {}, { runVersion });
+      expect(secondChosen).toBe(join(ok, 'gemini'));
+      expect(probes).toBe(probesAfterCold);
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(flaky, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      rmSync(ok, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  fsTest('cached pick that no longer exists on disk is re-probed instead of returned stale', async () => {
+    // existsSync gate on the cached value: if the user removed or
+    // moved the binary between launches, the cache must NOT serve a
+    // dangling path. Re-probe and re-cache instead.
+    const oldDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-cache-old-'));
+    const newDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-cache-new-'));
+    try {
+      writeFileSync(join(oldDir, 'gemini'), '');
+      chmodSync(join(oldDir, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      process.env.OD_AGENT_HOME = oldDir;
+      process.env.PATH = oldDir;
+
+      const def = minimalAgentDef({ id: 'gemini', bin: 'gemini', minVersion: '0.30.0' });
+      const firstChosen = await chooseExecutableByMinVersion(def, {}, {
+        runVersion: async () => '0.40.1',
+      });
+      expect(firstChosen).toBe(join(oldDir, 'gemini'));
+
+      // User moves the binary: cached path no longer exists.
+      rmSync(join(oldDir, 'gemini'));
+      writeFileSync(join(newDir, 'gemini'), '');
+      chmodSync(join(newDir, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      process.env.OD_AGENT_HOME = newDir;
+      process.env.PATH = newDir;
+
+      const secondChosen = await chooseExecutableByMinVersion(def, {}, {
+        runVersion: async () => '0.40.1',
+      });
+      expect(secondChosen).toBe(join(newDir, 'gemini'));
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(oldDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      rmSync(newDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  fsTest('cached pick replaced in place with an older binary is re-probed instead of returned stale', async () => {
+    const cachedDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-cache-replace-cached-'));
+    const fallbackDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-cache-replace-fallback-'));
+    try {
+      const cachedGemini = join(cachedDir, 'gemini');
+      const fallbackGemini = join(fallbackDir, 'gemini');
+      writeFileSync(cachedGemini, '0.40.1\n');
+      writeFileSync(fallbackGemini, '0.41.0\n');
+      chmodSync(cachedGemini, 0o755);
+      chmodSync(fallbackGemini, 0o755);
+      process.env.OD_AGENT_HOME = cachedDir;
+      process.env.PATH = `${cachedDir}${delimiter}${fallbackDir}`;
+
+      const def = minimalAgentDef({ id: 'gemini', bin: 'gemini', minVersion: '0.30.0' });
+      let probes = 0;
+      const runVersion = async (p: string) => {
+        probes += 1;
+        return readFileSync(p, 'utf8');
+      };
+
+      const firstChosen = await chooseExecutableByMinVersion(def, {}, { runVersion });
+      expect(firstChosen).toBe(cachedGemini);
+      const probesAfterCold = probes;
+      expect(probesAfterCold).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(2);
+
+      // Simulate a package-manager rewrite at the same visible path:
+      // the path still exists, but it now points at an older build that
+      // should not keep bypassing the min-version gate until daemon restart.
+      rmSync(cachedGemini);
+      writeFileSync(cachedGemini, '0.1.12 downgraded in-place\n');
+      chmodSync(cachedGemini, 0o755);
+
+      const secondChosen = await chooseExecutableByMinVersion(def, {}, { runVersion });
+      expect(secondChosen).toBe(fallbackGemini);
+      expect(probes).toBeGreaterThan(probesAfterCold);
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(cachedDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      rmSync(fallbackDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+});
+
+describe('inspectAgentExecutableResolution + minVersion cache wiring (#978)', () => {
+  // The async chooser populates a module-scoped cache; the sync resolver
+  // used at chat-spawn time consults that cache so detection-time and
+  // spawn-time always land on the same binary.
+
+  fsTest('after a successful async chooser populates the cache, the sync resolver returns the version-checked pick', async () => {
+    const usrLocal = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-cache-usrlocal-'));
+    const homebrew = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-cache-homebrew-'));
+    try {
+      writeFileSync(join(usrLocal, 'gemini'), '');
+      writeFileSync(join(homebrew, 'gemini'), '');
+      chmodSync(join(usrLocal, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      chmodSync(join(homebrew, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      process.env.OD_AGENT_HOME = usrLocal;
+      process.env.PATH = `${usrLocal}${delimiter}${homebrew}`;
+
+      const def = minimalAgentDef({ id: 'gemini', bin: 'gemini', minVersion: '0.30.0' });
+      const versions = new Map<string, string>([
+        [join(usrLocal, 'gemini'), '0.1.12'],
+        [join(homebrew, 'gemini'), '0.40.1'],
+      ]);
+      const chosen = await chooseExecutableByMinVersion(def, {}, {
+        runVersion: async (p) => versions.get(p) ?? '',
+      });
+      expect(chosen).toBe(join(homebrew, 'gemini'));
+
+      // Without the cache, this sync call would still return usrLocal
+      // (first-found). With it, it returns the version-checked pick.
+      expect(resolveAgentExecutable(def)).toBe(join(homebrew, 'gemini'));
+      expect(inspectAgentExecutableResolution(def).selectedPath).toBe(join(homebrew, 'gemini'));
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(usrLocal, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      rmSync(homebrew, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  fsTest('configured override beats the cache so the user escape hatch always wins', async () => {
+    const cached = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-cache-cached-'));
+    const override = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-cache-override-'));
+    try {
+      writeFileSync(join(cached, 'gemini'), '');
+      writeFileSync(join(override, 'gemini'), '');
+      chmodSync(join(cached, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      chmodSync(join(override, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      process.env.OD_AGENT_HOME = cached;
+      process.env.PATH = cached;
+
+      const def = minimalAgentDef({ id: 'gemini', bin: 'gemini', minVersion: '0.30.0' });
+      await chooseExecutableByMinVersion(def, {}, {
+        runVersion: async () => '0.40.1',
+      });
+      // Cache is populated for the no-override case.
+      expect(resolveAgentExecutable(def)).toBe(join(cached, 'gemini'));
+
+      // Now the user pins GEMINI_BIN. The configured override must win
+      // regardless of cache contents.
+      expect(resolveAgentExecutable(def, { GEMINI_BIN: join(override, 'gemini') }))
+        .toBe(join(override, 'gemini'));
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(cached, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      rmSync(override, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  fsTest('clearing GEMINI_BIN after a previous override-with-cache run still falls back to the auto-pick (override does not pollute cache, #1007 round-2 P2)', async () => {
+    // Reviewer P2 fix on PR #1007: if `chooseExecutableByMinVersion`
+    // were to write the override path into the cache, clearing the env
+    // would leave the daemon pinned to a stale binary even though the
+    // user has opted back into auto-pick. The override path must skip
+    // the cache write entirely.
+    const usrLocal = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-cache-clear-usr-'));
+    const homebrew = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-cache-clear-brew-'));
+    const override = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-cache-clear-override-'));
+    try {
+      writeFileSync(join(usrLocal, 'gemini'), '');
+      writeFileSync(join(homebrew, 'gemini'), '');
+      writeFileSync(join(override, 'gemini'), '');
+      chmodSync(join(usrLocal, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      chmodSync(join(homebrew, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      chmodSync(join(override, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      process.env.OD_AGENT_HOME = usrLocal;
+      process.env.PATH = `${usrLocal}${delimiter}${homebrew}`;
+
+      const def = minimalAgentDef({ id: 'gemini', bin: 'gemini', minVersion: '0.30.0' });
+      const versions = new Map<string, string>([
+        [join(usrLocal, 'gemini'), '0.1.12'],
+        [join(homebrew, 'gemini'), '0.40.1'],
+      ]);
+
+      // First run with the override active — must not pollute the cache.
+      await chooseExecutableByMinVersion(
+        def,
+        { GEMINI_BIN: join(override, 'gemini') },
+        { runVersion: async (p) => versions.get(p) ?? '' },
+      );
+
+      // Next call with no override: cache lookup must MISS for the
+      // override path and instead trigger a fresh auto-pick.
+      const after = await chooseExecutableByMinVersion(def, {}, {
+        runVersion: async (p) => versions.get(p) ?? '',
+      });
+      expect(after).toBe(join(homebrew, 'gemini'));
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(usrLocal, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      rmSync(homebrew, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      rmSync(override, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+});
+
+describe('resolveAgentLaunchWithMinVersion (#978 round-2 review on PR #2797: every spawn path must warm the cache, not just /api/agents)', () => {
+  // The fix in PR #2797 round 1 only warmed the cache inside
+  // `probe()` (the detection path that feeds /api/agents). Actual
+  // spawn paths in server.ts, connectionTest.ts, and memory-llm.ts
+  // called the sync `resolveAgentLaunch` directly, so a chat-run /
+  // connection-test / memory-extract on a fresh daemon (no
+  // /api/agents call yet) still landed on the stale first-PATH
+  // match. The async wrapper guarantees the cache is populated
+  // before the launch decision happens, no matter which path
+  // triggered the spawn.
+
+  fsTest('on a cold cache, returns the version-checked binary instead of the stale first-found one', async () => {
+    // Use real fixture binaries so the helper's default `runVersion`
+    // actually spawns them. Two shell scripts print fixed semvers;
+    // we trust the daemon's own Node binary is on PATH to resolve
+    // `#!/bin/sh` (which is always the case on macOS/Linux).
+    const usrLocal = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-launch-usr-'));
+    const homebrew = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-launch-brew-'));
+    try {
+      writeFileSync(join(usrLocal, 'gemini'), '#!/bin/sh\necho 0.1.12\n');
+      writeFileSync(join(homebrew, 'gemini'), '#!/bin/sh\necho 0.40.1\n');
+      chmodSync(join(usrLocal, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      chmodSync(join(homebrew, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      process.env.OD_AGENT_HOME = usrLocal;
+      process.env.PATH = `${usrLocal}${delimiter}${homebrew}`;
+
+      const def = minimalAgentDef({ id: 'gemini', bin: 'gemini', minVersion: '0.30.0' });
+      const launch = await resolveAgentLaunchWithMinVersion(def);
+
+      expect(launch.selectedPath).toBe(join(homebrew, 'gemini'));
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(usrLocal, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      rmSync(homebrew, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  fsTest('skips the chooser when def.minVersion is undefined (no behavior change for other agents)', async () => {
+    // Pin the no-op shape: agents without `minVersion` (claude, codex,
+    // opencode, ...) must keep first-match resolution. The wrapper
+    // never calls the chooser for them, so even a stale binary on PATH
+    // wins (mirroring the pre-#978 status quo for those agents).
+    const a = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-launch-noop-a-'));
+    const b = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-launch-noop-b-'));
+    try {
+      writeFileSync(join(a, 'opencode'), '');
+      writeFileSync(join(b, 'opencode'), '');
+      chmodSync(join(a, 'opencode'), 0o755);
+      chmodSync(join(b, 'opencode'), 0o755);
+      process.env.OD_AGENT_HOME = a;
+      process.env.PATH = `${a}${delimiter}${b}`;
+
+      // No minVersion on this def.
+      const def = minimalAgentDef({ id: 'opencode-test', bin: 'opencode' });
+      const launch = await resolveAgentLaunchWithMinVersion(def);
+
+      expect(launch.selectedPath).toBe(join(a, 'opencode'));
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(a, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      rmSync(b, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  fsTest('honors a configured `<AGENT>_BIN` override without probing', async () => {
+    // Reuses the override-skips-probes invariant the chooser already
+    // owns; assert it at the wrapper level so spawn callers can rely
+    // on it without knowing the internal layering.
+    const override = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-launch-override-'));
+    const onPath = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'od-launch-onpath-'));
+    try {
+      writeFileSync(join(override, 'gemini'), '');
+      writeFileSync(join(onPath, 'gemini'), '#!/bin/sh\necho 0.40.1\n');
+      chmodSync(join(override, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      chmodSync(join(onPath, 'gemini'), 0o755);
+      process.env.OD_AGENT_HOME = onPath;
+      process.env.PATH = onPath;
+
+      const def = minimalAgentDef({ id: 'gemini', bin: 'gemini', minVersion: '0.30.0' });
+      const launch = await resolveAgentLaunchWithMinVersion(def, {
+        GEMINI_BIN: join(override, 'gemini'),
+      });
+
+      expect(launch.selectedPath).toBe(join(override, 'gemini'));
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(override, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      rmSync(onPath, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+});
+
+describe('Gemini def carries the minVersion floor (#978)', () => {
+  it('ships with minVersion set to the first stable --output-format release', () => {
+    // Hard-pin the value so a future tweak that drops or changes the
+    // floor is intentional, not a refactor accident.
+    expect((gemini as { minVersion?: string }).minVersion).toBe('0.30.0');
+  });
+});