diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/agent.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/agent.ts
index 4c68855..542416d 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/agent.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/agent.ts
@@ -13,16 +13,35 @@ import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
 
 import { defineCommand } from "citty";
 
-const CLI_VERSION = "0.5.0";
-
-function getSkillSourceDir(): string {
+function getPackageRootDir(): string {
   const thisFile = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
   let dir = dirname(thisFile);
   for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
-    if (existsSync(join(dir, "skills"))) return join(dir, "skills");
+    if (existsSync(join(dir, "package.json"))) return dir;
     dir = dirname(dir);
   }
-  throw new Error("Cannot locate skills directory. Is the CLI package intact?");
+  throw new Error("Cannot locate package root. Is the CLI package intact?");
+}
+
+function getCliVersion(): string {
+  const pkgPath = join(getPackageRootDir(), "package.json");
+  const pkg = JSON.parse(readFileSync(pkgPath, "utf8")) as { version: string };
+  return pkg.version;
+}
+
+let _cachedVersion: string | null = null;
+function cliVersion(): string {
+  if (_cachedVersion === null) _cachedVersion = getCliVersion();
+  return _cachedVersion;
+}
+
+function getSkillSourceDir(): string {
+  const root = getPackageRootDir();
+  const skillsDir = join(root, "skills");
+  if (!existsSync(skillsDir)) {
+    throw new Error("Cannot locate skills directory. Is the CLI package intact?");
+  }
+  return skillsDir;
 }
 
 function getHermesSkillDir(profile: string | null): string {
@@ -48,19 +67,19 @@ function injectHermes(profile: string | null): void {
   const targetDir = getHermesSkillDir(profile);
   const existing = readVersionFile(targetDir);
 
-  if (existing === CLI_VERSION) {
+  if (existing === cliVersion()) {
     const loc = profile !== null ? ` (profile: ${profile})` : "";
-    process.stdout.write(`✅ Hermes nerve skill is already up to date (v${CLI_VERSION})${loc}\n`);
+    process.stdout.write(`✅ Hermes nerve skill is already up to date (v${cliVersion()})${loc}\n`);
     return;
   }
 
   mkdirSync(targetDir, { recursive: true });
   cpSync(sourceDir, targetDir, { recursive: true });
-  writeVersionFile(targetDir, CLI_VERSION);
+  writeVersionFile(targetDir, cliVersion());
 
   const action = existing !== null ? "Updated" : "Installed";
   const loc = profile !== null ? ` (profile: ${profile})` : "";
-  process.stdout.write(`✅ ${action} Hermes nerve skill v${CLI_VERSION}${loc}\n`);
+  process.stdout.write(`✅ ${action} Hermes nerve skill v${cliVersion()}${loc}\n`);
   process.stdout.write(`   → ${targetDir}/SKILL.md\n`);
 }
 
@@ -76,7 +95,7 @@ function removeHermes(profile: string | null): void {
 }
 
 function printStatus(): void {
-  process.stdout.write(`nerve agent skills (CLI v${CLI_VERSION})\n\n`);
+  process.stdout.write(`nerve agent skills (CLI v${cliVersion()})\n\n`);
 
   // Default profile
   const defaultDir = getHermesSkillDir(null);
@@ -105,11 +124,11 @@ function printStatus(): void {
 function printAgentLine(label: string, version: string | null): void {
   if (version === null) {
     process.stdout.write(`  ${label}: ❌ not installed\n`);
-  } else if (version === CLI_VERSION) {
+  } else if (version === cliVersion()) {
     process.stdout.write(`  ${label}: ✅ v${version}\n`);
   } else {
     process.stdout.write(
-      `  ${label}: ⚠️ v${version} → v${CLI_VERSION} available (run \`nerve agent update\`)\n`,
+      `  ${label}: ⚠️ v${version} → v${cliVersion()} available (run \`nerve agent update\`)\n`,
     );
   }
 }