diff --git a/apps/server/src/os-jank.test.ts b/apps/server/src/os-jank.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a157efb665f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/server/src/os-jank.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import * as NodeOS from "node:os";
+import { assert, it } from "vite-plus/test";
+
+import { hydratePosixHome } from "./os-jank.ts";
+
+it("hydrates HOME for minimal service environments from the user account", () => {
+  const env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = {};
+
+  hydratePosixHome(env);
+
+  assert.equal(env.HOME, NodeOS.userInfo().homedir);
+});
+
+it("hydrates HOME independently of a blank process HOME", () => {
+  const originalHome = process.env.HOME;
+  const env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = { HOME: " " };
+
+  try {
+    process.env.HOME = " ";
+    hydratePosixHome(env);
+  } finally {
+    if (originalHome === undefined) {
+      delete process.env.HOME;
+    } else {
+      process.env.HOME = originalHome;
+    }
+  }
+
+  assert.equal(env.HOME, NodeOS.userInfo().homedir);
+});
+
+it("preserves an explicitly configured HOME", () => {
+  const env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = { HOME: "/custom/home" };
+
+  hydratePosixHome(env, () => {
+    throw new Error("HOME lookup should not run");
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(env.HOME, "/custom/home");
+});
diff --git a/apps/server/src/os-jank.ts b/apps/server/src/os-jank.ts
index bc72758bc71..18ddbc66c0c 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/os-jank.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/os-jank.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,18 @@ function hydratePosixPath(env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv, platform: NodeJS.Platform): vo
   }
 }
 
+export function hydratePosixHome(
+  env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv,
+  resolveHomeDir = () => NodeOS.userInfo().homedir,
+): void {
+  if ((env.HOME?.trim() ?? "").length > 0) return;
+
+  const homeDir = resolveHomeDir();
+  if (homeDir.length > 0) {
+    env.HOME = homeDir;
+  }
+}
+
 export const fixPath = Effect.fn("fixPath")(function* (): Effect.fn.Return<
   void,
   never,
@@ -63,6 +75,13 @@ export const fixPath = Effect.fn("fixPath")(function* (): Effect.fn.Return<
 
   if (platform !== "darwin" && platform !== "linux") return;
 
+  yield* Effect.sync(() => hydratePosixHome(env)).pipe(
+    Effect.catchDefect((defect) =>
+      Effect.sync(() => {
+        logPathHydrationWarning("Failed to hydrate HOME from the user account.", defect);
+      }),
+    ),
+  );
   yield* Effect.sync(() => hydratePosixPath(env, platform)).pipe(
     Effect.catchDefect((defect) =>
       Effect.sync(() => {