diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d0853fdb8..1f4ae040b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -240,14 +240,15 @@ the `memory-*` directories from `skills/` into your agent's skills directory.
 
 Hermes keeps its native plugin shape under [`integrations/hermes`](integrations/hermes):
 
+Managed installation requires a Hermes Agent release containing the
+[manifest-v2 installer fix](https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/pull/85893).
+Hermes Agent v0.20.5 (`v2026.8.19`) and earlier are not supported. If the installer says it only
+supports `manifest_version: 1`, update Hermes to a release containing that fix.
+
 ```bash
-hermes plugins install basicmachines-co/basic-memory --path integrations/hermes
+hermes plugins install basicmachines-co/basic-memory/integrations/hermes
 ```
 
-If your Hermes build lacks subpath installs, use the final deprecated
-`basicmachines-co/hermes-basic-memory` pointer release until host support
-lands.
-
 ### OpenClaw
 
 OpenClaw stays package-native and publishes from
diff --git a/integrations/hermes/README.md b/integrations/hermes/README.md
index 8aee6246e..85a9bef82 100644
--- a/integrations/hermes/README.md
+++ b/integrations/hermes/README.md
@@ -8,8 +8,13 @@ The plugin replaces Hermes's "no external memory provider" with a real graph: se
 
 ## Install
 
+Managed installation requires a Hermes Agent release containing the
+[manifest-v2 installer fix](https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/pull/85893).
+Hermes Agent v0.20.5 (`v2026.8.19`) and earlier are not supported. If the installer says it only
+supports `manifest_version: 1`, update Hermes to a release containing that fix.
+
 ```bash
-hermes plugins install basicmachines-co/basic-memory --path integrations/hermes
+hermes plugins install basicmachines-co/basic-memory/integrations/hermes
 ```
 
 Then activate it in `~/.hermes/config.yaml`:
@@ -21,13 +26,12 @@ memory:
 
 If you run the gateway, restart it (`hermes gateway restart`). Done.
 
-If your installed Hermes build does not support `--path`, use the final deprecated `basicmachines-co/hermes-basic-memory` pointer release until Hermes subpath installs are available. Ongoing development now lives in [`basic-memory/integrations/hermes`](https://github.com/basicmachines-co/basic-memory/tree/main/integrations/hermes).
-
 The plugin self-installs the `basic-memory` CLI on first init via `uv tool install basic-memory` (one-time ~10s pause if it isn't already present). The bm binary lands at `~/.local/bin/bm` — the same location a manual `uv tool install basic-memory` would produce, so a later manual install or upgrade is a no-op rather than a second install.
 
 ### Prerequisites
 
-- [Hermes Agent](https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent)
+- A supported [Hermes Agent](https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent) release as described
+  above
 - [`uv`](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/) on PATH (used for the bootstrap install)
 - The `mcp` Python package in the Hermes venv. If `hermes plugins install` doesn't auto-install it (it follows `pip_dependencies` in `plugin.yaml`), run:
   ```bash
diff --git a/scripts/validate_hermes_plugin.py b/scripts/validate_hermes_plugin.py
index 82efac01e..c8825e6d7 100644
--- a/scripts/validate_hermes_plugin.py
+++ b/scripts/validate_hermes_plugin.py
@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@
 
 from validate_skills import parse_frontmatter
 
+HERMES_INSTALL_COMMAND = "hermes plugins install basicmachines-co/basic-memory/integrations/hermes"
+UNSUPPORTED_HERMES_INSTALL_COMMAND = (
+    "hermes plugins install basicmachines-co/basic-memory --path integrations/hermes"
+)
+
 
 def parse_plugin_yaml(path: Path) -> dict[str, str]:
     data: dict[str, str] = {}
@@ -23,10 +28,12 @@ def validate_hermes_plugin(plugin_dir: Path) -> None:
     plugin_dir = plugin_dir.resolve()
     plugin_yaml = plugin_dir / "plugin.yaml"
     module = plugin_dir / "__init__.py"
+    readme = plugin_dir / "README.md"
+    root_readme = plugin_dir.parents[1] / "README.md"
     skill = plugin_dir / "skill/SKILL.md"
     tests = plugin_dir / "tests"
 
-    for path in [plugin_yaml, module, skill, tests]:
+    for path in [plugin_yaml, module, readme, root_readme, skill, tests]:
         if not path.exists():
             raise SystemExit(f"Missing Hermes plugin file: {path}")
 
@@ -46,6 +53,13 @@ def validate_hermes_plugin(plugin_dir: Path) -> None:
     if frontmatter.get("name") != "basic-memory":
         raise SystemExit(f"{skill}: expected name=basic-memory")
 
+    for documentation in [root_readme, readme]:
+        documentation_text = documentation.read_text()
+        if HERMES_INSTALL_COMMAND not in documentation_text:
+            raise SystemExit(f"{documentation}: missing supported Hermes install command")
+        if UNSUPPORTED_HERMES_INSTALL_COMMAND in documentation_text:
+            raise SystemExit(f"{documentation}: contains unsupported Hermes --path command")
+
     print(f"validated Hermes plugin in {plugin_dir}")