diff --git a/hermes_cli/memory_setup.py b/hermes_cli/memory_setup.py
index a75c10b02..2707c77f4 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/memory_setup.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/memory_setup.py
@@ -97,16 +97,25 @@ def _install_dependencies(provider_name: str) -> None:
     print(f"\n  Installing dependencies: {', '.join(missing)}")
 
     import shutil
+
     uv_path = shutil.which("uv")
-    if not uv_path:
-        print(f"  ⚠ uv not found — cannot install dependencies")
-        print(f"  Install uv: curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh")
-        print(f"  Then re-run: hermes memory setup")
-        return
+    if uv_path:
+        install_cmd = [uv_path, "pip", "install", "--python", sys.executable, "--quiet"] + missing
+        manual_cmd = f"uv pip install --python {sys.executable} {' '.join(missing)}"
+    else:
+        pip_cmd = shutil.which("pip3") or shutil.which("pip")
+        if not pip_cmd:
+            print(f"  ⚠ uv not found — cannot install dependencies")
+            print(f"  Install uv: curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh")
+            print(f"  Then re-run: hermes memory setup")
+            return
+        print(f"  ⚠ uv not found. Falling back to standard pip...")
+        install_cmd = [sys.executable, "-m", "pip", "install", "--quiet"] + missing
+        manual_cmd = f"{sys.executable} -m pip install {' '.join(missing)}"
 
     try:
         subprocess.run(
-            [uv_path, "pip", "install", "--python", sys.executable, "--quiet"] + missing,
+            install_cmd,
             check=True, timeout=120,
             capture_output=True,
         )
@@ -116,10 +125,10 @@ def _install_dependencies(provider_name: str) -> None:
         stderr = (e.stderr or b"").decode()[:200]
         if stderr:
             print(f"    {stderr}")
-        print(f"  Run manually: uv pip install --python {sys.executable} {' '.join(missing)}")
+        print(f"  Run manually: {manual_cmd}")
     except Exception as e:
         print(f"  ⚠ Install failed: {e}")
-        print(f"  Run manually: uv pip install --python {sys.executable} {' '.join(missing)}")
+        print(f"  Run manually: {manual_cmd}")
 
     # Also show external dependencies (non-pip) if any
     ext_deps = meta.get("external_dependencies", [])
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_memory_setup_provider_arg.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_memory_setup_provider_arg.py
index 6dd310094..7e7ff6ba3 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_memory_setup_provider_arg.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_memory_setup_provider_arg.py
@@ -48,3 +48,50 @@ class TestMemorySetupProviderRouting:
         out = capsys.readouterr().out
         assert "not found" in out
         assert "hermes memory setup" in out
+
+
+class TestInstallDependenciesRunner:
+    """`_install_dependencies` must install via `uv` when present and fall back
+    to standard `pip` when `uv` is unavailable (e.g. slim containers / CI images
+    that don't ship uv) instead of dead-ending with "cannot install"."""
+
+    def _run_with_missing_dep(self, tmp_path, which_side_effect):
+        """Drive _install_dependencies for a plugin that declares one missing
+        pip dep, capturing the subprocess.run argv (or None if never called)."""
+        import sys
+
+        (tmp_path / "plugin.yaml").write_text(
+            "pip_dependencies:\n  - definitely-not-installed-xyz\n", encoding="utf-8"
+        )
+        captured = {}
+
+        def fake_run(cmd, **kw):
+            captured["cmd"] = cmd
+            return SimpleNamespace()
+
+        with patch("plugins.memory.find_provider_dir", return_value=tmp_path), \
+             patch("shutil.which", side_effect=which_side_effect), \
+             patch("subprocess.run", fake_run):
+            memory_setup._install_dependencies("x")
+        return captured.get("cmd"), sys.executable
+
+    def test_uses_uv_when_available(self, tmp_path):
+        cmd, _ = self._run_with_missing_dep(
+            tmp_path, lambda b: "/usr/bin/uv" if b == "uv" else None
+        )
+        assert cmd is not None
+        assert cmd[:3] == ["/usr/bin/uv", "pip", "install"]
+
+    def test_falls_back_to_pip_when_uv_missing(self, tmp_path, capsys):
+        """The salvaged behavior (#5954): no uv but pip present -> python -m pip."""
+        cmd, py = self._run_with_missing_dep(
+            tmp_path, lambda b: "/usr/bin/pip3" if b == "pip3" else None
+        )
+        assert cmd is not None
+        assert cmd[:4] == [py, "-m", "pip", "install"]
+        assert "Falling back to standard pip" in capsys.readouterr().out
+
+    def test_aborts_when_neither_uv_nor_pip(self, tmp_path, capsys):
+        cmd, _ = self._run_with_missing_dep(tmp_path, lambda b: None)
+        assert cmd is None  # no install attempted
+        assert "cannot install dependencies" in capsys.readouterr().out