diff --git a/packages/cli/src/managed-python-runtime.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/managed-python-runtime.test.ts
index b63b6c19..d100e409 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/managed-python-runtime.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/managed-python-runtime.test.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { tmpdir } from 'node:os';
 import { join } from 'node:path';
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
 import {
+  MISSING_UV_RUNTIME_INSTALL_MESSAGE,
   doctorManagedPythonRuntime,
   installManagedPythonRuntime,
   managedPythonRuntimeLayout,
@@ -233,6 +234,27 @@ describe('installManagedPythonRuntime', () => {
     expect(manifest.features).toEqual(['core', 'local-embeddings']);
   });
 
+  it('fails with the hard-prerequisite message when uv is missing', async () => {
+    const { assetDir } = await writeAsset(tempDir, 'core-wheel');
+    const commands: Array<{ command: string; args: string[] }> = [];
+    const exec: ManagedPythonRuntimeExec = vi.fn(async (command, args) => {
+      commands.push({ command, args });
+      throw new Error('spawn uv ENOENT');
+    });
+
+    await expect(
+      installManagedPythonRuntime({
+        cliVersion: '0.2.0',
+        runtimeRoot: join(tempDir, 'runtime'),
+        assetDir,
+        features: ['core'],
+        exec,
+      }),
+    ).rejects.toThrow(MISSING_UV_RUNTIME_INSTALL_MESSAGE);
+
+    expect(commands).toEqual([{ command: 'uv', args: ['--version'] }]);
+  });
+
   it('reuses an existing compatible runtime when force is false', async () => {
     const { assetDir } = await writeAsset(tempDir, 'core-wheel');
     const exec: ManagedPythonRuntimeExec = vi.fn(async (command, args) => ({
@@ -394,6 +416,28 @@ describe('doctorManagedPythonRuntime', () => {
     ]);
     expect(checks[2]?.fix).toBe('Run: ktx runtime install --yes');
   });
+
+  it('reports uv as a hard prerequisite when uv is missing', async () => {
+    const { assetDir } = await writeAsset(tempDir, 'core-wheel');
+    const exec: ManagedPythonRuntimeExec = vi.fn(async () => {
+      throw new Error('spawn uv ENOENT');
+    });
+
+    const checks = await doctorManagedPythonRuntime({
+      cliVersion: '0.2.0',
+      runtimeRoot: join(tempDir, 'runtime'),
+      assetDir,
+      exec,
+    });
+
+    expect(checks[0]).toEqual({
+      id: 'uv',
+      label: 'uv',
+      status: 'fail',
+      detail: MISSING_UV_RUNTIME_INSTALL_MESSAGE,
+      fix: 'Install uv, make sure it is on PATH, and run: ktx runtime install --yes',
+    });
+  });
 });
 
 describe('pruneManagedPythonRuntimes', () => {
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/managed-python-runtime.ts b/packages/cli/src/managed-python-runtime.ts
index e78e8a76..2b715b69 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/managed-python-runtime.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/managed-python-runtime.ts
@@ -114,6 +114,9 @@ export interface ManagedPythonRuntimePruneResult {
   removed: string[];
 }
 
+export const MISSING_UV_RUNTIME_INSTALL_MESSAGE =
+  'uv is required to install the KTX Python runtime. KTX does not download uv automatically. Install uv, make sure it is on PATH, and retry: ktx runtime install --yes';
+
 function defaultAssetDir(): string {
   return fileURLToPath(new URL('../assets/python/', import.meta.url));
 }
@@ -268,9 +271,7 @@ async function ensureUv(exec: ManagedPythonRuntimeExec): Promise<string> {
     const result = await exec('uv', ['--version']);
     return result.stdout.trim() || 'uv available';
   } catch {
-    throw new Error(
-      'uv is required to install the KTX Python runtime. Install uv and retry: ktx runtime install --yes',
-    );
+    throw new Error(MISSING_UV_RUNTIME_INSTALL_MESSAGE);
   }
 }
 
@@ -378,7 +379,7 @@ export async function doctorManagedPythonRuntime(
         id: 'uv',
         label: 'uv',
         detail: error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error),
-        fix: 'Install uv, then run: ktx runtime install --yes',
+        fix: 'Install uv, make sure it is on PATH, and run: ktx runtime install --yes',
       }),
     );
   }