diff --git a/scripts/tui_startup_canary.py b/scripts/tui_startup_canary.py
index a2225267..214a6a4a 100644
--- a/scripts/tui_startup_canary.py
+++ b/scripts/tui_startup_canary.py
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@ import json
 import os
 import sys
 
+# Self-bootstrap: when the CURRENT deployment exists, run against it (the
+# consuming path), so this canary always proves what the launcher proves.
+_CURRENT = "/mnt/workdrive/rune-code/current/src"
+if os.path.isdir(_CURRENT) and _CURRENT not in sys.path:
+    sys.path.insert(0, _CURRENT)
+
 
 async def _canary() -> dict:
     from textual.widgets import Static  # noqa: F401 — imports must resolve