diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index 55ee93a6..883359b1 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -531,8 +531,8 @@ EOF
 
     echo "    Fetch complete."
 
-    # Fetch npm-global CLI tarballs (claude-code, gemini-cli, pi)
-    echo "==> [2b/7] Fetching npm-global CLI tarballs..."
+    # Fetch pinned npm-global CLI tarballs (pi, gemini-cli)
+    echo "==> [2b/7] Fetching pinned npm-global CLI tarballs..."
     OUT_DIR="$NPM_GLOBALS_DIR" "${SCRIPT_DIR}/scripts/fetch-npm-globals.sh" || {
         echo "    ERROR: fetch-npm-globals.sh failed"
         exit 1
diff --git a/firstboot/MODULE-MANIFEST.md b/firstboot/MODULE-MANIFEST.md
index 73fe8232..d1d4a2d8 100644
--- a/firstboot/MODULE-MANIFEST.md
+++ b/firstboot/MODULE-MANIFEST.md
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@
 
 ### **1.5.1: shell-npm-globals.sh**
 
-**Purpose:** Install bundled npm CLI tools (claude, gemini, pi) from ISO cache
+**Purpose:** Install pinned bundled npm CLI tools (pi, gemini) from ISO cache
 
 **Wizard Inputs:** None (automatic)
 
diff --git a/firstboot/firstboot.sh b/firstboot/firstboot.sh
index 382d850e..98cbc1a7 100644
--- a/firstboot/firstboot.sh
+++ b/firstboot/firstboot.sh
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ run_step_if "install"          "system"     clawdie_shell_system_config       "H
 run_step_if "install"          "desktop"    clawdie_shell_desktop_detect      "Desktop enablement" 7
 run_step_if "install"          "pf"         clawdie_shell_pf                  "PF firewall + jail NAT" 8
 run_step_if "install"          "tailscale"  clawdie_shell_tailscale_setup     "Tailscale remote access" 8
-run_step_if "install upgrade"  "npm-globals" clawdie_shell_npm_globals_install "Install bundled npm CLIs (claude/gemini/pi)" 8
+run_step_if "install upgrade"  "npm-globals" clawdie_shell_npm_globals_install "Install pinned bundled npm CLIs (pi/gemini)" 8
 run_step_if "install upgrade"  "deploy"     clawdie_shell_deploy              "Extract tarball + just install" 8
 
 log_msg "[firstboot] Complete."
diff --git a/firstboot/shell-npm-globals.sh b/firstboot/shell-npm-globals.sh
index 036d61f5..d57c0da6 100755
--- a/firstboot/shell-npm-globals.sh
+++ b/firstboot/shell-npm-globals.sh
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 # Clawdie Shell — NPM Globals Module
-# Purpose: Install bundled npm-global CLI tools (claude-code, gemini-cli, pi)
+# Purpose: Install pinned bundled npm-global CLI tools (pi, gemini-cli)
 #          from local tarballs shipped on the install media. Fully offline.
 # POSIX-compliant (no bash-isms)
 #
 # Runs after shell-pkg.sh (so node24 + npm exist) and before shell-deploy.sh
-# (so the agent runtime can find `claude`, `gemini`, `pi` on PATH at first run).
+# (so the agent runtime can find `pi` and `gemini` on PATH at first run).
 
 set -eu
 
diff --git a/packages/npm-globals.txt b/packages/npm-globals.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..951e8f05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/npm-globals.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# Bundled npm global CLIs for offline firstboot/live operator use.
+# Pin exact versions to prevent build-to-build drift.
+#
+# Keep Pi current through coordinated version-sync work; do not rely on
+# npm's moving latest dist-tag during ISO builds.
+
+@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent@0.75.5
+@google/gemini-cli@0.43.0
diff --git a/scripts/fetch-npm-globals.sh b/scripts/fetch-npm-globals.sh
index d10c42a8..f8b20540 100755
--- a/scripts/fetch-npm-globals.sh
+++ b/scripts/fetch-npm-globals.sh
@@ -1,36 +1,39 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 # Fetch npm-global CLIs as .tgz tarballs for offline install on the ISO target.
 #
-# These three packages are agent runtimes the firstboot installer will
-# `npm install -g` from local tarballs (no network needed):
-#
-#   @anthropic-ai/claude-code       — Claude Code CLI (agent harness)
-#   @google/gemini-cli              — Gemini CLI (alt agent)
-#   @earendil-works/pi-coding-agent — pi CLI (used by Clawdie-AI + paperclip adapters)
+# These packages are installed by firstboot with `npm install -g` from local
+# tarballs (no network needed on the target). Exact versions are pinned in
+# packages/npm-globals.txt to prevent build-to-build drift.
 #
 # Notes:
 #   - Codex is shipped via the FreeBSD `codex` pkg (see pkg-list-host.txt),
 #     not via npm — kept out of this bundle on purpose.
+#   - Claude Code is intentionally not bundled in the XFCE USB image path.
 #   - opencode + cursor have no working FreeBSD distribution (upstream gap).
 #   - Output is dual-purpose: bundled into the ISO and used by firstboot.
 #
 # Usage:
 #   ./scripts/fetch-npm-globals.sh           # fetch into tmp/npm-globals/
 #   OUT_DIR=/some/path ./scripts/fetch-npm-globals.sh
+#   NPM_GLOBALS_LIST=/path/to/list ./scripts/fetch-npm-globals.sh
 
 set -eu
 
 SCRIPT_DIR="$(dirname "$(realpath "$0")")"
 ROOT_DIR="$(dirname "$SCRIPT_DIR")"
 OUT_DIR="${OUT_DIR:-${ROOT_DIR}/tmp/npm-globals}"
-
-PACKAGES="@anthropic-ai/claude-code @google/gemini-cli @earendil-works/pi-coding-agent"
+NPM_GLOBALS_LIST="${NPM_GLOBALS_LIST:-${ROOT_DIR}/packages/npm-globals.txt}"
 
 if ! command -v npm >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     echo "ERROR: npm not found in PATH (install www/npm-node24)" >&2
     exit 1
 fi
 
+if [ ! -f "$NPM_GLOBALS_LIST" ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: npm globals list not found: $NPM_GLOBALS_LIST" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 mkdir -p "$OUT_DIR"
 cd "$OUT_DIR"
 
@@ -40,13 +43,17 @@ cd "$OUT_DIR"
 rm -f ./*.tgz
 
 echo "==> Fetching npm-global tarballs into ${OUT_DIR}"
-for pkg in $PACKAGES; do
+echo "==> Package list: ${NPM_GLOBALS_LIST}"
+while IFS= read -r pkg || [ -n "$pkg" ]; do
+    case "$pkg" in
+        ''|'#'*) continue ;;
+    esac
     echo "    npm pack ${pkg}"
-    # `npm pack <name>` downloads the latest published tarball without
+    # `npm pack <name>@<version>` downloads the pinned published tarball without
     # installing it. Output is `<name>-<version>.tgz` (scoped names get
     # their slash flattened to a dash).
     npm pack "$pkg" >/dev/null
-done
+done < "$NPM_GLOBALS_LIST"
 
 echo ""
 echo "==> Bundle contents:"