diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 72982f29..e5348d96 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ Full list of environment variables:
 | `HERMES_WEBUI_PYTHON` | auto-discovered | Python executable |
 | `HERMES_WEBUI_HOST` | `127.0.0.1` | Bind address (`0.0.0.0` for all IPv4, `::` for all IPv6, `::1` for IPv6 loopback) |
 | `HERMES_WEBUI_PORT` | `8787` | Port |
-| `HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR` | `$HERMES_HOME/webui` (Windows default `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\webui`, POSIX default `~/.hermes/webui`) | Where sessions and state are stored |
+| `HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR` | `$HERMES_HOME/webui` (Windows default `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\webui`, POSIX default `~/.hermes/webui`) | Where sessions and state are stored. **Note (upgrade):** the default now follows `HERMES_HOME` — if you previously relocated `HERMES_HOME` to a non-default base **without** setting `HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR`, your WebUI state now resolves to `$HERMES_HOME/webui` instead of the old platform-default `~/.hermes/webui`. To keep using the old location, set `HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR` to it (or move the directory). Installs with `HERMES_HOME` unset or at the default base are unaffected. |
 | `HERMES_WEBUI_DEFAULT_WORKSPACE` | `~/workspace` | Default workspace |
 | `HERMES_WEBUI_DEFAULT_MODEL` | *(provider default)* | Optional model override; leave unset to use the active Hermes provider default |
 | `HERMES_WEBUI_PASSWORD` | *(unset)* | Set to enable password authentication |
diff --git a/tests/test_issue4449_state_dir_contract.py b/tests/test_issue4449_state_dir_contract.py
index 81ae37c8..43922851 100644
--- a/tests/test_issue4449_state_dir_contract.py
+++ b/tests/test_issue4449_state_dir_contract.py
@@ -31,3 +31,59 @@ def test_config_state_dir_defaults_to_hermes_home_webui(tmp_path):
         else:
             os.environ["HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR"] = old_state_dir
         importlib.reload(config)
+
+
+def test_config_state_dir_unchanged_for_normal_install_hermes_home_unset(tmp_path):
+    """Backward-compat: with HERMES_HOME unset, STATE_DIR stays at the platform
+    default `<~/.hermes>/webui` — a normal install's state must NOT relocate
+    (the #4449/#4454 state-dir move only affects an explicitly-set HERMES_HOME)."""
+    old_home = os.environ.get("HERMES_HOME")
+    old_state_dir = os.environ.get("HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR")
+    try:
+        os.environ.pop("HERMES_HOME", None)
+        os.environ.pop("HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR", None)
+
+        reloaded = importlib.reload(config)
+
+        # _platform_default_hermes_home() drives the default; STATE_DIR must be
+        # that base + /webui, exactly as on master before the #4449 change.
+        expected = (reloaded._platform_default_hermes_home() / "webui").resolve()
+        assert reloaded.STATE_DIR == expected
+    finally:
+        if old_home is None:
+            os.environ.pop("HERMES_HOME", None)
+        else:
+            os.environ["HERMES_HOME"] = old_home
+        if old_state_dir is None:
+            os.environ.pop("HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR", None)
+        else:
+            os.environ["HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR"] = old_state_dir
+        importlib.reload(config)
+
+
+def test_config_state_dir_explicit_override_takes_precedence(tmp_path):
+    """HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR always wins over the HERMES_HOME-derived default,
+    so an operator who pinned a state dir keeps it even in isolated mode."""
+    hermes_home = tmp_path / ".hermes" / "profiles" / "isolated"
+    hermes_home.mkdir(parents=True)
+    explicit = tmp_path / "custom-state"
+
+    old_home = os.environ.get("HERMES_HOME")
+    old_state_dir = os.environ.get("HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR")
+    try:
+        os.environ["HERMES_HOME"] = str(hermes_home)
+        os.environ["HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR"] = str(explicit)
+
+        reloaded = importlib.reload(config)
+
+        assert reloaded.STATE_DIR == explicit.resolve()
+    finally:
+        if old_home is None:
+            os.environ.pop("HERMES_HOME", None)
+        else:
+            os.environ["HERMES_HOME"] = old_home
+        if old_state_dir is None:
+            os.environ.pop("HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR", None)
+        else:
+            os.environ["HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR"] = old_state_dir
+        importlib.reload(config)