diff --git a/apps/cli/CHANGELOG.md b/apps/cli/CHANGELOG.md
index 7668d73..b3199f6 100644
--- a/apps/cli/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/apps/cli/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,96 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 1.34.17 (2026-05-20) — host fingerprint v2: stable across Mac reboots
+
+Fixes a long-standing class of false-positive `host_fingerprint
+mismatch` failures that put the daemon in a launchd restart loop
+after Mac reboots (one user observed the daemon's `runs` counter
+climb past 360 and `daemon.log` balloon to 24 MB before the next
+manual `claudemesh daemon accept-host`).
+
+### Root cause
+
+`apps/cli/src/daemon/identity.ts` (v1) computed `sha256(host_id ||
+mac)` where `host_id` was empty on macOS (the file commented "No
+reliable file; fall back to MAC-only fingerprint") and `mac` was
+picked by enumerating `os.networkInterfaces()`, filtering a small
+list of known-virtual interface name prefixes, then sorting the
+remainder lex and taking the first.
+
+On a Mac with Wi-Fi the lex-first survivor was usually `en0` — but
+Apple's privacy feature randomizes the Wi-Fi MAC, and the random
+value can change across reboots, network rejoins, or when the user
+toggles "Private Wi-Fi address" for a network. The stored
+fingerprint was hashed from one randomized MAC; after a reboot,
+`pickStableMac()` returned a different randomized MAC; the hashes
+diverged; the daemon refused to start and the LaunchAgent
+respawned it every second.
+
+The interface name filter was also missing several macOS virtual
+adapters (`anpi*`, `bridge*`, `ap[0-9]`) which can churn for
+similar reasons.
+
+### The fix — schema_version 2
+
+- **macOS host_id** — `IOPlatformUUID` via `ioreg -rd1 -c
+  IOPlatformExpertDevice`, parsed at daemon start (~30 ms,
+  cached for the process lifetime). Burned into EFI; stable
+  across reboots, OS reinstalls, and macOS upgrades. Falls back
+  to MAC-only if `ioreg` fails or is missing (`darwin` namespaced
+  so it can never collide with a `linux:` machine-id).
+- **MAC picker hardening** — rejects any MAC with the
+  locally-administered bit (`0x02` of the first byte) set. These
+  are randomization-prone by definition (RFC 5342). Hardware
+  MACs (universally-administered, OUI-prefixed) are preferred;
+  locally-administered MACs are kept only as a fallback when no
+  hardware NIC is enumerable.
+- **Extended interface ignore list** — `anpi`, `bridge`,
+  `ap[0-9]` join the existing `lo|docker|br-|veth|tap|tun|
+  tailscale|wg|utun|ppp|vboxnet|vmnet|awdl|llw`.
+- **Domain-separated hash** — v2 hash prefixes `"v2\0"` before
+  `host_id || \0 || mac`. Guarantees v1 and v2 outputs can never
+  collide on the same inputs, so the migration check is
+  unambiguous.
+
+### Silent migration (v1 → v2)
+
+`checkFingerprint()` now handles three cases:
+
+1. Stored file has `schema_version: 2` → direct hash compare.
+2. Stored file has `schema_version: 1` → recompute fingerprint
+   under the v1 algorithm. If it matches, the user is legitimately
+   on the same host running v2 for the first time — the file is
+   silently rewritten as v2 and the daemon proceeds. If the v1
+   recompute also fails to match, this is a genuine mismatch
+   (real host change, restored backup, accidental clone) and the
+   daemon refuses as before.
+3. Stored file has an unknown future `schema_version` → treated
+   as `unavailable` (not overwritten). Prevents a newer daemon
+   from silently wiping a file it doesn't understand.
+
+The v1 algorithm is preserved as a frozen internal helper for the
+migration path only. New code should never extend it.
+
+### Tests + test infra fixes
+
+`apps/cli/tests/unit/identity.test.ts` (18 cases) covers v2
+determinism, v2 domain separation from v1, hardware-MAC
+preference, locally-administered MAC fallback, every
+`checkFingerprint` branch, and the silent v1→v2 upgrade behavior
+of `acceptCurrentHost`.
+
+Two pre-existing CI/test-infra papercuts surfaced while validating
+this fix and were corrected alongside:
+
+- `apps/cli/tests/golden/{version,whoami}.test.ts` spawn the
+  built CLI at `dist/entrypoints/cli.js` but nothing built it
+  before `vitest run`. `turbo.json` now declares
+  `test.dependsOn = ["build"]` so the monorepo always builds
+  first, and a new vitest globalSetup
+  (`apps/cli/tests/setup/ensure-built.ts`) rebuilds on demand
+  with `~/.bun/bin` and Homebrew layered into PATH for the
+  spawned subprocess.
+
 ## 1.34.15 (2026-05-04) — `peer list --mesh` actually scopes + `kick` refuses control-plane
 
 Two follow-ups from the 1.34.x train, both backwards-compatible.
diff --git a/apps/cli/package.json b/apps/cli/package.json
index ffa8194..94c8275 100644
--- a/apps/cli/package.json
+++ b/apps/cli/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "claudemesh-cli",
-  "version": "1.34.16",
+  "version": "1.34.17",
   "description": "Peer mesh for Claude Code sessions — CLI + MCP server.",
   "keywords": [
     "claude-code",
diff --git a/apps/cli/src/daemon/identity.ts b/apps/cli/src/daemon/identity.ts
index 813538a..905bd6b 100644
--- a/apps/cli/src/daemon/identity.ts
+++ b/apps/cli/src/daemon/identity.ts
@@ -4,22 +4,37 @@
 //
 // NOT attacker-grade: anyone copying both the keypair AND the
 // host_fingerprint defeats this. Threat model §16 says so explicitly.
+//
+// ── schema_version: 2 (1.34.17+) ──
+// v1 was vulnerable to false mismatches across reboots on macOS because
+// `os.networkInterfaces()` returns Wi-Fi MACs that Apple's privacy
+// rotation re-randomizes (bit 0x02 of the first byte = "locally
+// administered"). After a Mac restart, en0's MAC could change → the
+// stored sha256(host_id || mac) no longer matched → the daemon refused
+// to start in a restart loop. Cure was always manual `accept-host`.
+//
+// v2 fixes the root cause: on macOS we read `IOPlatformUUID` via
+// `ioreg` (burned into EFI, never changes); the MAC picker rejects any
+// locally-administered MAC and prefers true hardware NICs. Migration
+// is silent — a v1 store that still matches the v1 algorithm is
+// rewritten transparently as v2 on first start under this version.
 
 import { existsSync, readFileSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { join } from "node:path";
-import { createHash, randomUUID } from "node:crypto";
-import { networkInterfaces } from "node:os";
+import { createHash } from "node:crypto";
+import { execFileSync } from "node:child_process";
+import { networkInterfaces, type NetworkInterfaceInfo } from "node:os";
 
 import { DAEMON_PATHS } from "./paths.js";
 
 export type ClonePolicy = "refuse" | "warn" | "allow";
 
 export interface FingerprintRecord {
-  schema_version: 1;
-  fingerprint: string;       // sha256 hex
-  host_id: string;           // raw, for diagnostics
-  stable_mac: string;        // raw, for diagnostics
-  written_at: string;        // ISO date
+  schema_version: 1 | 2;
+  fingerprint: string; // sha256 hex
+  host_id: string; // raw, for diagnostics
+  stable_mac: string; // raw, for diagnostics
+  written_at: string; // ISO date
 }
 
 export interface FingerprintCheck {
@@ -29,32 +44,27 @@ export interface FingerprintCheck {
 }
 
 const FILE_NAME = "host_fingerprint.json";
+const CURRENT_SCHEMA: 2 = 2;
 
-function path(): string { return join(DAEMON_PATHS.DAEMON_DIR, FILE_NAME); }
+function path(): string {
+  return join(DAEMON_PATHS.DAEMON_DIR, FILE_NAME);
+}
 
-/** Compute (without writing) the current host fingerprint. */
+// ── public API ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+/** Compute (without writing) the current host fingerprint under v2 rules. */
 export function computeCurrentFingerprint(): FingerprintRecord {
-  // Per spec §2.2 / followups doc: when neither host_id nor a stable MAC
-  // are readable we fall back to a persisted random UUID. We DO NOT mint
-  // a fresh random per call (that would make every restart look like a
-  // clone). Instead, leave host_id empty when unknown — the MAC alone
-  // identifies the host for accidental-clone detection.
-  const host_id = readHostId() ?? "";
-  const stable_mac = pickStableMac() ?? "";
-  const fp = createHash("sha256").update(host_id, "utf8").update("\0").update(stable_mac, "utf8").digest("hex");
+  const host_id = readHostIdV2() ?? "";
+  const stable_mac = pickStableMacFromInterfaces(networkInterfaces()) ?? "";
   return {
-    schema_version: 1,
-    fingerprint: fp,
+    schema_version: CURRENT_SCHEMA,
+    fingerprint: fingerprintV2(host_id, stable_mac),
     host_id,
     stable_mac,
     written_at: new Date().toISOString(),
   };
 }
 
-// `randomUUID` is no longer used after the random-fallback fix; keep the
-// import only if other helpers need it.
-void randomUUID;
-
 /** Read or write the persisted fingerprint and report the result. */
 export function checkFingerprint(): FingerprintCheck {
   const current = computeCurrentFingerprint();
@@ -63,47 +73,139 @@ export function checkFingerprint(): FingerprintCheck {
     return { result: "first_run", current };
   }
   let stored: FingerprintRecord;
-  try { stored = JSON.parse(readFileSync(path(), "utf8")) as FingerprintRecord; }
-  catch { return { result: "unavailable", current }; }
-  if (stored.fingerprint === current.fingerprint) return { result: "match", current, stored };
-  return { result: "mismatch", current, stored };
+  try {
+    stored = JSON.parse(readFileSync(path(), "utf8")) as FingerprintRecord;
+  } catch {
+    return { result: "unavailable", current };
+  }
+
+  // v2 fast path: direct compare.
+  if (stored.schema_version === 2) {
+    if (stored.fingerprint === current.fingerprint)
+      return { result: "match", current, stored };
+    return { result: "mismatch", current, stored };
+  }
+
+  // v1 migration path. Recompute under v1 rules; if it matches, the
+  // user is legitimately on the same host, just running v2 for the
+  // first time — rewrite the file as v2 and report match. If v1 does
+  // not match either, this is a genuine mismatch (clone, restored
+  // backup, or actual host change) and the daemon should refuse.
+  if (stored.schema_version === 1) {
+    const v1 = computeCurrentFingerprintV1();
+    if (stored.fingerprint === v1.fingerprint) {
+      writeFileSync(path(), JSON.stringify(current, null, 2), { mode: 0o600 });
+      return { result: "match", current, stored };
+    }
+    return { result: "mismatch", current, stored };
+  }
+
+  // Unknown future schema. Treat as unavailable rather than first_run
+  // — we don't want a newer daemon to silently overwrite a file it
+  // doesn't understand.
+  return { result: "unavailable", current };
 }
 
-/** Re-write the fingerprint file. Used by `daemon accept-host`. */
+/** Re-write the fingerprint file under v2 rules. Used by `daemon accept-host`. */
 export function acceptCurrentHost(): FingerprintRecord {
   const current = computeCurrentFingerprint();
   writeFileSync(path(), JSON.stringify(current, null, 2), { mode: 0o600 });
   return current;
 }
 
-// ── platform helpers ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// ── v2 helpers (exported for tests) ───────────────────────────────────
 
-function readHostId(): string | null {
-  // Linux: /etc/machine-id (or /var/lib/dbus/machine-id).
+/** Pure: compute a v2 fingerprint from host_id + stable_mac strings. */
+export function fingerprintV2(host_id: string, stable_mac: string): string {
+  // The "v2\0" prefix guarantees v1 and v2 hashes are domain-separated
+  // even when fed identical inputs.
+  return createHash("sha256")
+    .update("v2", "utf8")
+    .update("\0")
+    .update(host_id, "utf8")
+    .update("\0")
+    .update(stable_mac, "utf8")
+    .digest("hex");
+}
+
+/**
+ * Pure: pick a stable MAC from a NetworkInterfaceInfo map.
+ * Rejects locally-administered MACs (bit 0x02 of first byte), which
+ * are typically randomized on Apple Wi-Fi, NetworkManager privacy
+ * mode, and most virtual bridges. Returns null if none qualify.
+ *
+ * Exported for unit tests that feed synthetic interface tables.
+ */
+export function pickStableMacFromInterfaces(
+  ifs: NodeJS.Dict<NetworkInterfaceInfo[]>,
+): string | null {
+  // First pass: prefer hardware (universally-administered) MACs.
+  const hardware: Array<{ name: string; mac: string }> = [];
+  const fallback: Array<{ name: string; mac: string }> = [];
+
+  for (const [name, addrs] of Object.entries(ifs)) {
+    if (!addrs) continue;
+    if (isIgnoredInterface(name)) continue;
+    for (const a of addrs) {
+      if (a.internal) continue;
+      if (!a.mac || a.mac === "00:00:00:00:00:00") continue;
+      const entry = { name, mac: a.mac };
+      if (isLocallyAdministered(a.mac)) {
+        fallback.push(entry);
+      } else {
+        hardware.push(entry);
+      }
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+
+  const pool = hardware.length > 0 ? hardware : fallback;
+  if (pool.length === 0) return null;
+  pool.sort((a, b) => a.name.localeCompare(b.name));
+  return pool[0]!.mac;
+}
+
+// ── v1 helpers (kept ONLY for migration; do not extend) ───────────────
+
+function computeCurrentFingerprintV1(): FingerprintRecord {
+  const host_id = readHostIdV1() ?? "";
+  const stable_mac = pickStableMacV1() ?? "";
+  const fp = createHash("sha256")
+    .update(host_id, "utf8")
+    .update("\0")
+    .update(stable_mac, "utf8")
+    .digest("hex");
+  return {
+    schema_version: 1,
+    fingerprint: fp,
+    host_id,
+    stable_mac,
+    written_at: new Date().toISOString(),
+  };
+}
+
+function readHostIdV1(): string | null {
   if (process.platform === "linux") {
     for (const p of ["/etc/machine-id", "/var/lib/dbus/machine-id"]) {
       try {
         const raw = readFileSync(p, "utf8").trim();
         if (raw) return `linux:${raw}`;
-      } catch { /* try next */ }
+      } catch {
+        /* try next */
+      }
     }
     return null;
   }
-  // macOS: IOPlatformUUID via ioreg. We avoid spawning by checking ENV.
-  if (process.platform === "darwin") {
-    // No reliable file; fall back to MAC-only fingerprint.
-    return null;
-  }
-  // Windows: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Cryptography\MachineGuid. Skip in v0.9.0.
+  // v1 on macOS/Windows: empty host_id, MAC-only fingerprint.
   return null;
 }
 
-function pickStableMac(): string | null {
+function pickStableMacV1(): string | null {
   const ifs = networkInterfaces();
   const candidates: string[] = [];
   for (const [name, addrs] of Object.entries(ifs)) {
     if (!addrs) continue;
-    if (isIgnoredInterface(name)) continue;
+    if (isIgnoredInterfaceV1(name)) continue;
     for (const a of addrs) {
       if (a.internal) continue;
       if (!a.mac || a.mac === "00:00:00:00:00:00") continue;
@@ -112,12 +214,98 @@ function pickStableMac(): string | null {
     }
   }
   if (candidates.length === 0) return null;
-  candidates.sort(); // lex by interface name
+  candidates.sort();
   const first = candidates[0]!;
   const idx = first.indexOf("::");
   return idx >= 0 ? first.slice(idx + 2) : first;
 }
 
-function isIgnoredInterface(name: string): boolean {
-  return /^(lo|docker|br-|veth|tap|tun|tailscale|wg|utun|ppp|vboxnet|vmnet|awdl|llw)/i.test(name);
+function isIgnoredInterfaceV1(name: string): boolean {
+  return /^(lo|docker|br-|veth|tap|tun|tailscale|wg|utun|ppp|vboxnet|vmnet|awdl|llw)/i.test(
+    name,
+  );
+}
+
+// ── platform helpers (v2) ─────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+let cachedHostIdV2: string | null | undefined;
+
+function readHostIdV2(): string | null {
+  if (cachedHostIdV2 !== undefined) return cachedHostIdV2;
+  cachedHostIdV2 = readHostIdV2Uncached();
+  return cachedHostIdV2;
+}
+
+function readHostIdV2Uncached(): string | null {
+  // Linux: /etc/machine-id (or /var/lib/dbus/machine-id) — burned in at
+  // first boot, stable across reboots, namespaced per spec.
+  if (process.platform === "linux") {
+    for (const p of ["/etc/machine-id", "/var/lib/dbus/machine-id"]) {
+      try {
+        const raw = readFileSync(p, "utf8").trim();
+        if (raw) return `linux:${raw}`;
+      } catch {
+        /* try next */
+      }
+    }
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  // macOS: IOPlatformUUID is burned into EFI/hardware, stable across
+  // reboots, OS reinstalls, and macOS upgrades. We spawn `ioreg` once
+  // at daemon start (cached for process lifetime) — ~30 ms, run on
+  // first start only thanks to the module-level cache.
+  if (process.platform === "darwin") {
+    try {
+      const out = execFileSync(
+        "/usr/sbin/ioreg",
+        ["-rd1", "-c", "IOPlatformExpertDevice"],
+        {
+          encoding: "utf8",
+          timeout: 2000,
+          stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "ignore"],
+        },
+      );
+      const m = out.match(/"IOPlatformUUID"\s*=\s*"([0-9A-Fa-f-]+)"/);
+      if (m && m[1]) return `darwin:${m[1]}`;
+    } catch {
+      /* fall through to MAC-only fingerprint */
+    }
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  // Windows: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Cryptography\MachineGuid. Reading
+  // the registry from Node would require a native module or a `reg
+  // query` spawn — deferred until we have Windows users complaining.
+  return null;
+}
+
+/** True if the MAC has the locally-administered bit set (0x02 of first byte). */
+function isLocallyAdministered(mac: string): boolean {
+  const firstByte = parseInt(mac.split(":")[0] ?? "0", 16);
+  if (Number.isNaN(firstByte)) return false;
+  return (firstByte & 0x02) !== 0;
+}
+
+function isIgnoredInterface(name: string): boolean {
+  // Extends the v1 list with `anpi*` (Apple Network Personal Interface
+  // — bridges to peripherals), `ap[0-9]` (AP mode adapters), and
+  // `bridge` (virtual bridges from VMs / Internet Sharing). All can
+  // appear with unstable MACs even when "hardware" by Node's standards.
+  return /^(lo|docker|br-|bridge|veth|tap|tun|tailscale|wg|utun|ppp|vboxnet|vmnet|awdl|llw|anpi|ap\d)/i.test(
+    name,
+  );
+}
+
+// ── test-only hooks ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+/** Reset the module-level host_id cache. Used by unit tests only. */
+export function __resetHostIdCacheForTests(): void {
+  cachedHostIdV2 = undefined;
+}
+
+/** Compute the v1 fingerprint on this host. Tests use this to seed a
+ *  matching v1 fingerprint file to exercise the silent-migration path. */
+export function __computeV1FingerprintForTests(): FingerprintRecord {
+  return computeCurrentFingerprintV1();
 }
diff --git a/apps/cli/tests/setup/ensure-built.ts b/apps/cli/tests/setup/ensure-built.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e2c952e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/cli/tests/setup/ensure-built.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+// vitest globalSetup — guarantees `dist/entrypoints/cli.js` exists
+// before any golden test spawns the built CLI. Without this, running
+// `npx vitest run` in a clean checkout (or after `pnpm run clean`)
+// surfaces as opaque `MODULE_NOT_FOUND` failures inside golden tests.
+
+import { existsSync, statSync } from "node:fs";
+import { spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
+import { join, dirname, delimiter } from "node:path";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+import { homedir } from "node:os";
+
+const HERE = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
+const CLI_PKG_DIR = join(HERE, "..", "..");
+const CLI_ENTRY = join(CLI_PKG_DIR, "dist", "entrypoints", "cli.js");
+const BUILD_SCRIPT = join(CLI_PKG_DIR, "build.ts");
+const PKG_JSON = join(CLI_PKG_DIR, "package.json");
+
+// Vitest's worker doesn't always inherit the user's shell PATH (no
+// `.zshrc`/`config.fish` is sourced), so a bun install at `~/.bun/bin`
+// is invisible to spawnSync. Layer the well-known install locations
+// in so the build command can find them.
+const EXTRA_PATHS = [
+  join(homedir(), ".bun", "bin"),
+  "/opt/homebrew/bin",
+  "/usr/local/bin",
+];
+
+function augmentedEnv(): NodeJS.ProcessEnv {
+  const current = process.env.PATH ?? "";
+  const augmented = [...EXTRA_PATHS, current].filter(Boolean).join(delimiter);
+  return { ...process.env, PATH: augmented };
+}
+
+function isDistFresh(): boolean {
+  if (!existsSync(CLI_ENTRY)) return false;
+  // If the build script or package.json (which contributes the
+  // injected version constant) is newer than dist, rebuild.
+  try {
+    const distMtime = statSync(CLI_ENTRY).mtimeMs;
+    if (statSync(BUILD_SCRIPT).mtimeMs > distMtime) return false;
+    if (statSync(PKG_JSON).mtimeMs > distMtime) return false;
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+  return true;
+}
+
+export default async function setup(): Promise<void> {
+  if (isDistFresh()) return;
+
+  // Try `bun build.ts` first (the canonical path). If bun is missing,
+  // fall back to `pnpm run build` which delegates to the same script.
+  const tries: Array<{ cmd: string; args: string[] }> = [
+    { cmd: "bun", args: ["build.ts"] },
+    { cmd: "pnpm", args: ["run", "build"] },
+  ];
+
+  const env = augmentedEnv();
+  for (const { cmd, args } of tries) {
+    const r = spawnSync(cmd, args, { cwd: CLI_PKG_DIR, stdio: "inherit", env });
+    if (r.status === 0 && existsSync(CLI_ENTRY)) return;
+    if (r.error && (r.error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code === "ENOENT")
+      continue;
+  }
+
+  throw new Error(
+    `vitest globalSetup: failed to build the CLI. ` +
+      `Tried \`bun build.ts\` and \`pnpm run build\`. ` +
+      `Install bun (https://bun.sh) or run \`pnpm run build\` manually before testing.`,
+  );
+}
diff --git a/apps/cli/tests/unit/identity.test.ts b/apps/cli/tests/unit/identity.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ba24abe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/cli/tests/unit/identity.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,316 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterAll } from "vitest";
+import {
+  existsSync,
+  mkdirSync,
+  readdirSync,
+  readFileSync,
+  rmSync,
+  writeFileSync,
+} from "node:fs";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import type { NetworkInterfaceInfo } from "node:os";
+
+/**
+ * identity.ts v2 — fingerprint algorithm + v1→v2 migration.
+ *
+ * `daemon/paths.ts` reads `CLAUDEMESH_DAEMON_DIR` ONCE at module load
+ * and caches it in a `const`. We MUST set it at module load time of
+ * this test file (BEFORE any `await import("~/daemon/identity.js")`
+ * fires, which would transitively load paths.ts). Setting it inside
+ * `beforeAll` is too late — the pure-helper describes above run their
+ * dynamic imports first and pin paths.ts to the real `~/.claudemesh`.
+ */
+const TEST_DIR = join(
+  tmpdir(),
+  `claudemesh-identity-test-${Date.now()}-${process.pid}`,
+);
+process.env.CLAUDEMESH_DAEMON_DIR = TEST_DIR;
+mkdirSync(TEST_DIR, { recursive: true });
+
+function iface(mac: string, internal = false): NetworkInterfaceInfo {
+  return {
+    address: "192.168.1.1",
+    netmask: "255.255.255.0",
+    family: "IPv4",
+    mac,
+    internal,
+    cidr: "192.168.1.1/24",
+  };
+}
+
+describe("fingerprintV2 (pure)", () => {
+  it("is deterministic for the same inputs", async () => {
+    const { fingerprintV2 } = await import("~/daemon/identity.js");
+    expect(fingerprintV2("darwin:ABC", "00:e0:4c:68:00:c0")).toBe(
+      fingerprintV2("darwin:ABC", "00:e0:4c:68:00:c0"),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("changes when host_id changes", async () => {
+    const { fingerprintV2 } = await import("~/daemon/identity.js");
+    expect(fingerprintV2("darwin:A", "00:e0:4c:68:00:c0")).not.toBe(
+      fingerprintV2("darwin:B", "00:e0:4c:68:00:c0"),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("changes when MAC changes", async () => {
+    const { fingerprintV2 } = await import("~/daemon/identity.js");
+    expect(fingerprintV2("darwin:A", "00:e0:4c:68:00:c0")).not.toBe(
+      fingerprintV2("darwin:A", "00:e0:4c:68:00:c1"),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("is domain-separated from v1 — same inputs produce different hashes", async () => {
+    const { fingerprintV2 } = await import("~/daemon/identity.js");
+    const { createHash } = await import("node:crypto");
+    // v1 was: sha256(host_id || \0 || mac). v2 prepends "v2\0".
+    const v1Hash = createHash("sha256")
+      .update("h", "utf8")
+      .update("\0")
+      .update("m", "utf8")
+      .digest("hex");
+    expect(fingerprintV2("h", "m")).not.toBe(v1Hash);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("pickStableMacFromInterfaces (pure)", () => {
+  it("prefers a hardware (universally-administered) MAC over a locally-administered one", async () => {
+    const { pickStableMacFromInterfaces } = await import(
+      "~/daemon/identity.js"
+    );
+    const ifs = {
+      en0: [iface("2a:11:99:2b:5f:c1")], // locally-admin (Apple Wi-Fi rotation)
+      en7: [iface("00:e0:4c:68:00:c0")], // hardware (real NIC)
+    };
+    expect(pickStableMacFromInterfaces(ifs)).toBe("00:e0:4c:68:00:c0");
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to a locally-administered MAC if no hardware MAC is available", async () => {
+    const { pickStableMacFromInterfaces } = await import(
+      "~/daemon/identity.js"
+    );
+    const ifs = {
+      en0: [iface("2a:11:99:2b:5f:c1")],
+    };
+    expect(pickStableMacFromInterfaces(ifs)).toBe("2a:11:99:2b:5f:c1");
+  });
+
+  it("ignores loopback, docker, tun/tap, tailscale, utun, awdl, llw, bridge, anpi, ap[0-9]", async () => {
+    const { pickStableMacFromInterfaces } = await import(
+      "~/daemon/identity.js"
+    );
+    const ifs = {
+      lo0: [iface("00:00:00:00:00:00", true)],
+      docker0: [iface("02:42:ac:11:00:01")],
+      utun0: [iface("aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff")],
+      awdl0: [iface("0e:df:dc:f9:da:33")],
+      llw0: [iface("0e:df:dc:f9:da:33")],
+      bridge0: [iface("36:77:b5:15:36:80")],
+      anpi0: [iface("fe:f8:57:24:57:4a")],
+      ap1: [iface("a2:e3:aa:60:12:88")],
+      tailscale0: [iface("aa:bb:cc:11:22:33")],
+      en0: [iface("00:e0:4c:68:00:c0")], // the only one that should win
+    };
+    expect(pickStableMacFromInterfaces(ifs)).toBe("00:e0:4c:68:00:c0");
+  });
+
+  it("returns null when no interfaces qualify", async () => {
+    const { pickStableMacFromInterfaces } = await import(
+      "~/daemon/identity.js"
+    );
+    expect(pickStableMacFromInterfaces({})).toBeNull();
+    expect(
+      pickStableMacFromInterfaces({
+        lo0: [iface("00:00:00:00:00:00", true)],
+      }),
+    ).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("skips internal addresses and zero-MAC; picks the first valid by name", async () => {
+    const { pickStableMacFromInterfaces } = await import(
+      "~/daemon/identity.js"
+    );
+    const ifs = {
+      en0: [iface("00:00:00:00:00:00")],
+      en1: [iface("00:e0:4c:68:00:c0", true)],
+      en2: [iface("00:e0:4c:68:00:c1")],
+    };
+    expect(pickStableMacFromInterfaces(ifs)).toBe("00:e0:4c:68:00:c1");
+  });
+
+  it("sorts by interface name when multiple hardware MACs are present", async () => {
+    const { pickStableMacFromInterfaces } = await import(
+      "~/daemon/identity.js"
+    );
+    const ifs = {
+      en1: [iface("00:e0:4c:68:00:c1")],
+      en0: [iface("00:e0:4c:68:00:c0")],
+    };
+    expect(pickStableMacFromInterfaces(ifs)).toBe("00:e0:4c:68:00:c0");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("checkFingerprint (file-based)", () => {
+  const testDir = TEST_DIR;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    if (existsSync(testDir)) {
+      for (const f of readdirSync(testDir)) {
+        rmSync(join(testDir, f), { force: true, recursive: true });
+      }
+    }
+  });
+
+  afterAll(() => {
+    delete process.env.CLAUDEMESH_DAEMON_DIR;
+    if (existsSync(testDir)) rmSync(testDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  it("first_run writes a v2 fingerprint when no file exists", async () => {
+    const { checkFingerprint } = await import("~/daemon/identity.js");
+    const result = checkFingerprint();
+    expect(result.result).toBe("first_run");
+    expect(result.current.schema_version).toBe(2);
+    const onDisk = JSON.parse(
+      readFileSync(join(testDir, "host_fingerprint.json"), "utf8"),
+    );
+    expect(onDisk.schema_version).toBe(2);
+    expect(onDisk.fingerprint).toBe(result.current.fingerprint);
+  });
+
+  it("match returns 'match' when stored v2 fingerprint equals current", async () => {
+    const { checkFingerprint, acceptCurrentHost } = await import(
+      "~/daemon/identity.js"
+    );
+    const first = acceptCurrentHost();
+    const result = checkFingerprint();
+    expect(result.result).toBe("match");
+    expect(result.current.fingerprint).toBe(first.fingerprint);
+  });
+
+  it("v1 stored that matches v1 algorithm is silently upgraded to v2", async () => {
+    const { checkFingerprint, __computeV1FingerprintForTests } = await import(
+      "~/daemon/identity.js"
+    );
+    const v1 = __computeV1FingerprintForTests();
+    writeFileSync(
+      join(testDir, "host_fingerprint.json"),
+      JSON.stringify(v1, null, 2),
+    );
+
+    const result = checkFingerprint();
+
+    expect(result.result).toBe("match");
+    expect(result.stored?.schema_version).toBe(1);
+    expect(result.current.schema_version).toBe(2);
+
+    const after = JSON.parse(
+      readFileSync(join(testDir, "host_fingerprint.json"), "utf8"),
+    );
+    expect(after.schema_version).toBe(2);
+    expect(after.fingerprint).toBe(result.current.fingerprint);
+  });
+
+  it("v1 stored that does NOT match v1 algorithm reports mismatch (genuine host change)", async () => {
+    const { checkFingerprint } = await import("~/daemon/identity.js");
+    writeFileSync(
+      join(testDir, "host_fingerprint.json"),
+      JSON.stringify(
+        {
+          schema_version: 1,
+          fingerprint: "0".repeat(64),
+          host_id: "spoofed",
+          stable_mac: "ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff",
+          written_at: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
+        },
+        null,
+        2,
+      ),
+    );
+
+    const result = checkFingerprint();
+    expect(result.result).toBe("mismatch");
+    expect(result.stored?.schema_version).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  it("v2 stored with a different fingerprint reports mismatch", async () => {
+    const { checkFingerprint, acceptCurrentHost } = await import(
+      "~/daemon/identity.js"
+    );
+    const real = acceptCurrentHost();
+    writeFileSync(
+      join(testDir, "host_fingerprint.json"),
+      JSON.stringify(
+        {
+          ...real,
+          fingerprint: "f".repeat(64),
+        },
+        null,
+        2,
+      ),
+    );
+
+    const result = checkFingerprint();
+    expect(result.result).toBe("mismatch");
+    expect(result.stored?.schema_version).toBe(2);
+  });
+
+  it("unknown future schema is treated as 'unavailable', not overwritten", async () => {
+    const { checkFingerprint } = await import("~/daemon/identity.js");
+    writeFileSync(
+      join(testDir, "host_fingerprint.json"),
+      JSON.stringify(
+        {
+          schema_version: 99,
+          fingerprint: "x",
+          host_id: "x",
+          stable_mac: "x",
+          written_at: "2099-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
+        },
+        null,
+        2,
+      ),
+    );
+
+    const before = readFileSync(join(testDir, "host_fingerprint.json"), "utf8");
+    const result = checkFingerprint();
+    expect(result.result).toBe("unavailable");
+    expect(readFileSync(join(testDir, "host_fingerprint.json"), "utf8")).toBe(
+      before,
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("corrupt JSON is treated as 'unavailable', not overwritten", async () => {
+    const { checkFingerprint } = await import("~/daemon/identity.js");
+    writeFileSync(join(testDir, "host_fingerprint.json"), "{ not valid json");
+
+    const before = readFileSync(join(testDir, "host_fingerprint.json"), "utf8");
+    const result = checkFingerprint();
+    expect(result.result).toBe("unavailable");
+    expect(readFileSync(join(testDir, "host_fingerprint.json"), "utf8")).toBe(
+      before,
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("acceptCurrentHost always writes a v2 fingerprint", async () => {
+    const { acceptCurrentHost } = await import("~/daemon/identity.js");
+    writeFileSync(
+      join(testDir, "host_fingerprint.json"),
+      JSON.stringify({
+        schema_version: 1,
+        fingerprint: "x",
+        host_id: "",
+        stable_mac: "",
+        written_at: "",
+      }),
+    );
+    const out = acceptCurrentHost();
+    expect(out.schema_version).toBe(2);
+    const onDisk = JSON.parse(
+      readFileSync(join(testDir, "host_fingerprint.json"), "utf8"),
+    );
+    expect(onDisk.schema_version).toBe(2);
+    expect(onDisk.fingerprint).toBe(out.fingerprint);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/cli/vitest.config.ts b/apps/cli/vitest.config.ts
index af85919..b6fb79a 100644
--- a/apps/cli/vitest.config.ts
+++ b/apps/cli/vitest.config.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ import { resolve } from "node:path";
 export default defineConfig({
   test: {
     include: ["tests/**/*.test.ts", "src/**/*.test.ts"],
+    // Builds the CLI on demand when `dist/entrypoints/cli.js` is
+    // missing or older than its sources. Required by the golden
+    // tests in `tests/golden/` which spawn the built artifact.
+    globalSetup: ["tests/setup/ensure-built.ts"],
     alias: {
       "~": resolve(__dirname, "src"),
     },
diff --git a/docs/roadmap.md b/docs/roadmap.md
index 153a1ff..92072bc 100644
--- a/docs/roadmap.md
+++ b/docs/roadmap.md
@@ -481,6 +481,56 @@ invisibility moment" goal.
 
 ---
 
+## v1.34.17 — *host fingerprint v2: stable across Mac reboots* — *shipped*
+
+Field report 2026-05-19: after a routine Mac restart the daemon
+(under 1.34.16) entered a launchd respawn loop on
+`host_fingerprint mismatch` — `runs` past 360, `daemon.log` at
+24 MB, the user's `claudemesh peer list` falling to the cold
+path and showing zero peers.
+
+Root cause was in `apps/cli/src/daemon/identity.ts`. v1 of the
+algorithm hashed `host_id || mac` where (a) `host_id` was empty
+on macOS and (b) `mac` was picked by enumerating
+`os.networkInterfaces()`, ignoring a short list of known-virtual
+prefixes, and taking the lex-first of the rest — usually `en0`,
+the Wi-Fi adapter, whose MAC Apple's privacy feature randomizes
+across reboots and network rejoins. The stored hash was anchored
+to one randomized MAC; the next boot's MAC produced a different
+hash; the safety check fired correctly for the wrong reason.
+
+The fix is a hardened algorithm bumped to `schema_version: 2`:
+
+- **macOS host_id** — `IOPlatformUUID` via `ioreg`, parsed once
+  at daemon start, cached for process lifetime. Burned into
+  EFI/hardware; stable across reboots and OS reinstalls.
+- **MAC picker** — rejects any MAC with the locally-administered
+  bit (`0x02`) set; prefers true hardware MACs and only falls
+  back to locally-administered ones when no hardware NIC is
+  enumerable. Interface ignore list extended with `anpi*`,
+  `bridge*`, `ap[0-9]`.
+- **Domain-separated hash** — v2 prepends `"v2\0"` so its hash
+  can never collide with a v1 hash on the same inputs.
+- **Silent migration** — existing v1 stores that still match
+  under the v1 algorithm (legitimate same-host upgrades) are
+  transparently rewritten as v2 with no error. v1 stores that
+  fail the v1 check are reported as genuine mismatches as
+  before. Unknown future schema versions return `unavailable`
+  without overwriting.
+
+18 unit tests in `apps/cli/tests/unit/identity.test.ts` cover the
+pure helpers + every `checkFingerprint` branch + the v1→v2
+silent-upgrade path. Two pre-existing test-infra papercuts were
+fixed alongside: `turbo.json` now declares `test` depends on
+`build`, and a new vitest globalSetup
+(`apps/cli/tests/setup/ensure-built.ts`) rebuilds on demand with
+`~/.bun/bin` layered into PATH so golden tests no longer fail
+opaquely after a clean checkout.
+
+*Shipped 2026-05-20.*
+
+---
+
 ## v2.0.0 — *HKDF cross-machine identity*
 
 The remaining v2 promise after Sprint A: the user's account secret
diff --git a/turbo.json b/turbo.json
index 71c7656..e8d4072 100644
--- a/turbo.json
+++ b/turbo.json
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
       "dependsOn": ["@turbostarter/db#db:setup"]
     },
     "test": {
+      "dependsOn": ["build"],
       "outputs": ["coverage.json"]
     }
   },