diff --git a/install.ps1 b/install.ps1
index 77c0034125..2544eaf78a 100644
--- a/install.ps1
+++ b/install.ps1
@@ -1027,32 +1027,46 @@ shell.Run cmd, 0, False
         }
     }
 
-    # Hotfix: patch install_python_stack.py for Windows GUI stdout
-    # The PyPI version crashes with OSError when stdout is piped from a GUI app.
-    # Copy our fixed version (bundled by Tauri) over the installed one.
-    # Remove this block once PyPI ships the fix from commit 18c5aae7.
+    # Overlay Tauri-bundled studio fixes that may be ahead of PyPI. Skipped
+    # for --local: the editable install above already makes _PACKAGE_ROOT in
+    # unsloth_cli/commands/studio.py resolve to the repo (PEP 660 __file__).
+    # Source paths match the Tauri bundle layout in studio/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json,
+    # which bundles install_python_stack.py at the bundle root next to install.ps1.
     if ($TauriMode) {
         $rawPath = if ($PSCommandPath) { $PSCommandPath } else { $MyInvocation.ScriptName }
-        $scriptDir = Split-Path -Parent ($rawPath -replace '^\\\\\?\\', '')
-        $fixedPy = Join-Path $scriptDir "install_python_stack.py"
-        $target = Join-Path $VenvDir "Lib\site-packages\studio\install_python_stack.py"
-        $sentinel = "# UNSLOTH_DESKTOP_HOTFIX_APPLIED_v1"
-        $sentinelPattern = [regex]::Escape($sentinel)
-        if ((Test-Path $fixedPy) -and (Test-Path $target)) {
-            $installed = Get-Content $target -Raw
-            if ($installed -notmatch $sentinelPattern) {
-                Copy-Item $fixedPy $target -Force
-                Add-Content -Path $target -Value "`n$sentinel"
-                substep "patched install_python_stack.py (stdout fix)"
-            } else {
-                substep "install_python_stack.py already has stdout fix"
+        if ($rawPath) {
+            # Strip leading \\?\ extended-length prefix if the launcher passed one.
+            $scriptDir = Split-Path -Parent ($rawPath -replace '^\\\\\?\\', '')
+            $overlayMap = [ordered]@{
+                "install_python_stack.py" = "Lib\site-packages\studio\install_python_stack.py"
+            }
+            foreach ($rel in $overlayMap.Keys) {
+                $src = Join-Path $scriptDir $rel
+                $dst = Join-Path $VenvDir $overlayMap[$rel]
+                if (-not (Test-Path $src)) { continue }
+                $dstParent = Split-Path -Parent $dst
+                if (-not (Test-Path $dstParent)) {
+                    Write-Host "[WARN] Overlay target dir missing: $dstParent; studio setup may use stale bundled file" -ForegroundColor Yellow
+                    continue
+                }
+                try {
+                    if (-not (Test-Path $dst)) {
+                        # Backfill: target file missing but parent dir exists.
+                        Copy-Item $src $dst -Force
+                        substep ("backfilled bundled " + (Split-Path -Leaf $rel))
+                    } else {
+                        # Hash-compare so re-runs are no-ops when files already match.
+                        $srcHash = (Get-FileHash $src -Algorithm SHA256).Hash
+                        $dstHash = (Get-FileHash $dst -Algorithm SHA256).Hash
+                        if ($srcHash -ne $dstHash) {
+                            Copy-Item $src $dst -Force
+                            substep ("applied bundled " + (Split-Path -Leaf $rel))
+                        }
+                    }
+                } catch {
+                    Write-Host "[WARN] Could not overlay $($rel): $($_.Exception.Message); studio setup may use stale bundled file" -ForegroundColor Yellow
+                }
             }
-        } elseif ((Test-Path $fixedPy) -and (Test-Path (Split-Path $target))) {
-            Copy-Item $fixedPy $target -Force
-            Add-Content -Path $target -Value "`n$sentinel"
-            substep "patched install_python_stack.py (stdout fix)"
-        } else {
-            Write-Host "[WARN] Could not patch install_python_stack.py (bundled file or target dir missing)" -ForegroundColor Yellow
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/studio/install_python_stack.py b/studio/install_python_stack.py
index 5fe4415970..8ac59d389d 100644
--- a/studio/install_python_stack.py
+++ b/studio/install_python_stack.py
@@ -359,6 +359,27 @@ def _ensure_rocm_torch() -> None:
             )
 
 
+def _uv_safe_path(path: object) -> str:
+    # uv 0.11.x: `-c <path with space>` truncates at the space; use 8.3 short form.
+    s = str(path)
+    if not IS_WINDOWS or " " not in s:
+        return s
+    try:
+        import ctypes
+        from ctypes import wintypes
+
+        get_short = ctypes.windll.kernel32.GetShortPathNameW
+        get_short.argtypes = [wintypes.LPCWSTR, wintypes.LPWSTR, wintypes.DWORD]
+        get_short.restype = wintypes.DWORD
+        buf = ctypes.create_unicode_buffer(32768)
+        rc = get_short(s, buf, 32768)
+        if 0 < rc < 32768 and " " not in buf.value:
+            return buf.value
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+    return s
+
+
 def _windows_hidden_subprocess_kwargs() -> dict[str, object]:
     """Return Windows-only subprocess kwargs that suppress console windows."""
     if not IS_WINDOWS:
@@ -751,14 +772,16 @@ def pip_install_try(
     """Like pip_install but returns False on failure instead of exiting.
     For optional installs with a follow-up fallback.
     """
-    constraint_args: list[str] = []
+    constraint_args_pip: list[str] = []
+    constraint_args_uv: list[str] = []
     if constrain and CONSTRAINTS.is_file():
-        constraint_args = ["-c", str(CONSTRAINTS)]
+        constraint_args_pip = ["-c", str(CONSTRAINTS)]
+        constraint_args_uv = ["-c", _uv_safe_path(CONSTRAINTS)]
 
     if USE_UV:
-        cmd = _build_uv_cmd(args) + constraint_args
+        cmd = _build_uv_cmd(args) + constraint_args_uv
     else:
-        cmd = _build_pip_cmd(args) + constraint_args
+        cmd = _build_pip_cmd(args) + constraint_args_pip
 
     if VERBOSE:
         _step(_LABEL, f"{label}...", _dim)
@@ -781,9 +804,11 @@ def pip_install(
     constrain: bool = True,
 ) -> None:
     """Build and run a pip install command (uses uv when available, falls back to pip)."""
-    constraint_args: list[str] = []
+    constraint_args_pip: list[str] = []
+    constraint_args_uv: list[str] = []
     if constrain and CONSTRAINTS.is_file():
-        constraint_args = ["-c", str(CONSTRAINTS)]
+        constraint_args_pip = ["-c", str(CONSTRAINTS)]
+        constraint_args_uv = ["-c", _uv_safe_path(CONSTRAINTS)]
 
     actual_req = req
     temp_reqs: list[Path] = []
@@ -793,13 +818,15 @@ def pip_install(
     if actual_req is not None and NO_TORCH and NO_TORCH_SKIP_PACKAGES:
         actual_req = _filter_requirements(actual_req, NO_TORCH_SKIP_PACKAGES)
         temp_reqs.append(actual_req)
-    req_args: list[str] = []
+    req_args_pip: list[str] = []
+    req_args_uv: list[str] = []
     if actual_req is not None:
-        req_args = ["-r", str(actual_req)]
+        req_args_pip = ["-r", str(actual_req)]
+        req_args_uv = ["-r", _uv_safe_path(actual_req)]
 
     try:
         if USE_UV:
-            uv_cmd = _build_uv_cmd(args) + constraint_args + req_args
+            uv_cmd = _build_uv_cmd(args) + constraint_args_uv + req_args_uv
             if VERBOSE:
                 print(f"   {label}...")
             result = subprocess.run(
@@ -814,7 +841,7 @@ def pip_install(
             if result.stdout:
                 print(result.stdout.decode(errors = "replace"))
 
-        pip_cmd = _build_pip_cmd(args) + constraint_args + req_args
+        pip_cmd = _build_pip_cmd(args) + constraint_args_pip + req_args_pip
         run(f"{label} (pip)" if USE_UV else label, pip_cmd)
     finally:
         for temp_req in temp_reqs:
diff --git a/studio/setup.ps1 b/studio/setup.ps1
index 24ef3ef1eb..0da30c9229 100644
--- a/studio/setup.ps1
+++ b/studio/setup.ps1
@@ -1145,28 +1145,58 @@ if ($IsPipInstall) {
     }
 }
 
-# ============================================
-# 1g. Python (>= 3.11 and < 3.14, matching setup.sh)
-# ============================================
+# 1g. Python (>= 3.11 and < 3.14). Prefer py.exe so a 3.14 ahead of 3.13 on PATH does not trip the gate.
 $HasPython = $null -ne (Get-Command python -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
+$PyLauncher = Get-Command py -CommandType Application -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
 $PythonOk = $false
+$DetectedPyVer = $null
 
-if ($HasPython) {
+if ($PyLauncher) {
+    foreach ($minor in @("3.13", "3.12", "3.11")) {
+        try {
+            $out = & $PyLauncher.Source "-$minor" --version 2>&1 | Out-String
+            if ($out -match 'Python (3\.\d+\.\d+)') {
+                $DetectedPyVer = $Matches[1]
+                # Make `python` resolvable for the rest of setup. Without this,
+                # py-launcher-only installs (no python.exe on PATH) pass the gate
+                # and then crash on the first bare `python` call below.
+                try {
+                    $resolvedExe = (& $PyLauncher.Source "-$minor" -c "import sys; print(sys.executable)" 2>$null | Select-Object -First 1)
+                    if ($resolvedExe -and (Test-Path $resolvedExe)) {
+                        $resolvedDir = Split-Path -Parent $resolvedExe
+                        $alreadyOnPath = ($env:PATH -split ';' | Where-Object { $_.TrimEnd('\') -ieq $resolvedDir.TrimEnd('\') }).Count -gt 0
+                        if (-not $alreadyOnPath) {
+                            $env:PATH = "$resolvedDir;$env:PATH"
+                        }
+                        $HasPython = $true
+                    }
+                } catch { }
+                $PythonOk = $true
+                break
+            }
+        } catch { }
+    }
+}
+
+if (-not $PythonOk -and $HasPython) {
     $PyVer = python --version 2>&1
     if ($PyVer -match "(\d+)\.(\d+)") {
         $PyMajor = [int]$Matches[1]; $PyMinor = [int]$Matches[2]
         if ($PyMajor -eq 3 -and $PyMinor -ge 11 -and $PyMinor -lt 14) {
-            substep "Python $PyVer"
+            $DetectedPyVer = "$PyMajor.$PyMinor"
             $PythonOk = $true
-        } else {
-            Write-Host "[ERROR] Python $PyVer is outside supported range (need >= 3.11 and < 3.14)." -ForegroundColor Red
-            Write-Host "        Install Python 3.12 from https://python.org/downloads/" -ForegroundColor Yellow
-            exit 1
         }
     }
-} else {
-    # No Python at all -- install 3.12
-    Write-Host "Python not found -- installing Python 3.12 via winget..." -ForegroundColor Yellow
+}
+
+if ($PythonOk) {
+    substep "Python $DetectedPyVer"
+} elseif (-not $HasPython) {
+    # No `python` on PATH (and py.exe either absent or only had unsupported
+    # minors). Try winget as before -- gating on $HasPython alone, not also
+    # on $PyLauncher, so a launcher-only install with just 3.14 still gets
+    # an automatic 3.12 install instead of a hard error.
+    Write-Host "Python 3.11-3.13 not found -- installing Python 3.12 via winget..." -ForegroundColor Yellow
     $HasWinget = $null -ne (Get-Command winget -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
     if ($HasWinget) {
         winget install -e --id Python.Python.3.12 --source winget --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements
@@ -1180,6 +1210,13 @@ if ($HasPython) {
     }
     step "python" "$(python --version 2>&1)"
     $PythonOk = $true
+} else {
+    # python.exe is on PATH but its version is unsupported, and py.exe (if
+    # present) had no supported minor either.
+    Write-Host "[ERROR] No supported Python (3.11-3.13) found on this system." -ForegroundColor Red
+    Write-Host "        py.exe could not locate -3.11/-3.12/-3.13 and `python` on PATH is unsupported." -ForegroundColor Yellow
+    Write-Host "        Install Python 3.12 from https://python.org/downloads/" -ForegroundColor Yellow
+    exit 1
 }
 
 # Add user-scheme Python Scripts dir to PATH (nt_user only, no venv fallback).