diff --git a/.githooks/pre-commit-hardcoded-path.py b/.githooks/pre-commit-hardcoded-path.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f4b6a6cf1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.githooks/pre-commit-hardcoded-path.py
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""
+Pre-commit hook: Reject hardcoded home-directory paths.
+
+Install:
+    cp pre-commit-hardcoded-path.py .git/hooks/pre-commit-hardcoded-path
+    chmod +x .git/hooks/pre-commit-hardcoded-path
+    
+    Or add to .pre-commit-config.yaml
+"""
+
+import sys
+import subprocess
+import re
+
+PATTERNS = [
+    (r"/Users/[\w.\-]+/", "macOS home directory"),
+    (r"/home/[\w.\-]+/", "Linux home directory"),
+    (r"(?<![\w/])~/", "unexpanded tilde"),
+]
+
+NOQA = re.compile(r"#\s*noqa:?\s*hardcoded-path-ok")
+
+def get_staged_files():
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        ["git", "diff", "--cached", "--name-only", "--diff-filter=ACM"],
+        capture_output=True, text=True
+    )
+    return [f for f in result.stdout.strip().split("\n") if f.endswith(".py")]
+
+def check_file(filepath):
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            ["git", "show", f":{filepath}"],
+            capture_output=True, text=True
+        )
+        content = result.stdout
+    except Exception:
+        return []
+    
+    violations = []
+    for i, line in enumerate(content.split("\n"), 1):
+        if line.strip().startswith("#"):
+            continue
+        if line.strip().startswith(("import ", "from ")):
+            continue
+        if NOQA.search(line):
+            continue
+        for pattern, desc in PATTERNS:
+            if re.search(pattern, line):
+                violations.append((filepath, i, line.strip(), desc))
+                break
+    return violations
+
+def main():
+    files = get_staged_files()
+    if not files:
+        sys.exit(0)
+    
+    all_violations = []
+    for f in files:
+        all_violations.extend(check_file(f))
+    
+    if all_violations:
+        print("ERROR: Hardcoded home directory paths detected:")
+        print()
+        for filepath, line_no, line, desc in all_violations:
+            print(f"  {filepath}:{line_no}: {desc}")
+            print(f"    {line[:100]}")
+            print()
+        print("Fix: Use $HOME, relative paths, or get_hermes_home().")
+        print("Override: Add '# noqa: hardcoded-path-ok' to the line.")
+        sys.exit(1)
+    
+    sys.exit(0)
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()