diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 702c28f0..6bf23f0d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -50,6 +50,13 @@ and this project uses [Calendar Versioning](https://calver.org/) in the format
 
 ### Added
 
+- **`aipass init` detects missing Claude Code.** Stage 6 (CLI choice) now checks
+  `shutil.which("claude")` when the picked CLI is Claude Code. If absent: interactive
+  runs prompt `Install now? [Y/n]` and run the canonical installer on yes (native
+  `claude.ai/install.sh`, PowerShell on Windows, `npm` fallback, 300s timeout, loud on
+  failure); non-interactive runs warn and continue. The whole system routes through
+  Claude Code (hook bridge, dispatch, prompt injection), so init no longer silently
+  assumes the runtime is present. Only fires when the chosen CLI is `claude`.
 - **Kernel filesystem boundary for agent containment (DPLAN-0202 / FPLAN-0250).**
   Every autonomous agent can now launch inside a kernel-enforced mount namespace
   (`@anthropic-ai/sandbox-runtime` → bwrap+seccomp) where reads stay fully open
diff --git a/src/aipass/aipass/apps/modules/init_flow.py b/src/aipass/aipass/apps/modules/init_flow.py
index f776efc4..86b02a31 100644
--- a/src/aipass/aipass/apps/modules/init_flow.py
+++ b/src/aipass/aipass/apps/modules/init_flow.py
@@ -377,6 +377,54 @@ def stage_5_style_questions(
     return {"style": style}
 
 
+def _install_claude_code() -> bool:
+    """Run the canonical Claude Code installer, platform-aware. Returns True on success."""
+    if sys.platform == "win32":
+        cmd = ["powershell", "-Command", "irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex"]
+    else:
+        cmd = ["bash", "-c", "curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash"]
+
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(cmd, timeout=300)
+        if result.returncode == 0 and shutil.which("claude"):
+            return True
+    except (subprocess.TimeoutExpired, FileNotFoundError, OSError) as exc:
+        logger.warning("[init_flow] Claude Code installer failed: %s", exc)
+
+    if shutil.which("npm"):
+        console.print("[dim]Native installer didn't work — trying npm fallback...[/dim]")
+        try:
+            result = subprocess.run(
+                ["npm", "install", "-g", "@anthropic-ai/claude-code"],
+                timeout=300,
+            )
+            if result.returncode == 0 and shutil.which("claude"):
+                return True
+        except (subprocess.TimeoutExpired, FileNotFoundError, OSError) as exc:
+            logger.warning("[init_flow] npm fallback install failed: %s", exc)
+
+    return False
+
+
+def _handle_missing_claude(non_interactive: bool) -> None:
+    """Prompt to install Claude Code when missing, or warn in non-interactive mode."""
+    if non_interactive:
+        warning("[bold yellow]Claude Code ('claude') is not installed.[/bold yellow]")
+        console.print("  Stage 11 handoff requires it. Install manually before then.")
+        return
+
+    raw = _prompt("Claude Code ('claude') not found. Install now? [Y/n]", "Y")
+    if raw.lower() in ("y", "yes", ""):
+        console.print("[dim]Installing Claude Code...[/dim]")
+        if _install_claude_code():
+            console.print("[green]✓[/green] Claude Code installed successfully.")
+        else:
+            warning("[bold yellow]Installation failed.[/bold yellow]")
+            console.print("  Install manually: https://claude.ai/download")
+    else:
+        console.print("[dim]Skipped. Stage 11 handoff will need 'claude' on PATH.[/dim]")
+
+
 def stage_6_tool_choice(
     non_interactive: bool = False,
     cli_override: str | None = None,
@@ -393,6 +441,9 @@ def stage_6_tool_choice(
     else:
         cli_choice = _choose("Which CLI tool do you use?", CLI_CHOICES, default="claude")
 
+    if cli_choice == "claude" and not shutil.which("claude"):
+        _handle_missing_claude(non_interactive)
+
     if non_interactive:
         flag_variant = "default"
     else:
diff --git a/src/aipass/aipass/tests/test_init_flow.py b/src/aipass/aipass/tests/test_init_flow.py
index a6b60b58..7e8b3251 100644
--- a/src/aipass/aipass/tests/test_init_flow.py
+++ b/src/aipass/aipass/tests/test_init_flow.py
@@ -488,6 +488,66 @@ class TestStages:
                 result = stage_6_tool_choice(non_interactive=True, cli_override="codex")
         assert result["cli"] == "codex"
 
+    def test_stage_6_claude_present_no_prompt(self, tmp_local_json) -> None:
+        """When claude is on PATH, no install prompt is shown."""
+        mock_profile_mod = MagicMock()
+        mock_profile_mod.get_user_profile.return_value = {}
+        with patch(f"{_MOD}.console"):
+            with patch(f"{_MOD}.shutil.which", return_value="/usr/bin/claude"):
+                with patch.dict("sys.modules", {"aipass.aipass.apps.modules.profile": mock_profile_mod}):
+                    with patch(f"{_MOD}._handle_missing_claude") as mock_handle:
+                        result = stage_6_tool_choice(non_interactive=True)
+        mock_handle.assert_not_called()
+        assert result["cli"] == "claude"
+
+    @patch(f"{_MOD}._choose", return_value="default")
+    @patch(f"{_MOD}._install_claude_code", return_value=True)
+    @patch(f"{_MOD}._prompt", return_value="Y")
+    @patch(f"{_MOD}.shutil.which", return_value=None)
+    @patch(f"{_MOD}.console")
+    def test_stage_6_claude_missing_interactive_yes(
+        self, _con, _which, _prompt, mock_install, _choose, tmp_local_json
+    ) -> None:
+        """Missing claude + interactive + yes → installer invoked."""
+        mock_profile_mod = MagicMock()
+        mock_profile_mod.get_user_profile.return_value = {}
+        with patch.dict("sys.modules", {"aipass.aipass.apps.modules.profile": mock_profile_mod}):
+            result = stage_6_tool_choice(non_interactive=False, cli_override="claude")
+        mock_install.assert_called_once()
+        assert result["cli"] == "claude"
+
+    @patch(f"{_MOD}._choose", return_value="default")
+    @patch(f"{_MOD}._install_claude_code")
+    @patch(f"{_MOD}._prompt", return_value="n")
+    @patch(f"{_MOD}.shutil.which", return_value=None)
+    @patch(f"{_MOD}.console")
+    def test_stage_6_claude_missing_interactive_no(
+        self, _con, _which, _prompt, mock_install, _choose, tmp_local_json
+    ) -> None:
+        """Missing claude + interactive + no → no install, continues."""
+        mock_profile_mod = MagicMock()
+        mock_profile_mod.get_user_profile.return_value = {}
+        with patch.dict("sys.modules", {"aipass.aipass.apps.modules.profile": mock_profile_mod}):
+            result = stage_6_tool_choice(non_interactive=False, cli_override="claude")
+        mock_install.assert_not_called()
+        assert result["cli"] == "claude"
+
+    @patch(f"{_MOD}.warning")
+    @patch(f"{_MOD}._install_claude_code")
+    @patch(f"{_MOD}.shutil.which", return_value=None)
+    @patch(f"{_MOD}.console")
+    def test_stage_6_claude_missing_non_interactive_warns(
+        self, _con, _which, mock_install, mock_warn, tmp_local_json
+    ) -> None:
+        """Missing claude + non-interactive → warning, no install."""
+        mock_profile_mod = MagicMock()
+        mock_profile_mod.get_user_profile.return_value = {}
+        with patch.dict("sys.modules", {"aipass.aipass.apps.modules.profile": mock_profile_mod}):
+            result = stage_6_tool_choice(non_interactive=True)
+        mock_install.assert_not_called()
+        mock_warn.assert_called_once()
+        assert result["cli"] == "claude"
+
     def test_stage_7_skipped_when_no_docker(self, tmp_local_json) -> None:
         """Docker offer is skipped when has_docker=False."""
         with patch(f"{_MOD}.console"):