diff --git a/cron/jobs.py b/cron/jobs.py
index c405d1a6d4..47e0b66efa 100644
--- a/cron/jobs.py
+++ b/cron/jobs.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ except ImportError:
 # Configuration
 # =============================================================================
 
-HERMES_DIR = get_hermes_home()
+HERMES_DIR = get_hermes_home().resolve()
 CRON_DIR = HERMES_DIR / "cron"
 JOBS_FILE = CRON_DIR / "jobs.json"
 OUTPUT_DIR = CRON_DIR / "output"
@@ -338,10 +338,12 @@ def load_jobs() -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
                     save_jobs(jobs)
                     logger.warning("Auto-repaired jobs.json (had invalid control characters)")
                 return jobs
-        except Exception:
-            return []
-    except IOError:
-        return []
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.error("Failed to auto-repair jobs.json: %s", e)
+            raise RuntimeError(f"Cron database corrupted and unrepairable: {e}") from e
+    except IOError as e:
+        logger.error("IOError reading jobs.json: %s", e)
+        raise RuntimeError(f"Failed to read cron database: {e}") from e
 
 
 def save_jobs(jobs: List[Dict[str, Any]]):