diff --git a/cli.py b/cli.py
index 76e10e29f4..966c63c0bf 100644
--- a/cli.py
+++ b/cli.py
@@ -2145,7 +2145,10 @@ class HermesCLI:
         elif CLI_CONFIG.get("max_turns"):  # Backwards compat: root-level max_turns
             self.max_turns = CLI_CONFIG["max_turns"]
         elif os.getenv("HERMES_MAX_ITERATIONS"):
-            self.max_turns = int(os.getenv("HERMES_MAX_ITERATIONS"))
+            try:
+                self.max_turns = int(os.getenv("HERMES_MAX_ITERATIONS", ""))
+            except (TypeError, ValueError):
+                self.max_turns = 90
         else:
             self.max_turns = 90
         
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_cli_init.py b/tests/cli/test_cli_init.py
index d2d6398b96..bf1f347e50 100644
--- a/tests/cli/test_cli_init.py
+++ b/tests/cli/test_cli_init.py
@@ -75,6 +75,11 @@ class TestMaxTurnsResolution:
         cli_obj = _make_cli(env_overrides={"HERMES_MAX_ITERATIONS": "42"})
         assert cli_obj.max_turns == 42
 
+    def test_invalid_env_var_max_turns_falls_back_to_default(self):
+        """Invalid env values should not crash CLI init."""
+        cli_obj = _make_cli(env_overrides={"HERMES_MAX_ITERATIONS": "not-a-number"})
+        assert cli_obj.max_turns == 90
+
     def test_legacy_root_max_turns_is_used_when_agent_key_exists_without_value(self):
         cli_obj = _make_cli(config_overrides={"agent": {}, "max_turns": 77})
         assert cli_obj.max_turns == 77