diff --git a/hermes_cli/setup.py b/hermes_cli/setup.py
index 0bc9acc0a3..89551f7b76 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/setup.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/setup.py
@@ -395,11 +395,14 @@ def run_setup_wizard(args):
     # a template, so it always exists after install. We need an actual
     # inference provider to consider it "existing" (otherwise quick mode
     # would skip provider selection, leaving hermes non-functional).
+    # NOTE: Use bool() not `is not None` — the .env template has empty
+    # values (e.g. OPENROUTER_API_KEY=) that load_dotenv sets to "", which
+    # passes `is not None` but isn't a real configured provider.
     from hermes_cli.auth import get_active_provider
     active_provider = get_active_provider()
     is_existing = (
-        get_env_value("OPENROUTER_API_KEY") is not None
-        or get_env_value("OPENAI_BASE_URL") is not None
+        bool(get_env_value("OPENROUTER_API_KEY"))
+        or bool(get_env_value("OPENAI_BASE_URL"))
         or active_provider is not None
     )
     
diff --git a/scripts/install.sh b/scripts/install.sh
index 0e2cf92a65..69b5f43fc6 100755
--- a/scripts/install.sh
+++ b/scripts/install.sh
@@ -848,8 +848,11 @@ run_setup_wizard() {
         return 0
     fi
 
-    if [ "$IS_INTERACTIVE" = false ]; then
-        log_info "Setup wizard skipped (non-interactive). Run 'hermes setup' after install."
+    # The setup wizard reads from /dev/tty, so it works even when the
+    # install script itself is piped (curl | bash). Only skip if no
+    # terminal is available at all (e.g. Docker build, CI).
+    if ! [ -e /dev/tty ]; then
+        log_info "Setup wizard skipped (no terminal available). Run 'hermes setup' after install."
         return 0
     fi