diff --git a/headroom/cli/init.py b/headroom/cli/init.py
index a9b5d9da9..b9d71d33e 100644
--- a/headroom/cli/init.py
+++ b/headroom/cli/init.py
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ import shlex
 import shutil
 import subprocess
 import sys
+from collections.abc import Iterator
+from contextlib import contextmanager, redirect_stderr, redirect_stdout
 from hashlib import sha1
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any
@@ -552,31 +554,54 @@ def _install_copilot_marketplace() -> None:
     )
 
 
+@contextmanager
+def _suppress_hook_output() -> Iterator[None]:
+    """Keep best-effort hook recovery from emitting invalid hook output."""
+    stdout_fd = os.dup(1)
+    stderr_fd = os.dup(2)
+    try:
+        with open(os.devnull, "w", encoding="utf-8") as devnull:
+            sys.stdout.flush()
+            sys.stderr.flush()
+            os.dup2(devnull.fileno(), 1)
+            os.dup2(devnull.fileno(), 2)
+            with redirect_stdout(devnull), redirect_stderr(devnull):
+                yield
+    finally:
+        sys.stdout.flush()
+        sys.stderr.flush()
+        os.dup2(stdout_fd, 1)
+        os.dup2(stderr_fd, 2)
+        os.close(stdout_fd)
+        os.close(stderr_fd)
+
+
 def _ensure_profile_running(profile: str) -> None:
     manifest = load_manifest(profile)
     if manifest is None:
         return
-    if wait_ready(manifest, timeout_seconds=1):
-        return
-    try:
-        with acquire_runtime_start_lock(manifest.profile) as acquired:
-            if not acquired:
-                return
-            if wait_ready(manifest, timeout_seconds=1):
-                return
-            if runtime_status(manifest) == "running":
-                if wait_ready(manifest, timeout_seconds=_STARTUP_READY_TIMEOUT_SECONDS):
+    with _suppress_hook_output():
+        if wait_ready(manifest, timeout_seconds=1):
+            return
+        try:
+            with acquire_runtime_start_lock(manifest.profile) as acquired:
+                if not acquired:
                     return
-                stop_runtime(manifest)
-            if manifest.preset == InstallPreset.PERSISTENT_DOCKER.value:
-                start_persistent_docker(manifest)
-            elif manifest.supervisor_kind == SupervisorKind.SERVICE.value:
-                start_supervisor(manifest)
-            else:
-                start_detached_agent(manifest.profile)
-            wait_ready(manifest, timeout_seconds=45)
-    except Exception:
-        return
+                if wait_ready(manifest, timeout_seconds=1):
+                    return
+                if runtime_status(manifest) == "running":
+                    if wait_ready(manifest, timeout_seconds=_STARTUP_READY_TIMEOUT_SECONDS):
+                        return
+                    stop_runtime(manifest)
+                if manifest.preset == InstallPreset.PERSISTENT_DOCKER.value:
+                    start_persistent_docker(manifest)
+                elif manifest.supervisor_kind == SupervisorKind.SERVICE.value:
+                    start_supervisor(manifest)
+                else:
+                    start_detached_agent(manifest.profile)
+                wait_ready(manifest, timeout_seconds=45)
+        except Exception:
+            return
 
 
 def _probe_init_targets(global_scope: bool) -> list[tuple[str, str | None]]:
diff --git a/tests/test_cli/test_init_cli.py b/tests/test_cli/test_init_cli.py
index 7cd76f28b..99a4ce5dc 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli/test_init_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli/test_init_cli.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 import importlib
 import json
+import os
 import sys
 import types
 from contextlib import contextmanager
@@ -842,6 +843,33 @@ def test_ensure_profile_running_covers_runtime_modes(monkeypatch) -> None:
     assert ("docker-profile", 45) in wait_calls
 
 
+def test_ensure_profile_running_suppresses_hook_recovery_output(monkeypatch, capfd) -> None:
+    init_cli, _ = _load_init_module(monkeypatch)
+    manifest = SimpleNamespace(
+        preset=init_cli.InstallPreset.PERSISTENT_TASK.value,
+        supervisor_kind=init_cli.SupervisorKind.SERVICE.value,
+        profile="service-profile",
+    )
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(init_cli, "load_manifest", lambda profile: manifest)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(init_cli, "wait_ready", lambda manifest, timeout_seconds: False)
+
+    def noisy_start_supervisor(manifest) -> None:
+        print("python stdout")
+        print("python stderr", file=sys.stderr)
+        os.write(1, b"fd stdout\n")
+        os.write(2, b"fd stderr\n")
+        raise RuntimeError("not permitted")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(init_cli, "start_supervisor", noisy_start_supervisor)
+
+    init_cli._ensure_profile_running("service-profile")
+
+    captured = capfd.readouterr()
+    assert captured.out == ""
+    assert captured.err == ""
+
+
 def test_ensure_profile_running_returns_when_ready_or_on_exception(monkeypatch) -> None:
     init_cli, _ = _load_init_module(monkeypatch)
     manifest = SimpleNamespace(