diff --git a/.changeset/fix-desktop-electron-dep.md b/.changeset/fix-desktop-electron-dep.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3aa63fe5e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fix-desktop-electron-dep.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+"@runfusion/fusion": patch
+---
+
+summary: Add `electron` as a runtime dependency so `fusion desktop` works from a published npm install.
+category: fix
+dev: `packages/cli/package.json` now depends on `electron`. Previously the desktop launcher called `require("electron")`, which is only available inside the source checkout (via `pnpm-workspace.yaml` `onlyBuiltDependencies`) and is missing for npm consumers, causing `fusion desktop` to hang or fail silently.
diff --git a/packages/cli/package.json b/packages/cli/package.json
index 3b61055f03..d14f7d292a 100644
--- a/packages/cli/package.json
+++ b/packages/cli/package.json
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@
     "@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent": "^0.80.3",
     "dockerode": "^4.0.12",
     "express": "^5.1.0",
+    "electron": "^33.4.11",
     "i18next": "^26.3.1",
     "ink": "^7.0.5",
     "ink-spinner": "^5.0.0",
diff --git a/pnpm-workspace.yaml b/pnpm-workspace.yaml
index 6644bf1570..21279d44e9 100644
--- a/pnpm-workspace.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-workspace.yaml
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ ignoredBuiltDependencies:
   - ssh2
 onlyBuiltDependencies:
   - '@homebridge/node-pty-prebuilt-multiarch'
-  - electron
   - esbuild
   - koffi
   - protobufjs