diff --git a/apps/desktop/package.json b/apps/desktop/package.json
index 518402303711f..1a0f100075b95 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/package.json
+++ b/apps/desktop/package.json
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
   "type": "module",
   "main": "dist/electron-main.mjs",
   "engines": {
-    "node": "^20.19.0 || >=22.12.0"
+    "node": ">=22.22.0"
   },
   "scripts": {
     "clean": "npm run clean:e2e && npm run clean:renderer && npm run clean:electron",
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 9cbd2126a79e7..d7cd4adf58606 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
         "typescript-eslint": "8.64.0"
       },
       "engines": {
-        "node": ">=20.0.0",
+        "node": ">=22.22.0",
         "npm": "<11.10.0 || >=11.17.0"
       }
     },
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@
         "wait-on": "9.0.10"
       },
       "engines": {
-        "node": ">=26.0.0"
+        "node": ">=22.22.0"
       }
     },
     "apps/desktop/node_modules/ignore": {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 8da1e0f176958..81a56b1b83905 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
     "brace-expansion": "5.0.8"
   },
   "engines": {
-    "node": ">=20.0.0",
+    "node": ">=22.22.0",
     "npm": "<11.10.0 || >=11.17.0"
   },
   "allowScripts": {
diff --git a/scripts/install.ps1 b/scripts/install.ps1
index 09310dffae7ca..fdfdd7aa07cf1 100644
--- a/scripts/install.ps1
+++ b/scripts/install.ps1
@@ -1190,11 +1190,11 @@ function Set-GitBashEnvVar {
     Write-Info "If needed, set HERMES_GIT_BASH_PATH manually to your bash.exe path."
 }
 
-# The desktop build runs Vite ^8, which refuses to start on Node outside
-# `^20.19 || >=22.12`. That toolchain floor is the real constraint; do NOT
-# raise it past what a dependency actually demands, or every user on a working
-# Node gets their toolchain replaced for nothing. Returns $true when a
-# `node --version` string clears that floor.
+# The dependency tree's real Node floor is >=22.22.0, set by react-router 8.3.0
+# (`engines.node`). Keep this in sync with the root package.json: looser lets an
+# install reach a `npm ci` that dies with EBADENGINE, stricter replaces a working
+# user toolchain for nothing. Returns $true when a `node --version` string
+# clears that floor.
 function Test-NodeVersionOk {
     param([string]$Version)
     try {
@@ -1202,8 +1202,7 @@ function Test-NodeVersionOk {
     } catch {
         return $false
     }
-    if ($v.Major -eq 20) { return ($v.Minor -ge 19) }
-    if ($v.Major -eq 22) { return ($v.Minor -ge 12) }
+    if ($v.Major -eq 22) { return ($v.Minor -ge 22) }
     return ($v.Major -gt 22)
 }
 
diff --git a/scripts/install.sh b/scripts/install.sh
index 6f3d777ba4f30..23bb54ca6d973 100755
--- a/scripts/install.sh
+++ b/scripts/install.sh
@@ -780,22 +780,20 @@ check_git() {
     exit 1
 }
 
-# The desktop build runs Vite ^8, which refuses to start on Node outside
-# `^20.19 || >=22.12` — older Node lacks `node:util.styleText`, so `vite build`
-# crashes with a SyntaxError that surfaces only as the opaque "Build desktop
-# app … exit code 1" install failure. That toolchain floor is the real
-# constraint; do NOT raise it past what a dependency actually demands, or every
-# user on a working Node gets their toolchain replaced for nothing. Returns 0
-# when the given `node --version` string clears the floor; anything below it is
-# replaced with the Hermes-managed Node $NODE_VERSION.
+# The dependency tree's real Node floor is >=22.22.0, set by react-router 8.3.0
+# (`engines.node`), with Vite ^8 next at `^20.19 || >=22.12`. Keep this in sync
+# with the root package.json — a gate looser than the manifest lets an install
+# proceed to a `npm ci` that then dies with EBADENGINE, and a gate stricter than
+# the manifest replaces a working user toolchain for nothing. Returns 0 when the
+# given `node --version` string clears the floor; anything below it is replaced
+# with the Hermes-managed Node $NODE_VERSION.
 node_satisfies_build() {
     local ver="${1#v}"
     local major="${ver%%.*}"
     local minor="${ver#*.}"; minor="${minor%%.*}"
     case "$major" in ''|*[!0-9]*) return 1 ;; esac
     case "$minor" in ''|*[!0-9]*) minor=0 ;; esac
-    if [ "$major" -eq 20 ] && [ "$minor" -ge 19 ]; then return 0; fi
-    if [ "$major" -ge 22 ] && { [ "$major" -gt 22 ] || [ "$minor" -ge 12 ]; }; then return 0; fi
+    if [ "$major" -ge 22 ] && { [ "$major" -gt 22 ] || [ "$minor" -ge 22 ]; }; then return 0; fi
     return 1
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/test_engines_satisfiable.py b/tests/test_engines_satisfiable.py
index 117764f894ab6..dcffbd8c96e5c 100644
--- a/tests/test_engines_satisfiable.py
+++ b/tests/test_engines_satisfiable.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ declare and the toolchain that has to satisfy it.
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import json
+import re
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
@@ -116,9 +117,17 @@ class TestEnginesAreSatisfiable:
         else:  # pragma: no cover - install.sh always defines it
             pytest.fail("install.sh does not define NODE_VERSION")
 
-        assert _satisfies_range(f"{managed_major}.0.0", node_range), (
+        # install.sh fetches latest-v{major}.x, not {major}.0.0, so compare on
+        # the major: the newest release of that line must be able to clear the
+        # floor. A floor in a HIGHER major than we provision can never be met.
+        floor_majors = [
+            int(m.group(1))
+            for m in re.finditer(r">=\s*v?(\d+)", node_range)
+        ]
+        assert floor_majors, f"cannot read a floor out of {node_range!r}"
+        assert managed_major >= min(floor_majors), (
             f"engines.node is {node_range!r} but install.sh provisions Node "
-            f"{managed_major}. The runtime we ship must satisfy the floor we "
+            f"{managed_major}.x. The runtime we ship must satisfy the floor we "
             "declare, or the install we just performed cannot install deps."
         )
 
@@ -131,9 +140,10 @@ class TestEnginesAreSatisfiable:
         """
         desktop = json.loads((REPO_ROOT / "apps" / "desktop" / "package.json").read_text())
         node_range = desktop["engines"]["node"]
-        # Vite 8's own floor. If this ever legitimately rises, the assertion
+        # The tightest floor any dependency actually declares (react-router
+        # 8.3.0 -> >=22.22.0). If this legitimately rises, the assertion
         # documents the reason for the bump rather than blocking it.
-        assert _satisfies_range("22.12.0", node_range), (
+        assert _satisfies_range("22.22.0", node_range), (
             f"apps/desktop engines.node is {node_range!r}, which rejects Node "
             "22.12 — stricter than Vite requires. A desktop floor above the "
             "build toolchain's own floor replaces working user toolchains for "