diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f37befa5a..75126fb44 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -19,10 +19,10 @@ This desktop app is a packaged way to use [ComfyUI](https://github.com/comfyanon
 
 - Stable version of ComfyUI from [releases](https://github.com/comfyanonymous/ComfyUI/releases)
 - [ComfyUI_frontend](https://github.com/Comfy-Org/ComfyUI_frontend)
-- [ComfyUI-Manager](https://github.com/ltdrdata/ComfyUI-Manager)
+- [ComfyUI-Manager](https://github.com/ltdrdata/ComfyUI-Manager) (installed via pip when `--enable-manager` is set; legacy custom node is only cloned for older ComfyUI versions)
 - [uv](https://github.com/astral-sh/uv)
 
-On startup, it will install all the necessary python dependencies with uv and start the ComfyUI server. The app will automatically update with stable releases of ComfyUI, ComfyUI-Manager, and the uv executable as well as some desktop specific features.
+On startup, it will install all the necessary python dependencies with uv and start the ComfyUI server. The app will automatically update with stable releases of ComfyUI, ComfyUI-Manager (pip), and the uv executable as well as some desktop-specific features.
 
 Developers, read on.
 
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ Developers, read on.
 The desktop application comes bundled with:
 
 - ComfyUI source code
-- ComfyUI-Manager
+- ComfyUI-Manager (pip package or legacy custom node, depending on the bundled ComfyUI version)
 - Electron, Chromium binaries, and node modules
 
 **Windows**
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ Before you can start the electron application, you need to download the ComfyUI
 
 First, initialize the application resources by running `yarn make:assets`:
 
-This command will install ComfyUI and ComfyUI-Manager under `assets/`. The exact versions of each package is defined in `package.json`.
+This command will install ComfyUI under `assets/`. If the bundled ComfyUI version contains `manager_requirements.txt`, ComfyUI-Manager will be installed via pip at runtime; otherwise the legacy custom node is cloned for compatibility. The exact versions of each package is defined in `package.json`.
 
 You can then run `start` to build and launch the app. A watcher will also be started; it will automatically rebuild the app when a source file is changed:
 
@@ -198,12 +198,12 @@ You can generate the compiled requirements files by running the following comman
 
 ```powershell
 ## Nvidia Cuda requirements
-uv pip compile assets\ComfyUI\requirements.txt assets\ComfyUI\custom_nodes\ComfyUI-Manager\requirements.txt --emit-index-annotation --emit-index-url --index-strategy unsafe-best-match -o assets\requirements\windows_nvidia.compiled --override assets\override.txt `
+uv pip compile assets\ComfyUI\requirements.txt assets\ComfyUI\manager_requirements.txt --emit-index-annotation --emit-index-url --index-strategy unsafe-best-match -o assets\requirements\windows_nvidia.compiled --override assets\override.txt `
 --index-url https://pypi.org/simple `
 --extra-index-url https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cu129
 
 ## CPU requirements
-uv pip compile assets\ComfyUI\requirements.txt assets\ComfyUI\custom_nodes\ComfyUI-Manager\requirements.txt --emit-index-annotation --emit-index-url --index-strategy unsafe-best-match -o assets\requirements\windows_cpu.compiled `
+uv pip compile assets\ComfyUI\requirements.txt assets\ComfyUI\manager_requirements.txt --emit-index-annotation --emit-index-url --index-strategy unsafe-best-match -o assets\requirements\windows_cpu.compiled `
 --index-url https://pypi.org/simple
 ```
 
@@ -211,10 +211,12 @@ uv pip compile assets\ComfyUI\requirements.txt assets\ComfyUI\custom_nodes\Comfy
 
 ```bash
 ## macOS requirements
-uv pip compile assets/ComfyUI/requirements.txt assets/ComfyUI/custom_nodes/ComfyUI-Manager/requirements.txt --emit-index-annotation --emit-index-url --index-strategy unsafe-best-match -o assets/requirements/macos.compiled --override assets/override.txt \
+uv pip compile assets/ComfyUI/requirements.txt assets/ComfyUI/manager_requirements.txt --emit-index-annotation --emit-index-url --index-strategy unsafe-best-match -o assets/requirements/macos.compiled --override assets/override.txt \
 --index-url https://pypi.org/simple
 ```
 
+If you are working with a legacy ComfyUI bundle that does not include `manager_requirements.txt`, replace that path in the commands above with `assets/ComfyUI/custom_nodes/ComfyUI-Manager/requirements.txt`.
+
 ### Troubleshooting
 
 If you get an error similar to:
diff --git a/scripts/makeComfy.js b/scripts/makeComfy.js
index 75b8272de..12141a720 100644
--- a/scripts/makeComfy.js
+++ b/scripts/makeComfy.js
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 import { execSync } from 'node:child_process';
+import fs from 'node:fs';
+import path from 'node:path';
 
 import pkg from './getPackage.js';
 
@@ -15,10 +17,17 @@ if (pkg.config.comfyUI.optionalBranch) {
   // Checkout tag as branch.
   execAndLog(`git ${noWarning} clone ${comfyRepo} --depth 1 --branch v${pkg.config.comfyUI.version} assets/ComfyUI`);
 }
-execAndLog(`git clone ${managerRepo} assets/ComfyUI/custom_nodes/ComfyUI-Manager`);
-execAndLog(
-  `cd assets/ComfyUI/custom_nodes/ComfyUI-Manager && git ${noWarning} checkout ${pkg.config.managerCommit} && cd ../../..`
-);
+const assetsComfyPath = path.join('assets', 'ComfyUI');
+const managerRequirementsPath = path.join(assetsComfyPath, 'manager_requirements.txt');
+
+if (fs.existsSync(managerRequirementsPath)) {
+  console.log('Detected manager_requirements.txt, skipping legacy ComfyUI-Manager clone.');
+} else {
+  execAndLog(`git clone ${managerRepo} assets/ComfyUI/custom_nodes/ComfyUI-Manager`);
+  execAndLog(
+    `cd assets/ComfyUI/custom_nodes/ComfyUI-Manager && git ${noWarning} checkout ${pkg.config.managerCommit} && cd ../../..`
+  );
+}
 execAndLog(`yarn run make:frontend`);
 execAndLog(`yarn run download:uv all`);
 execAndLog(`yarn run patch:core:frontend`);
diff --git a/scripts/verifyBuild.js b/scripts/verifyBuild.js
index 9902b28ce..0fbb4be7d 100644
--- a/scripts/verifyBuild.js
+++ b/scripts/verifyBuild.js
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-/* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access */
-/* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-argument */
 import fs from 'node:fs';
 import path from 'node:path';
 
@@ -7,28 +5,45 @@ import path from 'node:path';
  * Verify the app build for the current platform.
  * Check that all required paths are present.
  */
-const PATHS = {
+/**
+ * @typedef {{ base: string; required: string[] }} VerifyConfig
+ */
+
+const PATHS = /** @type {Record<'mac' | 'windows', VerifyConfig>} */ ({
   mac: {
     base: 'dist/mac-arm64/ComfyUI.app/Contents/Resources',
-    required: ['ComfyUI', 'ComfyUI/custom_nodes/ComfyUI-Manager', 'UI', 'uv/macos/uv', 'uv/macos/uvx'],
+    required: ['ComfyUI', 'UI', 'uv/macos/uv', 'uv/macos/uvx'],
   },
   windows: {
     base: 'dist/win-unpacked/resources',
     required: [
       // Add Windows-specific paths here
       'ComfyUI',
-      'ComfyUI/custom_nodes/ComfyUI-Manager',
       'UI',
       'uv/win/uv.exe',
       'uv/win/uvx.exe',
     ],
   },
-};
+});
 
+/**
+ * @param {VerifyConfig} config
+ */
 function verifyConfig(config) {
+  const required = [...config.required];
+  const managerRequirementsPath = path.join(config.base, 'ComfyUI', 'manager_requirements.txt');
+  const legacyManagerPath = path.join(config.base, 'ComfyUI', 'custom_nodes', 'ComfyUI-Manager');
+  if (fs.existsSync(managerRequirementsPath)) {
+    required.push('ComfyUI/manager_requirements.txt');
+  } else if (fs.existsSync(legacyManagerPath)) {
+    required.push('ComfyUI/custom_nodes/ComfyUI-Manager');
+  } else {
+    required.push('ComfyUI/manager_requirements.txt');
+  }
+
   const missingPaths = [];
 
-  for (const requiredPath of config.required) {
+  for (const requiredPath of required) {
     const fullPath = path.join(config.base, requiredPath);
     if (!fs.existsSync(fullPath)) {
       missingPaths.push(requiredPath);
diff --git a/src/constants.ts b/src/constants.ts
index 37466e2ea..2e1057775 100644
--- a/src/constants.ts
+++ b/src/constants.ts
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ export interface ServerArgs {
 export const DEFAULT_SERVER_ARGS: ServerArgs = {
   listen: '127.0.0.1',
   port: '8000',
+  'enable-manager': '',
 };
 
 export enum DownloadStatus {
diff --git a/src/main-process/comfyDesktopApp.ts b/src/main-process/comfyDesktopApp.ts
index add9ff890..c9d6bd6b3 100644
--- a/src/main-process/comfyDesktopApp.ts
+++ b/src/main-process/comfyDesktopApp.ts
@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@ export class ComfyDesktopApp implements HasTelemetry {
   async buildServerArgs({ useExternalServer, COMFY_HOST, COMFY_PORT }: DevOverrides): Promise<ServerArgs> {
     // Shallow-clone the setting launch args to avoid mutation.
     const serverArgs: ServerArgs = {
-      listen: DEFAULT_SERVER_ARGS.listen,
-      port: DEFAULT_SERVER_ARGS.port,
+      ...DEFAULT_SERVER_ARGS,
       ...useComfySettings().get('Comfy.Server.LaunchArgs'),
     };
 
diff --git a/src/services/cmCli.ts b/src/services/cmCli.ts
index f6a6b59de..bfd13483f 100644
--- a/src/services/cmCli.ts
+++ b/src/services/cmCli.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { HasTelemetry, ITelemetry, trackEvent } from './telemetry';
 
 export class CmCli implements HasTelemetry {
   private readonly cliPath: string;
+  private readonly moduleName = 'comfyui_manager.cm_cli';
   constructor(
     private readonly virtualEnvironment: VirtualEnvironment,
     readonly telemetry: ITelemetry
@@ -18,6 +19,13 @@ export class CmCli implements HasTelemetry {
     this.cliPath = path.join(getAppResourcesPath(), 'ComfyUI', 'custom_nodes', 'ComfyUI-Manager', 'cm-cli.py');
   }
 
+  private async buildCommandArgs(args: string[]): Promise<string[]> {
+    if (await pathAccessible(this.cliPath)) {
+      return [this.cliPath, ...args];
+    }
+    return ['-m', this.moduleName, ...args];
+  }
+
   public async runCommandAsync(
     args: string[],
     callbacks?: ProcessCallbacks,
@@ -31,8 +39,9 @@ export class CmCli implements HasTelemetry {
       COMFYUI_PATH: this.virtualEnvironment.basePath,
       ...env,
     };
+    const commandArgs = await this.buildCommandArgs(args);
     const { exitCode } = await this.virtualEnvironment.runPythonCommandAsync(
-      [this.cliPath, ...args],
+      commandArgs,
       {
         onStdout: (message) => {
           output += message;
diff --git a/src/virtualEnvironment.ts b/src/virtualEnvironment.ts
index 6ee9f388b..3f51a763d 100644
--- a/src/virtualEnvironment.ts
+++ b/src/virtualEnvironment.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { app } from 'electron';
 import log from 'electron-log/main';
 import pty from 'node-pty';
 import { ChildProcess, spawn } from 'node:child_process';
+import { existsSync } from 'node:fs';
 import { readdir, rm } from 'node:fs/promises';
 import os, { EOL } from 'node:os';
 import path from 'node:path';
@@ -116,6 +117,7 @@ export class VirtualEnvironment implements HasTelemetry, PythonExecutor {
   readonly pythonInterpreterPath: string;
   readonly comfyUIRequirementsPath: string;
   readonly comfyUIManagerRequirementsPath: string;
+  readonly legacyComfyUIManagerRequirementsPath: string;
   readonly selectedDevice: TorchDeviceType;
   readonly telemetry: ITelemetry;
   readonly pythonMirror?: string;
@@ -186,13 +188,18 @@ export class VirtualEnvironment implements HasTelemetry, PythonExecutor {
     this.venvPath = path.join(basePath, '.venv');
     const resourcesPath = app.isPackaged ? path.join(process.resourcesPath) : path.join(app.getAppPath(), 'assets');
     this.comfyUIRequirementsPath = path.join(resourcesPath, 'ComfyUI', 'requirements.txt');
-    this.comfyUIManagerRequirementsPath = path.join(
+    const managerRequirementsPath = path.join(resourcesPath, 'ComfyUI', 'manager_requirements.txt');
+    this.legacyComfyUIManagerRequirementsPath = path.join(
       resourcesPath,
       'ComfyUI',
       'custom_nodes',
       'ComfyUI-Manager',
       'requirements.txt'
     );
+    this.comfyUIManagerRequirementsPath = this.resolveManagerRequirementsPath(
+      managerRequirementsPath,
+      this.legacyComfyUIManagerRequirementsPath
+    );
 
     this.cacheDir = path.join(basePath, 'uv-cache');
 
@@ -231,6 +238,12 @@ export class VirtualEnvironment implements HasTelemetry, PythonExecutor {
     }
   }
 
+  private resolveManagerRequirementsPath(primary: string, legacy: string) {
+    if (existsSync(primary)) return primary;
+    if (existsSync(legacy)) return legacy;
+    return primary;
+  }
+
   public async create(callbacks?: ProcessCallbacks): Promise<void> {
     try {
       await this.createEnvironment(callbacks);
@@ -377,6 +390,9 @@ export class VirtualEnvironment implements HasTelemetry, PythonExecutor {
       );
       return this.manualInstall(callbacks);
     }
+
+    // Ensure Manager requirements are installed even if the compiled file did not include them.
+    await this.installComfyUIManagerRequirements(callbacks);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -641,6 +657,13 @@ export class VirtualEnvironment implements HasTelemetry, PythonExecutor {
       })
     );
 
+    if (!(await pathAccessible(this.comfyUIManagerRequirementsPath))) {
+      throw new Error(
+        `Manager requirements file was not found at ${this.comfyUIManagerRequirementsPath}. ` +
+          `If you are using a legacy build, ensure the ComfyUI-Manager custom node is present at ${this.legacyComfyUIManagerRequirementsPath}.`
+      );
+    }
+
     log.info(`Installing ComfyUIManager requirements from ${this.comfyUIManagerRequirementsPath}`);
     const installCmd = getPipInstallArgs({
       requirementsFile: this.comfyUIManagerRequirementsPath,
@@ -738,6 +761,12 @@ export class VirtualEnvironment implements HasTelemetry, PythonExecutor {
     };
 
     const coreOutput = await checkRequirements(this.comfyUIRequirementsPath);
+    if (!(await pathAccessible(this.comfyUIManagerRequirementsPath))) {
+      throw new Error(
+        `Manager requirements file was not found at ${this.comfyUIManagerRequirementsPath}. ` +
+          `If you are using a legacy build, ensure the ComfyUI-Manager custom node is present at ${this.legacyComfyUIManagerRequirementsPath}.`
+      );
+    }
     const managerOutput = await checkRequirements(this.comfyUIManagerRequirementsPath);
 
     const coreOk = hasAllPackages(coreOutput);
diff --git a/tests/resources/ComfyUI/manager_requirements.txt b/tests/resources/ComfyUI/manager_requirements.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d47ad480e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/resources/ComfyUI/manager_requirements.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# Dummy manager requirements file for tests
diff --git a/tests/unit/install/installationManager.test.ts b/tests/unit/install/installationManager.test.ts
index 7ea282702..651a95e30 100644
--- a/tests/unit/install/installationManager.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/install/installationManager.test.ts
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ vi.mock('@/virtualEnvironment', () => {
       venvPath: 'valid/venv',
       comfyUIRequirementsPath: 'valid/requirements.txt',
       comfyUIManagerRequirementsPath: 'valid/manager-requirements.txt',
+      legacyComfyUIManagerRequirementsPath: 'valid/legacy-manager-requirements.txt',
     })),
   };
 });
diff --git a/tests/unit/main-process/comfyDesktopApp.test.ts b/tests/unit/main-process/comfyDesktopApp.test.ts
index 69c38901b..cb657a5f5 100644
--- a/tests/unit/main-process/comfyDesktopApp.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/main-process/comfyDesktopApp.test.ts
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ describe('ComfyDesktopApp', () => {
       expect(result).toEqual({
         listen: DEFAULT_SERVER_ARGS.listen,
         port: '8188',
+        'enable-manager': '',
       });
     });
 
@@ -138,6 +139,7 @@ describe('ComfyDesktopApp', () => {
       expect(result).toEqual({
         listen: 'localhost',
         port: '8188', // Still uses findAvailablePort result
+        'enable-manager': '',
       });
     });
 
@@ -152,6 +154,7 @@ describe('ComfyDesktopApp', () => {
       expect(result).toEqual({
         listen: DEFAULT_SERVER_ARGS.listen,
         port: DEFAULT_SERVER_ARGS.port,
+        'enable-manager': '',
       });
     });
   });
diff --git a/tests/unit/virtualEnvironment.test.ts b/tests/unit/virtualEnvironment.test.ts
index 0d02cb75f..986a9c5aa 100644
--- a/tests/unit/virtualEnvironment.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/virtualEnvironment.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import log from 'electron-log/main';
 import { type ChildProcess, spawn } from 'node:child_process';
+import path from 'node:path';
 import { test as baseTest, describe, expect, vi } from 'vitest';
 
 import type { ITelemetry } from '@/services/telemetry';
@@ -27,10 +28,12 @@ const mockTelemetry: ITelemetry = {
 
 const test = baseTest.extend<TestFixtures>({
   virtualEnv: async ({}, use) => {
+    const resourcesPath = path.join(__dirname, '../resources');
+
     // Mock process.resourcesPath since app.isPackaged is true
     vi.stubGlobal('process', {
       ...process,
-      resourcesPath: '/test/resources',
+      resourcesPath,
     });
 
     const virtualEnv = new VirtualEnvironment('/mock/venv', {