diff --git a/cli/src/commands/hatch.ts b/cli/src/commands/hatch.ts
index 4bf11dc6e2b..9d54c85f269 100644
--- a/cli/src/commands/hatch.ts
+++ b/cli/src/commands/hatch.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { randomBytes } from "crypto";
-import { existsSync, readFileSync, unlinkSync, writeFileSync } from "fs";
+import { existsSync, lstatSync, mkdirSync, readFileSync, readlinkSync, symlinkSync, unlinkSync, writeFileSync } from "fs";
 import { homedir, tmpdir, userInfo } from "os";
 import { join } from "path";
 
@@ -535,6 +535,43 @@ async function hatchCustom(
   }
 }
 
+function installCLISymlink(): void {
+  const cliBinary = process.execPath;
+  if (!cliBinary || !existsSync(cliBinary)) return;
+
+  const symlinkPath = "/usr/local/bin/vellum";
+
+  try {
+    // Use lstatSync (not existsSync) to detect dangling symlinks —
+    // existsSync follows symlinks and returns false for broken links.
+    try {
+      const stats = lstatSync(symlinkPath);
+      if (!stats.isSymbolicLink()) {
+        // Real file — don't overwrite (developer's local install)
+        return;
+      }
+      // Already a symlink — skip if it already points to our binary
+      const dest = readlinkSync(symlinkPath);
+      if (dest === cliBinary) return;
+      // Stale or dangling symlink — remove before creating new one
+      unlinkSync(symlinkPath);
+    } catch (e: any) {
+      if (e?.code !== "ENOENT") throw e;
+      // Path doesn't exist — proceed to create symlink
+    }
+
+    const dir = "/usr/local/bin";
+    if (!existsSync(dir)) {
+      mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
+    }
+    symlinkSync(cliBinary, symlinkPath);
+    console.log(`   Symlinked ${symlinkPath} → ${cliBinary}`);
+  } catch {
+    // Permission denied or other error — not critical
+    console.log(`   ⚠ Could not create symlink at ${symlinkPath} (run with sudo or create manually)`);
+  }
+}
+
 async function hatchLocal(species: Species, name: string | null, daemonOnly: boolean = false): Promise<void> {
   const instanceName =
     name ?? process.env.VELLUM_ASSISTANT_NAME ?? `${species}-${generateRandomSuffix()}`;
@@ -602,6 +639,10 @@ async function hatchLocal(species: Species, name: string | null, daemonOnly: boo
   if (!daemonOnly) {
     saveAssistantEntry(localEntry);
 
+    if (process.env.VELLUM_DESKTOP_APP) {
+      installCLISymlink();
+    }
+
     console.log("");
     console.log(`✅ Local assistant hatched!`);
     console.log("");
diff --git a/cli/src/index.ts b/cli/src/index.ts
index 6918e57b4bf..a2d5538189f 100755
--- a/cli/src/index.ts
+++ b/cli/src/index.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import { createRequire } from "node:module";
 import { dirname, join } from "node:path";
 import { spawn } from "node:child_process";
 import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+
+import cliPkg from "../package.json";
 import { autonomy } from "./commands/autonomy";
 import { client } from "./commands/client";
 import { config } from "./commands/config";
@@ -71,6 +73,11 @@ async function main() {
   const args = process.argv.slice(2);
   const commandName = args[0];
 
+  if (commandName === "--version" || commandName === "-v") {
+    console.log(`@vellumai/cli v${cliPkg.version}`);
+    process.exit(0);
+  }
+
   if (!commandName || commandName === "--help" || commandName === "-h") {
     console.log("Usage: vellum <command> [options]");
     console.log("");