2 files changed, 59 insertions, 2 deletions
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-node/src/meshbay_node/platform.py b/packages/meshbay-node/src/meshbay_node/platform.py
index 2255036..88db83d 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-node/src/meshbay_node/platform.py
+++ b/packages/meshbay-node/src/meshbay_node/platform.py
@@ -171,25 +171,46 @@ _ffmpeg_path: str = "ffmpeg"
 _ffprobe_path: str = "ffprobe"
 
 
+def _resolve_media_tool(name: str) -> str | None:
+    """
+    The copy shipped next to a frozen meshbay-node.exe first, then PATH.
+
+    ``shutil.which`` alone never looks in the executable's own directory: it
+    tries the current directory, then PATH, where the installer appends
+    node-runtime to the *user* PATH, which Windows places after the system one.
+    So any ffmpeg.exe earlier on PATH, from whatever application put it there,
+    ran instead of the pinned, checksummed copy we ship.
+    A name with a directory in it is the user's explicit choice and is left alone.
+    """
+    if getattr(sys, "frozen", False) and os.path.basename(name) == name:
+        exe = name if name.lower().endswith(".exe") or sys.platform != "win32" \
+            else f"{name}.exe"
+        bundled = Path(sys.executable).parent / exe
+        if bundled.is_file():
+            return str(bundled)
+    return shutil.which(name)
+
+
 def check_media_tools(
     ffmpeg: str = "ffmpeg", ffprobe: str = "ffprobe",
 ) -> None:
     """Resolve ffmpeg/ffprobe at daemon startup. Raises RuntimeError if not found."""
     global _ffmpeg_path, _ffprobe_path
-    resolved = shutil.which(ffmpeg)
+    resolved = _resolve_media_tool(ffmpeg)
     if not resolved:
         raise RuntimeError(
             f"{ffmpeg!r} not found in PATH. "
             "Install ffmpeg or set [node] ffmpeg_path in node.toml."
         )
     _ffmpeg_path = resolved
-    resolved = shutil.which(ffprobe)
+    resolved = _resolve_media_tool(ffprobe)
     if not resolved:
         raise RuntimeError(
             f"{ffprobe!r} not found in PATH. "
             "Install ffmpeg or set [node] ffprobe_path in node.toml."
         )
     _ffprobe_path = resolved
+    log.info("media tools: ffmpeg=%s ffprobe=%s", _ffmpeg_path, _ffprobe_path)
 
 
 def ffmpeg_cmd() -> str:
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-node/tests/test_platform.py b/packages/meshbay-node/tests/test_platform.py
index 8856962..4805d8a 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-node/tests/test_platform.py
+++ b/packages/meshbay-node/tests/test_platform.py
@@ -83,6 +83,42 @@ def test_check_media_tools_stores_the_resolved_paths(monkeypatch):
     assert plat.ffprobe_cmd() == "/opt/bin/ffprobe.exe"
 
 
+
+def _frozen_with_bundled_tools(monkeypatch, tmp_path, platform="win32"):
+    suffix = ".exe" if platform == "win32" else ""
+    for tool in ("ffmpeg", "ffprobe"):
+        (tmp_path / f"{tool}{suffix}").write_bytes(b"")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "frozen", True, raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "executable", str(tmp_path / f"meshbay-node{suffix}"))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "platform", platform)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(plat.shutil, "which", lambda n: f"/elsewhere/{n}.exe")
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("platform", ["win32", "linux"])
+def test_a_frozen_node_prefers_the_ffmpeg_shipped_beside_it_over_path(
+        monkeypatch, tmp_path, platform):
+    _frozen_with_bundled_tools(monkeypatch, tmp_path, platform)
+    plat.check_media_tools("ffmpeg", "ffprobe")
+    suffix = ".exe" if platform == "win32" else ""
+    assert plat.ffmpeg_cmd() == str(tmp_path / f"ffmpeg{suffix}")
+    assert plat.ffprobe_cmd() == str(tmp_path / f"ffprobe{suffix}")
+
+
+def test_a_frozen_node_keeps_an_explicit_tool_path(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    _frozen_with_bundled_tools(monkeypatch, tmp_path)
+    plat.check_media_tools("C:/tools/ffmpeg.exe", "ffprobe")
+    assert plat.ffmpeg_cmd().startswith("/elsewhere/")
+    assert plat.ffprobe_cmd() == str(tmp_path / "ffprobe.exe")
+
+
+def test_a_frozen_node_without_bundled_tools_falls_back_to_path(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "frozen", True, raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "executable", str(tmp_path / "meshbay-node.exe"))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(plat.shutil, "which", lambda n: f"/opt/bin/{n}.exe")
+    plat.check_media_tools("ffmpeg", "ffprobe")
+    assert plat.ffmpeg_cmd() == "/opt/bin/ffmpeg.exe"
+
+
 # ── Event loop ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 def test_configure_event_loop_is_a_noop_off_windows(monkeypatch):