diff --git a/.changeset/claude-hook-path-independence.md b/.changeset/claude-hook-path-independence.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..840c83a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/claude-hook-path-independence.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@colony/installers": patch
+---
+
+Preserve existing Claude Code hooks while normalizing Colony hooks to absolute Node commands.
diff --git a/packages/installers/src/claude-code.ts b/packages/installers/src/claude-code.ts
index 0d84e1d..1d90029 100644
--- a/packages/installers/src/claude-code.ts
+++ b/packages/installers/src/claude-code.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,10 @@ import type { InstallContext, Installer } from './types.js';
 interface ClaudeSettings {
   hooks?: Record<
     string,
-    Array<{ matcher?: string; hooks: Array<{ type: string; command: string }> }>
+    Array<{
+      matcher?: string;
+      hooks: Array<{ type: string; command: string; [key: string]: unknown }>;
+    }>
   >;
   mcpServers?: Record<string, { command: string; args?: string[]; env?: Record<string, string> }>;
 }
@@ -24,6 +27,42 @@ function settingsFile(): string {
   return join(homedir(), '.claude', 'settings.json');
 }
 
+function isColonyHookCommand(command: string, hookId: string): boolean {
+  const normalized = command.replace(/["']/g, ' ').replace(/\s+/g, ' ').trim();
+  return /\bcolony(?:\.js)?\b/.test(normalized) && normalized.includes(` hook run ${hookId}`);
+}
+
+function installColonyHook(
+  existing: NonNullable<ClaudeSettings['hooks']>[string] | undefined,
+  command: string,
+  hookId: string,
+): NonNullable<ClaudeSettings['hooks']>[string] {
+  const filtered = removeColonyHook(existing, hookId);
+  return [
+    ...filtered,
+    {
+      hooks: [
+        {
+          type: 'command',
+          command,
+        },
+      ],
+    },
+  ];
+}
+
+function removeColonyHook(
+  existing: NonNullable<ClaudeSettings['hooks']>[string] | undefined,
+  hookId: string,
+): NonNullable<ClaudeSettings['hooks']>[string] {
+  return (existing ?? [])
+    .map((entry) => ({
+      ...entry,
+      hooks: entry.hooks.filter((hook) => !isColonyHookCommand(hook.command, hookId)),
+    }))
+    .filter((entry) => entry.hooks.length > 0);
+}
+
 export const claudeCode: Installer = {
   id: 'claude-code',
   label: 'Claude Code',
@@ -40,16 +79,8 @@ export const claudeCode: Installer = {
     const nodeBin = shellQuote(ctx.nodeBin);
     const cliPath = shellQuote(ctx.cliPath);
     for (const [claudeName, hookId] of HOOK_NAMES) {
-      hooks[claudeName] = [
-        {
-          hooks: [
-            {
-              type: 'command',
-              command: `${nodeBin} ${cliPath} hook run ${hookId} --ide claude-code`,
-            },
-          ],
-        },
-      ];
+      const command = `${nodeBin} ${cliPath} hook run ${hookId} --ide claude-code`;
+      hooks[claudeName] = installColonyHook(hooks[claudeName], command, hookId);
     }
     const mcpServers: NonNullable<ClaudeSettings['mcpServers']> = { ...(current.mcpServers ?? {}) };
     delete mcpServers.cavemem;
@@ -67,7 +98,11 @@ export const claudeCode: Installer = {
     const path = settingsFile();
     const current = readJson<ClaudeSettings>(path, {});
     if (current.hooks) {
-      for (const [claudeName] of HOOK_NAMES) delete current.hooks[claudeName];
+      for (const [claudeName, hookId] of HOOK_NAMES) {
+        const remaining = removeColonyHook(current.hooks[claudeName], hookId);
+        if (remaining.length > 0) current.hooks[claudeName] = remaining;
+        else delete current.hooks[claudeName];
+      }
     }
     if (current.mcpServers) {
       delete current.mcpServers.colony;
diff --git a/packages/installers/test/installers.test.ts b/packages/installers/test/installers.test.ts
index 7d6d3f9..119847b 100644
--- a/packages/installers/test/installers.test.ts
+++ b/packages/installers/test/installers.test.ts
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ describe('claude-code installer', () => {
     await claudeCode.install(ctx); // run twice
     const second = JSON.parse(readFileSync(settingsPath, 'utf8')) as typeof first;
     expect(Object.keys(second.hooks).sort()).toEqual(Object.keys(first.hooks).sort());
+    expect(second.hooks.SessionStart).toHaveLength(1);
     // No duplicate or stale MCP namespace entries.
     expect(Object.keys(second.mcpServers)).toEqual(['colony']);
   });
@@ -96,7 +97,23 @@ describe('claude-code installer', () => {
           other: { command: '/other/bin' },
           cavemem: { command: '/old/bin', args: ['old-mcp'] },
         },
-        hooks: { CustomEvent: [{ hooks: [{ type: 'command', command: 'noop' }] }] },
+        hooks: {
+          CustomEvent: [{ hooks: [{ type: 'command', command: 'noop' }] }],
+          PostToolUse: [
+            {
+              matcher: '*',
+              hooks: [{ type: 'command', command: 'node /home/me/.claude/hooks/context.js' }],
+            },
+            {
+              hooks: [
+                {
+                  type: 'command',
+                  command: '/old/bin/colony hook run post-tool-use --ide claude-code',
+                },
+              ],
+            },
+          ],
+        },
       }),
     );
 
@@ -114,6 +131,20 @@ describe('claude-code installer', () => {
     });
     expect(installed.mcpServers.cavemem).toBeUndefined();
     expect(installed.hooks.CustomEvent).toBeDefined();
+    expect(installed.hooks.PostToolUse).toEqual([
+      {
+        matcher: '*',
+        hooks: [{ type: 'command', command: 'node /home/me/.claude/hooks/context.js' }],
+      },
+      {
+        hooks: [
+          {
+            type: 'command',
+            command: `${ctx.nodeBin} ${ctx.cliPath} hook run post-tool-use --ide claude-code`,
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    ]);
 
     await claudeCode.uninstall(ctx);
     const after = JSON.parse(readFileSync(settingsPath, 'utf8')) as typeof installed;
@@ -123,6 +154,12 @@ describe('claude-code installer', () => {
     expect(after.mcpServers.cavemem).toBeUndefined();
     expect(after.hooks.SessionStart).toBeUndefined();
     expect(after.hooks.CustomEvent).toBeDefined();
+    expect(after.hooks.PostToolUse).toEqual([
+      {
+        matcher: '*',
+        hooks: [{ type: 'command', command: 'node /home/me/.claude/hooks/context.js' }],
+      },
+    ]);
   });
 
   it('quotes paths with spaces in hook command strings (Windows)', async () => {