diff --git a/ai/compose.yml b/ai/compose.yml
index 004a5c9..003b3d4 100644
--- a/ai/compose.yml
+++ b/ai/compose.yml
@@ -115,7 +115,8 @@ services:
       - ai_backend
 
   paperclip:
-    image: ghcr.io/paperclipai/paperclip:v2026.517.0
+    build:
+      context: ./paperclip
     container_name: paperclip
     restart: always
     ports:
diff --git a/ai/paperclip/Dockerfile b/ai/paperclip/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a40c91a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ai/paperclip/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# syntax=docker/dockerfile:1.20
+FROM ghcr.io/paperclipai/paperclip:v2026.517.0
+
+# ── Install Hermes adapter npm package into seed directory ──────────
+# This seed data gets copied to the persistent volume on first boot
+# so the adapter is available without network access.
+USER root
+
+RUN npm install --no-save --prefix /opt/paperclip-seed/adapter-plugins \
+    hermes-paperclip-adapter@0.3.0
+
+# Create adapter-plugins.json metadata (Paperclip reads this on startup
+# to discover which external adapters to load)
+RUN mkdir -p /opt/paperclip-seed && python3 -c "
+import json
+record = {
+    'packageName': 'hermes-paperclip-adapter',
+    'version': '0.3.0',
+    'type': 'hermes',
+    'installedAt': '2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z',
+}
+with open('/opt/paperclip-seed/adapter-plugins.json', 'w') as f:
+    json.dump([record], f, indent=2)
+"
+
+# Ensure the adapter-plugins dir has a package.json (Paperclip expects one)
+RUN python3 -c "
+import json
+pkg = {
+    'name': 'paperclip-adapter-plugins',
+    'version': '0.0.0',
+    'private': True,
+    'description': 'Managed directory for Paperclip external adapter plugins.',
+}
+with open('/opt/paperclip-seed/adapter-plugins/package.json', 'w') as f:
+    json.dump(pkg, f, indent=2)
+"
+
+# ── Custom entrypoint ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+# Seeds the Hermes adapter on fresh volumes, then runs original logic.
+COPY docker-entrypoint.sh /usr/local/bin/paperclip-entrypoint.sh
+RUN chmod +x /usr/local/bin/paperclip-entrypoint.sh
+
+USER node
+
+ENTRYPOINT ["/usr/local/bin/paperclip-entrypoint.sh"]
+CMD ["node", "--import", "./server/node_modules/tsx/dist/loader.mjs", "server/dist/index.js"]
diff --git a/ai/paperclip/docker-entrypoint.sh b/ai/paperclip/docker-entrypoint.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..28f561a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ai/paperclip/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+# ── Seed Hermes adapter if volume is fresh ──────────────────────────
+PAPERCLIP_HOME="${PAPERCLIP_HOME:-/paperclip}"
+if [ ! -f "${PAPERCLIP_HOME}/adapter-plugins.json" ]; then
+    echo "[paperclip] Seeding Hermes adapter plugin..."
+    cp -r /opt/paperclip-seed/* "${PAPERCLIP_HOME}/"
+    chown -R "${USER_UID:-1000}:${USER_GID:-1000}" \
+        "${PAPERCLIP_HOME}/adapter-plugins" \
+        "${PAPERCLIP_HOME}/adapter-plugins.json"
+    echo "[paperclip] Hermes adapter seeded. Ready to create Hermes agents."
+fi
+
+# ── Original entrypoint logic (UID/GID adjustment) ──────────────────
+PUID="${USER_UID:-1000}"
+PGID="${USER_GID:-1000}"
+changed=0
+
+if [ "$(id -u node)" -ne "$PUID" ]; then
+    usermod -o -u "$PUID" node
+    changed=1
+fi
+
+if [ "$(id -g node)" -ne "$PGID" ]; then
+    groupmod -o -g "$PGID" node
+    usermod -g "$PGID" node
+    changed=1
+fi
+
+if [ "$changed" = "1" ]; then
+    chown -R node:node "${PAPERCLIP_HOME}"
+fi
+
+exec gosu node "$@"