diff --git a/scripts/rea.mjs b/scripts/rea.mjs
index 8bc02dfe6..0d64bd552 100755
--- a/scripts/rea.mjs
+++ b/scripts/rea.mjs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ const runtimeFiles = isMcpMode
 
 if (!(await compiledRuntimeExists(runtimeFiles))) {
   process.stderr.write(
-    `REA's compiled runtime is missing. Run \`npm ci\` in ${packageRoot} to install dependencies and build REA, then restart it. If this is an installed package, reinstall rea-agents.\n`,
+    `REA's compiled runtime is missing. Run \`npm ci && npm run build:cached\` in ${packageRoot} to install dependencies and build REA, then restart it. If this is an installed package, reinstall rea-agents.\n`,
   );
   process.exitCode = 1;
 } else if (isMcpMode) {
diff --git a/tests/boundary/cli/dispatcher.test.ts b/tests/boundary/cli/dispatcher.test.ts
index 5236e9f86..7c0705405 100644
--- a/tests/boundary/cli/dispatcher.test.ts
+++ b/tests/boundary/cli/dispatcher.test.ts
@@ -83,9 +83,12 @@ describe("executable dispatcher", () => {
         expect(result).toMatchObject({
           exitCode: 1,
           stderr: expect.stringContaining(
-            "REA's compiled runtime is missing. Run `npm ci` in",
+            "REA's compiled runtime is missing. Run `npm ci && npm run build:cached` in",
           ),
         });
+        expect(result.stderr).toContain(
+          "If this is an installed package, reinstall rea-agents.",
+        );
         expect(result).toMatchObject({
           stderr: expect.not.stringContaining("ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND"),
         });