diff --git a/platform/hermes/patch-api-mcp-refresh.py b/platform/hermes/patch-api-mcp-refresh.py
index bab68f0..0f6ceb9 100644
--- a/platform/hermes/patch-api-mcp-refresh.py
+++ b/platform/hermes/patch-api-mcp-refresh.py
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ modify an unknown future implementation.
 from pathlib import Path
 
 
-TARGET = Path("/opt/hermes/gateway/platforms/api_server.py")
-ANCHOR = "        agent = AIAgent(**agent_kwargs)\n"
-PATCHED = """        # Athena workaround for upstream issue #69746: the API platform
+API_TARGET = Path("/opt/hermes/gateway/platforms/api_server.py")
+API_ANCHOR = "        agent = AIAgent(**agent_kwargs)\n"
+API_PATCHED = """        # Athena workaround for upstream issue #69746: the API platform
         # otherwise snapshots tools before the live MCP registry is attached.
         agent = AIAgent(**agent_kwargs)
         try:
@@ -30,15 +30,38 @@ PATCHED = """        # Athena workaround for upstream issue #69746: the API plat
             )
 """
 
+REFRESH_TARGET = Path("/opt/hermes/tools/mcp_tool.py")
+REFRESH_ANCHOR = """        if new_names == current:
+            # No change → leave the live snapshot untouched (no churn), but
+"""
+REFRESH_PATCHED = """        if (
+            new_names == current
+            and new_defs == (getattr(agent, "tools", None) or [])
+        ):
+            # Names and schemas are unchanged. Comparing schemas is required
+            # for the tool_search bridge, whose three public names stay fixed
+            # while its embedded deferred-tool catalog changes (#72560).
+"""
 
-source = TARGET.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
-if PATCHED in source:
-    print("Hermes API MCP refresh patch already present")
-elif source.count(ANCHOR) == 1:
-    TARGET.write_text(source.replace(ANCHOR, PATCHED, 1), encoding="utf-8")
-    print("Applied Hermes API MCP refresh patch")
-else:
-    raise SystemExit(
-        "HERMES_START_REFUSED: upstream api_server.py changed; "
-        "review the MCP refresh patch before upgrading"
-    )
+
+def apply_patch(target: Path, anchor: str, replacement: str, label: str) -> None:
+    source = target.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    if replacement in source:
+        print(f"Hermes {label} patch already present")
+    elif source.count(anchor) == 1:
+        target.write_text(source.replace(anchor, replacement, 1), encoding="utf-8")
+        print(f"Applied Hermes {label} patch")
+    else:
+        raise SystemExit(
+            f"HERMES_START_REFUSED: upstream {target.name} changed; "
+            f"review the {label} patch before upgrading"
+        )
+
+
+apply_patch(API_TARGET, API_ANCHOR, API_PATCHED, "API MCP refresh")
+apply_patch(
+    REFRESH_TARGET,
+    REFRESH_ANCHOR,
+    REFRESH_PATCHED,
+    "tool-search catalog refresh",
+)