diff --git a/services/hermes/agent-deployment.yaml b/services/hermes/agent-deployment.yaml
index 9fce2b2c..578263b6 100644
--- a/services/hermes/agent-deployment.yaml
+++ b/services/hermes/agent-deployment.yaml
@@ -108,6 +108,12 @@ spec:
                   - key: node-role.kubernetes.io/worker
                     operator: In
                     values: ["true"]
+                  # Require rpi5: the agent is heavy and an rpi4 is slow enough to
+                  # risk tripping the /api/status liveness probe. rpi5 storage
+                  # workers only, excluding the saturated/known-flaky ones.
+                  - key: hardware
+                    operator: In
+                    values: [rpi5]
                   - key: kubernetes.io/hostname
                     operator: NotIn
                     values: [titan-04, titan-06, titan-08, titan-13, titan-14, titan-17, titan-18, titan-19]