diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1a517122c..a4cfc7d55 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 - `apm install -g --target codex` now honors `CODEX_HOME` for user-scope
   Codex MCP config writes, falling back to `~/.codex/config.toml` when unset.
   (closes #1861) (#1863)
+- Windows pip fallback no longer terminates early when native pip writes
+  stderr under `$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"`. (closes #1874) (#1876)
 
 ## [0.21.0] - 2026-06-19
 
diff --git a/install.ps1 b/install.ps1
index 5d186562f..65d04d083 100644
--- a/install.ps1
+++ b/install.ps1
@@ -265,14 +265,20 @@ function Install-ViaPip {
     }
     $pipIndexArgs = Get-PipIndexArgs
     try {
-        if ($pipCmd -like "* -m pip") {
-            $output = & $pythonCmd -m pip install --user @pipIndexArgs apm-cli 2>&1
-            $pipExitCode = $LASTEXITCODE
-            $output | Write-Host
-        } else {
-            $output = & $pipCmd install --user @pipIndexArgs apm-cli 2>&1
-            $pipExitCode = $LASTEXITCODE
-            $output | Write-Host
+        $previousErrorActionPreference = $ErrorActionPreference
+        try {
+            $ErrorActionPreference = "Continue"
+            if ($pipCmd -like "* -m pip") {
+                $output = & $pythonCmd -m pip install --user @pipIndexArgs apm-cli 2>&1
+                $pipExitCode = $LASTEXITCODE
+                $output | Write-Host
+            } else {
+                $output = & $pipCmd install --user @pipIndexArgs apm-cli 2>&1
+                $pipExitCode = $LASTEXITCODE
+                $output | Write-Host
+            }
+        } finally {
+            $ErrorActionPreference = $previousErrorActionPreference
         }
         if ($pipExitCode -ne 0) {
             Write-ErrorText "pip install failed (exit code $pipExitCode)."
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_enterprise_bootstrap_installers.py b/tests/unit/test_enterprise_bootstrap_installers.py
index d2562c433..8c8027314 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_enterprise_bootstrap_installers.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_enterprise_bootstrap_installers.py
@@ -169,6 +169,31 @@ def test_unix_installer_fail_closed_asset_exit_code() -> None:
     assert "APM_RELEASE_BASE_URL is not configured" in combined
 
 
+def test_windows_pip_fallback_scopes_native_stderr_error_action_guard() -> None:
+    """install.ps1 must not let native pip stderr terminate fallback."""
+    text = _read_repo_file("install.ps1")
+    body = text.split("function Install-ViaPip {", 1)[1].split(
+        "function Write-ManualInstallHelp {", 1
+    )[0]
+
+    previous_guard = "$previousErrorActionPreference = $ErrorActionPreference"
+    continue_guard = '$ErrorActionPreference = "Continue"'
+    restore_guard = "$ErrorActionPreference = $previousErrorActionPreference"
+    python_pip_call = "$output = & $pythonCmd -m pip install --user @pipIndexArgs apm-cli 2>&1"
+    pip_call = "$output = & $pipCmd install --user @pipIndexArgs apm-cli 2>&1"
+
+    assert previous_guard in body
+    assert continue_guard in body
+    assert restore_guard in body
+    assert body.count(continue_guard) == 1
+    assert body.index(previous_guard) < body.index(continue_guard)
+    assert body.index(continue_guard) < body.index(python_pip_call)
+    assert body.index(continue_guard) < body.index(pip_call)
+    assert body.index(python_pip_call) < body.index("finally {")
+    assert body.index(pip_call) < body.index("finally {")
+    assert body.index("finally {") < body.index(restore_guard)
+
+
 def test_windows_installer_uses_auth_on_first_ghes_metadata_fetch() -> None:
     """install.ps1 should not make an unauthenticated GHES metadata request first."""
     text = _read_repo_file("install.ps1")