diff --git a/home/dot_config/mise/conf.d/cli-tools.toml.tmpl b/home/dot_config/mise/conf.d/cli-tools.toml.tmpl
index afac29f..468e104 100644
--- a/home/dot_config/mise/conf.d/cli-tools.toml.tmpl
+++ b/home/dot_config/mise/conf.d/cli-tools.toml.tmpl
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ helix = "latest"
 bottom = "latest"    # `btm` — lighter, narrow-friendly; used by the cmux dock Host panel
 zig = "0.15.2"       # cmux builds GhosttyKit.xcframework; ghostty pins minimum_zig_version
 {{- if eq .chezmoi.os "linux" }}
-"npm:@endevco/aube" = "latest"   # aube — our Node package manager (jdx, same author as mise); verified v1.33.1
+# Pinned as belt-and-braces: "latest" made mise 2026.2.17 shell out to `npm view`,
+# whose child re-entered the shim — 2,829-deep recursion, two OOMs on 2026-08-12.
+# mise >= 2026.8.2 fixes the class (jdx/mise#8475); an exact version needs no lookup.
+"npm:@endevco/aube" = "1.33.1"   # aube — our Node package manager (jdx, same author as mise)
 "github:aristocratos/btop" = "latest"   # btop via github backend (aqua asset-match is broken, ubi deprecated); Linux release binaries only
 {{- end }}
 {{- end }}