diff --git a/scripts/runtime/setup-llm.sh b/scripts/runtime/setup-llm.sh
index a3fc08943e..60d8649ff0 100755
--- a/scripts/runtime/setup-llm.sh
+++ b/scripts/runtime/setup-llm.sh
@@ -41,9 +41,20 @@ setup_llm() {
         exit 1
     fi
     
-    # Create virtual environment for LLM
-    log_info "Creating Python virtual environment for LLM..."
-    python3 -m venv "$llm_venv"
+    # Create virtual environment for LLM. Bootstrap pip as a separate step:
+    # `python3 -m venv` hides ensurepip's output, so a failure would only
+    # report "exit status 1" without the reason.
+    local python3_bin
+    python3_bin="$(command -v python3)"
+    log_info "Creating Python virtual environment for LLM (using $python3_bin)..."
+    if ! python3 -m venv --without-pip "$llm_venv"; then
+        log_error "Could not create the LLM virtual environment at $llm_venv."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    if ! "$llm_venv/bin/python" -m ensurepip --upgrade --default-pip; then
+        log_error "Could not bootstrap pip into $llm_venv (python3: $python3_bin)."
+        exit 1
+    fi
     
     # Install LLM in virtual environment
     log_info "Installing LLM library..."