diff --git a/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-08-05-hermes-version-bump-wiring-design.md b/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-08-05-hermes-version-bump-wiring-design.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b3187e48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-08-05-hermes-version-bump-wiring-design.md
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# Hermes Version-Bump Wiring Design
+
+**Date:** 2026-08-05
+**Status:** Draft for Drew review
+
+## Goal
+
+Keep `.hermes-plugin/plugin.yaml` in lockstep with the repository version by
+registering it in `.version-bump.json` and teaching `scripts/bump-version.sh`
+to process YAML without implementing a YAML parser in Bash.
+
+## Design
+
+- Add `{ "path": ".hermes-plugin/plugin.yaml", "field": "version" }` to
+  `.version-bump.json`.
+- Dispatch manifest reads and writes by extension.
+- Keep the existing `jq` path for JSON manifests.
+- Use Mike Farah `yq` v4 for `.yaml` and `.yml` manifests.
+- Limit YAML entries to one top-level field such as `version`; dotted YAML
+  paths are out of scope.
+- Route `--check`, `--audit`, and version updates through the same dispatcher.
+
+Non-help commands fail with an actionable message when a required tool is
+missing, `yq` is not the Mike Farah v4 implementation, a YAML field is nested
+or missing, or a configured extension is unsupported. Existing JSON behavior
+and unrelated release-script semantics remain unchanged.
+
+## Tests
+
+Behavioral tests run the real script against an isolated temporary fixture and
+prove:
+
+- aligned JSON and YAML manifests pass `--check`;
+- YAML drift fails `--check`;
+- a version bump updates both formats;
+- nested YAML fields and an incompatible `yq` fail clearly; and
+- the real Hermes manifest is registered in `.version-bump.json`.
+
+Verification also runs the existing Hermes tests, shell lint, and
+`scripts/bump-version.sh --check` against the repository.
+
+## Non-Goals
+
+- No hand-written YAML parser.
+- No general nested-YAML support.
+- No Hermes runtime changes.
+- No refactor of unrelated audit, missing-file, or version-validation behavior.