diff --git a/packages/apple-runner/src/__tests__/apple-toolchain-fixtures.ts b/packages/apple-runner/src/__tests__/apple-toolchain-fixtures.ts
index 90569f7703..2398095260 100644
--- a/packages/apple-runner/src/__tests__/apple-toolchain-fixtures.ts
+++ b/packages/apple-runner/src/__tests__/apple-toolchain-fixtures.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import { beforeEach, vi } from 'vitest';
 import fs from 'node:fs';
-import { XCODE_SELECT_LINK_PATH } from '../runner-toolchain-identity.ts';
+import path from 'node:path';
+import { DEFAULT_DEVELOPER_DIR, XCODE_SELECT_LINK_PATH } from '../runner-toolchain-identity.ts';
+import { mkdtempForTestSync } from './tmp-dir.ts';
 
 export {
   STUBBED_APPLE_TOOLCHAIN,
@@ -9,30 +11,48 @@ export {
 } from '@agent-device/test-kit';
 
 /**
- * The host's default selection link as the toolchain identity sees it. Undefined keeps the link
- * unreadable; a case that owns a link points it at a path it created.
+ * The host's selection link and default Xcode as the toolchain identity sees them. Undefined keeps
+ * a path absent; a case that owns one points it at a path it created. `targetErrorCode` makes the
+ * link's target fail to resolve with that code.
  */
-export const appleSelectionLink: { target: string | undefined } = { target: undefined };
+export const appleSelectionLink: {
+  target: string | undefined;
+  targetErrorCode: string | undefined;
+  defaultDeveloperDir: string | undefined;
+} = { target: undefined, targetErrorCode: undefined, defaultDeveloperDir: undefined };
 
 /**
- * Hides the selection link of the machine running the suite, so a case decides the host's selection
- * rather than inheriting it.
+ * Hides the selection link and default Xcode of the machine running the suite, so a case decides the
+ * host's selection rather than inheriting it.
  */
 export function stubAppleSelectionLink(): void {
   const realRealpathSync = fs.realpathSync;
   const realReadlinkSync = fs.readlinkSync;
-  const absent = () =>
-    Object.assign(new Error('ENOENT: no such file or directory'), { code: 'ENOENT' });
+  const failure = (code: string) => Object.assign(new Error(code), { code });
+  const absent = () => failure('ENOENT');
   beforeEach(() => {
+    // The host's own default Xcode stays out of reach: an absent default resolves to a path that
+    // does not exist, so every read under it fails.
+    const missingDefaultDeveloperDir = path.join(
+      mkdtempForTestSync('no-default-xcode-'),
+      'Xcode.app/Contents/Developer',
+    );
     appleSelectionLink.target = undefined;
+    appleSelectionLink.targetErrorCode = undefined;
+    appleSelectionLink.defaultDeveloperDir = undefined;
     vi.spyOn(fs, 'readlinkSync').mockImplementation(((target: fs.PathLike) => {
       if (String(target) !== XCODE_SELECT_LINK_PATH) return realReadlinkSync(target);
       if (appleSelectionLink.target === undefined) throw absent();
       return appleSelectionLink.target;
     }) as typeof fs.readlinkSync);
     vi.spyOn(fs, 'realpathSync').mockImplementation((target: fs.PathLike) => {
+      if (String(target) === DEFAULT_DEVELOPER_DIR) {
+        if (appleSelectionLink.defaultDeveloperDir === undefined) return missingDefaultDeveloperDir;
+        return realRealpathSync(appleSelectionLink.defaultDeveloperDir);
+      }
       if (String(target) !== XCODE_SELECT_LINK_PATH) return realRealpathSync(target);
       if (appleSelectionLink.target === undefined) throw absent();
+      if (appleSelectionLink.targetErrorCode) throw failure(appleSelectionLink.targetErrorCode);
       return realRealpathSync(appleSelectionLink.target);
     });
   });
diff --git a/packages/apple-runner/src/__tests__/runner-toolchain-identity.test.ts b/packages/apple-runner/src/__tests__/runner-toolchain-identity.test.ts
index df97a5a23f..889ba6abf6 100644
--- a/packages/apple-runner/src/__tests__/runner-toolchain-identity.test.ts
+++ b/packages/apple-runner/src/__tests__/runner-toolchain-identity.test.ts
@@ -65,16 +65,33 @@ test('without DEVELOPER_DIR the host selection link names the Xcode, and a moved
   assert.deepEqual(readFingerprint(), FINGERPRINT_B);
 });
 
-test('a selection link whose Xcode is gone fails instead of reading another Xcode', () => {
+test('a selection link whose Xcode is gone falls back to the default Xcode, as xcode-select -p does', () => {
+  // #4145: an uninstalled Xcode leaves the link dangling; Apple's tools then use the default Xcode.
   appleRunnerTestHost.update({ commandDeveloperDir: () => undefined });
   appleSelectionLink.target = path.join(mkdtempForTestSync('deleted-xcode-'), 'Xcode.app');
+  appleSelectionLink.defaultDeveloperDir = xcodeB;
+  assert.deepEqual(readFingerprint(), FINGERPRINT_B);
+  assert.equal(readRunnerXcodeVersion(), '27.0');
+});
+
+test('without DEVELOPER_DIR or a selection link the default Xcode names the fingerprint', () => {
+  appleRunnerTestHost.update({ commandDeveloperDir: () => undefined });
+  appleSelectionLink.defaultDeveloperDir = xcodeB;
+  assert.deepEqual(readFingerprint(), FINGERPRINT_B);
+});
+
+test('a selection link whose Xcode this process cannot read fails instead of reading the default Xcode', () => {
+  appleRunnerTestHost.update({ commandDeveloperDir: () => undefined });
+  appleSelectionLink.target = xcodeA;
+  appleSelectionLink.targetErrorCode = 'EACCES';
+  appleSelectionLink.defaultDeveloperDir = xcodeB;
   assert.throws(
     readFingerprint,
     (error: unknown) =>
       error instanceof AppError &&
       error.details?.reason === 'apple_toolchain_unreadable' &&
       error.details?.file === XCODE_SELECT_LINK_PATH &&
-      error.details?.detail === 'dangling selection link',
+      error.details?.detail === 'EACCES',
   );
 });
 
diff --git a/packages/apple-runner/src/runner-toolchain-identity.ts b/packages/apple-runner/src/runner-toolchain-identity.ts
index 3aad2fb18a..6cb6254670 100644
--- a/packages/apple-runner/src/runner-toolchain-identity.ts
+++ b/packages/apple-runner/src/runner-toolchain-identity.ts
@@ -44,10 +44,9 @@ const SDK_DIRECTORY_NAMES: Record<AppleSdkName, string> = {
 export const XCODE_SELECT_LINK_PATH = '/var/db/xcode_select_link';
 
 /** Where `xcrun` looks when neither `DEVELOPER_DIR` nor the selection link names a developer dir. */
-const DEFAULT_DEVELOPER_DIR = '/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer';
+export const DEFAULT_DEVELOPER_DIR = '/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer';
 
-const TOOLCHAIN_FILE_HINT =
-  'The Apple runner cache is keyed on the toolchain version, so a cache decision cannot be made without it. Check that `xcode-select -p` or DEVELOPER_DIR names a full Xcode install.';
+const TOOLCHAIN_FILE_HINT = `The Apple runner cache is keyed on the toolchain version, so a cache decision cannot be made without it. Check that \`xcode-select -p\` or DEVELOPER_DIR names a full Xcode install. If ${XCODE_SELECT_LINK_PATH} names a deleted Xcode, run \`sudo xcode-select -s <Xcode.app>\`.`;
 
 type BundleVersion = Readonly<{ version: string; buildVersion: string }>;
 
@@ -113,10 +112,10 @@ export function readRunnerXcodeVersion(): string | undefined {
 
 /**
  * The developer dir `xcrun` uses, resolved to its real path: the client's `DEVELOPER_DIR`, else the
- * host's selection link, else the default Xcode when no link exists. A tool like xcodes swaps the
- * Xcode.app bundle behind a stable path, so the real path is the one that names the toolchain. Like
- * `xcrun`, it accepts an `Xcode.app` bundle for its `Contents/Developer`, and a link whose target is
- * gone is a broken selection rather than a reason to read another Xcode.
+ * host's selection link, else the default Xcode. This order must match `xcode-select -p` on the
+ * host, because the cache key must name the Xcode that builds the runner. A tool like xcodes swaps
+ * the Xcode.app bundle behind a stable path, so the real path is the one that names the toolchain.
+ * Like `xcrun`, it accepts an `Xcode.app` bundle for its `Contents/Developer`.
  */
 function resolveSelectedDeveloperDir(chosenDir: string | undefined): string {
   const candidate = chosenDir?.trim() || selectionLinkTarget() || DEFAULT_DEVELOPER_DIR;
@@ -126,20 +125,27 @@ function resolveSelectedDeveloperDir(chosenDir: string | undefined): string {
 }
 
 function selectionLinkTarget(): string | undefined {
+  // No selection link: `xcrun` falls back to the default Xcode as well.
+  if (readSelectionLinkStep(() => fs.readlinkSync(XCODE_SELECT_LINK_PATH)) === undefined) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  // A link whose target was deleted (an uninstalled Xcode) is not a selection: `xcode-select -p`
+  // and `xcrun` skip it and use the default Xcode (#4145).
+  return readSelectionLinkStep(() => fs.realpathSync(XCODE_SELECT_LINK_PATH));
+}
+
+/**
+ * One read of the selection link. A missing path is undefined; any other failure is a selection
+ * this process cannot read, which must not stand in for the default Xcode.
+ */
+function readSelectionLinkStep(read: () => string): string | undefined {
   try {
-    fs.readlinkSync(XCODE_SELECT_LINK_PATH);
+    return read();
   } catch (error) {
-    // No selection link: `xcrun` falls back to the default Xcode as well. Any other failure is a
-    // selection this process cannot read, which must not stand in for the default Xcode.
     const code = (error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code;
     if (code === 'ENOENT') return undefined;
     throw new ToolchainFileError(XCODE_SELECT_LINK_PATH, code ?? String(error));
   }
-  const target = realPath(XCODE_SELECT_LINK_PATH);
-  if (target === undefined) {
-    throw new ToolchainFileError(XCODE_SELECT_LINK_PATH, 'dangling selection link');
-  }
-  return target;
 }
 
 /** What `xcodebuild -version` prints for the Xcode that owns `developerDir`. */