diff --git a/cli/src/main/java/com/devonfw/tools/ide/tool/LocalToolCommandlet.java b/cli/src/main/java/com/devonfw/tools/ide/tool/LocalToolCommandlet.java
index 8176bf894..eaa277560 100644
--- a/cli/src/main/java/com/devonfw/tools/ide/tool/LocalToolCommandlet.java
+++ b/cli/src/main/java/com/devonfw/tools/ide/tool/LocalToolCommandlet.java
@@ -197,6 +197,12 @@ public ToolInstallation installTool(ToolInstallRequest request) {
         } else if (!isIgnoreMissingSoftwareVersionFile()) {
           LOG.warn("Deleting corrupted installation at {}", installationPath);
           fileAccess.delete(installationPath);
+        } else {
+          // Version file missing but tool allows this - restore it and preserve installation
+          LOG.warn("Version file missing at {} - restoring it for tool {}", toolVersionFile, this.tool);
+          // Restore the missing file
+          this.context.writeVersionFile(resolvedVersion, installationPath);
+          return createToolInstallation(installationPath, resolvedVersion, false, processContext, additionalInstallation);
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/cli/src/main/java/com/devonfw/tools/ide/tool/python/Python.java b/cli/src/main/java/com/devonfw/tools/ide/tool/python/Python.java
index f5fc45d35..818426601 100644
--- a/cli/src/main/java/com/devonfw/tools/ide/tool/python/Python.java
+++ b/cli/src/main/java/com/devonfw/tools/ide/tool/python/Python.java
@@ -75,6 +75,12 @@ protected boolean isIgnoreSoftwareRepo() {
     return true;
   }
 
+  @Override
+  protected boolean isIgnoreMissingSoftwareVersionFile() {
+
+    return true;
+  }
+
   @Override
   public ToolRepository getToolRepository() {