diff --git a/scripts/ensure-native-deps.cjs b/scripts/ensure-native-deps.cjs
index bbb9f2a..ca05b39 100644
--- a/scripts/ensure-native-deps.cjs
+++ b/scripts/ensure-native-deps.cjs
@@ -41,6 +41,22 @@ function printFailures(failures) {
   }
 }
 
+function tryRebuild() {
+  const { execSync } = require("node:child_process");
+  const packages = nativePackages.join(" ");
+  try {
+    log(`native binaries incompatible, rebuilding from source: npm rebuild ${packages} --build-from-source`);
+    execSync(`npm rebuild ${packages} --build-from-source`, {
+      cwd: rootDir,
+      stdio: "inherit",
+    });
+    return true;
+  } catch (err) {
+    warn(`rebuild failed: ${err && err.message ? err.message : String(err)}`);
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
 function main() {
   const initialFailures = verifyNativePackages();
   if (initialFailures.length === 0) {
@@ -49,9 +65,22 @@ function main() {
   }
 
   printFailures(initialFailures);
-  warn("native dependency verification failed");
-  warn("install build tools first, then run: npm rebuild better-sqlite3 sqlite-vec --build-from-source");
-  warn("Debian/Ubuntu example: apt-get update && apt-get install -y python3 make gcc g++");
+
+  if (!tryRebuild()) {
+    warn("install build tools first, then reinstall the plugin");
+    warn("Debian/Ubuntu: apt-get update && apt-get install -y python3 make gcc g++");
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+
+  const afterFailures = verifyNativePackages();
+  if (afterFailures.length === 0) {
+    log("native dependencies rebuilt and verified");
+    return;
+  }
+
+  printFailures(afterFailures);
+  warn("rebuild succeeded but native packages still fail to load");
+  warn("Debian/Ubuntu: apt-get update && apt-get install -y python3 make gcc g++");
   process.exit(1);
 }