diff --git a/clients/python/hancock_client.py b/clients/python/hancock_client.py
index 83a209d..4ae97e6 100644
--- a/clients/python/hancock_client.py
+++ b/clients/python/hancock_client.py
@@ -19,7 +19,36 @@
 
 import os
 from typing import Optional
-from openai import OpenAI
+
+try:
+    from hancock_constants import OPENAI_IMPORT_ERROR_MSG, require_openai
+except ImportError:
+    # Fallback definitions when hancock_constants is not available (e.g., in installed package).
+    OPENAI_IMPORT_ERROR_MSG = (
+        "The 'openai' package is required to use HancockClient. "
+        "Install it with 'pip install openai' and ensure NVIDIA_API_KEY is set."
+    )
+
+    def require_openai(client_cls: Optional[object] = None) -> None:
+        """
+        Ensure that the optional 'openai' dependency is available.
+
+        This mirrors the behavior of the helper from hancock_constants: it defers
+        the ImportError until runtime (e.g., in the constructor) and provides a
+        clear error message when the dependency is missing.
+
+        The optional client_cls argument is accepted for compatibility with call
+        sites that invoke require_openai(OpenAI); if not provided, the module-level
+        OpenAI symbol is used.
+        """
+        client = client_cls if client_cls is not None else OpenAI  # type: ignore[name-defined]
+        if client is None:
+            raise ImportError(OPENAI_IMPORT_ERROR_MSG)
+
+try:
+    from openai import OpenAI
+except ImportError:  # allow import; require_openai() enforces dependency in constructor
+    OpenAI = None  # type: ignore
 
 # ── Models ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 MODELS: dict[str, str] = {
@@ -83,6 +112,7 @@ def __init__(
         coder_model: str = "qwen-coder",
         base_url: str = "https://integrate.api.nvidia.com/v1",
     ):
+        require_openai(OpenAI)
         key = api_key or os.environ.get("NVIDIA_API_KEY")
         if not key:
             raise ValueError(
diff --git a/hancock_agent.py b/hancock_agent.py
index 6561f71..90340f1 100644
--- a/hancock_agent.py
+++ b/hancock_agent.py
@@ -28,17 +28,19 @@
   export NVIDIA_API_KEY="nvapi-..."
   or pass --api-key "nvapi-..."
 """
+from __future__ import annotations
 import argparse
 import hmac
 import json
 import os
 import sys
 import readline  # noqa: F401 — enables arrow-key history in CLI
+from hancock_constants import OPENAI_IMPORT_ERROR_MSG, require_openai
 
 try:
     from openai import OpenAI
-except ImportError:
-    sys.exit("Run: .venv/bin/pip install openai flask")
+except ImportError:  # allow import without OpenAI; client factories enforce requirement at runtime
+    OpenAI = None  # type: ignore
 
 # ── Hancock identity ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 PENTEST_SYSTEM = """You are Hancock, an elite penetration tester and offensive security specialist built by CyberViser.
@@ -246,21 +248,28 @@
 
 def make_ollama_client() -> OpenAI:
     """Returns an OpenAI-compatible client pointed at the local Ollama server."""
+    require_openai(OpenAI)
     return OpenAI(base_url=OLLAMA_BASE_URL, api_key="ollama")
 
 
 def make_client(api_key: str) -> OpenAI:
     """Returns an OpenAI-compatible client pointed at NVIDIA NIM (legacy)."""
+    require_openai(OpenAI)
     return OpenAI(base_url=NIM_BASE_URL, api_key=api_key)
 
 
 def make_openai_client() -> OpenAI | None:
-    """Returns an OpenAI client if credentials are available, else None."""
+    """Returns an OpenAI client if credentials are available, else None.
+
+    Unlike the Ollama/NIM factories, OpenAI is a best-effort fallback, so the
+    absence of the dependency simply disables this path.
+    """
+    if OpenAI is None:
+        return None
     key = os.getenv("OPENAI_API_KEY", "")
-    org = os.getenv("OPENAI_ORG_ID", "")
     if not key or key.startswith("sk-your"):
         return None
-    return OpenAI(api_key=key, organization=org or None)
+    return OpenAI(api_key=key, organization=os.getenv("OPENAI_ORG_ID") or None)
 
 
 def chat(client: OpenAI, history: list[dict], model: str, stream: bool = True,
@@ -964,6 +973,9 @@ def main():
     parser.add_argument("--model",   default=None, help="Model ID (overrides backend default)")
     parser.add_argument("--server",  action="store_true", help="Run as REST API server")
     parser.add_argument("--port",    type=int, default=int(os.getenv("HANCOCK_PORT", "5000")))
+    # Compatibility / no-op flags for autopilot runners
+    parser.add_argument("--max-autopilot-continues", type=int, default=None, help="Optional autopilot hint (ignored by Hancock)")
+    parser.add_argument("--allow-all", action="store_true", help="Optional autopilot hint (ignored by Hancock)")
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     backend = os.getenv("HANCOCK_LLM_BACKEND", "ollama").lower()
diff --git a/hancock_constants.py b/hancock_constants.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5cd249a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hancock_constants.py
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+"""Shared constants for Hancock modules."""
+
+OPENAI_IMPORT_ERROR_MSG = "OpenAI client not installed. Run: pip install openai"
+
+
+def require_openai(openai_cls):
+    """Raise ImportError when the OpenAI dependency is missing."""
+    if openai_cls is None:
+        raise ImportError(OPENAI_IMPORT_ERROR_MSG)