diff --git a/api/profiles.py b/api/profiles.py
index 1fc27b31..a54a71d4 100644
--- a/api/profiles.py
+++ b/api/profiles.py
@@ -155,6 +155,11 @@ def _is_isolated_profile_mode() -> bool:
     return False
 
 
+def _isolated_profile_name() -> str:
+    """Return the profile directory name from _INITIAL_HERMES_HOME."""
+    return Path(_INITIAL_HERMES_HOME).expanduser().name
+
+
 def _resolve_base_hermes_home() -> Path:
     """Return the BASE ~/.hermes directory — the root that contains profiles/.
 
@@ -1034,7 +1039,7 @@ def switch_profile(name: str, *, process_wide: bool = True) -> dict:
 
     # In isolated profile mode, reject switching to other profiles
     if _is_isolated_profile_mode():
-        active = get_active_profile_name()
+        active = _isolated_profile_name()
         if name != active:
             raise PermissionError(
                 f"Profile switching is not allowed in isolated profile mode. "
@@ -1349,7 +1354,7 @@ def list_profiles_api() -> list:
 
     # In isolated profile mode, return only the active (isolated) profile
     if _is_isolated_profile_mode():
-        active = get_active_profile_name()
+        active = _isolated_profile_name()
         hermes_home = get_active_hermes_home()
         try:
             from hermes_cli.profiles import list_profiles
diff --git a/tests/test_issue2698_isolated_hermes_home.py b/tests/test_issue2698_isolated_hermes_home.py
index 24d7817c..53db9802 100644
--- a/tests/test_issue2698_isolated_hermes_home.py
+++ b/tests/test_issue2698_isolated_hermes_home.py
@@ -165,11 +165,10 @@ class TestListProfilesInIsolatedMode:
                 with mock.patch("api.profiles._INITIAL_HERMES_HOME", str(temp_single_profile)):
                     # Mock _get_profile_skills_stats to avoid importing agent.skill_utils
                     with mock.patch("api.profiles._get_profile_skills_stats", return_value=(0, 0)):
-                        with mock.patch("api.profiles.get_active_profile_name", return_value="user1"):
-                            profiles = list_profiles_api()
-                            # Should only have user1
-                            assert len(profiles) == 1
-                            assert profiles[0]["name"] == "user1"
+                        profiles = list_profiles_api()
+                        # Should only have user1
+                        assert len(profiles) == 1
+                        assert profiles[0]["name"] == "user1"
 
     def test_list_includes_single_profile_mode_flag(self, temp_single_profile):
         """Response includes single_profile_mode: true in isolated mode."""
@@ -179,13 +178,12 @@ class TestListProfilesInIsolatedMode:
                 with mock.patch("api.profiles._INITIAL_HERMES_HOME", str(temp_single_profile)):
                     with mock.patch("api.profiles._is_isolated_profile_mode", return_value=True):
                         with mock.patch("api.profiles._resolve_base_hermes_home", return_value=base_home):
-                            with mock.patch("api.profiles.get_active_profile_name", return_value="user1"):
-                                # Mock _get_profile_skills_stats to avoid importing agent.skill_utils
-                                with mock.patch("api.profiles._get_profile_skills_stats", return_value=(0, 0)):
-                                    profiles = list_profiles_api()
-                                    # Check for single_profile_mode flag in response structure
-                                    # For now, profiles should be a list; the flag will be in routes.py response
-                                    assert len(profiles) == 1
+                            # Mock _get_profile_skills_stats to avoid importing agent.skill_utils
+                            with mock.patch("api.profiles._get_profile_skills_stats", return_value=(0, 0)):
+                                profiles = list_profiles_api()
+                                # Check for single_profile_mode flag in response structure
+                                # For now, profiles should be a list; the flag will be in routes.py response
+                                assert len(profiles) == 1
 
 
 class TestProfileMutationsInIsolatedMode:
@@ -202,9 +200,8 @@ class TestProfileMutationsInIsolatedMode:
         with mock.patch.dict(os.environ, env_dict, clear=False):
             with mock.patch("api.profiles._DEFAULT_HERMES_HOME", base_home):
                 with mock.patch("api.profiles._INITIAL_HERMES_HOME", str(temp_single_profile)):
-                    with mock.patch("api.profiles.get_active_profile_name", return_value="user1"):
-                        with pytest.raises(PermissionError, match=".*isolated.*|.*single.*"):
-                            create_profile_api("newprofile")
+                    with pytest.raises(PermissionError, match=".*isolated.*|.*single.*"):
+                        create_profile_api("newprofile")
 
     def test_delete_profile_rejected_in_isolated_mode(self, temp_single_profile):
         """delete_profile_api should reject deletion in isolated mode."""
@@ -217,9 +214,8 @@ class TestProfileMutationsInIsolatedMode:
         with mock.patch.dict(os.environ, env_dict, clear=False):
             with mock.patch("api.profiles._DEFAULT_HERMES_HOME", base_home):
                 with mock.patch("api.profiles._INITIAL_HERMES_HOME", str(temp_single_profile)):
-                    with mock.patch("api.profiles.get_active_profile_name", return_value="user1"):
-                        with pytest.raises(PermissionError, match=".*isolated.*|.*single.*"):
-                            delete_profile_api("user1")
+                    with pytest.raises(PermissionError, match=".*isolated.*|.*single.*"):
+                        delete_profile_api("user1")
 
 
 class TestNormalModePreservation: