diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 09d6560..c8358cf 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ It runs these steps, in this order, and every one of them is idempotent:
 | 1. Directories | creates the 19 directories the shell and scripts expect, before anything writes into them |
 | 2. `BLOB_PATH` | symlinks `~/.local/share/blob` to this checkout |
 | 3. Packages | installs what is missing from `packages/`, bootstrapping `yay` first on a machine that has no AUR helper |
-| 4. Config | copies `hypr/`, the themed app configs, `blob/shell.json`, the uwsm environment, and the icon font into `~/.config` |
+| 4. Config | copies `hypr/`, the themed app configs, `blob/shell.json`, the uwsm environment, and the icon font into `~/.config`, and writes `/etc/profile.d/blob.sh` so a login shell finds the `blob` command |
 | 5. First theme | links `~/wallpapers` to the checkout, applies `flats` headless, picks a background, and links the btop and Neovim theme files, so the first login is not a blank desktop |
 | 6. User units | installs the session services into `~/.config/systemd/user` and enables them |
 | 7. systemd drop-ins | writes the shutdown timeouts, oomd thresholds, plocate prune paths, and sleep hooks under `/etc` |
diff --git a/docs/install.md b/docs/install.md
index 2986ab6..cdc595f 100644
--- a/docs/install.md
+++ b/docs/install.md
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ with `--check`.
 | `install/helpers/as-root.sh` | `as_root`, a no-op when already root |
 | `install/steps/directories.sh` | the directories the shell and scripts expect |
 | `install/steps/packages.sh` | repo and AUR packages, and the yay bootstrap |
-| `install/steps/config.sh` | the `BLOB_PATH` symlink and everything under `~/.config` |
+| `install/steps/config.sh` | the `BLOB_PATH` symlink, everything under `~/.config`, and the login shell profile |
 | `install/steps/services.sh` | system services, systemd drop-ins, user units |
 | `install/steps/theme.sh` | the wallpaper link, the first theme, the first background |
 | `install/steps/login.sh` | SDDM, the session entry, and the first launch |
@@ -33,6 +33,13 @@ with `--check`.
    built once with `makepkg`. See [packages.md](packages.md).
 4. **Config** is copied into `~/.config`: `hypr/`, the themed app configs,
    `blob/shell.json`, the uwsm environment, and the icon font.
+   `session/profile.sh` also goes to `/etc/profile.d/blob.sh`, which sources
+   `session/env-bootstrap` and is what puts `blob` on `PATH` in a login shell.
+   Without it `BLOB_PATH` and `$BLOB_PATH/bin` are only set by
+   `~/.config/uwsm/env.d/10-blob`, which uwsm reads when the graphical session
+   starts, so `blob` is not found from a TTY. A shell that was already open when
+   the installer ran keeps its old `PATH`; open a new one, or
+   `source ~/.local/share/blob/session/env-bootstrap`.
 5. **The first theme** is applied. `~/wallpapers` is symlinked to the checkout's
    `wallpapers/`, `flats` is applied with `BLOB_THEME_HEADLESS=1` (no shell or
    session bus exists yet), and the background symlink is pointed at the first
@@ -42,7 +49,10 @@ with `--check`.
    `~/.config/btop/themes/current.theme` (btop's `color_theme = "current"`) and,
    only when `~/.config/nvim/lua/plugins` already exists, `theme.lua` there.
    Every step is skipped when a theme, a background, a wallpaper directory or a
-   theme file of your own is already in place.
+   theme file of your own is already in place. A theme counts as in place only
+   when the staged theme under `~/.local/state/blob/current/theme` is there too,
+   so a recorded theme name left without its palette is applied again rather
+   than skipped.
 6. **User units** land in `~/.config/systemd/user` and are enabled, not started:
    they are all `WantedBy=graphical-session.target`, so they come up with the
    session. `blob-speaker-tuning.service` is left out, because
diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 4ecc985..a2b5e6f 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ link_blob_path
 install_packages
 
 install_shipped_config
+install_shell_profile
 install_user_units
 install_systemd_dropins
 install_zen_config
@@ -88,7 +89,14 @@ if [[ $check == true ]]; then
   (( changes == 0 )) || exit 1
 else
   say "$changes item(s) changed."
-  say "Change the theme with 'blob theme set <name>' once the session is up."
+
+  active_theme="$(cat "$current_state_dir/theme.name" 2>/dev/null || true)"
+  if [[ -n $active_theme ]]; then
+    say "Theme: $active_theme. Change it with 'blob theme set <name>'."
+  fi
+
+  say "New shells find the blob command through /etc/profile.d/blob.sh."
+  say "For this shell: source $blob_path/session/env-bootstrap"
   say ""
   launch_desktop
 fi
diff --git a/install/steps/config.sh b/install/steps/config.sh
index 4fdfbf4..23aefcd 100644
--- a/install/steps/config.sh
+++ b/install/steps/config.sh
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ install_shipped_config() {
   install_file "$repo_dir/fonts/omarchy.ttf" "$font_dir/omarchy.ttf" "fonts/omarchy.ttf"
 }
 
+install_shell_profile() {
+  install_root_file "$repo_dir/session/profile.sh" /etc/profile.d/blob.sh "profile.d/blob.sh"
+}
+
 install_zen_config() {
   local profile
   profile="$(find "$config_dir/zen" -maxdepth 1 -type d -name '*.Default (release)*' 2>/dev/null | head -1)"
diff --git a/install/steps/theme.sh b/install/steps/theme.sh
index 24c2f8d..40e1baf 100644
--- a/install/steps/theme.sh
+++ b/install/steps/theme.sh
@@ -37,8 +37,11 @@ link_wallpapers() {
 # like a failed session. Applied headless: no shell and no session bus exist
 # while the installer runs.
 install_default_theme() {
-  if [[ -s $current_state_dir/theme.name ]]; then
-    say "ok    theme ($(cat "$current_state_dir/theme.name"))"
+  local current_name=""
+  [[ -s $current_state_dir/theme.name ]] && current_name="$(cat "$current_state_dir/theme.name")"
+
+  if [[ -n $current_name && -f $current_state_dir/theme/colors.toml ]]; then
+    say "ok    theme ($current_name)"
     return 0
   fi
 
@@ -53,6 +56,7 @@ install_default_theme() {
     say "theme $default_theme"
   else
     say "WARN  could not apply the $default_theme theme"
+    say "      the session will come up without a palette; run 'blob theme set $default_theme'"
   fi
 }
 
diff --git a/session/profile.sh b/session/profile.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0d910e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/session/profile.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# Put the blob command on PATH for login shells. The graphical session gets the
+# same environment from ~/.config/uwsm/env.d/10-blob.
+
+if [ -r "$HOME/.local/share/blob/session/env-bootstrap" ]; then
+  . "$HOME/.local/share/blob/session/env-bootstrap"
+fi
diff --git a/uninstall.sh b/uninstall.sh
index 0098ca6..7862399 100755
--- a/uninstall.sh
+++ b/uninstall.sh
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ config_dir="$HOME/.config"
 session_entry="/usr/local/share/wayland-sessions/blob.desktop"
 
 root_files=(
+  /etc/profile.d/blob.sh
   /etc/sddm.conf.d/zz-blob.conf
   /etc/sddm.conf.d/zzz-blob-autologin.conf
   /etc/sddm/hyprland-greeter.conf