diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 9497644..eb9b11c 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -54,13 +54,50 @@ install them into the target without the network.
 | `bootstrap_packages` | Minimal build-time packages (`base`, `arch-install-scripts`) |
 | `airootfs/root/customize_airootfs.sh` | Runs inside chroot during build: keyrings, skel dotfiles (incl. end4-pC), qsConfig patch, end-4 `install-deps`, package harvest, uv/font pre-warm |
 | `airootfs/root/.live-pacman.conf` | `/etc/pacman.conf` of the built image (adds `[local-aur]` = `file:///opt/localrepo`) |
-| `airootfs/usr/local/bin/alvin-install` | Installer: partitions, pacstrap, LUKS (systemd initramfs **or** experimental unl0kr + optional TPM2 unlock), user, git identity + GitHub SSH keys, login manager (none/greetd/sddm/gdm) + autologin, end-4 dotfiles (`--skip-alldeps`), build-stamp motd, boot |
+| `airootfs/usr/local/bin/alvin-install` | Installer: partitions, pacstrap, LUKS (systemd initramfs **or** experimental unl0kr + optional TPM2 unlock), user, git identity + GitHub SSH keys, login manager (none/greetd/sddm/gdm) + autologin, optional sshd (default on), end-4 dotfiles (`--skip-alldeps`), boot |
 | `localrepo/build-end4-deps.sh` | Non-interactive AUR builds for end-4 dependencies |
 | `localrepo/update.sh` | Regenerates localrepo DB, syncs names to packages.x86_64, syncs `airootfs/opt/localrepo/` |
 
+## alvin-install (installer inside the ISO)
+
+Source: `airootfs/usr/local/bin/alvin-install` (~1,880 lines, **no `.sh` extension**).
+The airootfs overlay ships it as `/usr/local/bin/alvin-install` (mode `0755` forced in
+`profiledef.sh` `file_permissions`), and `/etc/motd` advertises it on the live medium.
+
+- **Invoke**: as root from the live session. Hard requirements: `gum` and UEFI —
+  `check_prereqs` exits if `/sys/firmware/efi` is missing. Log: `/var/log/alvin-install.log`
+  (copied into the target at the end; `ERR` trap prints the failing line).
+- **Structure**: `main()` runs 16 `screen_*` TUI functions (collect answers: welcome, keymap,
+  network, disk, luks, unl0kr, filesystem, username, password, hostname, git, timezone,
+  locale, login manager, sshd, summary) then a fixed order of `install_*` steps
+  (partition → LUKS → format/mount → pacstrap → fstab → repos → timezone → locale →
+  hostname → network → sshd → user → git/SSH → end-4 dots → mkinitcpio → bootloader →
+  TPM/unl0kr → login manager → autologin → cleanup). Screens and install steps are
+  independent — edit one without
+  touching the other. An `EXIT` trap unmounts `$TARGET` and closes `cryptroot` on any exit.
+- **Package list**: `install_pacstrap` builds the *installed* system's list from the medium's
+  `/run/archiso/bootmnt/arch/pkglist.x86_64.txt` (i.e. `pacman -Q` of the live ISO), so
+  `packages.x86_64` changes flow into installed systems. It drops `PKGS_EXCLUDE`
+  (`archiso mkinitcpio-archiso mkinitcpio-nfs-utils syslinux memtest86+`) plus names not
+  resolvable in the live repos, then always appends hardcoded essentials
+  (`base linux linux-firmware linux-cachyos networkmanager grub efibootmgr sudo git …`).
+- **CI never lints it**: the shellcheck step globs only `*.sh`. Check manually after edits:
+  `shellcheck -x -s bash airootfs/usr/local/bin/alvin-install`
+- end-4 quirks (`--skip-alldeps`, `yes i`, end4-pC re-copy) are in [Gotchas](#gotchas) below.
+
+## Verify a single change locally (mirrors CI)
+
+```bash
+shellcheck -x -s bash <script>.sh          # plus the alvin-install command above
+yamllint -d "{extends: relaxed, rules: {document-start: disable, line-length: disable, new-line-at-end-of-file: disable}}" <file>.yaml
+```
+
+`packages.x86_64` syntax: one package per line, `[a-zA-Z0-9._@+\-]+` only, no trailing
+whitespace.
+
 ## Gotchas
 
-- The profile root is the **repo root** (not a `releng/` subdirectory). The CI build-iso workflow uses `mkarchiso -v -w work -o out/ releng` but this is a naming convention — the actual profile files live at the repo root.
+- The profile root is the **repo root** (not a `releng/` subdirectory). CI builds with `mkarchiso -v -w "$PWD/work" -o "$PWD/out" -- "$PWD"` (`.gitea/workflows/build-iso.yaml`), and the local build command above does the same — never pass a `releng` path.
 - `customize_airootfs.sh` clones git repos (oh-my-zsh, lazy.nvim, plugins, end-4 dots) into `/etc/skel` and `/opt` during the ISO build. These require network access at build time but make the live ISO work offline.
 - `customize_airootfs.sh` runs `./setup install-deps -f -s --skip-plasmaintg` as the throwaway user `ii-builder` (end-4's scripts refuse to run as root) and aborts the build if it fails. `--skip-plasmaintg` is deliberate: that optional Firefox widget pulls 410 packages / 526 MiB of KDE.
 - The `[local-aur]` repo path in `pacman.conf` (`file:///home/alvin/alvinarch/localrepo`) is for local builds only. The CI does not use this path.
@@ -72,4 +109,4 @@ install them into the target without the network.
 - End-4 metapackages are built from `localrepo/end4-pkgbuilds/` (quickshell-git, bibata-modern-classic-bin, microtex-git).
 - `packages.x86_64` is sorted alphabetically. Keep it sorted when adding/removing entries.
 - `airootfs/opt/localrepo/` is a build artifact (gitignored) — never commit it.
-- **Build stamp flow**: `profiledef.sh` (sourced by mkarchiso) stages the gitignored `airootfs/root/.iso-build-stamp` when a `.git` dir exists **or** `CI`/`GITEA_ACTIONS` is set — line reads `AlvinArch build <date> | commit <date> | <4-char hash>` (falls back to `commit unknown` if `git -c safe.directory` can't read the repo; without `.git`/CI no file is staged). `customize_airootfs.sh` installs it as `/etc/alvin-build-stamp` on the live medium, and `alvin-install`'s `install_motd` copies the live `/etc/motd` banner to the target and appends the stamp. If the medium has no stamp, the installed system gets no motd from us.
+- **Build stamp flow**: `profiledef.sh` (sourced by mkarchiso) stages the gitignored `airootfs/root/.iso-build-stamp` when a `.git` dir exists **or** `CI`/`GITEA_ACTIONS` is set — line reads `AlvinArch build <date> | commit <date> | <4-char hash>` (falls back to `commit unknown` if `git -c safe.directory` can't read the repo; without `.git`/CI no file is staged). `customize_airootfs.sh` keeps it as `/etc/alvin-build-stamp` on the live medium **and appends it to the live `/etc/motd`**, so the booted ISO identifies its build. The installed system's motd is never touched by us — `alvin-install` has no motd step (an earlier `install_motd` that copied the banner + stamp into the target was removed on purpose).
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ff3407d..cc96172 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -37,9 +37,10 @@ AlvinArch/
 6. [System Services & Networking](#system-services--networking)
 7. [Local Repository (localrepo/)](#local-repository-localrepo)
 8. [Boot Configuration](#boot-configuration)
-9. [Build & Test](#build--test)
-10. [Planned Additions](#planned-additions)
-11. [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)
+9. [Automated Installer (alvin-install)](#automated-installer-alvin-install)
+10. [Build & Test](#build--test)
+11. [Planned Additions](#planned-additions)
+12. [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)
 
 ---
 
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ AlvinArch/
 ### Key Features
 
 - **Hyprland + end-4** — Wayland compositor with illogical-impulse dotfiles (quickshell, bibata cursors, microtex)
-- **Automated installer (`alvin-install`)** — gum TUI: LUKS with systemd initramfs or experimental touchscreen unl0kr, optional TPM2 auto-unlock, GitHub SSH key import, login manager choice (none/greetd/sddm/gdm), autologin, and a build stamp in `/etc/motd`
+- **Automated installer (`alvin-install`)** — gum TUI: LUKS with systemd initramfs or experimental touchscreen unl0kr, optional TPM2 auto-unlock, GitHub SSH key import, login manager choice (none/greetd/sddm/gdm), optional sshd (on by default), autologin; the build stamp identifies the live ISO via its `/etc/motd`
 - **LazyVim** — Pre-configured Neovim with lazy.nvim and curated plugins
 - **Fish + Zsh + Starship** — Dual shell setup with oh-my-zsh and a cross-shell prompt
 - **Local AUR repo** — Pre-built packages (end-4 deps, wallust, grub-customizer, etc.) that aren't in official repos
@@ -138,7 +139,7 @@ AlvinArch/
 │   │   └── mkinitcpio.conf.d/       # archiso initramfs config
 │   ├── usr/
 │   │   ├── lib/os-release           # usr-merge os-release
-│   │   ├── local/bin/               # choose-mirror, Installation_guide, livecd-sound
+│   │   ├── local/bin/               # alvin-install, choose-mirror, Installation_guide, livecd-sound
 │   │   ├── local/share/livecd-sound/ # ALSA config (asound.conf.in)
 │   │   └── share/pacman/keyrings/   # CachyOS GPG keyring + trust data
 │   └── root/
@@ -305,6 +306,66 @@ Legacy BIOS boot with custom splash screen. Includes PXE network boot config.
 
 ---
 
+## Automated Installer (alvin-install)
+
+The ISO ships an interactive installer at `/usr/local/bin/alvin-install` (source:
+`airootfs/usr/local/bin/alvin-install`, ~1,880 lines of bash; the live `/etc/motd`
+advertises it). It partitions, encrypts, installs, and fully configures a system —
+including the end-4 dotfiles — without network access to this repo.
+
+### Running it
+
+```bash
+alvin-install   # as root on the live medium (root autologins on tty1)
+```
+
+Requirements: **UEFI boot** (it exits if `/sys/firmware/efi` is missing — BIOS/CSM
+is not supported by the installer) and `gum`. A network connection is required and
+verified by pinging `archlinux.org` before any disk is touched; the network screen
+can open `nmtui` for WiFi. Every step is logged to `/var/log/alvin-install.log`,
+which is copied into the installed system.
+
+### What it asks (gum TUI screens)
+
+Keymap → network → target disk (the live USB is hidden from the list) → LUKS
+encryption (optional; **the LUKS passphrase is the same as your login password**)
+→ experimental unl0kr touchscreen unlock → filesystem (`ext4`/`btrfs`) →
+username/password/hostname → git identity + GitHub username (both optional) →
+timezone/locale → login manager → SSH server (enabled by default) → summary.
+
+### What it does
+
+1. GPT partitioning (1 GiB ESP) on the chosen disk, optional LUKS2 on the rest,
+   format + mount at `/mnt`
+2. `pacstrap` with the package list derived from the medium's
+   `pkglist.x86_64.txt` (`pacman -Q` of the live ISO) — `archiso`, `syslinux`,
+   `memtest86+` etc. are dropped, hardcoded essentials (kernel, GRUB,
+   NetworkManager, cryptsetup, microcode) always appended
+3. User account, sudo, git config, GitHub SSH keys (`ssh-import-id`, falling
+   back to `github.com/<user>.keys`)
+4. end-4 dotfiles from the staged `/opt/dots-hyprland` via
+   `./setup install -f -s --skip-alldeps`
+5. Initramfs in one of two modes: **Mode A** — systemd initramfs + `sd-encrypt`
+   (default); **Mode B** — busybox hooks + unl0kr touchscreen unlock
+   (experimental, mutually exclusive with TPM2; falls back to Mode A on failure)
+6. Optional **TPM2 auto-unlock** (`systemd-cryptenroll`, PCR 0+7; passphrase
+   slot kept as fallback; warns if Secure Boot is off)
+7. GRUB (UEFI, boot entry `ALVIN`), login manager — `none` (plain tty, Hyprland
+   autostarts), `greetd`+tuigreet, `sddm`, or `gdm` — falls back to `none` only
+   if the **package** can't be resolved/installed; a failed `systemctl enable`
+   keeps `getty@tty1` as the login path (the summary still reports the chosen
+   manager). Optional autologin (forced off when TPM2 is enrolled), and sshd
+   enabled at boot when selected (default: on) — Arch's stock config allows
+   **password login with the same password as LUKS**, so only accept the default
+   on networks you trust (or harden `sshd_config` afterwards). The final banner
+   reports whether the enable actually succeeded, not just what was selected
+
+On failure an `EXIT` trap unmounts `/mnt` and closes the `cryptroot` mapping, so
+re-running is safe. If the end-4 step reports "incomplete", see the repository's
+`AGENTS.md` Gotchas for the chroot/systemd limitations that cause it.
+
+---
+
 ## Build & Test
 
 ### Building the ISO
diff --git a/airootfs/root/customize_airootfs.sh b/airootfs/root/customize_airootfs.sh
index 24e3ab4..e2a4156 100644
--- a/airootfs/root/customize_airootfs.sh
+++ b/airootfs/root/customize_airootfs.sh
@@ -28,9 +28,13 @@ install -m 0644 /root/.live-pacman.conf /etc/pacman.conf
 rm -f /root/.live-pacman.conf
 
 # Build stamp staged by profiledef.sh (absent for non-git, non-CI builds):
-# keep it where alvin-install looks for it, drop the staging copy.
+# keep the stamp file itself as a reference, drop the staging copy, and
+# stamp the live medium's motd so the booted ISO identifies its build (the
+# installed system keeps the stock package motd - alvin-install never
+# writes /etc/motd).
 if [[ -f /root/.iso-build-stamp ]]; then
   install -m 0644 /root/.iso-build-stamp /etc/alvin-build-stamp
+  cat /etc/alvin-build-stamp >> /etc/motd
   rm -f /root/.iso-build-stamp
 fi
 
diff --git a/airootfs/usr/local/bin/alvin-install b/airootfs/usr/local/bin/alvin-install
index 80af234..5222c2c 100755
--- a/airootfs/usr/local/bin/alvin-install
+++ b/airootfs/usr/local/bin/alvin-install
@@ -28,6 +28,11 @@ UNL0KR="false"
 TPM_STATUS=""
 LOGIN_MANAGER="none"
 AUTOLOGIN=""
+# SSHD is the choice made on the sshd screen; SSHD_APPLIED is only flipped once
+# the target's sshd.service has actually been enabled, so the final banner can
+# report reality instead of the request.
+SSHD="true"
+SSHD_APPLIED="false"
 TPM_DISCLAIMER=""
 TARGET_DB_SYNCED="false"
 
@@ -76,6 +81,40 @@ target_owner() {
     arch-chroot "$TARGET" sh -c "id -u '$USERNAME' && id -g '$USERNAME'" | paste -sd:
 }
 
+# `gsettings get` prints GVariant text: '...' normally, "..." when the value
+# contains an apostrophe, with \n \t \\ \' \" escapes inside. Reduce that to
+# the plain string the original `gsettings set` was called with, so a read-back
+# can be compared against the replayed command. One left-to-right pass: doing
+# global replacements instead would corrupt sequences like \\n (literal
+# backslash + n must not become a newline).
+gvariant_unescape() {
+    local s=$1 out="" i n c
+    if [[ "$s" == \'*\' || "$s" == \"*\" ]]; then
+        s=${s:1:${#s}-2}
+        n=${#s}
+        for ((i = 0; i < n; i++)); do
+            c=${s:i:1}
+            if [[ "$c" == "\\" && $((i + 1)) -lt $n ]]; then
+                i=$((i + 1))
+                case "${s:i:1}" in
+                    n) out+=$'\n' ;;
+                    t) out+=$'\t' ;;
+                    r) out+=$'\r' ;;
+                    a) out+=$'\a' ;;
+                    b) out+=$'\b' ;;
+                    f) out+=$'\f' ;;
+                    v) out+=$'\v' ;;
+                    *) out+="${s:i:1}" ;;
+                esac
+            else
+                out+=$c
+            fi
+        done
+        s=$out
+    fi
+    printf '%s' "$s"
+}
+
 # Refresh the target's package databases once before the first target-side
 # pacman/yay call (cachyos is appended to the target's pacman.conf after
 # pacstrap, so its db is not there yet; keyrings are re-populated as a
@@ -366,6 +405,35 @@ screen_login_manager() {
     log "Login manager: $LOGIN_MANAGER"
 }
 
+screen_sshd() {
+    clear
+    header "SSH Server"
+    echo ""
+    local -a ask_lines=(
+        "Enable the SSH server (sshd) in the installed system?"
+        ""
+        "  - Starts at boot (systemctl enable sshd)"
+        "  - Arch's default config allows password login, and this password"
+        "    is the same as your LUKS passphrase - enable it only on networks"
+        "    you trust, or harden sshd afterwards (keys-only auth, firewall)."
+    )
+    # The GitHub import is optional (screen_git), so only mention it when the
+    # user actually gave a username - and it happens later, during install.
+    if [[ -n "$GH_USERNAME" ]]; then
+        ask_lines+=("  - GitHub SSH keys for ${USERNAME} are imported during install")
+    fi
+    gum style --foreground 15 "${ask_lines[@]}"
+    echo ""
+    # --default pre-selects the affirmative so Enter accepts the default.
+    if gum confirm --default --affirmative "Enable sshd" --negative "Skip" \
+        "Enable the SSH server?"; then
+        SSHD="true"
+    else
+        SSHD="false"
+    fi
+    log "SSH server: ${SSHD}"
+}
+
 screen_summary() {
     clear
     header "Installation Summary"
@@ -398,6 +466,7 @@ screen_summary() {
         "Locale:      ${LOCALE}" \
         "Timezone:    ${TIMEZONE}" \
         "Login mgr:   ${LOGIN_MANAGER}" \
+        "SSH server:  $([[ "$SSHD" == "true" ]] && echo enabled || echo skipped)" \
         "SSH keys:    ${ssh_line}" \
         "Git:         ${git_line}"
 
@@ -528,6 +597,17 @@ install_pacstrap() {
         $found || pkgs+=("$p")
     done
 
+    # sshd was requested but openssh is not in the medium's pkglist (or was
+    # filtered out above) — without this, install_sshd's enable would fail.
+    if [[ "$SSHD" == "true" ]]; then
+        local found_ssh=false
+        for existing in "${pkgs[@]+"${pkgs[@]}"}"; do
+            [[ "$existing" == "openssh" ]] && found_ssh=true && break
+        done
+        $found_ssh || pkgs+=(openssh)
+        log "Pacstrap: openssh guaranteed in package list (sshd requested)"
+    fi
+
     info "Installing ${#pkgs[@]} packages (this may take a while)..."
     log "Pacstrap: ${#pkgs[@]} packages, ${#dropped[@]} skipped"
     pacstrap "$TARGET" "${pkgs[@]}" --noconfirm 2>>"$LOG"
@@ -607,6 +687,25 @@ install_network() {
     ok "NetworkManager enabled."
 }
 
+install_sshd() {
+    [[ "$SSHD" != "true" ]] && return 0
+
+    info "Enabling SSH server..."
+    if [[ ! -x "${TARGET}/usr/bin/sshd" ]]; then
+        warn "openssh is missing from the target - cannot enable sshd."
+        log "SSH server: enable skipped (sshd binary missing in target)"
+        return 0
+    fi
+    if arch-chroot "$TARGET" systemctl enable sshd.service >>"$LOG" 2>&1; then
+        SSHD_APPLIED="true"
+        log "SSH server: enabled"
+        ok "sshd enabled (starts at boot)."
+    else
+        warn "Could not enable sshd.service (see $LOG)."
+        log "SSH server: enable failed"
+    fi
+}
+
 install_user() {
     info "Creating user..."
 
@@ -832,6 +931,73 @@ install_end4_dots() {
         fi
     fi
 
+    # end-4's gsettings calls run under its sudo session inside this chroot,
+    # so dconf sees root's environment (/run/user/0, /root/.local/...) and no
+    # session bus: every write fails with "failed to commit changes to
+    # dconf" while gsettings still exits 0 and reports "finished". Replay any
+    # gsettings set this run logged, with a clean environment and a
+    # throwaway session bus as the target user. gsettings exits 0 even when
+    # the commit fails, so read the key back in a second session — only a
+    # matching value counts as persisted.
+    if ((log_mark > 0)) \
+        && [[ -x "${TARGET}/usr/bin/dbus-run-session" && -x "${TARGET}/usr/bin/gsettings" ]]; then
+        local gs_line gs_schema gs_key gs_val gs_got gs_norm gs_raw
+        # Snapshot and parse first (the loop below appends to $LOG), keeping
+        # log order: a key set twice replays chronologically so the last
+        # write wins, exactly as end-4 ran it. Dedupe identical repeats only.
+        local -a gs_cmds=()
+        mapfile -t gs_cmds < <(
+            # Same ANSI-strip as the ignored-list parse below; the setup log
+            # shows each command once as its "Next command" line (the
+            # "…finished." echoes carry a prefix and never match ^gsettings).
+            sed -n "$((log_mark + 1)),\$p" "$LOG" | sed $'s/\x1b\\[[0-9;]*m//g' |
+                sed -n 's/^\(gsettings set .*\)$/\1/p' | awk '!seen[$0]++'
+        )
+        log "gsettings replay: ${#gs_cmds[@]} command(s) parsed from log"
+        # Parsing is coupled to end-4's v() echo format: if upstream changes
+        # it, the replay silently does nothing and the original dconf failure
+        # returns - so distinguish "none ran" from "none recognized".
+        if ((${#gs_cmds[@]} == 0)); then
+            gs_raw=$(sed -n "$((log_mark + 1)),\$p" "$LOG" | sed $'s/\x1b\\[[0-9;]*m//g' |
+                grep -c 'gsettings set' || true)
+            if ((gs_raw > 0)); then
+                warn "setup log mentions gsettings ${gs_raw}x but none matched the replay parser (format drift?) - see $LOG"
+            fi
+        fi
+        for gs_line in "${gs_cmds[@]}"; do
+            [[ "$gs_line" =~ ^gsettings\ set\ ([^[:space:]]+)\ ([^[:space:]]+)\ (.+)$ ]] || continue
+            gs_schema=${BASH_REMATCH[1]}
+            gs_key=${BASH_REMATCH[2]}
+            gs_val=${BASH_REMATCH[3]}
+            # env -i: root's env is exactly what broke dconf; rebuild it for
+            # the target user with only what gsettings/dbus need.
+            if arch-chroot "$TARGET" runuser -u "$USERNAME" -- \
+                env -i HOME="$home_in_target" USER="$USERNAME" LOGNAME="$USERNAME" \
+                    PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin \
+                    XDG_CONFIG_HOME="${home_in_target}/.config" \
+                dbus-run-session -- \
+                gsettings set "$gs_schema" "$gs_key" "$gs_val" >>"$LOG" 2>&1; then
+                gs_got=$(arch-chroot "$TARGET" runuser -u "$USERNAME" -- \
+                    env -i HOME="$home_in_target" USER="$USERNAME" LOGNAME="$USERNAME" \
+                        PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin \
+                        XDG_CONFIG_HOME="${home_in_target}/.config" \
+                    dbus-run-session -- \
+                    gsettings get "$gs_schema" "$gs_key" 2>>"$LOG") || gs_got=""
+                # Normalize the GVariant read-back: strings come back quoted
+                # ('...' normally, "..." when the value contains an apostrophe)
+                # with \n \\ \' \" escapes, bools/ints bare ('true' vs true).
+                gs_norm=$(gvariant_unescape "$gs_got")
+                if [[ "$gs_norm" == "$gs_val" ]]; then
+                    log "gsettings persisted: ${gs_schema} ${gs_key} = ${gs_val}"
+                else
+                    warn "gsettings ${gs_schema} ${gs_key} did not persist (read back: ${gs_got:-nothing}, see $LOG)."
+                fi
+            else
+                warn "Could not replay gsettings ${gs_schema} ${gs_key} (see $LOG)."
+            fi
+        done
+    fi
+
     # Everything end-4 answered "i" to. systemctl/gsettings are the lines known
     # to be unusable in this chroot; anything else it had to skip is worth
     # telling the user about.
@@ -902,8 +1068,24 @@ install_end4_dots() {
     if $configs_ok; then
         [[ -x "${TARGET}/usr/bin/hyprctl" && -x "${TARGET}/usr/bin/quickshell" ]] \
             || configs_ok=false
-        [[ -x "${TARGET}${home_in_target}/.local/state/quickshell/.venv/bin/python" ]] \
-            || configs_ok=false
+
+        # uv writes bin/python as an absolute symlink into the chroot
+        # (/home/.../uv/python/...). Tested verbatim from the live medium
+        # that link dangles - /home/$USERNAME exists only under $TARGET -
+        # so walk the chain here and re-root absolute hops under $TARGET
+        # (relative hops stay inside the venv and need no repointing).
+        local venv_probe="${TARGET}${home_in_target}/.local/state/quickshell/.venv/bin/python"
+        local venv_link hops=0
+        while [[ -L "$venv_probe" && $hops -lt 10 ]]; do
+            venv_link=$(readlink "$venv_probe")
+            if [[ "$venv_link" == /* ]]; then
+                venv_probe="${TARGET}${venv_link}"
+            else
+                venv_probe="$(dirname "$venv_probe")/$venv_link"
+            fi
+            hops=$((hops + 1))
+        done
+        [[ -x "$venv_probe" ]] || configs_ok=false
     fi
 
     if [[ -d /etc/skel/.config/hypr/custom ]]; then
@@ -1614,21 +1796,7 @@ EOF
     ok "Login set: manager=${LOGIN_MANAGER}, autologin=${AUTOLOGIN}."
 }
 
-# ── Build stamp ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-
-install_motd() {
-    # Only stamped media carry a stamp; without one (local non-git build)
-    # the installed system keeps whatever motd the target packages shipped.
-    local stamp="/etc/alvin-build-stamp"
-    if [[ ! -f "$stamp" ]]; then
-        log "motd: no build stamp on this medium - target motd left as-is"
-        return 0
-    fi
-    cp /etc/motd "${TARGET}/etc/motd" 2>/dev/null || true
-    cat "$stamp" >> "${TARGET}/etc/motd"
-    log "motd: appended build stamp: $(tr -d '\n' < "$stamp")"
-    ok "Build stamp appended to the installed /etc/motd."
-}
+# ── Cleanup ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 install_cleanup() {
     info "Cleaning up..."
@@ -1637,10 +1805,21 @@ install_cleanup() {
     log "Installation complete."
     ok "Installation complete!"
     echo ""
+    # Report what actually happened, not what was asked for: the enable step
+    # only warns when it cannot work (openssh missing / systemctl failed).
+    local ssh_state
+    if [[ "$SSHD" != "true" ]]; then
+        ssh_state="disabled"
+    elif [[ "$SSHD_APPLIED" == "true" ]]; then
+        ssh_state="enabled (starts at boot)"
+    else
+        ssh_state="NOT enabled - see ${LOG}"
+    fi
     gum style --foreground 10 --align center \
         "Arch Linux installed successfully." \
         "" \
         "Login manager: ${LOGIN_MANAGER}   Autologin: ${AUTOLOGIN:-disabled}" \
+        "SSH server: ${ssh_state}" \
         "TPM2 auto-unlock: ${TPM_STATUS:-n/a}   unl0kr: ${UNL0KR}"
     if [[ -n "${TPM_DISCLAIMER}" ]]; then
         echo ""
@@ -1671,6 +1850,7 @@ main() {
     screen_timezone
     screen_locale
     screen_login_manager
+    screen_sshd
     screen_summary
 
     install_partition
@@ -1683,6 +1863,7 @@ main() {
     install_locale
     install_hostname
     install_network
+    install_sshd
     install_user
     install_git_ssh
     install_end4_dots
@@ -1692,7 +1873,6 @@ main() {
     install_unl0kr
     install_login_manager
     install_autologin
-    install_motd
     install_cleanup
 }
 
diff --git a/profiledef.sh b/profiledef.sh
index 0f1cb45..4a95518 100644
--- a/profiledef.sh
+++ b/profiledef.sh
@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@ file_permissions=(
 
 # ── Build stamp (staged file, never committed) ────────────────────────────────
 # airootfs/root/.iso-build-stamp lands at /root/.iso-build-stamp on the ISO;
-# customize_airootfs.sh installs it as /etc/alvin-build-stamp, and alvin-install
-# appends it to the installed system's /etc/motd. Only stamp builds from a git
+# customize_airootfs.sh keeps it as /etc/alvin-build-stamp and appends it to
+# the live medium's /etc/motd (the installed system's motd is left alone).
+# Only stamp builds from a git
 # checkout or CI — a random source-tarball build would record a bogus commit.
 # Sourced by mkarchiso under `set -eu`, hence every expansion is defaulted.
 _stamp_dir="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"