diff --git a/scripts/install.sh b/scripts/install.sh
index 78f8c97d8..7a28f973a 100755
--- a/scripts/install.sh
+++ b/scripts/install.sh
@@ -110,6 +110,9 @@ check_existing_installation() {
             if [[ ! -e "$path" ]] || [[ "$path" == "$INSTALL_DIR/strix"* ]]; then
                 continue
             fi
+            if [[ -L "$path" && "$(readlink "$path" 2>/dev/null || true)" == "$INSTALL_DIR/strix"* ]]; then
+                continue
+            fi
 
             if [[ -n "$path" ]]; then
                 echo -e "${MUTED}Found existing strix at: ${NC}$path"
@@ -237,50 +240,59 @@ setup_path() {
             config_files="$HOME/.bashrc $HOME/.bash_profile $HOME/.profile $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/bash/.bashrc $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/bash/.bash_profile"
             ;;
         ash)
-            config_files="$HOME/.ashrc $HOME/.profile /etc/profile"
+            config_files="$HOME/.ashrc $HOME/.profile"
             ;;
         sh)
-            config_files="$HOME/.ashrc $HOME/.profile /etc/profile"
+            config_files="$HOME/.ashrc $HOME/.profile"
             ;;
         *)
             config_files="$HOME/.bashrc $HOME/.bash_profile $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/bash/.bashrc $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/bash/.bash_profile"
             ;;
     esac
 
-    config_file=""
+    local found_config=false
     for file in $config_files; do
         if [[ -f $file ]]; then
-            config_file=$file
-            break
+            found_config=true
+            case $current_shell in
+                fish)
+                    add_to_path "$file" "fish_add_path $INSTALL_DIR"
+                    ;;
+                zsh|bash|ash|sh)
+                    add_to_path "$file" "export PATH=$INSTALL_DIR:\$PATH"
+                    ;;
+                *)
+                    export PATH=$INSTALL_DIR:$PATH
+                    print_message warning "Manually add the directory to $file (or similar):"
+                    print_message info "  export PATH=$INSTALL_DIR:\$PATH"
+                    ;;
+            esac
         fi
     done
 
-    if [[ -z $config_file ]]; then
+    if [[ "$found_config" == false ]] && [[ "$current_shell" == "ash" || "$current_shell" == "sh" ]] && [[ -f /etc/profile ]]; then
+        found_config=true
+        add_to_path "/etc/profile" "export PATH=$INSTALL_DIR:\$PATH"
+    fi
+
+    if [[ "$found_config" == false ]]; then
         print_message warning "No config file found for $current_shell. You may need to manually add to PATH:"
         print_message info "  export PATH=$INSTALL_DIR:\$PATH"
-    elif [[ ":$PATH:" != *":$INSTALL_DIR:"* ]]; then
-        case $current_shell in
-            fish)
-                add_to_path "$config_file" "fish_add_path $INSTALL_DIR"
-                ;;
-            zsh)
-                add_to_path "$config_file" "export PATH=$INSTALL_DIR:\$PATH"
-                ;;
-            bash)
-                add_to_path "$config_file" "export PATH=$INSTALL_DIR:\$PATH"
-                ;;
-            ash)
-                add_to_path "$config_file" "export PATH=$INSTALL_DIR:\$PATH"
-                ;;
-            sh)
-                add_to_path "$config_file" "export PATH=$INSTALL_DIR:\$PATH"
-                ;;
-            *)
-                export PATH=$INSTALL_DIR:$PATH
-                print_message warning "Manually add the directory to $config_file (or similar):"
-                print_message info "  export PATH=$INSTALL_DIR:\$PATH"
-                ;;
-        esac
+    fi
+
+    if [ "$os" != "windows" ] && [[ -x "$INSTALL_DIR/strix" ]]; then
+        local local_bin="$HOME/.local/bin"
+        if [[ -d "$local_bin" || ":$PATH:" == *":$local_bin:"* ]]; then
+            if mkdir -p "$local_bin" 2>/dev/null && [[ -w "$local_bin" ]]; then
+                if [[ ! -e "$local_bin/strix" || -L "$local_bin/strix" ]]; then
+                    if ! ln -sf "$INSTALL_DIR/strix" "$local_bin/strix" 2>/dev/null; then
+                        print_message warning "Could not create symlink in $local_bin/strix; continuing."
+                    fi
+                fi
+            else
+                print_message warning "Skipping symlink in $local_bin (directory is not writable)."
+            fi
+        fi
     fi
 
     if [ -n "${GITHUB_ACTIONS-}" ] && [ "${GITHUB_ACTIONS}" == "true" ]; then
@@ -294,7 +306,7 @@ verify_installation() {
 
     local which_strix=$(which strix 2>/dev/null || echo "")
 
-    if [[ "$which_strix" != "$INSTALL_DIR/strix" && "$which_strix" != "$INSTALL_DIR/strix.exe" ]]; then
+    if [[ "$which_strix" != "$INSTALL_DIR/strix" && "$which_strix" != "$INSTALL_DIR/strix.exe" && "$(readlink "$which_strix" 2>/dev/null || true)" != "$INSTALL_DIR/strix"* ]]; then
         if [[ -n "$which_strix" ]]; then
             echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠ Found conflicting strix at: ${NC}$which_strix"
             echo -e "${MUTED}Attempting to remove...${NC}"
diff --git a/tests/test_install_script.py b/tests/test_install_script.py
index 67ca48437..2c2776f68 100644
--- a/tests/test_install_script.py
+++ b/tests/test_install_script.py
@@ -152,3 +152,76 @@ def test_installer_rejects_unsupported_architecture(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     assert "Unsupported OS/Arch: linux/riscv64" in result.stdout
     assert not curl_log_path.exists()
     assert not (home_path / ".strix").exists()
+
+
+def test_installer_symlinks_local_bin_and_updates_all_existing_shell_configs(
+    tmp_path: Path,
+) -> None:
+    repository_root = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
+    archive_path = _create_release_archive(tmp_path)
+    mock_bin = _create_mock_commands(tmp_path, machine="aarch64")
+    environment, home_path, _ = _create_installer_environment(
+        tmp_path,
+        archive_path,
+        mock_bin,
+    )
+
+    local_bin = home_path / ".local/bin"
+    local_bin.mkdir(parents=True)
+    environment["PATH"] = f"{local_bin}:{environment['PATH']}"
+
+    bashrc = home_path / ".bashrc"
+    profile = home_path / ".profile"
+    bashrc.write_text("# existing bashrc\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    profile.write_text("# existing profile\n", encoding="utf-8")
+
+    result = _run_installer(repository_root, environment)
+    assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr
+
+    expected_path_line = f"export PATH={home_path}/.strix/bin:$PATH"
+    assert expected_path_line in bashrc.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    assert expected_path_line in profile.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+
+    symlink_path = local_bin / "strix"
+    assert symlink_path.is_symlink()
+    assert symlink_path.resolve() == (home_path / ".strix/bin/strix").resolve()
+
+    rerun_result = _run_installer(repository_root, environment)
+    assert rerun_result.returncode == 0, rerun_result.stderr
+    assert "Removing old pipx installation" not in rerun_result.stdout
+    assert symlink_path.is_symlink()
+
+
+def test_installer_repairs_missing_profile_when_install_dir_in_path_and_tolerates_readonly_local_bin(
+    tmp_path: Path,
+) -> None:
+    repository_root = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
+    archive_path = _create_release_archive(tmp_path)
+    mock_bin = _create_mock_commands(tmp_path, machine="aarch64")
+    environment, home_path, _ = _create_installer_environment(
+        tmp_path,
+        archive_path,
+        mock_bin,
+    )
+
+    install_dir = home_path / ".strix/bin"
+    local_bin = home_path / ".local/bin"
+    local_bin.mkdir(parents=True)
+    local_bin.chmod(stat.S_IRUSR | stat.S_IXUSR)
+    environment["PATH"] = f"{install_dir}:{local_bin}:{environment['PATH']}"
+
+    bashrc = home_path / ".bashrc"
+    profile = home_path / ".profile"
+    expected_path_line = f"export PATH={install_dir}:$PATH"
+    bashrc.write_text(f"# existing bashrc\n{expected_path_line}\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    profile.write_text("# existing profile without strix\n", encoding="utf-8")
+
+    try:
+        result = _run_installer(repository_root, environment)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr
+        assert expected_path_line in profile.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        assert bashrc.read_text(encoding="utf-8").count(expected_path_line) == 1
+    finally:
+        local_bin.chmod(stat.S_IRWXU)
+
+