diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 49fcc6a7d..9af15bc19 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 - Control UI: add Docs link, remove chat composer divider, and add New session button.
 - Control UI: link sessions list to chat view. (#471) — thanks @HazAT
 - Control UI: queue outgoing chat messages, add Enter-to-send, and show queued items. (#527) — thanks @YuriNachos
+- Control UI: drop explicit `ui:install` step; `ui:build` now auto-installs UI deps (docs + update flow).
 - Telegram: retry long-polling conflicts with backoff to avoid fatal exits.
 - Telegram: fix grammY fetch type mismatch when injecting `fetch`. (#512) — thanks @YuriNachos
 - WhatsApp: resolve @lid JIDs via Baileys mapping to unblock inbound messages. (#415)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 66a8612d2..d51cbb50a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -79,8 +79,7 @@ git clone https://github.com/clawdbot/clawdbot.git
 cd clawdbot
 
 pnpm install
-pnpm ui:install
-pnpm ui:build
+pnpm ui:build # auto-installs UI deps on first run
 pnpm build
 
 pnpm clawdbot onboard --install-daemon
diff --git a/docs/index.md b/docs/index.md
index 249b90ae4..35332ecf1 100644
--- a/docs/index.md
+++ b/docs/index.md
@@ -118,8 +118,7 @@ From source (development):
 git clone https://github.com/clawdbot/clawdbot.git
 cd clawdbot
 pnpm install
-pnpm ui:install
-pnpm ui:build
+pnpm ui:build # auto-installs UI deps on first run
 pnpm build
 pnpm clawdbot onboard --install-daemon
 ```
diff --git a/docs/install/updating.md b/docs/install/updating.md
index 913227a11..061a39874 100644
--- a/docs/install/updating.md
+++ b/docs/install/updating.md
@@ -59,8 +59,7 @@ From the repo checkout:
 git pull
 pnpm install
 pnpm build
-pnpm ui:install
-pnpm ui:build
+pnpm ui:build # auto-installs UI deps on first run
 pnpm clawdbot doctor
 pnpm clawdbot health
 ```
diff --git a/docs/platforms/windows.md b/docs/platforms/windows.md
index c74253552..a65534440 100644
--- a/docs/platforms/windows.md
+++ b/docs/platforms/windows.md
@@ -95,8 +95,7 @@ Follow the Linux Getting Started flow inside WSL:
 git clone https://github.com/clawdbot/clawdbot.git
 cd clawdbot
 pnpm install
-pnpm ui:install
-pnpm ui:build
+pnpm ui:build # auto-installs UI deps on first run
 pnpm build
 pnpm clawdbot onboard
 ```
diff --git a/docs/start/clawd.md b/docs/start/clawd.md
index c93163519..9dde7d4f1 100644
--- a/docs/start/clawd.md
+++ b/docs/start/clawd.md
@@ -37,8 +37,7 @@ From source (development):
 git clone https://github.com/clawdbot/clawdbot.git
 cd clawdbot
 pnpm install
-pnpm ui:install
-pnpm ui:build
+pnpm ui:build # auto-installs UI deps on first run
 pnpm build
 pnpm link --global
 ```
diff --git a/docs/start/faq.md b/docs/start/faq.md
index 6e1e95c8a..06be764b1 100644
--- a/docs/start/faq.md
+++ b/docs/start/faq.md
@@ -64,8 +64,7 @@ pnpm install
 pnpm build
 
 # If the Control UI assets are missing or you want the dashboard:
-pnpm ui:install
-pnpm ui:build
+pnpm ui:build # auto-installs UI deps on first run
 
 pnpm clawdbot onboard
 ```
diff --git a/docs/start/getting-started.md b/docs/start/getting-started.md
index b940dd738..f81d70a20 100644
--- a/docs/start/getting-started.md
+++ b/docs/start/getting-started.md
@@ -135,8 +135,7 @@ If you’re hacking on Clawdbot itself, run from source:
 git clone https://github.com/clawdbot/clawdbot.git
 cd clawdbot
 pnpm install
-pnpm ui:install
-pnpm ui:build
+pnpm ui:build # auto-installs UI deps on first run
 pnpm build
 pnpm clawdbot onboard --install-daemon
 ```
diff --git a/docs/start/wizard.md b/docs/start/wizard.md
index d399d5b3b..cee53f260 100644
--- a/docs/start/wizard.md
+++ b/docs/start/wizard.md
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ Tip: `--json` does **not** imply non-interactive mode. Use `--non-interactive` (
 9) **Finish**
    - Summary + next steps, including iOS/Android/macOS apps for extra features.
   - If no GUI is detected, the wizard prints SSH port-forward instructions for the Control UI instead of opening a browser.
-  - If the Control UI assets are missing, the wizard attempts to build them; fallback is `pnpm ui:install && pnpm ui:build`.
+  - If the Control UI assets are missing, the wizard attempts to build them; fallback is `pnpm ui:build` (auto-installs UI deps).
 
 ## Remote mode
 
diff --git a/docs/web/control-ui.md b/docs/web/control-ui.md
index 348b2f9d2..7d00288c8 100644
--- a/docs/web/control-ui.md
+++ b/docs/web/control-ui.md
@@ -74,8 +74,7 @@ Paste the token into the UI settings (sent as `connect.params.auth.token`).
 The Gateway serves static files from `dist/control-ui`. Build them with:
 
 ```bash
-pnpm ui:install
-pnpm ui:build
+pnpm ui:build # auto-installs UI deps on first run
 ```
 
 Optional absolute base (when you want fixed asset URLs):
@@ -87,8 +86,7 @@ CLAWDBOT_CONTROL_UI_BASE_PATH=/clawdbot/ pnpm ui:build
 For local development (separate dev server):
 
 ```bash
-pnpm ui:install
-pnpm ui:dev
+pnpm ui:dev # auto-installs UI deps on first run
 ```
 
 Then point the UI at your Gateway WS URL (e.g. `ws://127.0.0.1:18789`).
diff --git a/docs/web/index.md b/docs/web/index.md
index 89eed6e68..6c4945e59 100644
--- a/docs/web/index.md
+++ b/docs/web/index.md
@@ -101,6 +101,5 @@ Open:
 The Gateway serves static files from `dist/control-ui`. Build them with:
 
 ```bash
-pnpm ui:install
-pnpm ui:build
+pnpm ui:build # auto-installs UI deps on first run
 ```
diff --git a/src/gateway/control-ui.ts b/src/gateway/control-ui.ts
index 8f69e806a..d2af6c883 100644
--- a/src/gateway/control-ui.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/control-ui.ts
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ export function handleControlUiHttpRequest(
     res.statusCode = 503;
     res.setHeader("Content-Type", "text/plain; charset=utf-8");
     res.end(
-      "Control UI assets not found. Build them with `bun run ui:build` (or run `bun run ui:dev` during development).",
+      "Control UI assets not found. Build them with `pnpm ui:build` (auto-installs UI deps), or run `pnpm ui:dev` during development.",
     );
     return true;
   }
diff --git a/src/infra/control-ui-assets.ts b/src/infra/control-ui-assets.ts
index 0b995a0cd..9c46d5a9d 100644
--- a/src/infra/control-ui-assets.ts
+++ b/src/infra/control-ui-assets.ts
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ export async function ensureControlUiAssetsBuilt(
     return {
       ok: false,
       built: false,
-      message: `${hint}. Build them with \`bun run ui:build\`.`,
+      message: `${hint}. Build them with \`pnpm ui:build\` (auto-installs UI deps).`,
     };
   }
 
@@ -94,27 +94,7 @@ export async function ensureControlUiAssetsBuilt(
     };
   }
 
-  runtime.log("Control UI assets missing; building (ui:build)…");
-
-  const ensureInstalled = !fs.existsSync(
-    path.join(repoRoot, "ui", "node_modules"),
-  );
-  if (ensureInstalled) {
-    const install = await runCommandWithTimeout(
-      [process.execPath, uiScript, "install"],
-      {
-        cwd: repoRoot,
-        timeoutMs: opts?.timeoutMs ?? 10 * 60_000,
-      },
-    );
-    if (install.code !== 0) {
-      return {
-        ok: false,
-        built: false,
-        message: `Control UI install failed: ${summarizeCommandOutput(install.stderr) ?? `exit ${install.code}`}`,
-      };
-    }
-  }
+  runtime.log("Control UI assets missing; building (ui:build, auto-installs UI deps)…");
 
   const build = await runCommandWithTimeout(
     [process.execPath, uiScript, "build"],
diff --git a/src/infra/update-runner.ts b/src/infra/update-runner.ts
index bdc25a7d8..68eea79fb 100644
--- a/src/infra/update-runner.ts
+++ b/src/infra/update-runner.ts
@@ -304,15 +304,6 @@ export async function runGatewayUpdate(
         timeoutMs,
       ),
     );
-    steps.push(
-      await runStep(
-        runCommand,
-        "ui:install",
-        managerScriptArgs(manager, "ui:install"),
-        gitRoot,
-        timeoutMs,
-      ),
-    );
     steps.push(
       await runStep(
         runCommand,