diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7f8ed0c..50be11b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -105,13 +105,9 @@ block set, a sensible default set (`claude`, `opencode`, `amplifier`, …) is of
 # Install the CLI (editable, onto your PATH)
 uv tool install --editable cli/
 
-# Bootstrap infrastructure (Docker, Caddy, directories, containers)
+# Bootstrap infrastructure + the ~/.castle tree and a default castle.yaml
 ./install.sh
 
-# Minimal global config
-mkdir -p ~/.castle/programs ~/.castle/deployments
-printf 'gateway:\n  port: 9000\n' > ~/.castle/castle.yaml
-
 castle list                     # what's registered
 castle deploy && castle start   # apply config to the runtime, then bring it up
 open http://localhost:9000      # the dashboard
@@ -263,4 +259,3 @@ and `CASTLE_API_MDNS_ENABLED`.
 - [docs/dns-and-tls.md](docs/dns-and-tls.md) — gateway routing, DNS, the `off` / `acme` TLS modes
 - [docs/stacks/](docs/stacks/) — per-stack guides (python-fastapi, python-cli, react-vite, supabase)
 - [AGENTS.md](AGENTS.md) — the canonical, assistant-agnostic operator guide (recipes, gateway, tunnel, mesh)
-- [CLAUDE.md](CLAUDE.md) — notes for developing Castle's own code, and the full API reference
diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index e7a774a..529c5c2 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -214,14 +214,21 @@ ensure_caddy_dns_plugin() {
 create_directories() {
     log_step "Creating directory structure"
 
-    # ~/.castle tree
-    mkdir -p "${CASTLE_HOME}/code"
+    # ~/.castle tree — globals (castle.yaml) plus one file per program/deployment.
+    mkdir -p "${CASTLE_HOME}/programs"
+    mkdir -p "${CASTLE_HOME}/deployments"
     mkdir -p "${CASTLE_HOME}/artifacts/specs"
     mkdir -p "${CASTLE_HOME}/artifacts/content"
     mkdir -p "${DATA_DIR}"
     mkdir -p "${CASTLE_HOME}/secrets" && chmod 700 "${CASTLE_HOME}/secrets"
 
-    log_ok
+    # Seed a minimal global castle.yaml — never clobber an existing one.
+    if [[ -f "${CASTLE_HOME}/castle.yaml" ]]; then
+        log_ok
+    else
+        printf 'gateway:\n  port: 9000\n' > "${CASTLE_HOME}/castle.yaml"
+        log_ok "seeded ~/.castle/castle.yaml"
+    fi
 }
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------