diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 7187feb..84fea19 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -54,9 +54,15 @@ ok "npm $(npm -v)"
 
 # ── 2. Install Claude Code CLI ──
 echo ""
-echo "── Installing Claude Code (latest)..."
+echo "── Installing Claude Code..."
 
-if npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@latest; then
+# Idempotent: an existing claude (native installer under ~/.local/share/claude,
+# or any prior install) already owns ~/.local/bin/claude — npm cannot clobber a
+# symlink it does not manage (EEXIST). Mirror the RTK/GSD skip-if-present guard;
+# upgrades are `make update`'s job (update-all.sh), not first-time install.
+if command -v claude &>/dev/null; then
+  ok "Claude Code already installed ($(claude --version 2>/dev/null | head -1))"
+elif npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@latest; then
   ok "Claude Code installed: $(claude --version 2>/dev/null || echo 'unknown')"
 else
   err "Claude Code installation failed"
diff --git a/update-all.sh b/update-all.sh
index 28fbc84..621e8ed 100644
--- a/update-all.sh
+++ b/update-all.sh
@@ -27,7 +27,15 @@ echo "── Updating Claude Code CLI..."
 if command -v claude &>/dev/null; then
   CURRENT_VER=$(claude --version 2>/dev/null | head -1 || echo "unknown")
   info "Current: $CURRENT_VER"
-  if npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@latest 2>/dev/null; then
+  # Use the updater that matches the install channel: npm-managed installs
+  # update via npm; native-installer installs self-update via `claude update`
+  # (npm would EEXIST on the ~/.local/bin/claude symlink it does not own).
+  if npm ls -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code &>/dev/null; then
+    UPDATE_CMD=(npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@latest)
+  else
+    UPDATE_CMD=(claude update)
+  fi
+  if "${UPDATE_CMD[@]}" &>/dev/null; then
     NEW_VER=$(claude --version 2>/dev/null | head -1 || echo "unknown")
     if [ "$CURRENT_VER" = "$NEW_VER" ]; then
       ok "Claude Code already up to date ($NEW_VER)"
@@ -35,7 +43,7 @@ if command -v claude &>/dev/null; then
       ok "Claude Code updated: $CURRENT_VER → $NEW_VER"
     fi
   else
-    warn "Claude Code update failed — try manually: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@latest"
+    warn "Claude Code update failed — try manually: ${UPDATE_CMD[*]}"
   fi
 else
   warn "Claude Code not found — install first with: make install"