diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dedb375..1c9d355 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ Any other input is sent to the agent.
     /install status
     /install upgrade scheduler-service
 
-Six install targets exist side by side: `binary` (`~/.local/bin/tai.py`), `bash-hook` (a guarded `command_not_found_handle` block in `~/.bashrc`, backed up once to `~/.bashrc.bak-tai`, so unknown shell commands are answered by the agent), `venv` (`~/.tai/venv`, created whenever the venv module exists), `scheduler-service` and `telegram-service` (systemd user units that prefer the venv python), and `container` (the sandbox, whose image carries its own `/box/venv`). `/install status` (or the `install` tool) reports exactly which of these exist, with versions and service states. `install` adds missing pieces, `upgrade` refreshes in place, `reinstall` rebuilds artifacts from scratch, `uninstall` removes them; service changes restart or start units immediately. Data handling is explicit: no action ever touches the vault (`memory.db`, secrets, schedules, records, backups).
+Six install targets exist side by side: `binary` (`~/.local/bin/tai.py`), `bash-hook` (a guarded block in `~/.bashrc`, backed up once to `~/.bashrc.bak-tai`, adding both an `alias tai="$HOME/.local/bin/tai.py"` so the bare `tai` command resolves to the REPL instead of falling through, and a `command_not_found_handle` so any other unknown shell command is answered by the agent), `venv` (`~/.tai/venv`, created whenever the venv module exists), `scheduler-service` and `telegram-service` (systemd user units that prefer the venv python), and `container` (the sandbox, whose image carries its own `/box/venv`). `/install status` (or the `install` tool) reports exactly which of these exist, with versions and service states. `install` adds missing pieces, `upgrade` refreshes in place, `reinstall` rebuilds artifacts from scratch, `uninstall` removes them; service changes restart or start units immediately. Data handling is explicit: no action ever touches the vault (`memory.db`, secrets, schedules, records, backups).
 
 ## Backends
 
diff --git a/tai.py b/tai.py
index 92c4361..59d72e5 100755
--- a/tai.py
+++ b/tai.py
@@ -170,7 +170,14 @@ TELEGRAM_FILE_API = "https://api.telegram.org/file/bot"
 SKILL_NAME_RE = re.compile(r"^[a-z0-9](?:[a-z0-9-]{0,62}[a-z0-9])?$")
 BASHRC_MARK_BEGIN = "# tai command-not-found hook - start"
 BASHRC_MARK_END = "# tai command-not-found hook - end"
-BASHRC_BLOCK = BASHRC_MARK_BEGIN + "\ncommand_not_found_handle() {\n    \"$HOME/.local/bin/tai.py\" \"$@\"\n    return $?\n}\n" + BASHRC_MARK_END + "\n"
+BASHRC_BLOCK = (
+    BASHRC_MARK_BEGIN + "\n"
+    "alias tai=\"$HOME/.local/bin/tai.py\"\n"
+    "command_not_found_handle() {\n"
+    "    \"$HOME/.local/bin/tai.py\" \"$@\"\n"
+    "    return $?\n"
+    "}\n" + BASHRC_MARK_END + "\n"
+)
 BOX_CONTAINERFILE = """FROM python:3.12-slim
 ENV DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive PIP_NO_CACHE_DIR=1
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends ffmpeg espeak-ng python3-venv && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*