diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0026ae0..ac6646f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -567,6 +567,9 @@ come from npm. The generated short alias is the installed identity; red-dev
 never also writes the backend-qualified spec into the global config. Existing
 machines are migrated only after the aliased replacement is present, with the
 original config backed up before the redundant declaration is retired.
+The bootstrap download is temporary ownership: after a successful first run
+proves mise has installed `red-dev`, the bootstrap removes its own copy. A
+cancelled setup keeps that copy so the command never disappears.
 
 On the Ubuntu desktop, red-dev itself also has a tool-level postinstall: it
 runs the newly installed binary's `desktop reconcile`. That updates only the
diff --git a/boot.ps1 b/boot.ps1
index 62d4bc2..cc21872 100644
--- a/boot.ps1
+++ b/boot.ps1
@@ -175,3 +175,22 @@ $ProgressPreference = $PreviousProgressPreference
 # falls back to a line menu in a narrow one, and prints help when there is
 # no terminal at all.
 & $Bin
+$Status = $LASTEXITCODE
+
+# The downloaded executable is only the bootstrap. Once the successful first
+# run has installed the managed mise identity, the child is closed and Windows
+# releases the file lock, so this copy can be retired without scheduling a
+# second cleanup process. A cancelled setup keeps the bootstrap intact.
+if ($Status -eq 0) {
+    $Mise = Get-Command mise -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+    if ($Mise) {
+        $ManagedRoot = (& $Mise.Source where red-dev 2>$null | Select-Object -First 1)
+        $Managed = if ($ManagedRoot) { Join-Path $ManagedRoot 'red-dev.exe' } else { $null }
+        if ($Managed -and (Test-Path $Managed) -and ($Managed -ne $Bin)) {
+            Remove-Item $Bin -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+            if (-not (Test-Path $Bin)) { Say "mise owns red-dev now; retired bootstrap $Bin" }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+exit $Status
diff --git a/boot.sh b/boot.sh
index 1c075d1..1eecfd0 100644
--- a/boot.sh
+++ b/boot.sh
@@ -219,7 +219,26 @@ export RED_DEV_BOOTSTRAP=1
 # /dev/tty is the controlling terminal regardless of what stdin was
 # redirected to. When there is none — CI, a container, a cron job — the
 # fallback is the current behaviour, which is what should happen there.
+set +e
 if [ -r /dev/tty ]; then
-  exec "$BIN" < /dev/tty
+  "$BIN" < /dev/tty
+  STATUS=$?
+else
+  "$BIN"
+  STATUS=$?
 fi
-exec "$BIN"
+set -e
+
+# The downloaded binary is a bootstrap, not a second permanent owner. Once a
+# successful first run has installed red-dev through the managed mise alias,
+# retire this copy so PATH, updates and disk all have one answer. If setup was
+# cancelled before mise acquired it, keep the bootstrap working.
+if [ "$STATUS" -eq 0 ] && command -v mise >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  MISE_RED_DEV=$(mise where red-dev 2>/dev/null || true)
+  if [ -n "$MISE_RED_DEV" ] && [ -x "$MISE_RED_DEV/red-dev" ] && [ "$MISE_RED_DEV/red-dev" != "$BIN" ]; then
+    rm -f "$BIN"
+    say "mise owns red-dev now; retired bootstrap $BIN"
+  fi
+fi
+
+exit "$STATUS"
diff --git a/src/migrations.ts b/src/migrations.ts
index 41c1768..fba5c84 100644
--- a/src/migrations.ts
+++ b/src/migrations.ts
@@ -660,6 +660,38 @@ return {}
       log.plain(`       original config backed up at ${backup}`);
     },
   },
+  {
+    id: "2026-09-22-suite-binary-handover",
+    describe: "finish handing bootstrap binaries to their single mise owner",
+    applies: (p) => staleReleaseBinaries(p).length > 0,
+    run: async (p) => {
+      const stale = staleReleaseBinaries(p);
+      const mise = Bun.which("mise");
+      if (!mise) throw new Error("mise is not installed yet — bootstrap binaries left intact");
+
+      // Prove every replacement before removing any old copy. `mise where`
+      // asks for the alias's install tree directly; `which` can answer with
+      // the very ~/.local/bin file this migration is trying to retire.
+      for (const { name } of stale) {
+        const where = Bun.spawnSync([mise, "where", name], { stdout: "pipe", stderr: "ignore" });
+        if (where.exitCode !== 0 || where.stdout.toString().trim() === "") {
+          throw new Error(`${name} has no mise replacement yet — bootstrap binaries left intact`);
+        }
+      }
+
+      for (const { name, path } of stale) {
+        // Linux permits unlinking the image this process is executing; the
+        // inode stays alive until exit and the next command resolves through
+        // mise. Windows locks a running .exe, so boot.ps1 removes its bootstrap
+        // copy after this process returns and the migration retries once.
+        if (p.os === "windows" && samePath(path, process.execPath)) {
+          throw new Error(`${path} is still running — boot.ps1 will retire it after exit`);
+        }
+        rmSync(path, { force: true });
+        log.plain(`       ${name}: removed ${path}; mise is the only owner`);
+      }
+    },
+  },
 ];
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/mise-handover.test.ts b/src/mise-handover.test.ts
index cc06255..32c233d 100644
--- a/src/mise-handover.test.ts
+++ b/src/mise-handover.test.ts
@@ -103,6 +103,18 @@ describe("the stale binary an older release left behind", () => {
       expect(staleReleaseBinaries(ubuntu).map((s) => s.name)).toEqual(["red"]);
     });
   });
+
+  test("includes red-dev's bootstrap copy so a later run can finish the handover", () => {
+    const home = temp();
+    mkdirSync(join(home, ".local", "bin"), { recursive: true });
+    writeFileSync(join(home, ".local", "bin", "red-dev"), "#!/bin/sh\nexit 0\n");
+    withEnv({ HOME: home }, () => {
+      expect(staleReleaseBinaries(ubuntu)).toContainEqual({
+        name: "red-dev",
+        path: join(home, ".local", "bin", "red-dev"),
+      });
+    });
+  });
 });
 
 describe("mise's shims", () => {
diff --git a/src/sudo-preflight.test.ts b/src/sudo-preflight.test.ts
index aabc2a6..0b673d6 100644
--- a/src/sudo-preflight.test.ts
+++ b/src/sudo-preflight.test.ts
@@ -84,9 +84,15 @@ describe("the human install entry points", () => {
     // `curl | sh` leaves stdin pointing at the exhausted script pipe. The
     // downloaded binary must inherit the controlling terminal or neither
     // its sudo prompt nor its fullscreen interface can read a key.
-    expect(boot).toContain('exec "$BIN" < /dev/tty');
+    expect(boot).toContain('"$BIN" < /dev/tty');
+    // The bootstrap must regain control after the child closes so it can
+    // retire its copy once mise owns red-dev. `exec` would preserve the TTY
+    // but make the duplicate permanent again.
+    expect(boot).not.toContain('exec "$BIN" < /dev/tty');
+    expect(boot).toContain("mise where red-dev");
+    expect(boot).toContain('rm -f "$BIN"');
     expect(boot.indexOf("export RED_DEV_BOOTSTRAP=1")).toBeLessThan(
-      boot.indexOf('exec "$BIN" < /dev/tty'),
+      boot.indexOf('"$BIN" < /dev/tty'),
     );
 
     // The bootstrap enters the menu rather than `cmdInstall`, so it needs