diff --git a/install.ps1 b/install.ps1
index 831d5a7..8c04e4c 100644
--- a/install.ps1
+++ b/install.ps1
@@ -4,11 +4,14 @@
   One-liner (PowerShell):
     irm https://git.armoredarmadillo.com/brockdarnold/eve-watcher/raw/branch/main/install.ps1 | iex
 
-  Paste it ONCE and you're done forever: it git-clones the watcher repo into
+  Paste it ONCE and you're done forever: it puts the watcher repo in
   %USERPROFILE%\eve-watcher, runs update.py, and update.py registers a Windows
   Scheduled Task that auto-updates + restarts the watchers at every logon and
   once a day. You never have to install or update again.
-  Your config.ini (webhook + OCR snip) is gitignored, so updates never touch it.
+
+  Safe to re-run: if the folder already exists (even from the old non-git
+  installer) it is converted into a git clone in place, keeping your config.ini
+  (webhook + OCR snip). config.ini is gitignored, so updates never touch it.
 #>
 $ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"
 $repo = "https://git.armoredarmadillo.com/brockdarnold/eve-watcher.git"
@@ -16,19 +19,39 @@ $dir  = Join-Path $env:USERPROFILE "eve-watcher"
 
 function Need($cmd, $hint) {
   if (-not (Get-Command $cmd -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
-    Write-Warning "$cmd not found. $hint"
-    exit 1
+    Write-Warning "$cmd not found. $hint"; exit 1
   }
 }
-Need git    "Install it:  winget install --id Git.Git -e"
+function GitOk($desc) {
+  if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { Write-Warning "git failed: $desc"; exit 1 }
+}
+
+Need git    "Install it:  winget install --id Git.Git -e   (then re-run)"
 Need python "Install Python 3 from https://www.python.org (check 'Add to PATH'), then re-run."
 
 if (Test-Path (Join-Path $dir ".git")) {
-  Write-Host "eve-watcher already cloned at $dir — pulling latest."
-  git -C $dir pull --ff-only
-} else {
+  Write-Host "eve-watcher already cloned at $dir - pulling latest."
+  git -C $dir pull --ff-only; GitOk "pull"
+}
+elseif (Test-Path $dir) {
+  # Folder exists but isn't a git repo (old baked installer). Convert it in place,
+  # force-replacing the old scripts with the repo versions; config.ini is gitignored
+  # so it's left exactly as-is.
+  Write-Host "Existing install found at $dir - converting to a git clone (keeping config.ini)..."
+  git -C $dir init -q; GitOk "init"
+  if (-not (git -C $dir remote)) { git -C $dir remote add origin $repo }
+  else { git -C $dir remote set-url origin $repo }
+  GitOk "remote"
+  git -C $dir fetch -q origin; GitOk "fetch"
+  git -C $dir checkout -f -B main origin/main; GitOk "checkout"
+}
+else {
   Write-Host "Cloning eve-watcher into $dir ..."
-  git clone $repo $dir
+  git clone $repo $dir; GitOk "clone"
+}
+
+if (-not (Test-Path (Join-Path $dir "update.py"))) {
+  Write-Warning "update.py missing after setup - something went wrong. Aborting."; exit 1
 }
 
 Set-Location $dir
@@ -36,5 +59,5 @@ python update.py
 
 Write-Host ""
 Write-Host "Installed at $dir."
-Write-Host "Auto-update + auto-start is now a Scheduled Task (logon + daily) — nothing else to do."
+Write-Host "Auto-update + auto-start is now a Scheduled Task (logon + daily) - nothing else to do."
 Write-Host "One-time (per PC) for OCR hold alerts:  cd $dir ; python eve_orehold_watcher.py --snip"