diff --git a/com.numa.dns.plist b/com.numa.dns.plist
index 67c90fa..ad59f43 100644
--- a/com.numa.dns.plist
+++ b/com.numa.dns.plist
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <string>com.numa.dns</string>
     <key>ProgramArguments</key>
     <array>
-        <string>/usr/local/bin/numa</string>
+        <string>{{exe_path}}</string>
     </array>
     <key>RunAtLoad</key>
     <true/>
diff --git a/numa.service b/numa.service
index 50b0909..7e67296 100644
--- a/numa.service
+++ b/numa.service
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ Wants=network-online.target
 
 [Service]
 Type=simple
-ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/numa
+ExecStart={{exe_path}}
 Restart=always
 RestartSec=2
 StandardOutput=journal
diff --git a/src/system_dns.rs b/src/system_dns.rs
index a172608..25ab11e 100644
--- a/src/system_dns.rs
+++ b/src/system_dns.rs
@@ -903,9 +903,12 @@ pub fn uninstall_service() -> Result<(), String> {
 
 /// Restart the service (kill process, launchd/systemd auto-restarts with new binary).
 pub fn restart_service() -> Result<(), String> {
+    let exe_path =
+        std::env::current_exe().map_err(|e| format!("failed to get current exe: {}", e))?;
+
     #[cfg(any(target_os = "macos", target_os = "linux"))]
     let version = {
-        match std::process::Command::new("/usr/local/bin/numa")
+        match std::process::Command::new(&exe_path)
             .arg("--version")
             .output()
         {
@@ -916,6 +919,7 @@ pub fn restart_service() -> Result<(), String> {
 
     #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
     {
+        let exe_path = exe_path.to_string_lossy();
         let output = std::process::Command::new("launchctl")
             .args(["list", PLIST_LABEL])
             .output();
@@ -926,11 +930,11 @@ pub fn restart_service() -> Result<(), String> {
                 // This will kill us too (we ARE /usr/local/bin/numa), so
                 // codesign and print output first.
                 let _ = std::process::Command::new("codesign")
-                    .args(["-f", "-s", "-", "/usr/local/bin/numa"])
+                    .args(["-f", "-s", "-", &exe_path])
                     .output(); // use output() to suppress codesign stderr
                 eprintln!("  Service restarting → {}\n", version);
                 let _ = std::process::Command::new("pkill")
-                    .args(["-f", "/usr/local/bin/numa"])
+                    .args(["-f", &exe_path])
                     .status();
                 Ok(())
             }
@@ -965,19 +969,22 @@ pub fn service_status() -> Result<(), String> {
     }
 }
 
+fn replace_exe_path(service: &str) -> Result<String, String> {
+    let exe_path =
+        std::env::current_exe().map_err(|e| format!("failed to get current exe: {}", e))?;
+    Ok(service.replace("{{exe_path}}", &exe_path.to_string_lossy()))
+}
+
 #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
 fn install_service_macos() -> Result<(), String> {
-    // Check binary exists
-    if !std::path::Path::new("/usr/local/bin/numa").exists() {
-        return Err("numa binary not found at /usr/local/bin/numa. Run: sudo cp target/release/numa /usr/local/bin/numa".to_string());
-    }
-
     // Create log directory
     std::fs::create_dir_all("/usr/local/var/log")
         .map_err(|e| format!("failed to create log dir: {}", e))?;
 
     // Write plist
     let plist = include_str!("../com.numa.dns.plist");
+    let plist = replace_exe_path(plist)?;
+
     std::fs::write(PLIST_DEST, plist)
         .map_err(|e| format!("failed to write {}: {}", PLIST_DEST, e))?;
 
@@ -1179,19 +1186,10 @@ fn uninstall_linux() -> Result<(), String> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
-#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
-fn ensure_binary_installed() -> Result<(), String> {
-    if !std::path::Path::new("/usr/local/bin/numa").exists() {
-        return Err("numa binary not found at /usr/local/bin/numa. Run: sudo cp target/release/numa /usr/local/bin/numa".to_string());
-    }
-    Ok(())
-}
-
 #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
 fn install_service_linux() -> Result<(), String> {
-    ensure_binary_installed()?;
-
     let unit = include_str!("../numa.service");
+    let unit = replace_exe_path(unit)?;
     std::fs::write(SYSTEMD_UNIT, unit)
         .map_err(|e| format!("failed to write {}: {}", SYSTEMD_UNIT, e))?;