diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 05ad3b78b..68d69931e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ mesh-llm serve --config /path/to/config.toml
 Precedence rules:
 
 - Explicit `--model` or `--gguf` ignores configured `[[models]]`.
-- Explicit `--context-size` overrides configured `ctx_size` for the selected startup models.
+- Explicit `--ctx-size` overrides configured `ctx_size` for the selected startup models.
 - Plugin entries still live in the same file.
 
 ### No-arg behavior
diff --git a/docs/USAGE.md b/docs/USAGE.md
index e6b8d78ba..dc1007897 100644
--- a/docs/USAGE.md
+++ b/docs/USAGE.md
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ mesh-llm serve --config /path/to/config.toml
 Config precedence:
 
 - Explicit `--model` or `--gguf` ignores configured `[[models]]`.
-- Explicit `--context-size` overrides configured `ctx_size` for the selected startup models.
+- Explicit `--ctx-size` overrides configured `ctx_size` for the selected startup models.
 - `mmproj` is optional and only used when that startup model needs a projector sidecar.
 - Plugin entries stay in the same file.
 
diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 04258dc02..f90f6d451 100644
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -323,81 +323,6 @@ install_bundle() {
     done
 }
 
-write_service_args_file() {
-    local path="$1"
-    local raw_args="$2"
-
-    mkdir -p "$(dirname "$path")"
-
-    if ! eval "set -- $raw_args"; then
-        echo "error: failed to parse service args: $raw_args" >&2
-        exit 1
-    fi
-
-    {
-        echo "# One mesh-llm CLI argument per line."
-        echo "# Blank lines and lines beginning with # are ignored."
-        echo "# Examples:"
-        echo "#   --auto"
-        echo "#   --model"
-        echo "#   Qwen2.5-3B"
-        local arg
-        for arg in "$@"; do
-            printf '%s\n' "$arg"
-        done
-    } > "$path"
-}
-
-serialize_shell_args() {
-    local out=""
-    local escaped
-    local arg
-    for arg in "$@"; do
-        printf -v escaped '%q' "$arg"
-        out+="${out:+ }$escaped"
-    done
-    printf '%s' "$out"
-}
-
-parse_service_args() {
-    local raw_args="$1"
-
-    if ! eval "set -- $raw_args"; then
-        echo "error: failed to parse service args: $raw_args" >&2
-        exit 1
-    fi
-
-    SERVICE_ARGS_VALUES=("$@")
-    SERVICE_ARGS_SERIALIZED="$(serialize_shell_args "$@")"
-}
-
-read_existing_systemd_args() {
-    if [[ ! -f "$SYSTEMD_UNIT_PATH" ]]; then
-        return 1
-    fi
-
-    local existing
-    existing="$(sed -n "s/^${SYSTEMD_ARGS_COMMENT_PREFIX}//p" "$SYSTEMD_UNIT_PATH" | head -n 1)"
-    [[ -n "$existing" ]] || return 1
-    printf '%s\n' "$existing"
-}
-
-resolve_systemd_service_args() {
-    local existing
-
-    if [[ -n "$INSTALL_SERVICE_ARGS" ]]; then
-        parse_service_args "$INSTALL_SERVICE_ARGS"
-        return
-    fi
-
-    if existing="$(read_existing_systemd_args)"; then
-        parse_service_args "$existing"
-        return
-    fi
-
-    parse_service_args "--auto"
-}
-
 systemd_escape_assignment_value() {
     local value="$1"
     value="${value//\\/\\\\}"
diff --git a/mesh-llm/README.md b/mesh-llm/README.md
index 4c7da2b3f..26a1fbf1f 100644
--- a/mesh-llm/README.md
+++ b/mesh-llm/README.md
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ args = ["--stdio"]
 ```
 
 `mesh-llm serve` uses `~/.mesh-llm/config.toml` by default, or `--config /path/to/config.toml`.
-Explicit `--model` or `--gguf` ignores configured `[[models]]`, and explicit `--context-size`
+Explicit `--model` or `--gguf` ignores configured `[[models]]`, and explicit `--ctx-size`
 overrides configured `ctx_size` for the selected startup models.
 Bare `mesh-llm serve` warns, shows help, and exits if `[[models]]` is empty.
 
diff --git a/mesh-llm/docs/DESIGN.md b/mesh-llm/docs/DESIGN.md
index 222c82b9c..16257552d 100644
--- a/mesh-llm/docs/DESIGN.md
+++ b/mesh-llm/docs/DESIGN.md
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ Phase 2 keeps this config intentionally local-node only. There is no authored me
 CLI precedence is by concern:
 
 - explicit `--model` or `--gguf` ignores configured `[[models]]`
-- explicit `--context-size` overrides configured `ctx_size`
+- explicit `--ctx-size` overrides configured `ctx_size`
 - plugin config continues to load from the same file
 
 Bare `mesh-llm serve` is the config-owned path. If `[[models]]` is empty, it warns,
diff --git a/mesh-llm/docs/TESTING.md b/mesh-llm/docs/TESTING.md
index a58edc921..366be8f60 100644
--- a/mesh-llm/docs/TESTING.md
+++ b/mesh-llm/docs/TESTING.md
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ mesh-llm serve
 - Both configured startup models should be considered for launch
 - If `[[models]]` is empty, `mesh-llm serve` should print a `⚠️` warning, show help, and exit cleanly
 - Explicit `--model` or `--gguf` should ignore configured `[[models]]`
-- Explicit `--context-size` should override configured `ctx_size`
+- Explicit `--ctx-size` should override configured `ctx_size`
 
 ## Single-model permutations
 
diff --git a/mesh-llm/src/runtime/mod.rs b/mesh-llm/src/runtime/mod.rs
index 561c52ace..3a8409456 100644
--- a/mesh-llm/src/runtime/mod.rs
+++ b/mesh-llm/src/runtime/mod.rs
@@ -296,8 +296,15 @@ pub(crate) async fn run() -> Result<()> {
     }
     let startup_specs = build_startup_model_specs(&cli, &config)?;
     if should_show_serve_config_help(normalized_args.explicit_surface, &cli, &startup_specs) {
+        let config_path = plugin::config_path(cli.config.as_deref()).unwrap_or_else(|_| {
+            dirs::home_dir()
+                .unwrap_or_else(|| PathBuf::from("~"))
+                .join(".mesh-llm")
+                .join("config.toml")
+        });
         eprintln!(
-            "⚠️ `mesh-llm serve` needs at least one startup model.\n  Add `[[models]]` to ~/.mesh-llm/config.toml, or pass `--model` / `--gguf` explicitly."
+            "⚠️ `mesh-llm serve` needs at least one startup model.\n  Add `[[models]]` to {}, or pass `--model` / `--gguf` explicitly.",
+            config_path.display()
         );
         Cli::command().print_help().ok();
         eprintln!();