diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 1c09e54..2d2cdcd 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -6,8 +6,24 @@
 set -eu
 
 repo_dir=$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)
-target=${HOME}/bin
 
+# Pick the first install target that's already on $PATH so the symlinks are
+# immediately usable. Override with TARGET=<dir> ./install.sh.
+pick_target() {
+    if [ -n "${TARGET:-}" ]; then
+        printf %s "$TARGET"
+        return
+    fi
+    for candidate in "$HOME/bin" "$HOME/.local/bin"; do
+        case ":$PATH:" in
+            *":$candidate:"*) printf %s "$candidate"; return ;;
+        esac
+    done
+    # Nothing on PATH — fall back to ~/bin and warn later.
+    printf %s "$HOME/bin"
+}
+
+target=$(pick_target)
 mkdir -p "$target"
 
 for src in "$repo_dir"/bin/*; do