diff --git a/rpi/first-boot-wizard.sh b/rpi/first-boot-wizard.sh
index 1621ad2..542d25e 100755
--- a/rpi/first-boot-wizard.sh
+++ b/rpi/first-boot-wizard.sh
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ BOLD='\033[1m'
 NC='\033[0m'
 
 # Configuration
-INSTALL_DIR="$HOME/stegasoo"
+INSTALL_DIR="/opt/stegasoo"
 FLAG_FILE="/etc/stegasoo-first-boot"
 PROFILE_HOOK="/etc/profile.d/stegasoo-wizard.sh"
 
diff --git a/rpi/sanitize-for-image.sh b/rpi/sanitize-for-image.sh
index 469d266..628984b 100755
--- a/rpi/sanitize-for-image.sh
+++ b/rpi/sanitize-for-image.sh
@@ -199,10 +199,13 @@ history -c 2>/dev/null || true
 # =============================================================================
 echo -e "${GREEN}[5/10]${NC} Removing Stegasoo user data..."
 # Remove auth database (users create their own admin on first run)
+rm -rf /opt/stegasoo/frontends/web/instance/ 2>/dev/null
 rm -rf /home/*/stegasoo/frontends/web/instance/
 # Remove SSL certs (will be regenerated)
+rm -rf /opt/stegasoo/frontends/web/certs/ 2>/dev/null
 rm -rf /home/*/stegasoo/frontends/web/certs/
 # Remove any .env files with channel keys
+rm -f /opt/stegasoo/frontends/web/.env 2>/dev/null
 rm -f /home/*/stegasoo/frontends/web/.env
 echo "  Stegasoo instance data cleared"
 
@@ -211,16 +214,19 @@ echo "  Stegasoo instance data cleared"
 # =============================================================================
 echo -e "${GREEN}[6/10]${NC} Setting up first-boot wizard..."
 
-# Find stegasoo install directory
-STEGASOO_DIR=$(ls -d /home/*/stegasoo 2>/dev/null | head -1)
+# Find stegasoo install directory (prefer /opt/stegasoo)
+STEGASOO_DIR=""
+if [ -d /opt/stegasoo ]; then
+    STEGASOO_DIR="/opt/stegasoo"
+else
+    STEGASOO_DIR=$(ls -d /home/*/stegasoo 2>/dev/null | head -1)
+fi
 
 if [ -z "$STEGASOO_DIR" ]; then
-    for dir in /root/stegasoo /opt/stegasoo; do
-        if [ -d "$dir" ]; then
-            STEGASOO_DIR="$dir"
-            break
-        fi
-    done
+    # Last resort fallback
+    if [ -d /root/stegasoo ]; then
+        STEGASOO_DIR="/root/stegasoo"
+    fi
 fi
 
 STEGASOO_USER=$(stat -c '%U' "$STEGASOO_DIR" 2>/dev/null || echo "pi")
@@ -334,7 +340,14 @@ else
 fi
 
 # Check Stegasoo instance data removed
+DB_FOUND=false
+if ls /opt/stegasoo/frontends/web/instance/*.db 1>/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    DB_FOUND=true
+fi
 if ls /home/*/stegasoo/frontends/web/instance/*.db 1>/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    DB_FOUND=true
+fi
+if [ "$DB_FOUND" = true ]; then
     echo -e "  ${RED}[FAIL]${NC} Stegasoo database still present"
     VALIDATION_ERRORS=$((VALIDATION_ERRORS + 1))
 else
diff --git a/rpi/setup.sh b/rpi/setup.sh
index 08486b9..8ccf08b 100755
--- a/rpi/setup.sh
+++ b/rpi/setup.sh
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ BOLD='\033[1m'
 NC='\033[0m' # No Color
 
 # Configuration
-INSTALL_DIR="$HOME/stegasoo"
+INSTALL_DIR="/opt/stegasoo"
 PYTHON_VERSION="3.12"
 STEGASOO_REPO="https://github.com/adlee-was-taken/stegasoo.git"
 JPEGIO_REPO="https://github.com/dwgoon/jpegio.git"
@@ -80,7 +80,19 @@ if [ "$TOTAL_MEM" -lt 2000 ]; then
     fi
 fi
 
-echo -e "${GREEN}[1/6]${NC} Installing system dependencies..."
+# Create /opt/stegasoo with proper permissions
+echo -e "${GREEN}[1/7]${NC} Setting up install directory..."
+if [ ! -d "$INSTALL_DIR" ]; then
+    sudo mkdir -p "$INSTALL_DIR"
+    sudo chown "$USER:$USER" "$INSTALL_DIR"
+    echo "  Created $INSTALL_DIR"
+else
+    # Ensure current user owns it
+    sudo chown "$USER:$USER" "$INSTALL_DIR"
+    echo "  $INSTALL_DIR exists, updated ownership"
+fi
+
+echo -e "${GREEN}[2/7]${NC} Installing system dependencies..."
 sudo apt-get update
 sudo apt-get install -y \
     build-essential \
@@ -101,7 +113,7 @@ sudo apt-get install -y \
     libzbar0 \
     libjpeg-dev
 
-echo -e "${GREEN}[2/6]${NC} Installing pyenv and Python $PYTHON_VERSION..."
+echo -e "${GREEN}[3/7]${NC} Installing pyenv and Python $PYTHON_VERSION..."
 
 # Install pyenv if not present
 if [ ! -d "$HOME/.pyenv" ]; then
@@ -141,7 +153,7 @@ if [ "$INSTALLED_PY" != "$PYTHON_VERSION" ]; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
-echo -e "${GREEN}[3/6]${NC} Building jpegio for ARM..."
+echo -e "${GREEN}[4/7]${NC} Building jpegio for ARM..."
 
 # Clone jpegio
 JPEGIO_DIR="/tmp/jpegio-build"
@@ -168,7 +180,7 @@ pip install .
 cd "$HOME"
 rm -rf "$JPEGIO_DIR"
 
-echo -e "${GREEN}[4/6]${NC} Installing Stegasoo..."
+echo -e "${GREEN}[5/7]${NC} Installing Stegasoo..."
 
 # Clone Stegasoo
 if [ -d "$INSTALL_DIR" ]; then
@@ -194,7 +206,7 @@ pip install -e ".[web]" || {
     pip install argon2-cffi cryptography pillow flask gunicorn scipy numpy pyzbar qrcode
 }
 
-echo -e "${GREEN}[5/6]${NC} Creating systemd service..."
+echo -e "${GREEN}[6/7]${NC} Creating systemd service..."
 
 # Create systemd service file
 sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/stegasoo.service > /dev/null <<EOF
@@ -218,7 +230,7 @@ RestartSec=5
 WantedBy=multi-user.target
 EOF
 
-echo -e "${GREEN}[6/6]${NC} Enabling service..."
+echo -e "${GREEN}[7/7]${NC} Enabling service..."
 
 sudo systemctl daemon-reload
 sudo systemctl enable stegasoo.service
diff --git a/rpi/stegasoo-wizard.sh b/rpi/stegasoo-wizard.sh
index 1a9d1d5..2d23399 100755
--- a/rpi/stegasoo-wizard.sh
+++ b/rpi/stegasoo-wizard.sh
@@ -2,9 +2,15 @@
 # Stegasoo First Boot Wizard Trigger
 # This file goes in /etc/profile.d/ and runs the wizard on first login
 
-if [ -f /etc/stegasoo-first-boot ] && [ -f /home/*/stegasoo/rpi/first-boot-wizard.sh ]; then
-    # Find the wizard script
-    WIZARD=$(ls /home/*/stegasoo/rpi/first-boot-wizard.sh 2>/dev/null | head -1)
+if [ -f /etc/stegasoo-first-boot ]; then
+    # Find the wizard script (check /opt first, then home dirs)
+    WIZARD=""
+    if [ -f /opt/stegasoo/rpi/first-boot-wizard.sh ]; then
+        WIZARD="/opt/stegasoo/rpi/first-boot-wizard.sh"
+    else
+        WIZARD=$(ls /home/*/stegasoo/rpi/first-boot-wizard.sh 2>/dev/null | head -1)
+    fi
+
     if [ -n "$WIZARD" ]; then
         bash "$WIZARD"
     fi