diff --git a/modules/user/packages.nix b/modules/user/packages.nix
index 4c75e2e..631d563 100644
--- a/modules/user/packages.nix
+++ b/modules/user/packages.nix
@@ -73,18 +73,9 @@
     dconf
   ];
 
-  # ── Post-activation: Install npm-only tools ────────────
-  # Codex and Gemini CLI aren't in nixpkgs; install them
-  # globally via npm after first `nixos-rebuild switch`.
-  home.activation.installNpmTools = config.lib.dag.entryAfter [ "writeBoundary" ] ''
-    export PATH="${pkgs.nodejs}/bin:$PATH"
-    if ! command -v codex &> /dev/null; then
-      echo "Installing @openai/codex via npm..."
-      ${pkgs.nodejs}/bin/npm i -g @openai/codex 2>/dev/null || true
-    fi
-    if ! command -v gemini &> /dev/null; then
-      echo "Installing @google/gemini-cli via npm..."
-      ${pkgs.nodejs}/bin/npm i -g @google/gemini-cli 2>/dev/null || true
-    fi
-  '';
+  # ── npm global tools (codex, gemini-cli) ────────────────
+  # These aren't in nixpkgs. Install once after first boot:
+  #   mkdir -p ~/.npm-global && npm config set prefix ~/.npm-global
+  #   npm i -g @openai/codex @google/gemini-cli
+  # PATH is set in shell.nix via ~/.npm-global/bin
 }
diff --git a/modules/user/shell.nix b/modules/user/shell.nix
index 3670771..0cfbcab 100644
--- a/modules/user/shell.nix
+++ b/modules/user/shell.nix
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@
     };
 
     initContent = ''
+      # npm global bin (codex, gemini-cli)
+      export PATH="$HOME/.npm-global/bin:$PATH"
+
       # Force Atuin up-arrow binding
       bindkey '^[[A' atuin-up-search
       bindkey '^[OA' atuin-up-search