diff --git a/apps/server/src/cloud/bootService.test.ts b/apps/server/src/cloud/bootService.test.ts
index b0ff61bba4b..9af69eb1792 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/cloud/bootService.test.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/cloud/bootService.test.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ it("keeps systemd pinned to the stable launcher rather than a versioned server",
 
 const makeHarness = Effect.fn("test.make_boot_service_harness")(function* (
   platform: NodeJS.Platform = "linux",
+  usePinnedLauncher = false,
 ) {
   const fs = yield* FileSystem.FileSystem;
   const path = yield* Path.Path;
@@ -44,6 +45,10 @@ const makeHarness = Effect.fn("test.make_boot_service_harness")(function* (
   const runtime = pinnedRuntimePaths(path, baseDir, "1.2.3");
   yield* fs.makeDirectory(path.dirname(runtime.entryPath), { recursive: true });
   yield* fs.writeFileString(runtime.entryPath, "export {};\n");
+  yield* fs.writeFileString(
+    path.join(path.dirname(runtime.entryPath), "service-launcher.mjs"),
+    "export const source = 'pinned runtime';\n",
+  );
   yield* fs.writeFileString(runtime.sentinelPath, "1.2.3\n");
 
   const commands: string[] = [];
@@ -69,8 +74,7 @@ const makeHarness = Effect.fn("test.make_boot_service_harness")(function* (
     cliVersion: "1.2.3",
     host: {
       execPath: "/usr/bin/node",
-      cliEntryPath: path.join(home, "bin.mjs"),
-      launcherSourcePath: sourceLauncher,
+      ...(usePinnedLauncher ? {} : { launcherSourcePath: sourceLauncher }),
     },
   }).pipe(
     Effect.provideService(ProcessRunner.ProcessRunner, runner),
@@ -109,6 +113,17 @@ it.layer(NodeServices.layer)("boot service install", (it) => {
     }),
   );
 
+  it.effect("copies the launcher from the prepared pinned runtime", () =>
+    Effect.gen(function* () {
+      const { service, fs } = yield* makeHarness("linux", true);
+      const plan = yield* service.install;
+
+      expect(yield* fs.readFileString(plan.launcherPath)).toBe(
+        "export const source = 'pinned runtime';\n",
+      );
+    }),
+  );
+
   it.effect("restarts an installed service when repair fails", () =>
     Effect.gen(function* () {
       const { service, commands, control } = yield* makeHarness();
diff --git a/apps/server/src/cloud/bootService.ts b/apps/server/src/cloud/bootService.ts
index 874b6b712a0..9a8481b11b5 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/cloud/bootService.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/cloud/bootService.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,4 @@
-import {
-  HostProcessArguments,
-  HostProcessExecutablePath,
-  HostProcessPlatform,
-} from "@t3tools/shared/hostProcess";
+import { HostProcessExecutablePath, HostProcessPlatform } from "@t3tools/shared/hostProcess";
 import * as Config from "effect/Config";
 import * as Context from "effect/Context";
 import * as DateTime from "effect/DateTime";
@@ -138,7 +134,6 @@ export class BootService extends Context.Service<
 
 export interface BootServiceHost {
   readonly execPath: string;
-  readonly cliEntryPath: string;
   readonly launcherSourcePath?: string;
 }
 
@@ -148,26 +143,23 @@ export const make = Effect.fn("cloud.boot_service.make")(function* (input: {
   readonly cliVersion: string;
   readonly host?: BootServiceHost;
 }) {
-  const hostArguments = yield* HostProcessArguments;
   const hostExecPath = yield* HostProcessExecutablePath;
   const platform = yield* HostProcessPlatform;
   const homeDir = yield* Config.string("HOME").pipe(Config.withDefault(""));
   const fs = yield* FileSystem.FileSystem;
   const path = yield* Path.Path;
   const runner = yield* ProcessRunner.ProcessRunner;
-  const host = input.host ?? {
-    execPath: hostExecPath,
-    cliEntryPath: hostArguments[1] ?? "",
-  };
+  const host = input.host ?? { execPath: hostExecPath };
 
   const unitDir = path.join(homeDir, ".config", "systemd", "user");
   const unitPath = path.join(unitDir, BOOT_SERVICE_UNIT_FILE);
   const logPath = path.join(input.logsDir, "boot-service.log");
   const launcherPath = path.join(input.baseDir, "runtime", SERVICE_LAUNCHER_FILE);
   const statePath = path.join(input.baseDir, "runtime", SERVICE_STATE_FILE);
-  const launcherSourcePath =
-    host.launcherSourcePath ?? path.join(path.dirname(host.cliEntryPath), SERVICE_LAUNCHER_FILE);
   const runtimePaths = pinnedRuntimePaths(path, input.baseDir, input.cliVersion);
+  const launcherSourcePath =
+    host.launcherSourcePath ??
+    path.join(path.dirname(runtimePaths.entryPath), SERVICE_LAUNCHER_FILE);
   const writeDurably = (filePath: string, contents: string) =>
     Effect.scoped(
       Effect.gen(function* () {