diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 749c1189..a5dd7168 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -143,6 +143,10 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Added
 
+- `darnit install --from-source` registers the darnit executable of the
+  running installation as the MCP server command. Without it, the entry
+  runs the darnit-mcp release on PyPI through `uvx`, even when darnit was
+  installed from a source checkout.
 - Operator configuration: a user-level TOML file found the same way by the
   CLI, MCP server, and harness (`--operator-config PATH`, else
   `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/darnit/config.toml` or `~/.config/darnit/config.toml`,
@@ -572,6 +576,12 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
   error now gives the real cause. Both guards said "not installed" for any
   import error, which was wrong for an installed package with a missing
   dependency or a broken release (#573).
+- `darnit install` names the framework in the MCP entry it writes
+  (`serve --framework openssf-baseline`). The `uvx` entry runs the
+  darnit-mcp release on PyPI, and releases before 0.2.0 serve the first
+  installed framework by name, which on a full install is gittuf. The
+  command is also logged, so the PATH fallback of `--from-source` is
+  visible.
 - `darnit serve` with no `--framework` now serves OpenSSF Baseline when it
   is installed, the same default as `darnit audit`. It used to take the
   first installed framework by name, which on a full `darnit-mcp` install
diff --git a/docs/getting-started/using-skills.md b/docs/getting-started/using-skills.md
index 1e61a9fd..8d894df7 100644
--- a/docs/getting-started/using-skills.md
+++ b/docs/getting-started/using-skills.md
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ darnit install --mcp-only
 
 # Claude Desktop (GUI app) — different config file than Claude Code
 darnit install --client claude-desktop
+
+# From a source checkout: register this installation, not the PyPI package
+darnit install --from-source
 ```
 
 After installation, restart Claude Code. The skills appear as slash commands.
diff --git a/docs/install/from-source.md b/docs/install/from-source.md
index fd7bd01f..2422fba9 100644
--- a/docs/install/from-source.md
+++ b/docs/install/from-source.md
@@ -54,14 +54,16 @@ darnit serve --framework openssf-baseline
 Or configure it as an MCP server in Claude Code:
 
 ```bash
-# Recommended: use darnit's install command (writes ~/.claude.json)
-darnit install --client claude-code
+# Recommended: use darnit's install command (writes ~/.claude.json).
+# --from-source registers this checkout's darnit. Without it the entry runs
+# the darnit-mcp release on PyPI through uvx, not this checkout.
+darnit install --client claude-code --from-source
 
 # Or register manually with the Claude Code CLI
 claude mcp add --scope user darnit -- "$(which darnit)" serve --framework openssf-baseline
 ```
 
-For a project-local MCP config, run `darnit install --project` from the repo root (writes `.mcp.json`).
+`--project` writes the absolute path of this checkout's venv into the repository's `.mcp.json`, so it is not recommended with `--from-source`; see `docs/SECURITY_GUIDE.md` on project-scoped registration.
 
 ## Switching branches
 
diff --git a/packages/darnit/src/darnit/cli.py b/packages/darnit/src/darnit/cli.py
index d056c9d4..6541d428 100644
--- a/packages/darnit/src/darnit/cli.py
+++ b/packages/darnit/src/darnit/cli.py
@@ -638,6 +638,23 @@ def _install_skills(target_dir: Path, force: bool = False) -> int:
     return installed
 
 
+def _local_darnit_executable() -> Path | None:
+    """Return the darnit console script of the running installation, if any.
+
+    Looks next to the running interpreter first, so the answer is the same
+    whether darnit was started from a virtual environment, through a symlink,
+    or by ``uv run``. Falls back to ``darnit`` on PATH.
+    """
+    import shutil
+
+    name = "darnit.exe" if sys.platform == "win32" else "darnit"
+    candidate = Path(sys.executable).parent / name
+    if candidate.is_file():
+        return candidate
+    found = shutil.which("darnit")
+    return Path(found) if found else None
+
+
 def cmd_install(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
     """Install darnit MCP server config and skills into a supported client."""
     import shutil
@@ -653,6 +670,27 @@ def cmd_install(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
             f"Ignoring --project for --client {args.client}."
         )
 
+    # Resolve the command first, so a failed lookup writes nothing: no
+    # client directory, no backup of an existing settings file.
+    if getattr(args, "from_source", False):
+        darnit_exe = _local_darnit_executable()
+        if darnit_exe is None:
+            logger.error("--from-source: the darnit executable of this installation was not found.")
+            return 1
+        # Name the framework. Both entries do: `darnit serve` without
+        # --framework took the first installed framework by name until #577,
+        # and the uvx entry runs whatever darnit-mcp release is on PyPI.
+        darnit_entry = {
+            "command": str(darnit_exe),
+            "args": ["serve", "--framework", "openssf-baseline"],
+        }
+    else:
+        darnit_entry = {
+            "command": "uvx",
+            "args": ["--from", "darnit-mcp", "darnit", "serve", "--framework", "openssf-baseline"],
+        }
+    logger.info("Registering MCP server command: %s %s", darnit_entry["command"], " ".join(darnit_entry["args"]))
+
     if args.client in ("claude", "claude-code"):
         if args.project:
             settings_path = Path.cwd() / ".mcp.json"
@@ -690,10 +728,6 @@ def cmd_install(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
         shutil.copy2(settings_path, backup_path)
 
     mcp_servers = config.setdefault("mcpServers", {})
-    darnit_entry = {
-        "command": "uvx",
-        "args": ["--from", "darnit-mcp", "darnit", "serve"],
-    }
 
     if "darnit" in mcp_servers and not args.force:
         response = input(f"'darnit' entry already exists in {settings_path}. Overwrite? [y/N]: ").strip().lower()
@@ -1768,6 +1802,12 @@ def create_parser() -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
         help="Install skills into .claude/skills/ and MCP config into .mcp.json (per-project) instead of "
              "user-scope paths. Not recommended: the repository then controls how darnit is launched.",
     )
+    install_parser.add_argument(
+        "--from-source",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Register the darnit executable of this installation (a source checkout or any other "
+             "non-PyPI install) instead of `uvx --from darnit-mcp`.",
+    )
     install_parser.set_defaults(func=cmd_install)
 
     return parser
diff --git a/tests/darnit/test_cli.py b/tests/darnit/test_cli.py
index 8c6f5a47..1701938d 100644
--- a/tests/darnit/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/darnit/test_cli.py
@@ -28,7 +28,14 @@ def test_install_claude_creates_settings(tmp_path, monkeypatch, caplog):
     assert "mcpServers" in data
     assert "darnit" in data["mcpServers"]
     assert data["mcpServers"]["darnit"]["command"] == "uvx"
-    assert data["mcpServers"]["darnit"]["args"] == ["--from", "darnit-mcp", "darnit", "serve"]
+    assert data["mcpServers"]["darnit"]["args"] == [
+        "--from",
+        "darnit-mcp",
+        "darnit",
+        "serve",
+        "--framework",
+        "openssf-baseline",
+    ]
 
     assert not any(
         record.levelname == "WARNING" and "deprecated" in record.message.lower() for record in caplog.records
@@ -183,6 +190,50 @@ def test_serve_refuses_to_guess_between_other_frameworks(monkeypatch, caplog):
     assert any("--framework" in record.message for record in caplog.records)
 
 
+def test_install_from_source_registers_local_executable(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr("pathlib.Path.home", lambda: tmp_path)
+    bin_dir = tmp_path / "venv" / "bin"
+    bin_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+    exe_name = "darnit.exe" if sys.platform == "win32" else "darnit"
+    (bin_dir / exe_name).write_text("")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "executable", str(bin_dir / "python"))
+
+    exit_code = main(["install", "--mcp-only", "--from-source"])
+
+    assert exit_code == 0
+    entry = json.loads((tmp_path / ".claude.json").read_text())["mcpServers"]["darnit"]
+    assert entry == {"command": str(bin_dir / exe_name), "args": ["serve", "--framework", "openssf-baseline"]}
+
+
+def test_install_from_source_falls_back_to_path(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr("pathlib.Path.home", lambda: tmp_path)
+    on_path = tmp_path / "onpath" / "darnit"
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "executable", str(tmp_path / "nowhere" / "python"))
+    monkeypatch.setattr("shutil.which", lambda name: str(on_path) if name == "darnit" else None)
+
+    exit_code = main(["install", "--mcp-only", "--from-source"])
+
+    assert exit_code == 0
+    entry = json.loads((tmp_path / ".claude.json").read_text())["mcpServers"]["darnit"]
+    assert entry == {"command": str(on_path), "args": ["serve", "--framework", "openssf-baseline"]}
+
+
+def test_install_from_source_fails_when_executable_is_missing(tmp_path, monkeypatch, caplog):
+    monkeypatch.setattr("pathlib.Path.home", lambda: tmp_path)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "executable", str(tmp_path / "nowhere" / "python"))
+    monkeypatch.setattr("shutil.which", lambda name: None)
+    settings = tmp_path / ".claude.json"
+    settings.write_text('{"mcpServers": {}}')
+
+    exit_code = main(["install", "--mcp-only", "--from-source"])
+
+    assert exit_code == 1
+    assert settings.read_text() == '{"mcpServers": {}}'
+    assert not settings.with_suffix(".json.bak").exists(), "a failed lookup must not write a backup"
+    assert not (tmp_path / ".cursor").exists()
+    assert any("--from-source" in record.message for record in caplog.records)
+
+
 class TestCreateParser:
     """Tests for CLI argument parsing."""