diff --git a/src/cli/index.ts b/src/cli/index.ts
index 97920c0..530de44 100644
--- a/src/cli/index.ts
+++ b/src/cli/index.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@
 try { process.loadEnvFile(); } catch { /* .env not found — that's fine */ }
 
 import './suppressNodeWarnings.js';
+import { realpathSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { resolve } from 'node:path';
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
 import { Command } from 'commander';
 import { registerStartCommand } from './start.js';
 import { registerSendCommand } from './send.js';
@@ -55,12 +58,23 @@ export function createProgram(): Command {
   return program;
 }
 
-// Only run when executed directly (not imported in tests)
-const isDirectRun = process.argv[1] &&
-  (process.argv[1].endsWith('/cli/index.js') ||
-   process.argv[1].endsWith('/cli/index.ts'));
+// Only run when executed directly (not imported in tests).
+// Resolve symlinks so installed shims (e.g. ~/.local/bin/flynn) still execute the CLI.
+function isDirectRun(): boolean {
+  if (!process.argv[1]) {
+    return false;
+  }
 
-if (isDirectRun) {
+  try {
+    const currentFile = realpathSync(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
+    const invokedFile = realpathSync(resolve(process.argv[1]));
+    return currentFile === invokedFile;
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+if (isDirectRun()) {
   const program = createProgram();
   program.parse(process.argv);
 }