diff --git a/base/updates.zsh b/base/updates.zsh
index 62b7d5a..152177f 100644
--- a/base/updates.zsh
+++ b/base/updates.zsh
@@ -6,4 +6,16 @@ if type git &> /dev/null; then
     git pull &> ~/.local/share/zeesh/pull.log
 
     cd "${start_dir}"
+
+    _zshrc_updates_pending=0
+
+    if type md5sum &> /dev/null; then
+            cmp -s ~/.zshrc ~/.local/share/zeesh/zshrc-stub
+            if [[ $? -eq 1 ]]; then
+                    cp ~/.local/share/zeesh/zshrc-stub ~/.zshrc
+                    _zshrc_updates_pending=1
+            fi
+    fi
+    
+    [[ _zshrc_updates_pending -eq 1 ]] && printf "zeesh: stub updates pending\n"
 fi
diff --git a/zshrc-stub b/zshrc-stub
index 35c09ba..ec94238 100644
--- a/zshrc-stub
+++ b/zshrc-stub
@@ -5,18 +5,16 @@ autoload -U colors && colors
 PROMPT="%{$fg[cyan]%}%n%{$fg[white]%}@%{$fg[magenta]%}%m %{$fg[white]%}%~ %# "
 RPROMPT="%{$fg_bold[black]%}%T%{$reset_color%}"
 
-_zshrc_updates_pending=0
-
-if type md5sum &> /dev/null; then
-        cmp -s ~/.zshrc ~/.local/share/zeesh/zshrc-stub
-        if [[ $? -eq 1 ]]; then
-                cp ~/.local/share/zeesh/zshrc-stub ~/.zshrc
-                _zshrc_updates_pending=1
-        fi
+if [[ ! -d ~/.local/share/zeesh ]]; then
+    if type git &> /dev/null; then
+        printf "zeesh: installing"
+        git clone git://vcs.lavacano.net/zeesh.git ~/.local/share/zeesh &> ~/zeesh-install.log
+    else
+        printf "zeesh: cannot install without git\n"
+        return
+    fi
 fi
 
-[[ _zshrc_updates_pending -eq 1 ]] && printf "zeesh: stub updates pending\n"
-
 # kick things off
 fpath=(
     ~/.local/share/zeesh/plugins