diff --git a/.zprofile b/.zprofile
deleted file mode 100644
index ecdcf07..0000000
--- a/.zprofile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-# Login shell hook. easyzsh keeps PATH and machine-local env in ~/.zshenv
-# (via ~/.config/zsh/local.zsh). Leave this file empty unless a tool insists
-# on writing login-only hooks here — prefer moving those into local.zsh.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a8c1f0f..7e28db6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -25,11 +25,12 @@ From a git checkout:
 | --- | --- | --- |
 | `~/.zshenv` | Always-on: Homebrew, `~/.local/bin`, source `local.zsh` | Overwritten |
 | `~/.zshrc` | Interactive: omz, plugins, aliases, fzf, zoxide | Overwritten |
-| `~/.zprofile` | Login placeholder (prefer `local.zsh` for machine hooks) | Overwritten |
 | `~/.config/zsh/local.zsh` | Machine-local overrides (every zsh, including agents) | **Never overwritten** |
 | `~/.config/zshrc/*.zsh` | Personal/tool overlays before oh-my-zsh | Left alone |
 | `~/.local/bin/` | User tools + shims (e.g. `grok` → `~/.grok/bin/grok`) | Left alone |
 
+easyzsh does **not** manage `~/.zprofile`. Put machine/login hooks in `local.zsh`.
+
 Do **not** put `~/.grok/bin` on PATH wholesale.
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/deploy.sh b/deploy.sh
index af7a774..21018b0 100755
--- a/deploy.sh
+++ b/deploy.sh
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Install easyzsh shell stubs into a home directory.
-# Overwrites: ~/.zshenv ~/.zshrc ~/.zprofile
+# Overwrites: ~/.zshenv ~/.zshrc
 # Never overwrites: ~/.config/zsh/local.zsh  ~/.config/zshrc/**  ~/.local/bin/**
+# Does not manage ~/.zprofile (machine/login hooks belong in local.zsh).
 #
 # Usage:
 #   ./deploy.sh
 #   ./deploy.sh --home /path/to/home
-#   ./deploy.sh --migrate-zprofile   # fold pre-easyzsh ~/.zprofile into local.zsh
+#   ./deploy.sh --migrate-zprofile   # fold real ~/.zprofile into local.zsh, then remove stub
 
 set -euo pipefail
 
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ fi
 
 ZSH_CFG="${TARGET_HOME}/.config/zsh"
 LOCAL_ZSH="${ZSH_CFG}/local.zsh"
+ZPROFILE="${TARGET_HOME}/.zprofile"
 ts=$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)
 
 backup_file() {
@@ -56,6 +58,16 @@ file_has_content() {
   [[ -f "$1" ]] && grep -q '[^[:space:]]' "$1"
 }
 
+is_easyzsh_zprofile_stub() {
+  local f="$1"
+  [[ -f "$f" ]] || return 1
+  # Comment-only placeholder from earlier easyzsh deploys.
+  if grep -Eqv '^[[:space:]]*(#|$)' "$f"; then
+    return 1
+  fi
+  grep -Eq 'easyzsh|PATH lives in|Leave this file empty|prefer.*local\.zsh' "$f"
+}
+
 echo "Deploying easyzsh shell stubs into $TARGET_HOME"
 
 mkdir -p \
@@ -87,11 +99,11 @@ if [[ ! -f "$LOCAL_ZSH" ]]; then
   rm -f "$tmp"
 fi
 
-# Fold a pre-easyzsh ~/.zprofile into local.zsh. Skip easyzsh stub / empty files.
-if [[ "$MIGRATE_ZPROFILE" -eq 1 && -f "${TARGET_HOME}/.zprofile" ]]; then
-  if grep -Eq 'easyzsh|PATH lives in|Machine-local env' "${TARGET_HOME}/.zprofile" 2>/dev/null \
-     || grep -Fq 'Leave this file empty' "${TARGET_HOME}/.zprofile" 2>/dev/null; then
-    echo "Skipping zprofile migration: already easyzsh-managed"
+# Optional: fold a real (non-stub) ~/.zprofile into local.zsh.
+if [[ "$MIGRATE_ZPROFILE" -eq 1 && -f "$ZPROFILE" ]]; then
+  if is_easyzsh_zprofile_stub "$ZPROFILE"; then
+    echo "Removing easyzsh ~/.zprofile stub (hooks live in local.zsh / .zshenv)"
+    rm -f "$ZPROFILE"
   elif [[ ! -f "$LOCAL_ZSH" ]]; then
     zprofile_extract=$(mktemp)
     awk '
@@ -99,22 +111,30 @@ if [[ "$MIGRATE_ZPROFILE" -eq 1 && -f "${TARGET_HOME}/.zprofile" ]]; then
       skip_pipx && /local\/bin/ { skip_pipx=0; next }
       skip_pipx { next }
       { print }
-    ' "${TARGET_HOME}/.zprofile" >"$zprofile_extract"
+    ' "$ZPROFILE" >"$zprofile_extract"
     if file_has_content "$zprofile_extract"; then
       cp "$zprofile_extract" "$LOCAL_ZSH"
       echo "Migrated ~/.zprofile body -> ~/.config/zsh/local.zsh"
+      rm -f "$ZPROFILE"
+      echo "Removed ~/.zprofile after migration"
     fi
     rm -f "$zprofile_extract"
+  elif is_easyzsh_zprofile_stub "$ZPROFILE"; then
+    rm -f "$ZPROFILE"
   fi
 fi
 
+# Always drop the comment-only easyzsh stub if present (even without --migrate).
+if is_easyzsh_zprofile_stub "$ZPROFILE"; then
+  rm -f "$ZPROFILE"
+  echo "Removed empty easyzsh ~/.zprofile stub"
+fi
+
 backup_file "${TARGET_HOME}/.zshenv"
 backup_file "${TARGET_HOME}/.zshrc"
-backup_file "${TARGET_HOME}/.zprofile"
 
 install -m 644 "${ROOT}/.zshenv" "${TARGET_HOME}/.zshenv"
 install -m 644 "${ROOT}/.zshrc" "${TARGET_HOME}/.zshrc"
-install -m 644 "${ROOT}/.zprofile" "${TARGET_HOME}/.zprofile"
 
 # Remove obsolete managed-tree layout and examples from earlier deploys.
 /bin/rm -rf \
diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 75a0ab9..12d6285 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -264,8 +264,7 @@ echo -e "Downloading easyzsh shell stubs\n"
 for rel in \
     deploy.sh \
     .zshenv \
-    .zshrc \
-    .zprofile
+    .zshrc
 do
     download_easyzsh_file "$rel"
 done
diff --git a/tests/installers.sh b/tests/installers.sh
index d9d8f17..249a0c6 100755
--- a/tests/installers.sh
+++ b/tests/installers.sh
@@ -81,10 +81,11 @@ for script in "$ROOT"/*.sh; do
     bash -n "$script"
 done
 
-for config in "$ROOT/.zshenv" "$ROOT/.zshrc" "$ROOT/.zprofile" "$ROOT"/zshrc/*.zsh; do
+for config in "$ROOT/.zshenv" "$ROOT/.zshrc" "$ROOT"/zshrc/*.zsh; do
     [[ -f "$config" ]] || continue
     zsh -n "$config"
 done
+[[ ! -e "$ROOT/.zprofile" ]] || fail "easyzsh should not ship a managed .zprofile"
 
 grep -q 'NVM_VERSION="v0.40.4"' "$ROOT/install_nvm.sh" || fail "nvm version is stale"
 grep -q 'apt-get install -y unzip' "$ROOT/install_fnm.sh" || fail "Ubuntu unzip installation is missing"