diff --git a/docs/INSTALL.md b/docs/INSTALL.md
index 47486a7..ae2865e 100644
--- a/docs/INSTALL.md
+++ b/docs/INSTALL.md
@@ -251,13 +251,24 @@ Switch engines in Settings → Speech Model (Advanced), or edit `~/.config/vocal
 
 ## Uninstall
 
+From a source checkout, `./uninstall.sh` removes the install and that checkout's `venv/`, `build/`, `dist/`, and Python bytecode. `--keep-config` and `--keep-data` leave `~/.config/vocalinux` and `~/.local/share/vocalinux` in place.
+
 ```bash
 ./uninstall.sh
 ./uninstall.sh --keep-config
 ./uninstall.sh --keep-data
 ```
 
-Manual cleanup:
+The website command downloads this same script and runs it:
+
+```bash
+curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux/main/uninstall.sh -o /tmp/vul.sh
+bash /tmp/vul.sh
+```
+
+That removes Vocalinux from your home directory (config, data, launchers, desktop entry, icons). It does not delete `venv/`, `build/`, `dist/`, or `.pyc` files in the directory where you ran it.
+
+From the source checkout, the equivalent by hand:
 
 ```bash
 rm -rf venv ~/.config/vocalinux ~/.local/share/vocalinux
diff --git a/docs/UPDATE.md b/docs/UPDATE.md
index a6ed33f..3399996 100644
--- a/docs/UPDATE.md
+++ b/docs/UPDATE.md
@@ -55,7 +55,13 @@ python3 -c "import vocalinux; print(vocalinux.version.__version__)"
 Clean reinstall (keeps config and models by default):
 
 ```bash
+# Source checkout
 ./uninstall.sh --keep-config --keep-data
+
+# Curl install (safe to run from any directory)
+curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux/main/uninstall.sh -o /tmp/vul.sh
+bash /tmp/vul.sh --keep-config --keep-data
+
 curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux/main/install.sh -o /tmp/vl.sh
 bash /tmp/vl.sh
 ```
diff --git a/tests/test_uninstall_cwd_safety.py b/tests/test_uninstall_cwd_safety.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7654649
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_uninstall_cwd_safety.py
@@ -0,0 +1,425 @@
+"""uninstall.sh must not delete the caller's working directory.
+
+The website runs ``bash /tmp/vul.sh`` from whatever directory the terminal is
+in. ``venv/``, ``build/``, ``dist/``, and Python bytecode are removed only when
+the script itself lives in a Vocalinux source checkout, and only inside that
+checkout.
+"""
+
+import os
+import subprocess
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+REPO_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
+UNINSTALL_SH = REPO_ROOT / "uninstall.sh"
+
+
+def _write_script(dest: Path) -> None:
+    dest.write_bytes(UNINSTALL_SH.read_bytes())
+    dest.chmod(0o755)
+
+
+def _decoy_tree(root: Path) -> None:
+    """Files a careless ``find .`` / ``rm -rf venv`` would destroy."""
+    package = root / "proj" / "pkg"
+    cache = package / "__pycache__"
+    cache.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (package / "mod.py").write_text("x = 1\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    (cache / "mod.cpython-312.pyc").write_bytes(b"pyc")
+    (root / "bytecode-only.pyc").write_bytes(b"pyc")
+    (root / "bytecode-only.pyo").write_bytes(b"pyo")
+    (root / "venv" / "bin").mkdir(parents=True)
+    (root / "venv" / "bin" / "python").write_text("#!/bin/sh\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    (root / "build").mkdir()
+    (root / "build" / "out").write_text("build", encoding="utf-8")
+    (root / "dist").mkdir()
+    (root / "dist" / "pkg.whl").write_text("wheel", encoding="utf-8")
+    (root / "notes.txt").write_text("keep", encoding="utf-8")
+    (root / ".pytest_cache").mkdir()
+    (root / ".coverage").write_text("cov", encoding="utf-8")
+    (root / "src" / "pkg.egg-info").mkdir(parents=True)
+    (root / "activate-vocalinux.sh").write_text("echo hi\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    (root / "vocalinux-run.py").write_text("print(1)\n", encoding="utf-8")
+
+
+def _assert_decoy_intact(root: Path) -> None:
+    assert (root / "notes.txt").read_text(encoding="utf-8") == "keep"
+    assert (root / "proj" / "pkg" / "mod.py").is_file()
+    assert (root / "proj" / "pkg" / "__pycache__" / "mod.cpython-312.pyc").is_file()
+    assert (root / "bytecode-only.pyc").is_file()
+    assert (root / "bytecode-only.pyo").is_file()
+    assert (root / "venv" / "bin" / "python").is_file()
+    assert (root / "build" / "out").is_file()
+    assert (root / "dist" / "pkg.whl").is_file()
+    assert (root / ".pytest_cache").is_dir()
+    assert (root / ".coverage").is_file()
+    assert (root / "src" / "pkg.egg-info").is_dir()
+    assert (root / "activate-vocalinux.sh").is_file()
+    assert (root / "vocalinux-run.py").is_file()
+
+
+def _make_checkout(root: Path) -> Path:
+    checkout = root / "vocalinux"
+    (checkout / "src" / "vocalinux").mkdir(parents=True)
+    (checkout / "pyproject.toml").write_text(
+        '[project]\nname = "vocalinux"\n',
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    (checkout / "src" / "vocalinux" / "__init__.py").write_text("", encoding="utf-8")
+    _write_script(checkout / "uninstall.sh")
+    return checkout
+
+
+def _write_stub(path: Path, body: str) -> None:
+    path.write_text(body, encoding="utf-8")
+    path.chmod(0o755)
+
+
+def _run(script: Path, cwd: Path, home: Path, *args: str) -> subprocess.CompletedProcess[str]:
+    """Run uninstall.sh against a fake home, without the host's pgrep or kill.
+
+    The uninstaller looks up this uid's processes and can TERM then KILL a
+    running Vocalinux. A stub earlier on PATH records the call and matches
+    nothing, so the suite cannot stop the app a developer has open.
+    """
+    bin_dir = home.parent / "uninstall-test-bin"
+    bin_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+    pgrep_log = home.parent / "pgrep.log"
+    kill_log = home.parent / "kill.log"
+    _write_stub(
+        bin_dir / "pgrep",
+        "#!/bin/sh\n" 'printf \'%s\\n\' "$*" >> "$VOCALINUX_TEST_PGREP_LOG"\n' "exit 1\n",
+    )
+    _write_stub(
+        bin_dir / "kill",
+        "#!/bin/sh\n" 'printf \'%s\\n\' "$*" >> "$VOCALINUX_TEST_KILL_LOG"\n' "exit 0\n",
+    )
+    env = os.environ.copy()
+    env["HOME"] = str(home)
+    env["PATH"] = os.pathsep.join((str(bin_dir), env.get("PATH", "")))
+    env["VOCALINUX_TEST_PGREP_LOG"] = str(pgrep_log)
+    env["VOCALINUX_TEST_KILL_LOG"] = str(kill_log)
+    env.pop("XDG_DATA_HOME", None)
+    env.pop("XDG_CONFIG_HOME", None)
+    env.pop("VIRTUAL_ENV", None)
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        ["bash", str(script), "-y", *args],
+        cwd=cwd,
+        env=env,
+        capture_output=True,
+        text=True,
+        timeout=30,
+        stdin=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+        check=False,
+    )
+    if "Checking for running Vocalinux processes" in result.stdout:
+        logged = pgrep_log.read_text(encoding="utf-8") if pgrep_log.is_file() else ""
+        assert "vocalinux" in logged, "uninstall.sh did not use the test pgrep stub"
+    if kill_log.is_file():
+        assert kill_log.read_text(encoding="utf-8").strip() == ""
+    return result
+
+
+def _output(result: subprocess.CompletedProcess[str]) -> str:
+    return result.stdout + result.stderr
+
+
+def test_curl_style_run_leaves_the_callers_directory_alone(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """The reported repro: script in /tmp, junk under $PWD, fake home."""
+    home = tmp_path / "home"
+    cwd = tmp_path / "cwd"
+    home.mkdir()
+    cwd.mkdir()
+    _decoy_tree(cwd)
+    script = tmp_path / "vul.sh"
+    _write_script(script)
+
+    data = home / ".local" / "share" / "vocalinux"
+    config = home / ".config" / "vocalinux"
+    data.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (data / "marker").write_text("data", encoding="utf-8")
+    (data / "venv").mkdir()
+    (data / "venv" / "pyvenv.cfg").write_text("home = /usr\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    config.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (config / "config.json").write_text("{}\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    bindir = home / ".local" / "bin"
+    bindir.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (bindir / "vocalinux").write_text("#!/bin/sh\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    (bindir / "vocalinux-gui").symlink_to("vocalinux")
+    (bindir / "activate-vocalinux.sh").write_text("echo\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    desktop = home / ".local" / "share" / "applications"
+    desktop.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (desktop / "vocalinux.desktop").write_text("[Desktop Entry]\n", encoding="utf-8")
+
+    result = _run(script, cwd, home)
+
+    assert result.returncode == 0, _output(result)
+    assert "skipping build-artifact cleanup" in result.stdout
+    assert "Failed to remove some" not in _output(result)
+    _assert_decoy_intact(cwd)
+    assert not data.exists()
+    assert not config.exists()
+    assert not (bindir / "vocalinux").exists()
+    assert not (bindir / "vocalinux-gui").exists()
+    assert not (bindir / "activate-vocalinux.sh").exists()
+    assert not (desktop / "vocalinux.desktop").exists()
+
+
+def test_keep_flags_still_do_not_touch_the_working_directory(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    home = tmp_path / "home"
+    cwd = tmp_path / "cwd"
+    home.mkdir()
+    cwd.mkdir()
+    _decoy_tree(cwd)
+    script = tmp_path / "vul.sh"
+    _write_script(script)
+    config = home / ".config" / "vocalinux"
+    data = home / ".local" / "share" / "vocalinux"
+    config.mkdir(parents=True)
+    data.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (config / "config.json").write_text("{}\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    (data / "marker").write_text("data", encoding="utf-8")
+
+    result = _run(script, cwd, home, "--keep-config", "--keep-data")
+
+    assert result.returncode == 0, _output(result)
+    _assert_decoy_intact(cwd)
+    assert (config / "config.json").is_file()
+    assert (data / "marker").is_file()
+
+
+def test_source_checkout_cleans_itself_and_leaves_the_caller_alone(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    home = tmp_path / "home"
+    home.mkdir()
+    checkout = _make_checkout(tmp_path)
+    _decoy_tree(checkout)
+    cwd = tmp_path / "cwd"
+    cwd.mkdir()
+    _decoy_tree(cwd)
+
+    result = _run(checkout / "uninstall.sh", cwd, home)
+
+    assert result.returncode == 0, _output(result)
+    assert "Failed to remove some" not in _output(result)
+    _assert_decoy_intact(cwd)
+    assert (checkout / "notes.txt").is_file()
+    assert (checkout / "proj" / "pkg" / "mod.py").is_file()
+    assert (checkout / "src" / "vocalinux" / "__init__.py").is_file()
+    assert (checkout / "pyproject.toml").is_file()
+    assert not (checkout / "venv").exists()
+    assert not (checkout / "build").exists()
+    assert not (checkout / "dist").exists()
+    assert not (checkout / "bytecode-only.pyc").exists()
+    assert not (checkout / "bytecode-only.pyo").exists()
+    assert not (checkout / ".coverage").exists()
+    assert not (checkout / ".pytest_cache").exists()
+    assert not (checkout / "proj" / "pkg" / "__pycache__").exists()
+    assert not (checkout / "src" / "pkg.egg-info").exists()
+    assert not (checkout / "activate-vocalinux.sh").exists()
+    assert not (checkout / "vocalinux-run.py").exists()
+
+
+def test_dev_venv_records_survive_checkout_cleanup(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """`.venv` is the dev environment. Uninstall must not strip its metadata."""
+    home = tmp_path / "home"
+    home.mkdir()
+    checkout = _make_checkout(tmp_path)
+    _decoy_tree(checkout)
+    dev_egg = checkout / ".venv" / "lib" / "python3.12" / "site-packages" / "dep.egg-info"
+    dev_egg.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (dev_egg / "PKG-INFO").write_text("Metadata-Version: 2.1\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    dev_cache = checkout / ".venv" / "lib" / "python3.12" / "site-packages" / "dep" / "__pycache__"
+    dev_cache.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (dev_cache / "mod.cpython-312.pyc").write_bytes(b"pyc")
+    (checkout / ".venv" / ".coverage").write_text("keep", encoding="utf-8")
+    (checkout / "vocalinux.egg-info").mkdir()
+    (checkout / "vocalinux.egg-info" / "PKG-INFO").write_text("name\n", encoding="utf-8")
+
+    result = _run(checkout / "uninstall.sh", tmp_path, home)
+
+    assert result.returncode == 0, _output(result)
+    assert "Failed to remove some" not in _output(result)
+    assert (dev_egg / "PKG-INFO").is_file()
+    assert (dev_cache / "mod.cpython-312.pyc").is_file()
+    assert (checkout / ".venv" / ".coverage").is_file()
+    assert not (checkout / "src" / "pkg.egg-info").exists()
+    assert not (checkout / "vocalinux.egg-info").exists()
+    assert not (checkout / "proj" / "pkg" / "__pycache__").exists()
+    assert not (checkout / ".coverage").exists()
+
+
+def test_curl_clone_uninstall_does_not_print_a_cleanup_error(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """The cloned repo is a checkout, and uninstall deletes that same directory."""
+    home = tmp_path / "home"
+    cwd = tmp_path / "cwd"
+    home.mkdir()
+    cwd.mkdir()
+    (cwd / "notes.txt").write_text("keep", encoding="utf-8")
+    clone = home / ".local" / "share" / "vocalinux-install"
+    (clone / "src" / "vocalinux").mkdir(parents=True)
+    (clone / "pyproject.toml").write_text('[project]\nname = "vocalinux"\n', encoding="utf-8")
+    (clone / "src" / "vocalinux" / "__init__.py").write_text("", encoding="utf-8")
+    (clone / "src" / "vocalinux.egg-info").mkdir()
+    (clone / "build").mkdir()
+    (clone / "build" / "out").write_text("build", encoding="utf-8")
+    _write_script(clone / "uninstall.sh")
+
+    result = _run(clone / "uninstall.sh", cwd, home)
+
+    assert result.returncode == 0, _output(result)
+    output = _output(result)
+    assert "Refusing to clean build artifacts" not in output
+    assert "[ERROR]" not in output
+    assert "Failed to remove some" not in output
+    assert "Uninstallation completed successfully" in result.stdout
+    assert not clone.exists()
+    assert (cwd / "notes.txt").read_text(encoding="utf-8") == "keep"
+
+
+def test_running_inside_the_checkout_still_cleans_it(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    home = tmp_path / "home"
+    home.mkdir()
+    checkout = _make_checkout(tmp_path)
+    _decoy_tree(checkout)
+
+    result = _run(checkout / "uninstall.sh", checkout, home)
+
+    assert result.returncode == 0, _output(result)
+    assert (checkout / "proj" / "pkg" / "mod.py").is_file()
+    assert not (checkout / "venv").exists()
+    assert not (checkout / "bytecode-only.pyc").exists()
+    assert not (checkout / "proj" / "pkg" / "__pycache__").exists()
+
+
+def test_another_projects_tree_is_not_treated_as_a_checkout(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    home = tmp_path / "home"
+    home.mkdir()
+    project = tmp_path / "other"
+    (project / "src" / "vocalinux").mkdir(parents=True)
+    (project / "pyproject.toml").write_text('name = "not-vocalinux"\n', encoding="utf-8")
+    _write_script(project / "uninstall.sh")
+    _decoy_tree(project)
+
+    result = _run(project / "uninstall.sh", project, home)
+
+    assert result.returncode == 0, _output(result)
+    assert "skipping build-artifact cleanup" in result.stdout
+    _assert_decoy_intact(project)
+
+
+def test_relative_venv_dir_outside_a_checkout_is_refused(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    home = tmp_path / "home"
+    cwd = tmp_path / "cwd"
+    home.mkdir()
+    cwd.mkdir()
+    _decoy_tree(cwd)
+    script = tmp_path / "vul.sh"
+    _write_script(script)
+
+    result = _run(script, cwd, home, "--venv-dir=venv")
+
+    assert result.returncode == 1
+    assert "Refusing relative --venv-dir" in result.stdout
+    _assert_decoy_intact(cwd)
+
+
+def test_relative_venv_dir_resolves_inside_the_checkout(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    home = tmp_path / "home"
+    home.mkdir()
+    checkout = _make_checkout(tmp_path)
+    (checkout / "custom-venv" / "bin").mkdir(parents=True)
+    (checkout / "custom-venv" / "bin" / "python").write_text("x", encoding="utf-8")
+    cwd = tmp_path / "cwd"
+    cwd.mkdir()
+    (cwd / "custom-venv" / "bin").mkdir(parents=True)
+    (cwd / "custom-venv" / "bin" / "python").write_text("keep", encoding="utf-8")
+    (cwd / "notes.txt").write_text("keep", encoding="utf-8")
+
+    result = _run(checkout / "uninstall.sh", cwd, home, "--venv-dir=custom-venv")
+
+    assert result.returncode == 0, _output(result)
+    assert not (checkout / "custom-venv").exists()
+    assert (cwd / "custom-venv" / "bin" / "python").read_text(encoding="utf-8") == "keep"
+    assert (cwd / "notes.txt").is_file()
+
+
+def test_absolute_venv_dir_is_removed_and_the_caller_is_not(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    home = tmp_path / "home"
+    cwd = tmp_path / "cwd"
+    home.mkdir()
+    cwd.mkdir()
+    _decoy_tree(cwd)
+    extra = tmp_path / "custom-venv"
+    (extra / "bin").mkdir(parents=True)
+    (extra / "bin" / "python").write_text("x", encoding="utf-8")
+    script = tmp_path / "vul.sh"
+    _write_script(script)
+
+    result = _run(script, cwd, home, f"--venv-dir={extra}")
+
+    assert result.returncode == 0, _output(result)
+    assert not extra.exists()
+    _assert_decoy_intact(cwd)
+
+
+def test_help_does_not_default_to_a_cwd_relative_venv() -> None:
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        ["bash", str(UNINSTALL_SH), "--help"],
+        capture_output=True,
+        text=True,
+        timeout=10,
+        check=False,
+    )
+    assert result.returncode == 0, _output(result)
+    assert "default: venv" not in result.stdout
+    assert "source checkout" in result.stdout
+
+
+def test_build_artifact_search_stays_on_one_filesystem() -> None:
+    source = UNINSTALL_SH.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    cleanup = source.split("cleanup_build_artifacts() {", 1)[1].split("\n}", 1)[0]
+    finds = [line.strip() for line in cleanup.splitlines() if line.strip().startswith("find ")]
+    assert finds
+    assert all("-xdev" in line for line in finds)
+
+
+def test_uninstaller_is_valid_bash() -> None:
+    syntax = subprocess.run(
+        ["bash", "-n", str(UNINSTALL_SH)],
+        capture_output=True,
+        text=True,
+        check=False,
+    )
+    assert syntax.returncode == 0, syntax.stderr
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "pyproject",
+    [
+        "",
+        'name = "vocalinux"\n',
+    ],
+)
+def test_checkout_detection_needs_both_the_name_and_the_package_dir(
+    tmp_path: Path, pyproject: str
+) -> None:
+    """A pyproject alone, or the package dir without the project name, is not enough."""
+    home = tmp_path / "home"
+    home.mkdir()
+    project = tmp_path / "partial"
+    project.mkdir()
+    if pyproject:
+        (project / "pyproject.toml").write_text(pyproject, encoding="utf-8")
+    else:
+        (project / "src" / "vocalinux").mkdir(parents=True)
+    _write_script(project / "uninstall.sh")
+    (project / "venv").mkdir()
+    (project / "venv" / "marker").write_text("keep", encoding="utf-8")
+
+    result = _run(project / "uninstall.sh", tmp_path, home)
+
+    assert result.returncode == 0, _output(result)
+    assert (project / "venv" / "marker").is_file()
+    assert "skipping build-artifact cleanup" in result.stdout
diff --git a/uninstall.sh b/uninstall.sh
index 67813ad..3b71deb 100755
--- a/uninstall.sh
+++ b/uninstall.sh
@@ -205,9 +205,20 @@ echo ""
 # Parse command line arguments
 KEEP_CONFIG="no"
 KEEP_DATA="no"
-VENV_DIR="venv"
 NON_INTERACTIVE="no"
 
+# Repo-relative cleanup is only safe when this script lives in a source checkout.
+# The website command is `curl ... -o /tmp/vul.sh && bash /tmp/vul.sh`, so $PWD is
+# the user's directory and must not be walked.
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+SOURCE_CHECKOUT=""
+VENV_DIR=""
+if [[ -f "$SCRIPT_DIR/pyproject.toml" && -d "$SCRIPT_DIR/src/vocalinux" ]] \
+    && grep -q 'name = "vocalinux"' "$SCRIPT_DIR/pyproject.toml" 2>/dev/null; then
+    SOURCE_CHECKOUT="$SCRIPT_DIR"
+    VENV_DIR="$SCRIPT_DIR/venv"
+fi
+
 # Detect if running non-interactively
 if [ ! -t 0 ]; then
     NON_INTERACTIVE="yes"
@@ -237,7 +248,10 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
             echo "Options:"
             echo "  --keep-config     Keep configuration files"
             echo "  --keep-data       Keep application data (models, etc.)"
-            echo "  --venv-dir=PATH   Specify custom virtual environment directory (default: venv)"
+            echo "  --venv-dir=PATH   Virtual environment to remove. Absolute, or relative to a"
+            echo "                    source checkout. Default: <checkout>/venv when this script"
+            echo "                    lives in a Vocalinux tree; otherwise only the curl install"
+            echo "                    at ~/.local/share/vocalinux/venv is removed."
             echo "  -y, --yes         Non-interactive mode (no confirmation prompts)"
             echo "  --help            Show this help message"
             exit 0
@@ -250,6 +264,18 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
     esac
 done
 
+# A relative path is the checkout's venv, never $PWD. `bash /tmp/vul.sh --venv-dir=venv`
+# from $HOME must not delete ~/venv.
+if [[ -n "$VENV_DIR" && "$VENV_DIR" != /* ]]; then
+    if [[ -n "$SOURCE_CHECKOUT" ]]; then
+        VENV_DIR="$SOURCE_CHECKOUT/$VENV_DIR"
+    else
+        print_error "Refusing relative --venv-dir outside a source checkout: $VENV_DIR"
+        print_error "Pass an absolute path. A curl uninstall already removes ~/.local/share/vocalinux/venv."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+fi
+
 # Define XDG directories
 CONFIG_DIR="${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config}/vocalinux"
 DATA_DIR="${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}/vocalinux"
@@ -264,7 +290,11 @@ CURL_VENV_DIR="$HOME/.local/share/vocalinux/venv"
 CURL_BIN_DIR="$HOME/.local/bin"
 
 echo "Uninstallation options:"
-echo "- Local virtual environment: $VENV_DIR"
+if [[ -n "$VENV_DIR" ]]; then
+    echo "- Local virtual environment: $VENV_DIR"
+else
+    echo "- Local virtual environment: (none; this script is not in a source checkout)"
+fi
 echo "- Curl-installed venv: $CURL_VENV_DIR"
 echo "- Curl-installed repo: $CURL_INSTALL_DIR"
 echo
@@ -300,8 +330,10 @@ remove_virtual_environment() {
         }
     fi
     
-    # Remove local venv (if running from repo)
-    if [ -d "$VENV_DIR" ]; then
+    # Checkout venv only. A curl install is removed via CURL_VENV_DIR below.
+    if [[ -z "$VENV_DIR" ]]; then
+        print_info "No source-checkout virtual environment to remove."
+    elif [ -d "$VENV_DIR" ]; then
         print_info "Removing local virtual environment..."
         safe_remove "$VENV_DIR" "local virtual environment directory"
     else
@@ -337,8 +369,11 @@ remove_curl_install_files() {
 
 # Function to remove application files
 remove_application_files() {
-    # Remove local activation script (if running from repo)
-    safe_remove "activate-vocalinux.sh" "local activation script"
+    # Only the copy inside a source checkout. A relative path would delete
+    # whatever activate-vocalinux.sh happens to sit in $PWD.
+    if [[ -n "$SOURCE_CHECKOUT" ]]; then
+        safe_remove "$SOURCE_CHECKOUT/activate-vocalinux.sh" "local activation script"
+    fi
 
     # Remove launcher wrappers in ~/.local/bin created by install.sh. These are
     # regular files in a repo/dev install and may be symlinks in a curl install;
@@ -393,34 +428,61 @@ remove_config_and_data() {
     safe_remove "$IBUS_DATA_DIR" "IBus runtime data directory"
 }
 
-# Function to clean up build artifacts
+# Clean build artifacts inside a Vocalinux source checkout.
+# $1 must be an absolute directory. A relative path would follow the caller's
+# working directory ($HOME, when the website command runs this script from
+# /tmp). -xdev stays on one filesystem. -prune removes a directory without
+# find walking back into it afterwards.
 cleanup_build_artifacts() {
+    local root="$1"
+    local egg_info_status=0
+
+    # A relative path would follow the caller's working directory. A checkout
+    # that an earlier step already removed (the curl clone) is not an error.
+    if [[ "$root" != /* ]]; then
+        print_error "Refusing to clean build artifacts outside a source checkout."
+        return 1
+    fi
+    if [[ ! -d "$root" ]]; then
+        print_info "Source checkout already removed; skipping build-artifact cleanup."
+        return 0
+    fi
+
     print_info "Cleaning up build artifacts..."
-    
-    # Remove Python package build directories
-    safe_remove "build/" "build directory"
-    safe_remove "dist/" "distribution directory"
-    safe_remove "*.egg-info/" "egg-info directory"
-    
-    # Find and remove egg-info directories in src
-    find src -name "*.egg-info" -type d -exec rm -rf {} \; 2>/dev/null || {
+
+    safe_remove "$root/build" "build directory"
+    safe_remove "$root/dist" "distribution directory"
+
+    # vocalinux metadata lives in src/ (setuptools src layout) and sometimes as
+    # *.egg-info at the checkout root. Do not search the whole tree: .venv is
+    # a separate dev environment and its egg-info has to stay.
+    find "$root/src" -xdev -name "*.egg-info" -type d -prune -exec rm -rf {} + \
+        2>/dev/null || egg_info_status=1
+    find "$root" -xdev -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -name "*.egg-info" -type d \
+        -prune -exec rm -rf {} + 2>/dev/null || egg_info_status=1
+    if [[ "$egg_info_status" -ne 0 ]]; then
         print_warning "Failed to remove some egg-info directories."
+    fi
+
+    # -prune on .venv: same reason. Bytecode under the project is removed;
+    # the dev environment is not. The parens keep -xdev on both sides of -o.
+    find "$root" -xdev \( \
+        -name .venv -prune -o \
+        \( -name "__pycache__" -o -name ".pytest_cache" \) -type d -prune -exec rm -rf {} + \
+    \) 2>/dev/null || {
+        print_warning "Failed to remove some cache directories."
     }
-    
-    # Find and remove __pycache__ directories
-    find . -name "__pycache__" -type d -exec rm -rf {} \; 2>/dev/null || {
-        print_warning "Failed to remove some __pycache__ directories."
-    }
-    
-    # Clean up any temporary or generated files
+
     print_info "Cleaning up temporary files..."
-    find . -name "*.pyc" -delete 2>/dev/null
-    find . -name "*.pyo" -delete 2>/dev/null
-    find . -name ".pytest_cache" -type d -exec rm -rf {} \; 2>/dev/null
-    find . -name ".coverage" -delete 2>/dev/null
-    
-    # Remove wrapper script if it exists
-    safe_remove "vocalinux-run.py" "wrapper script"
+    # -delete implies -depth, which disables -prune, so .venv would be walked.
+    find "$root" -xdev \( \
+        -name .venv -prune -o \
+        \( -name "*.pyc" -o -name "*.pyo" -o -name ".coverage" \) -type f -exec rm -f {} + \
+    \) 2>/dev/null || {
+        print_warning "Failed to remove some temporary files."
+    }
+
+    safe_remove "$root/vocalinux-run.py" "wrapper script"
 }
 
 # Function to verify uninstallation
@@ -429,7 +491,7 @@ verify_uninstallation() {
     local ISSUES=0
     
     # Check if local virtual environment still exists
-    if [ -d "$VENV_DIR" ]; then
+    if [[ -n "$VENV_DIR" && -d "$VENV_DIR" ]]; then
         print_warning "Local virtual environment still exists: $VENV_DIR"
         ((ISSUES++))
     fi
@@ -541,10 +603,17 @@ kill_vocalinux_processes
 
 # Perform uninstallation steps
 remove_virtual_environment
+# Clean the checkout before remove_curl_install_files. A script that lives in
+# ~/.local/share/vocalinux-install is both the checkout and the curl clone, and
+# that step deletes the directory.
+if [[ -n "$SOURCE_CHECKOUT" ]]; then
+    cleanup_build_artifacts "$SOURCE_CHECKOUT"
+else
+    print_info "Not running from a source checkout; skipping build-artifact cleanup."
+fi
 remove_curl_install_files
 remove_application_files
 remove_config_and_data
-cleanup_build_artifacts
 
 # Verify uninstallation
 verify_uninstallation