diff --git a/setup.sh b/setup.sh
index e5a41d371f..63de38b512 100755
--- a/setup.sh
+++ b/setup.sh
@@ -81,13 +81,17 @@ echo "✅ Frontend built to studio/frontend/dist"
 # ── 6. Python venv + deps ──
 echo ""
 echo "Setting up Python environment..."
-python3 -m venv .venv
-source .venv/bin/activate
-run_quiet "pip upgrade" pip install --upgrade pip
+if [ ! -d "$SCRIPT_DIR/.venv" ]; then
+    python3 -m venv "$SCRIPT_DIR/.venv"
+fi
+
+# Avoid shell-specific activation; call venv python directly.
+VENV_PY="$SCRIPT_DIR/.venv/bin/python"
+run_quiet "pip upgrade" "$VENV_PY" -m pip install --upgrade pip
 echo "   Installing unsloth-zoo + unsloth..."
-run_quiet "pip install unsloth" pip install unsloth-zoo unsloth
+run_quiet "pip install unsloth" "$VENV_PY" -m pip install unsloth-zoo unsloth
 echo "   Installing studio dependencies..."
-run_quiet "pip install extras" pip install typer fastapi uvicorn pydantic matplotlib pandas nest_asyncio "datasets==4.3.0" pyjwt easydict addict
+run_quiet "pip install extras" "$VENV_PY" -m pip install typer fastapi uvicorn pydantic matplotlib pandas nest_asyncio "datasets==4.3.0" pyjwt easydict addict
 echo "✅ Python dependencies installed"
 
 # ── 7. Add shell alias ──
@@ -95,23 +99,56 @@ echo "✅ Python dependencies installed"
 # This alias hardcodes the venv python path so users don't need to activate.
 echo ""
 REPO_DIR="$SCRIPT_DIR"
+ALIAS_CMD="${REPO_DIR}/.venv/bin/python ${REPO_DIR}/cli.py ui -f ${REPO_DIR}/studio/frontend/dist"
 
-if ! grep -qF "unsloth-ui" ~/.bashrc 2>/dev/null; then
-    cat >> ~/.bashrc <<UNSLOTH_EOF
+SHELL_RC_HINT="source ~/.bashrc"
+if [[ "${SHELL:-}" == *fish ]]; then
+    FISH_RC="$HOME/.config/fish/config.fish"
+    mkdir -p "$(dirname "$FISH_RC")"
+    if ! grep -qF "unsloth-ui" "$FISH_RC" 2>/dev/null; then
+        cat >> "$FISH_RC" <<UNSLOTH_EOF
 
 # Unsloth Studio launcher
-alias unsloth-ui='${REPO_DIR}/.venv/bin/python ${REPO_DIR}/cli.py ui -f ${REPO_DIR}/studio/frontend/dist'
+alias unsloth-ui='${ALIAS_CMD}'
 UNSLOTH_EOF
-    echo "✅ Alias 'unsloth-ui' added to ~/.bashrc"
+        echo "✅ Alias 'unsloth-ui' added to $FISH_RC"
+    else
+        echo "✅ Alias 'unsloth-ui' already exists in $FISH_RC"
+    fi
+    SHELL_RC_HINT="source $FISH_RC"
+elif [[ "${SHELL:-}" == *zsh ]]; then
+    ZSH_RC="$HOME/.zshrc"
+    if ! grep -qF "unsloth-ui" "$ZSH_RC" 2>/dev/null; then
+        cat >> "$ZSH_RC" <<UNSLOTH_EOF
+
+# Unsloth Studio launcher
+alias unsloth-ui='${ALIAS_CMD}'
+UNSLOTH_EOF
+        echo "✅ Alias 'unsloth-ui' added to $ZSH_RC"
+    else
+        echo "✅ Alias 'unsloth-ui' already exists in $ZSH_RC"
+    fi
+    SHELL_RC_HINT="source $ZSH_RC"
 else
-    echo "✅ Alias 'unsloth-ui' already exists in ~/.bashrc"
+    BASH_RC="$HOME/.bashrc"
+    if ! grep -qF "unsloth-ui" "$BASH_RC" 2>/dev/null; then
+        cat >> "$BASH_RC" <<UNSLOTH_EOF
+
+# Unsloth Studio launcher
+alias unsloth-ui='${ALIAS_CMD}'
+UNSLOTH_EOF
+        echo "✅ Alias 'unsloth-ui' added to $BASH_RC"
+    else
+        echo "✅ Alias 'unsloth-ui' already exists in $BASH_RC"
+    fi
+    SHELL_RC_HINT="source $BASH_RC"
 fi
 
 echo ""
 echo "╔══════════════════════════════════════╗"
 echo "║           Setup Complete!            ║"
 echo "╠══════════════════════════════════════╣"
-echo "║ Run 'source ~/.bashrc' or open a    ║"
+echo "║ Run '$SHELL_RC_HINT' or open a     ║"
 echo "║ new terminal, then launch with:     ║"
 echo "║                                      ║"
 echo "║ unsloth-ui -H 0.0.0.0 -p 8000       ║"