diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
index 7c90e4c..ef0204c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
@@ -42,35 +42,11 @@ jobs:
           mkdir -p dist/rocclaw/scripts
           cp scripts/verify-native-runtime.mjs dist/rocclaw/scripts/
           
-          # Create startup script
-          cat > dist/rocclaw/start.sh << 'EOF'
-          #!/bin/bash
-          set -e
-          
-          echo "Starting rocCLAW..."
-          echo "Make sure you have Node.js 20.9+ installed"
-          
-          # Install production dependencies
-          npm ci --production
-          
-          # Start the server
-          node server/index.js
-          EOF
+          # Copy startup scripts from the repo (not generated inline)
+          cp start.sh dist/rocclaw/
+          cp start.bat dist/rocclaw/
           chmod +x dist/rocclaw/start.sh
           
-          # Create Windows startup script
-          cat > dist/rocclaw/start.bat << 'EOF'
-          @echo off
-          echo Starting rocCLAW...
-          echo Make sure you have Node.js 20.9+ installed
-          
-          REM Install production dependencies
-          call npm ci --production
-          
-          REM Start the server
-          node server/index.js
-          EOF
-          
           # Create tar.gz archive
           cd dist
           tar -czf rocclaw-linux-x64.tar.gz rocclaw
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index efab007..d385fbc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ Download ready-to-run packages from [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/simonca
 
 **Linux/macOS:**
 ```bash
-# Download and extract latest release
+# Download and extract the latest release
 curl -L -o rocclaw.tar.gz https://github.com/simoncatbot/rocclaw/releases/latest/download/rocclaw-linux-x64.tar.gz
 tar -xzf rocclaw.tar.gz
 cd rocclaw
diff --git a/start.bat b/start.bat
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bd11a3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/start.bat
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+@echo off
+echo Starting rocCLAW...
+echo Make sure you have Node.js 20.9+ installed
+
+REM Install dependencies (--include=dev required so TypeScript is available to
+REM transpile next.config.ts at startup; omitting dev deps causes a MODULE_NOT_FOUND
+REM error for 'typescript' in the Next.js config transpiler)
+call npm ci --include=dev
+
+REM Start the server
+node server/index.js
diff --git a/start.sh b/start.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..cb54d49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/start.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -e
+
+echo "Starting rocCLAW..."
+echo "Make sure you have Node.js 20.9+ installed"
+
+# Install dependencies (--include=dev required so TypeScript is available to
+# transpile next.config.ts at startup; omitting dev deps causes a MODULE_NOT_FOUND
+# error for 'typescript' in the Next.js config transpiler)
+npm ci --include=dev
+
+# Start the server
+node server/index.js