diff --git a/config/visidata/install.sh b/config/visidata/install.sh
index 005277e..b45d2d3 100755
--- a/config/visidata/install.sh
+++ b/config/visidata/install.sh
@@ -3,20 +3,22 @@ set -euo pipefail
 
 mode="link"   # link|copy
 do_deps=0
+verbose=0
 
 usage() {
   cat <<'USAGE'
-Usage: ./install.sh [--link|--copy] [--deps]
+Usage: ./install.sh [--link|--copy] [--deps] [-v|--verbose]
 
 Installs this repo's VisiData config and plugins into standard per-user locations:
 - config.py in the user config dir (VisiData 3.3+ default)
 - ~/.visidatarc (legacy fallback)
-- plugins into $VD_DIR/plugins (default ~/.visidata/plugins)
+- plugins into $VD_DIR/plugins (VisiData 3.3 default on macOS is ~/Library/Preferences/visidata/plugins)
 
 Options:
   --link    Symlink files into place (default)
   --copy    Copy files into place
   --deps    Install requirements.txt into $VD_DIR/plugins-deps using pip --target
+  -v,--verbose Print actions taken
   -h,--help Show this help
 USAGE
 }
@@ -26,6 +28,7 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
     --link) mode="link"; shift ;;
     --copy) mode="copy"; shift ;;
     --deps) do_deps=1; shift ;;
+    -v|--verbose) verbose=1; shift ;;
     -h|--help) usage; exit 0 ;;
     *) echo "Unknown arg: $1" >&2; usage; exit 2 ;;
   esac
@@ -45,24 +48,30 @@ timestamp() { date +"%Y%m%d-%H%M%S"; }
 
 backup_if_needed() {
   local dst="$1"
+  local src="$2"
   if [[ -L "$dst" ]]; then
-    # If it's already a symlink to our source (absolute), keep it.
+    # If it's already a symlink to our source (absolute), no-op.
     local cur
     cur="$(readlink "$dst" || true)"
-    if [[ "$cur" == "$2" ]]; then
-      return 0
+    if [[ "$cur" == "$src" ]]; then
+      return 1
     fi
   fi
   if [[ -e "$dst" || -L "$dst" ]]; then
     mv "$dst" "${dst}.bak.$(timestamp)"
   fi
+  return 0
 }
 
 install_one() {
   local src="$1"
   local dst="$2"
   mkdir -p "$(dirname "$dst")"
-  backup_if_needed "$dst" "$src"
+  if ! backup_if_needed "$dst" "$src"; then
+    [[ "$verbose" -eq 1 ]] && echo "skip (already installed): $dst"
+    return 0
+  fi
+  [[ "$verbose" -eq 1 ]] && echo "install: $src -> $dst ($mode)"
   if [[ "$mode" == "copy" ]]; then
     cp -f "$src" "$dst"
   else
@@ -70,16 +79,30 @@ install_one() {
   fi
 }
 
-os="$(uname -s)"
-if [[ "$os" == "Darwin" ]]; then
-  config_dir="${HOME}/Library/Preferences/visidata"
-else
-  config_dir="${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-${HOME}/.config}/visidata"
-fi
-dst_config_py="${config_dir}/config.py"
 dst_visidatarc="${HOME}/.visidatarc"
 
-vd_dir="${VD_DIR:-${HOME}/.visidata}"
+# Prefer the python used by the `vd` entrypoint (if available).
+pip_py=""
+if command -v vd >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  vd_bin="$(command -v vd)"
+  pip_py="$(sed -n '1{s/^#!//p;}' "$vd_bin" || true)"
+fi
+if [[ -z "$pip_py" ]]; then
+  pip_py="$(command -v python3 || true)"
+fi
+if [[ -z "$pip_py" ]]; then
+  echo "No python found to run pip." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# Use VisiData's own idea of the user config/VD dir (VisiData 3.3 on macOS
+# defaults this to ~/Library/Preferences/visidata). Allow override via $VD_DIR.
+vd_dir="${VD_DIR:-$("$pip_py" -c 'from visidata import vd; print(vd.options.visidata_dir)' 2>/dev/null || true)}"
+if [[ -z "$vd_dir" ]]; then
+  vd_dir="${HOME}/.visidata"
+fi
+
+dst_config_py="${vd_dir}/config.py"
 dst_plugins_dir="${vd_dir}/plugins"
 dst_deps_dir="${vd_dir}/plugins-deps"
 
@@ -103,20 +126,6 @@ if [[ "$do_deps" -eq 1 ]]; then
   fi
   mkdir -p "$dst_deps_dir"
 
-  # Prefer the python used by the `vd` entrypoint (if available).
-  pip_py=""
-  if command -v vd >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-    vd_bin="$(command -v vd)"
-    pip_py="$(sed -n '1{s/^#!//p;}' "$vd_bin" || true)"
-  fi
-  if [[ -z "$pip_py" ]]; then
-    pip_py="$(command -v python3 || true)"
-  fi
-  if [[ -z "$pip_py" ]]; then
-    echo "No python found to run pip." >&2
-    exit 1
-  fi
-
   "$pip_py" -m pip install --upgrade --target "$dst_deps_dir" -r "$src_reqs"
 fi