diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3066e00..233f273 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -322,10 +322,13 @@ docker compose down         # stop
 Every service in this repo backs up a live config before overwriting it —
 `Caddyfile.backup.<timestamp>`, `/etc/fstab.backup.<timestamp>`, and so on —
 but nothing cleans those up afterward, so they build up on any box
-reconfigured regularly. `base` offers a daily systemd timer
-(`prune-old-backups`) that removes anything older than 30 days, always
-keeping at least the single newest backup per file regardless of age — a
-box left alone for months never ends up with zero backups for something.
+reconfigured regularly. `base` sets up a daily systemd timer
+(`prune-old-backups`), automatically and without asking (the same way it
+sets up [tab completion](#tab-completion) — low-stakes enough not to need
+a prompt, and idempotent either way), that removes anything older than 30
+days, always keeping at least the single newest backup per file regardless
+of age — a box left alone for months never ends up with zero backups for
+something.
 
 ```bash
 sudo bash tools/prune-old-backups.sh [KEEP_DAYS]   # run by hand, default 30
diff --git a/services/base.sh b/services/base.sh
index 346b4b1..f776807 100644
--- a/services/base.sh
+++ b/services/base.sh
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ install_base() {
         echo "[DRY-RUN] Would offer CrowdSec intrusion prevention install (full repo only)"
         echo "[DRY-RUN] Would offer to add SSH Host aliases to ~/.ssh/config"
         echo "[DRY-RUN] Would add setup.sh tab completion to ~/.bashrc (if not already there)"
-        echo "[DRY-RUN] Would offer daily pruning of old *.backup.* config files (systemd timer)"
+        echo "[DRY-RUN] Would set up daily pruning of old *.backup.* config files (systemd timer, if not already there)"
         return 0
     fi
 
@@ -120,9 +120,12 @@ _base_setup_tab_completion() {
 # Every service in this repo backs up a live config before overwriting it
 # (Caddyfile, /etc/fstab, ...) but none of them ever clean those up
 # afterward — see tools/prune-old-backups.sh's own header for the full
-# reasoning. Offers a daily systemd timer that prunes anything older than
+# reasoning. Sets up a daily systemd timer that prunes anything older than
 # 30 days, always keeping at least the single newest backup per file
-# regardless of age.
+# regardless of age. No prompt — same reasoning as _base_setup_tab_completion
+# right above: idempotent, and the safety net (only ever touches disposable
+# *.backup.* files, never the newest one for anything) makes this low-stakes
+# enough not to ask about, the same way that one doesn't.
 _base_setup_backup_pruning() {
     command -v systemctl >/dev/null 2>&1 || return 0
     systemctl list-unit-files prune-old-backups.timer --no-legend 2>/dev/null | grep -q . && return 0
@@ -130,11 +133,6 @@ _base_setup_backup_pruning() {
     local prune_script="$HERE/tools/prune-old-backups.sh"
     [ -f "$prune_script" ] || return 0
 
-    echo ""
-    local ENABLE_PRUNE=""
-    prompt_yn "Automatically prune old config backups (Caddyfile.backup.*, fstab.backup.*, etc — keeps 30 days, always keeps at least the newest one)? (y/n):" "y" ENABLE_PRUNE
-    [[ "$ENABLE_PRUNE" =~ ^[Yy]$ ]] || return 0
-
     cat > /etc/systemd/system/prune-old-backups.service << UNIT
 [Unit]
 Description=Prune old *.backup.* config backups (Caddyfile, fstab, etc)