diff --git a/commands/setup-util-nu b/commands/setup-util-nu
index 23389c0ae..b06bb851e 100755
--- a/commands/setup-util-nu
+++ b/commands/setup-util-nu
@@ -27,24 +27,9 @@ function setup_util_nu() (
 		# trunk-ignore(shellcheck/SC2016)
 		mkdir -p "$(nu -c 'echo $nu.default-config-dir')"
 
-		# ensure [themes/starship.nu] works
-		if test ! -f "$XDG_STATE_HOME/starship/init.nu"; then
-			mkdir -p "$XDG_STATE_HOME/starship"
-			if command-exists starship; then
-				starship init nu >"$XDG_STATE_HOME/starship/init.nu"
-			else
-				# when the user wants starship theme, install it then and prompt for reload
-				cat <<-EOF >"$XDG_STATE_HOME/starship/init.nu"
-					#!/usr/bin/env nu
-
-					echo-style --notice='Starship not yet installed, installing...'
-					setup-util-starship
-					echo-style --notice='Configuring Nu for Starship...'
-					setup-util-nu
-					echo-style --notice='Reload your terminal...'
-				EOF
-			fi
-		fi
+		# ensure [themes/starship.nu] works for [themes/starship.nu] to set it up later
+		mkdir -p "$XDG_STATE_HOME/starship"
+		touch "$XDG_STATE_HOME/starship/init.nu"
 
 		# ensure [sources/interactive.nu] works
 		if test ! -f "$DOROTHY/user/config.local/interactive.nu"; then
diff --git a/themes/starship.nu b/themes/starship.nu
index b7eebe342..025500a58 100644
--- a/themes/starship.nu
+++ b/themes/starship.nu
@@ -1,16 +1,23 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env nu
 
 # ensure starship
+mut reload_required_for_starship = false
 command-exists 'starship' | complete
-if $env.LAST_EXIT_CODE == 0 {
+if $env.LAST_EXIT_CODE != 0 {
+	# starship is missing, install it
 	setup-util-starship --quiet
+	$reload_required_for_starship = true
+}
+if ( open ~/.local/state/starship/init.nu | length ) == 0 {
+	# init script is placeholder, update it
+	starship init nu | save --force ~/.local/state/starship/init.nu
+	$reload_required_for_starship = true
+}
+if $reload_required_for_starship == true {
+	# reload the shell to ensure starship is loaded
+	echo-style --notice='Starship installed, reload your terminal.'
+	exit 35 # EAGAIN 35 Resource temporarily unavailable
 }
 
-# ensure starship nushell <-- no point, as nushell requires everything to already be as intended at compile-time
-# if ( ~/.local/state/starship/init.nu | path exists ) == false {
-# 	mkdir ~/.local/state/starship
-# 	starship init nu | save ~/.local/state/starship/init.nu
-# fi
-
-# load starship nushell
+# load the actual starship init script
 use ~/.local/state/starship/init.nu