diff --git a/vpn-node/Dockerfile b/vpn-node/Dockerfile
index 462ff29..78c734e 100644
--- a/vpn-node/Dockerfile
+++ b/vpn-node/Dockerfile
@@ -29,24 +29,21 @@ RUN curl -fsSL https://apps.purevpn-tools.com/cross-platform/linux-cli/productio
     && bash /tmp/cli-install.sh \
     && rm -f /tmp/cli-install.sh
 
-# ── Inspect binary (visible in build log, remove once confirmed working) ──────
-RUN echo "=== binary type ===" \
-    && file /opt/purevpn-cli/bin/purevpn-cli /opt/purevpn-cli/purevpn-cli 2>/dev/null || true \
-    && echo "=== bin/purevpn-cli header ===" \
-    && head -3 /opt/purevpn-cli/bin/purevpn-cli 2>/dev/null || true
-
 # ── Fake sudo wrapper ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-# The purevpn-cli pkg bootstrap uses argv[1] as the main module path when
-# --install-missing-components is present (causing "Cannot find module '/--connect'").
-# Fix: move --install-missing-components to argv[1] so the bootstrap handles
-# it as its own flag rather than trying to load '--connect' as a script.
-# Clean env (env -i) prevents parent env vars from interfering with pkg startup.
+# Unsets PKG_EXECPATH so the child's pkg bootstrap starts fresh instead of
+# treating argv[1] as a Node.js module path. Depth guard stops recursion.
 COPY sudo-wrapper.sh /usr/local/bin/sudo
 RUN chmod +x /usr/local/bin/sudo
 
 # ── PATH ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 ENV PATH=/opt/purevpn-cli/bin:/opt/purevpn-cli:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin
 
+# ── Pre-install VPN components so runtime never needs sudo ───────────────────
+# Runs the binary as root during build; it calls our sudo wrapper (depth 1),
+# which correctly invokes the child. Connection attempt will fail (no auth),
+# but component files get written to stable paths and persist in the image.
+RUN purevpn-cli --connect US --install-missing-components 2>&1 || true
+
 # ── Location list ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 COPY servers.txt /etc/vpndock/servers.txt
 
diff --git a/vpn-node/sudo-wrapper.sh b/vpn-node/sudo-wrapper.sh
index fc395e3..9aab1e8 100644
--- a/vpn-node/sudo-wrapper.sh
+++ b/vpn-node/sudo-wrapper.sh
@@ -1,54 +1,20 @@
 #!/bin/bash
-# sudo-wrapper.sh
-#
-# purevpn-cli calls:  sudo purevpn-cli --connect <loc> --install-missing-components
-#
-# Problem: PKG_EXECPATH inherited from the parent makes the pkg bootstrap treat
-# argv[1] as a module path → "Cannot find module '/--connect'" (or '/--install...')
-# regardless of arg order.
-#
-# Solution:
-#   1. Strip --install-missing-components (not a commander.js flag; causes errors)
-#   2. Unset PKG_EXECPATH only (-u) so the child's bootstrap starts fresh and
-#      loads the embedded main module. All other env vars (auth, session) are kept.
-#   3. Depth guard prevents infinite recursion if the child also tries to sudo.
+# Strip PKG_EXECPATH so the child's pkg bootstrap starts fresh.
+# When PKG_EXECPATH is inherited, bootstrap treats argv[1] as a module path
+# causing "Cannot find module '/--connect'" or '/--install-missing-components'.
+# env -u unsets only PKG_EXECPATH; all auth/config/session vars are kept.
+# Depth guard prevents infinite recursion.
 
 DEPTH="${PUREVPN_SUDO_DEPTH:-0}"
 if [[ "$DEPTH" -ge 2 ]]; then
-    echo "[sudo-wrapper] recursion depth $DEPTH — exiting 0" >&2
+    echo "[sudo-wrapper] depth $DEPTH — exiting 0" >&2
     exit 0
 fi
-NEXT_DEPTH=$(( DEPTH + 1 ))
-
-binary=""
-has_install_flag=false
-other_args=()
 
+args=()
 for a in "$@"; do
-    case "$a" in
-        -E|-n|-H|--preserve-env|--non-interactive) continue ;;  # sudo flags, skip
-        --install-missing-components) has_install_flag=true ;;  # strip, don't pass
-        *)
-            if [[ -z "$binary" ]]; then
-                binary="$a"
-            else
-                other_args+=("$a")
-            fi
-            ;;
-    esac
+    case "$a" in -E|-n|-H) ;; *) args+=("$a") ;; esac
 done
 
-if [[ -z "$binary" ]]; then
-    echo "[sudo-wrapper] no binary supplied" >&2
-    exit 1
-fi
-
-if [[ "$has_install_flag" == "true" ]]; then
-    echo "[sudo-wrapper] stripped --install-missing-components, unset PKG_EXECPATH (depth=$NEXT_DEPTH): $binary ${other_args[*]}" >&2
-    exec env -u PKG_EXECPATH PUREVPN_SUDO_DEPTH="$NEXT_DEPTH" \
-        "$binary" "${other_args[@]}"
-else
-    echo "[sudo-wrapper] passthrough (depth=$NEXT_DEPTH): $binary ${other_args[*]}" >&2
-    exec env PUREVPN_SUDO_DEPTH="$NEXT_DEPTH" \
-        "$binary" "${other_args[@]}"
-fi
+echo "[sudo-wrapper] depth=$(( DEPTH+1 )): ${args[*]}" >&2
+exec env -u PKG_EXECPATH PUREVPN_SUDO_DEPTH=$(( DEPTH+1 )) "${args[@]}"