diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 5a2f16aad63..81362618158 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 ### Fixes
 
 - Docs/Docker: document a local Compose override for Docker Desktop DNS failures in the shared-network `openclaw-cli` sidecar, keeping the default compose setup hardened while unblocking `openclaw plugins install` when users opt in. Fixes #79018. Thanks @Jason-Vaughan.
+- Installer: when npm installs `openclaw` outside the parent shell PATH, print follow-up commands with the resolved binary path instead of telling users to run `openclaw` from a shell that will report `command not found`. Fixes #72382. Thanks @jbob762.
 - Compute plugin callback authorization dynamically [AI]. (#78866) Thanks @pgondhi987.
 - fix(active-memory): require admin scope for global toggles [AI]. (#78863) Thanks @pgondhi987.
 - Honor owner enforcement for native commands [AI]. (#78864) Thanks @pgondhi987.
diff --git a/scripts/install.sh b/scripts/install.sh
index edaf1559d80..abb62dab53b 100755
--- a/scripts/install.sh
+++ b/scripts/install.sh
@@ -2006,6 +2006,24 @@ warn_shell_path_missing_dir() {
     echo "    export PATH=\"${dir}:\$PATH\""
 }
 
+openclaw_command_for_user() {
+    local claw="${1:-}"
+    if [[ -z "$claw" ]]; then
+        echo "openclaw"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    local claw_dir="${claw%/*}"
+    if [[ "$claw_dir" != "$claw" ]] && path_has_dir "$ORIGINAL_PATH" "$claw_dir"; then
+        echo "openclaw"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    local quoted_claw=""
+    printf -v quoted_claw '%q' "$claw"
+    echo "$quoted_claw"
+}
+
 ensure_npm_global_bin_on_path() {
     local bin_dir=""
     bin_dir="$(npm_global_bin_dir || true)"
@@ -2300,7 +2318,9 @@ run_bootstrap_onboarding_if_needed() {
     fi
 
     if [[ ! -r /dev/tty || ! -w /dev/tty ]]; then
-        ui_info "BOOTSTRAP.md found but no TTY; run openclaw onboard to finish setup"
+        local user_claw
+        user_claw="$(openclaw_command_for_user "${OPENCLAW_BIN:-}")"
+        ui_info "BOOTSTRAP.md found but no TTY; run ${user_claw} onboard to finish setup"
         return
     fi
 
@@ -2316,7 +2336,9 @@ run_bootstrap_onboarding_if_needed() {
     fi
 
     "$claw" onboard || {
-        ui_error "Onboarding failed; run openclaw onboard to retry"
+        local user_claw
+        user_claw="$(openclaw_command_for_user "$claw")"
+        ui_error "Onboarding failed; run ${user_claw} onboard to retry"
         return
     }
 }
@@ -2702,11 +2724,15 @@ main() {
                 ui_warn "Doctor failed; skipping plugin updates"
             fi
         else
-            ui_info "No TTY; run openclaw doctor and openclaw plugins update --all manually"
+            local user_claw
+            user_claw="$(openclaw_command_for_user "${OPENCLAW_BIN:-}")"
+            ui_info "No TTY; run ${user_claw} doctor and ${user_claw} plugins update --all manually"
         fi
     else
         if [[ "$NO_ONBOARD" == "1" || "$skip_onboard" == "true" ]]; then
-            ui_info "Skipping onboard (requested); run openclaw onboard later"
+            local user_claw
+            user_claw="$(openclaw_command_for_user "${OPENCLAW_BIN:-}")"
+            ui_info "Skipping onboard (requested); run ${user_claw} onboard later"
         else
             local config_path="${OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH:-$HOME/.openclaw/openclaw.json}"
             if [[ -f "${config_path}" || -f "$HOME/.clawdbot/clawdbot.json" ]]; then
@@ -2731,7 +2757,9 @@ main() {
                 exec </dev/tty
                 exec "$claw" onboard
             fi
-            ui_info "No TTY; run openclaw onboard to finish setup"
+            local user_claw
+            user_claw="$(openclaw_command_for_user "${OPENCLAW_BIN:-}")"
+            ui_info "No TTY; run ${user_claw} onboard to finish setup"
             return 0
         fi
     fi
diff --git a/test/scripts/install-sh.test.ts b/test/scripts/install-sh.test.ts
index 6b520fbd4de..ddf8c5d11e5 100644
--- a/test/scripts/install-sh.test.ts
+++ b/test/scripts/install-sh.test.ts
@@ -161,6 +161,35 @@ describe("install.sh", () => {
     expect(result?.stdout).toContain("using this user prefix");
     expect(result?.stdout).not.toContain("has been saved");
   });
+
+  it("uses a quoted absolute openclaw path in follow-up commands when npm bin is not on the original PATH", () => {
+    const tmp = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "openclaw-install-command-"));
+    const npmBin = join(tmp, "npm bin");
+    const visibleBin = join(tmp, "visible-bin");
+    mkdirSync(npmBin, { recursive: true });
+    mkdirSync(visibleBin, { recursive: true });
+    const openclawBin = join(npmBin, "openclaw");
+    writeFileSync(openclawBin, "#!/bin/sh\nexit 0\n");
+    chmodSync(openclawBin, 0o755);
+
+    let result: ReturnType<typeof runInstallShell> | undefined;
+    try {
+      result = runInstallShell(`
+        set -euo pipefail
+        source "${SCRIPT_PATH}"
+        ORIGINAL_PATH=${JSON.stringify(`${visibleBin}:/usr/bin:/bin`)}
+        printf 'missing=%s\\n' "$(openclaw_command_for_user "${openclawBin}")"
+        ORIGINAL_PATH=${JSON.stringify(`${npmBin}:${visibleBin}:/usr/bin:/bin`)}
+        printf 'present=%s\\n' "$(openclaw_command_for_user "${openclawBin}")"
+      `);
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(tmp, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+
+    expect(result?.status).toBe(0);
+    expect(result?.stdout).toContain(`missing=${openclawBin.replace(/ /g, "\\ ")}`);
+    expect(result?.stdout).toContain("present=openclaw");
+  });
 });
 
 describe("install.sh macOS Homebrew Node behavior", () => {