diff --git a/agent-node/VERSION b/agent-node/VERSION
index 59e9e60..bb83058 100644
--- a/agent-node/VERSION
+++ b/agent-node/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.0.11
+1.0.12
diff --git a/agent-node/bootstrap_installer.py b/agent-node/bootstrap_installer.py
index d1bfde5..a2d5f8e 100644
--- a/agent-node/bootstrap_installer.py
+++ b/agent-node/bootstrap_installer.py
@@ -218,28 +218,34 @@
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     # Try loading existing config for defaults
-    config_path = "agent_config.yaml"
+    # Look in CWD first, then in the target install_dir
+    install_dir = args.install_dir
+    config_paths = ["agent_config.yaml", os.path.join(install_dir, "agent_config.yaml")]
     existing_config = {}
-    if os.path.exists(config_path):
-        try:
-            import yaml
-            with open(config_path) as f:
-                existing_config = yaml.safe_load(f) or {}
-            _print(f"Loaded existing config from {config_path}")
-        except ImportError:
-            # Resilient fallback for fresh environments: manual parsing
+    
+    for config_path in config_paths:
+        if os.path.exists(config_path):
             try:
+                import yaml
                 with open(config_path) as f:
-                    for line in f:
-                        if ":" in line:
-                            k, v = line.split(":", 1)
-                            # Strip quotes/spaces
-                            existing_config[k.strip()] = v.strip().strip('"').strip("'")
-                _print(f"Loaded existing config (manual parse) from {config_path}")
+                    existing_config = yaml.safe_load(f) or {}
+                _print(f"Loaded existing config from {config_path}")
+                break
+            except ImportError:
+                # Resilient fallback for fresh environments: manual parsing
+                try:
+                    with open(config_path) as f:
+                        for line in f:
+                            if ":" in line:
+                                k, v = line.split(":", 1)
+                                # Strip quotes/spaces
+                                existing_config[k.strip()] = v.strip().strip('"').strip("'")
+                    _print(f"Loaded existing config (manual parse) from {config_path}")
+                    break
+                except Exception:
+                    pass
             except Exception:
                 pass
-        except Exception:
-            pass
 
     hub_url   = args.hub   or existing_config.get("hub_url", DEFAULT_HUB)