diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a5ab166..aee0bf9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ fi
 
 **The following scripts are highly opinionated, catastrophically destructive, and very specific to me.** Check them out line-by-line instead of running them.
 
-- [`install.sh`](scripts/install.sh): Assumes an absolutely clean install of Ubuntu 20.04 and installs Mastodon ***with all of the quirks from this repo.*** [Get the far less dangerous version of `install.sh` here instead.](https://github.com/jakejarvis/mastodon-installer/blob/main/install.sh)
+- [`install.sh`](scripts/install.sh): Assumes an absolutely clean install of Ubuntu 20.04 and installs Mastodon ***with all of the quirks from this repo.*** Configure `MASTODON_ROOT` and other paths in [`init.sh`](init.sh) first if necessary. [Get the far less dangerous version of `install.sh` here instead.](https://github.com/jakejarvis/mastodon-installer/blob/main/install.sh)
 - [`upgrade.sh`](scripts/upgrade.sh): Upgrades Mastodon server (latest version if vanilla Mastodon, latest commit if `glitch-soc`) and ***re-applies every patch*** listed below. [Get the far less dangerous version of `upgrade.sh` here instead.](https://github.com/jakejarvis/mastodon-installer/blob/main/upgrade.sh)
 - [`apply_patches.sh`](scripts/apply_patches.sh): Apply every patch below on top of the currently installed version of Mastodon.
 
diff --git a/etc/nginx/sites-available/mastodon.conf b/etc/nginx/sites-available/mastodon.conf
index 763c638..e69628f 100644
--- a/etc/nginx/sites-available/mastodon.conf
+++ b/etc/nginx/sites-available/mastodon.conf
@@ -19,19 +19,19 @@ server {
 	listen [::]:443 http2 ssl ipv6only=on;
 	listen 443 http2 ssl;
 
-	server_name fediverse.jarv.is;
+	server_name mastodon.example.com;
 
 	root /home/mastodon/live/public;
 
-	ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/fediverse.jarv.is/fullchain.pem; # managed by Certbot
-	ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/fediverse.jarv.is/privkey.pem; # managed by Certbot
+	ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/mastodon.example.com/fullchain.pem; # managed by Certbot
+	ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/mastodon.example.com/privkey.pem; # managed by Certbot
 	include /etc/letsencrypt/options-ssl-nginx.conf; # managed by Certbot
 	ssl_dhparam /etc/letsencrypt/ssl-dhparams.pem; # managed by Certbot
 
 	# https://ssl-config.mozilla.org/#server=nginx&version=1.22.1&config=intermediate&openssl=1.1.1f&guideline=5.6
 	ssl_stapling on;
 	ssl_stapling_verify on;
-	ssl_trusted_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/fediverse.jarv.is/chain.pem;
+	ssl_trusted_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/mastodon.example.com/chain.pem;
 
 	keepalive_timeout 20;
 	sendfile on;
@@ -161,9 +161,9 @@ server {
 	listen [::]:80;
 	listen 80;
 
-	server_name fediverse.jarv.is;
+	server_name mastodon.example.com;
 
-	if ($host = fediverse.jarv.is) {
+	if ($host = mastodon.example.com) {
 		return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
 	} # managed by Certbot
 
diff --git a/etc/systemd/system/mastodon-sidekiq.service b/etc/systemd/system/mastodon-sidekiq.service
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9203492
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/systemd/system/mastodon-sidekiq.service
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=mastodon-sidekiq
+After=network.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+User=mastodon
+WorkingDirectory=/home/mastodon/live
+Environment="RAILS_ENV=production"
+Environment="MALLOC_ARENA_MAX=2"
+Environment="LD_PRELOAD=libjemalloc.so"
+# note: this env is also set in .env.production, but this service is started before file is read:
+Environment="DB_POOL=15"
+ExecStart=/home/mastodon/.rbenv/shims/bundle exec sidekiq -c 15
+TimeoutSec=15
+Restart=always
+# Proc filesystem
+# ProcSubset=pid
+# ProtectProc=invisible
+# Capabilities
+CapabilityBoundingSet=
+# Security
+NoNewPrivileges=true
+# Sandboxing
+ProtectSystem=strict
+PrivateTmp=true
+PrivateDevices=true
+PrivateUsers=true
+ProtectHostname=true
+ProtectKernelLogs=true
+ProtectKernelModules=true
+ProtectKernelTunables=true
+ProtectControlGroups=true
+RestrictAddressFamilies=AF_INET
+RestrictAddressFamilies=AF_INET6
+RestrictAddressFamilies=AF_NETLINK
+RestrictAddressFamilies=AF_UNIX
+RestrictNamespaces=true
+LockPersonality=true
+RestrictRealtime=true
+RestrictSUIDSGID=true
+RemoveIPC=true
+PrivateMounts=true
+ProtectClock=true
+# System Call Filtering
+SystemCallArchitectures=native
+SystemCallFilter=~@cpu-emulation @debug @keyring @ipc @mount @obsolete @privileged @setuid
+SystemCallFilter=@chown
+SystemCallFilter=pipe
+SystemCallFilter=pipe2
+ReadWritePaths=/home/mastodon/live
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/etc/systemd/system/mastodon-streaming.service b/etc/systemd/system/mastodon-streaming.service
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a418d6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/systemd/system/mastodon-streaming.service
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=mastodon-streaming
+After=network.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+User=mastodon
+WorkingDirectory=/home/mastodon/live
+Environment="NODE_ENV=production"
+Environment="PORT=4000"
+# note: this env is also set in .env.production, but this service is started before file is read:
+Environment="STREAMING_CLUSTER_NUM=1"
+ExecStart=/home/mastodon/.nvm/nvm-exec node ./streaming
+TimeoutSec=15
+Restart=always
+# Proc filesystem
+# ProcSubset=pid
+# ProtectProc=invisible
+# Capabilities
+CapabilityBoundingSet=
+# Security
+NoNewPrivileges=true
+# Sandboxing
+ProtectSystem=strict
+PrivateTmp=true
+PrivateDevices=true
+PrivateUsers=true
+ProtectHostname=true
+ProtectKernelLogs=true
+ProtectKernelModules=true
+ProtectKernelTunables=true
+ProtectControlGroups=true
+RestrictAddressFamilies=AF_INET
+RestrictAddressFamilies=AF_INET6
+RestrictAddressFamilies=AF_NETLINK
+RestrictAddressFamilies=AF_UNIX
+RestrictNamespaces=true
+LockPersonality=true
+RestrictRealtime=true
+RestrictSUIDSGID=true
+RemoveIPC=true
+PrivateMounts=true
+ProtectClock=true
+# System Call Filtering
+SystemCallArchitectures=native
+SystemCallFilter=~@cpu-emulation @debug @keyring @ipc @memlock @mount @obsolete @privileged @resources @setuid
+SystemCallFilter=pipe
+SystemCallFilter=pipe2
+ReadWritePaths=/home/mastodon/live
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/etc/systemd/system/mastodon-web.service b/etc/systemd/system/mastodon-web.service
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a8ccf6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/systemd/system/mastodon-web.service
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=mastodon-web
+After=network.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+User=mastodon
+WorkingDirectory=/home/mastodon/live
+Environment="RAILS_ENV=production"
+Environment="PORT=3000"
+Environment="LD_PRELOAD=libjemalloc.so"
+# note: this env is also set in .env.production, but this service is started before file is read:
+Environment="WEB_CONCURRENCY=3"
+Environment="MAX_THREADS=10"
+ExecStart=/home/mastodon/.rbenv/shims/bundle exec puma -C config/puma.rb
+ExecReload=/bin/kill -SIGUSR1 $MAINPID
+TimeoutSec=15
+Restart=always
+# Proc filesystem
+# ProcSubset=pid
+# ProtectProc=invisible
+# Capabilities
+CapabilityBoundingSet=
+# Security
+NoNewPrivileges=true
+# Sandboxing
+ProtectSystem=strict
+PrivateTmp=true
+PrivateDevices=true
+PrivateUsers=true
+ProtectHostname=true
+ProtectKernelLogs=true
+ProtectKernelModules=true
+ProtectKernelTunables=true
+ProtectControlGroups=true
+RestrictAddressFamilies=AF_INET
+RestrictAddressFamilies=AF_INET6
+RestrictAddressFamilies=AF_NETLINK
+RestrictAddressFamilies=AF_UNIX
+RestrictNamespaces=true
+LockPersonality=true
+RestrictRealtime=true
+RestrictSUIDSGID=true
+RemoveIPC=true
+PrivateMounts=true
+ProtectClock=true
+# System Call Filtering
+SystemCallArchitectures=native
+SystemCallFilter=~@cpu-emulation @debug @keyring @ipc @mount @obsolete @privileged @setuid
+SystemCallFilter=@chown
+SystemCallFilter=pipe
+SystemCallFilter=pipe2
+ReadWritePaths=/home/mastodon/live
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/init.sh b/init.sh
index 2877f52..cf67b0d 100755
--- a/init.sh
+++ b/init.sh
@@ -7,24 +7,32 @@ export APP_ROOT="$MASTODON_ROOT/live"         # actual Mastodon files
 export BACKUPS_ROOT="$MASTODON_ROOT/backups"  # backups destination
 export LOGS_ROOT="$MASTODON_ROOT/logs"        # logs destintation
 export RBENV_ROOT="$MASTODON_ROOT/.rbenv"     # rbenv (w/ ruby-build plugin) directory
+export NVM_DIR="$MASTODON_ROOT/.nvm"          # nvm directory
 
 # ---
 
-# initialize rbenv manually
-if [ -d "$RBENV_ROOT" ]; then
+# initialize rbenv
+if [ -s "$RBENV_ROOT/bin/rbenv" ]; then
   eval "$($RBENV_ROOT/bin/rbenv init -)"
 else
-  echo "⚠️ Didn't find rbenv at '$MASTODON_ROOT/.rbenv', double check the paths set in utils/init.sh..."
+  echo "⚠️ Couldn't find rbenv in '$RBENV_ROOT', double check the paths set in '$UTILS_ROOT/init.sh'..."
+fi
+
+# initialize nvm
+if [ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ]; then
+  . "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"
+else
+  echo "⚠️ Couldn't find nvm.sh in '$NVM_DIR', double check the paths set in '$UTILS_ROOT/init.sh'..."
 fi
 
 # check for Mastodon in set location
 if [ ! -d "$APP_ROOT" ]; then
-  echo "⚠️ Didn't find Mastodon at '$APP_ROOT', double check the paths set in utils/init.sh..."
+  echo "⚠️ Couldn't find Mastodon at '$APP_ROOT', double check the paths set in '$UTILS_ROOT/init.sh'..."
 fi
 
 # clone this repo if it doesn't exist in the proper location
 # if [ ! -d "$UTILS_ROOT" ]; then
-#   echo "⚠️ Can't find mastodon-utils in '$UTILS_DIR', cloning it for you..."
+#   echo "⚠️ Couldn't find mastodon-utils at '$UTILS_ROOT', cloning it for you..."
 #   sudo -u mastodon git clone https://github.com/jakejarvis/mastodon-utils.git "$UTILS_ROOT"
 # fi
 
diff --git a/scripts/install.sh b/scripts/install.sh
index 882b800..426aa90 100755
--- a/scripts/install.sh
+++ b/scripts/install.sh
@@ -52,10 +52,6 @@ sudo DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt install -y --no-install-recommends \
   lsb-release \
   ca-certificates
 
-# add nodesource apt repository
-curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/gpgkey/nodesource.gpg.key | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/nodesource-archive-keyring.gpg
-echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/nodesource-archive-keyring.gpg] https://deb.nodesource.com/node_16.x $(lsb_release -cs) main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/nodesource.list >/dev/null
-
 # add official postgresql apt repository
 curl -fsSL https://www.postgresql.org/media/keys/ACCC4CF8.asc | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/postgresql-archive-keyring.gpg
 echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/postgresql-archive-keyring.gpg] http://apt.postgresql.org/pub/repos/apt $(lsb_release -cs)-pgdg main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/postgresql.list >/dev/null
@@ -78,7 +74,6 @@ sudo DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt install -y --no-install-recommends \
   libxml2-dev \
   libxslt1-dev \
   imagemagick \
-  nodejs \
   redis-server \
   redis-tools \
   postgresql \
@@ -107,32 +102,37 @@ sudo DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt install -y --no-install-recommends \
   python3-venv \
   libaugeas0
 
-# setup yarn
-sudo npm install --global yarn
-sudo corepack enable
-
 # install rbenv & ruby-build
+# https://github.com/rbenv/rbenv#basic-git-checkout
+# https://github.com/rbenv/ruby-build#clone-as-rbenv-plugin-using-git
 as_mastodon git clone https://github.com/rbenv/rbenv.git "$RBENV_ROOT"
 as_mastodon git clone https://github.com/rbenv/ruby-build.git "$RBENV_ROOT/plugins/ruby-build"
 eval "$("$RBENV_ROOT"/bin/rbenv init -)"
 
+# install nvm
+# https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm#manual-install
+as_mastodon git clone https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm.git "$NVM_DIR" && cd "$NVM_DIR"
+as_mastodon git checkout "$(as_mastodon git describe --abbrev=0 --tags --match "v[0-9]*" "$(as_mastodon git rev-list --tags --max-count=1)")"
+. "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"
+
 # clone vanilla Mastodon & checkout latest version:
 as_mastodon git clone https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon.git "$APP_ROOT" && cd "$APP_ROOT"
-as_mastodon git checkout "$(as_mastodon git tag -l | grep -v 'rc[0-9]*$' | sort -V | tail -n 1)"
+as_mastodon git checkout "$(as_mastodon git describe --abbrev=0 --tags --match "v[0-9]*" "$(as_mastodon git rev-list --tags --max-count=1)")"
 # clone glitch-soc & checkout latest commit:
 # as_mastodon git clone https://github.com/glitch-soc/mastodon.git "$APP_ROOT" && cd "$APP_ROOT"
 
 # install ruby
-RUBY_VERSION="$(as_mastodon cat "$APP_ROOT"/.ruby-version)"
-as_mastodon RUBY_CONFIGURE_OPTS=--with-jemalloc rbenv install --skip-existing "$RUBY_VERSION"
-as_mastodon rbenv global "$RUBY_VERSION"
+as_mastodon RUBY_CONFIGURE_OPTS=--with-jemalloc rbenv install --skip-existing
+as_mastodon rbenv global "$(as_mastodon cat "$APP_ROOT"/.ruby-version)"
+
+# install node & yarn
+as_mastodon bash -c "\. "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"; nvm install; nvm use; npm install --global yarn"
 
 # install npm and gem dependencies
 as_mastodon gem install bundler --no-document
 as_mastodon bundle config deployment "true"
 as_mastodon bundle config without "development test"
 as_mastodon bundle install --jobs "$(getconf _NPROCESSORS_ONLN)"
-as_mastodon yarn set version classic
 as_mastodon yarn install --pure-lockfile --network-timeout 100000
 
 # set up database w/ random alphanumeric password
@@ -224,25 +224,26 @@ sudo certbot certonly \
   --email "$MASTODON_ADMIN_EMAIL" \
   --standalone
 
-# configure nginx: sets up symlinks from `/etc/nginx` to confs in this repo
-sudo sed -i "$UTILS_ROOT/etc/nginx/sites-available/mastodon.conf" -e "s/fediverse.jarv.is/$MASTODON_DOMAIN/g"
-sudo rm -rf /etc/nginx/sites-available
-sudo rm -rf /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/*
+# configure nginx: copies conf files from this repo to /etc/nginx
 sudo mv /etc/nginx/nginx.conf /etc/nginx/nginx.conf.bak
-sudo ln -sf "$UTILS_ROOT/etc/nginx/nginx.conf" /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
-sudo ln -sf "$UTILS_ROOT/etc/nginx/modules" /usr/lib/nginx/modules
-sudo ln -sf "$UTILS_ROOT/etc/nginx/sites-available" /etc/nginx/sites-available
+sudo cp "$UTILS_ROOT"/etc/nginx/nginx.conf /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
+sudo cp -f "$UTILS_ROOT"/etc/nginx/modules/* /usr/lib/nginx/modules/
+sudo cp -f "$UTILS_ROOT"/etc/nginx/sites-available/*.conf /etc/nginx/sites-available/
 sudo ln -sf /etc/nginx/sites-available/default.conf /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/default.conf
 sudo ln -sf /etc/nginx/sites-available/mastodon.conf /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/mastodon.conf
+sudo sed -i /etc/nginx/sites-available/mastodon.conf -e "s|mastodon.example.com|$MASTODON_DOMAIN|g"
 sudo nginx -t
-sudo systemctl start nginx
 
 # configure mastodon systemd services
-sudo cp "$APP_ROOT"/dist/mastodon-*.service /etc/systemd/system/
+sudo cp "$UTILS_ROOT"/etc/systemd/system/mastodon-*.service /etc/systemd/system/
+
+# fix hard-coded /home/mastodon in systemd files (this is the default from init.sh anyways, so it probably won't change)
+sudo sed -i /etc/systemd/system/mastodon-*.service -e "s|/home/mastodon|$MASTODON_ROOT|g"
 
 # start everything up!
 sudo systemctl daemon-reload
 sudo systemctl enable --now mastodon-web mastodon-sidekiq mastodon-streaming
+sudo systemctl start nginx
 
 # wait a bit to be safe
 sleep 5
diff --git a/scripts/upgrade.sh b/scripts/upgrade.sh
index aacc7cb..e25c442 100755
--- a/scripts/upgrade.sh
+++ b/scripts/upgrade.sh
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ RUBY_VERSION="$(as_mastodon cat "$APP_ROOT"/.ruby-version)"
 as_mastodon RUBY_CONFIGURE_OPTS=--with-jemalloc rbenv install --skip-existing "$RUBY_VERSION"
 as_mastodon rbenv global "$RUBY_VERSION"
 
+# set new node version
+as_mastodon bash -c "\. "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"; nvm install; nvm use; npm install --global yarn"
+
 # update dependencies
 as_mastodon bundle install --jobs "$(getconf _NPROCESSORS_ONLN)"
 as_mastodon yarn install --pure-lockfile --network-timeout 100000