diff --git a/core/Cargo.lock b/core/Cargo.lock
index 0871ecd7..95dc1a41 100644
--- a/core/Cargo.lock
+++ b/core/Cargo.lock
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ checksum = "a23eb6b1614318a8071c9b2521f36b424b2c83db5eb3a0fead4a6c0809af6e61"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "archipelago"
-version = "1.7.1-alpha"
+version = "1.7.2-alpha"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "archipelago-container",
diff --git a/core/archipelago/Cargo.toml b/core/archipelago/Cargo.toml
index d298a551..4aeda1a1 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/Cargo.toml
+++ b/core/archipelago/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "archipelago"
-version = "1.7.1-alpha"
+version = "1.7.2-alpha"
 edition = "2021"
 description = "Archipelago Bitcoin Node OS - Native backend"
 authors = ["Archipelago Team"]
diff --git a/core/archipelago/src/identity_manager.rs b/core/archipelago/src/identity_manager.rs
index 5a3827f0..c343d1da 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/src/identity_manager.rs
+++ b/core/archipelago/src/identity_manager.rs
@@ -739,6 +739,20 @@ impl IdentityManager {
                 .and_then(|pk| pk.to_bech32().ok())
         });
 
+        // Backfill a default avatar for identities created before the
+        // default-avatar feature shipped. The synthetic profile lives only
+        // in the returned record — we don't rewrite the file on disk,
+        // since a later explicit save will persist whatever the user
+        // actually chose. Master identities (seed index 0) get the hex
+        // node SVG; all other pre-existing identities get the identicon.
+        let profile = file.profile.or_else(|| {
+            let is_master = file.derivation_index == Some(0);
+            Some(IdentityProfile {
+                picture: Some(crate::avatar::default_picture(&file.pubkey_hex, is_master)),
+                ..Default::default()
+            })
+        });
+
         Ok(IdentityRecord {
             id: file.id,
             name: file.name,
@@ -749,7 +763,7 @@ impl IdentityManager {
             created_at: file.created_at,
             nostr_pubkey: file.nostr_pubkey_hex,
             nostr_npub,
-            profile: file.profile,
+            profile,
         })
     }
 
diff --git a/core/archipelago/src/update.rs b/core/archipelago/src/update.rs
index fe301691..00150f07 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/src/update.rs
+++ b/core/archipelago/src/update.rs
@@ -277,25 +277,42 @@ pub async fn apply_update(data_dir: &Path) -> Result<()> {
 
         match name.as_str() {
             "archipelago" => {
-                let dest = Path::new("/usr/local/bin/archipelago");
-                fs::copy(&src, dest)
+                // /usr/local/bin is root-owned; archipelago user can't
+                // fs::copy into it directly. Use sudo install which handles
+                // the copy, mode, and ownership atomically.
+                let status = tokio::process::Command::new("sudo")
+                    .args([
+                        "install",
+                        "-m",
+                        "0755",
+                        "-o",
+                        "root",
+                        "-g",
+                        "root",
+                        &src.to_string_lossy(),
+                        "/usr/local/bin/archipelago",
+                    ])
+                    .status()
                     .await
-                    .with_context(|| format!("Failed to apply {}", name))?;
-                #[cfg(unix)]
-                {
-                    use std::os::unix::fs::PermissionsExt;
-                    std::fs::set_permissions(dest, std::fs::Permissions::from_mode(0o755))
-                        .context("Failed to set binary permissions")?;
+                    .with_context(|| format!("Failed to spawn install for {}", name))?;
+                if !status.success() {
+                    anyhow::bail!(
+                        "sudo install failed for {} (exit {:?})",
+                        name,
+                        status.code()
+                    );
                 }
                 info!(name = %name, "Backend binary applied");
             }
             _ if name.contains("frontend") && name.ends_with(".tar.gz") => {
                 let web_ui_dir = Path::new("/opt/archipelago/web-ui");
-                // Back up current frontend
+                // Back up current frontend. /opt/archipelago is root-owned;
+                // the backup goes under our data_dir where we can write.
                 let frontend_backup = backup_dir.join("web-ui-backup.tar.gz");
                 if web_ui_dir.exists() {
-                    let status = tokio::process::Command::new("tar")
+                    let status = tokio::process::Command::new("sudo")
                         .args([
+                            "tar",
                             "-czf",
                             &frontend_backup.to_string_lossy(),
                             "-C",
@@ -309,15 +326,21 @@ pub async fn apply_update(data_dir: &Path) -> Result<()> {
                         info!("Frontend backed up");
                     }
                 }
-                // Extract new frontend
-                let status = tokio::process::Command::new("tar")
-                    .args(["-xzf", &src.to_string_lossy(), "-C", "/opt/archipelago"])
+                // Extract new frontend into /opt/archipelago (root-owned dir).
+                let status = tokio::process::Command::new("sudo")
+                    .args(["tar", "-xzf", &src.to_string_lossy(), "-C", "/opt/archipelago"])
                     .status()
                     .await
                     .with_context(|| format!("Failed to extract {}", name))?;
                 if !status.success() {
                     anyhow::bail!("tar extraction failed for {}", name);
                 }
+                // nginx serves this tree; keep ownership consistent with
+                // what first-boot + the ISO layout expect.
+                let _ = tokio::process::Command::new("sudo")
+                    .args(["chown", "-R", "archipelago:archipelago", "/opt/archipelago/web-ui"])
+                    .status()
+                    .await;
                 info!(name = %name, "Frontend archive extracted to /opt/archipelago/web-ui");
             }
             _ => {
@@ -339,7 +362,20 @@ pub async fn apply_update(data_dir: &Path) -> Result<()> {
     // Clean staging
     let _ = fs::remove_dir_all(&staging_dir).await;
 
-    info!("Update applied. Restart service to take effect.");
+    info!("Update applied — scheduling service restart in 2s so the RPC reply lands first");
+
+    // Restart asynchronously so the JSON-RPC response actually reaches the
+    // UI before systemd kills us. --no-block makes sure systemctl doesn't
+    // try to wait for the current service (us) to exit cleanly before
+    // starting the new process — it would deadlock otherwise.
+    tokio::spawn(async {
+        tokio::time::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_secs(2)).await;
+        let _ = tokio::process::Command::new("sudo")
+            .args(["systemctl", "--no-block", "restart", "archipelago"])
+            .status()
+            .await;
+    });
+
     Ok(())
 }
 
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/locales/en.json b/neode-ui/src/locales/en.json
index be726c6b..75e9ad6f 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/locales/en.json
+++ b/neode-ui/src/locales/en.json
@@ -663,18 +663,18 @@
     "autoApply": "Auto-Apply",
     "autoApplyDesc": "Check daily and automatically install updates at 3 AM. Service restarts as needed.",
     "downloadUpdate": "Download Update",
-    "applyUpdate": "Apply Update",
+    "applyUpdate": "Install Update",
     "checkForUpdates": "Check for Updates",
     "checking": "Checking...",
     "rollback": "Rollback to Previous",
     "backToSettings": "Back to Settings",
     "percentComplete": "{percent}% complete",
     "applyWarning": "Installing components and restarting services. Do not power off.",
-    "applyTitle": "Apply Update?",
+    "applyTitle": "Install Update?",
     "applyMessage": "The backend service will restart. This may take a moment.",
     "rollbackTitle": "Rollback Version?",
     "rollbackMessage": "This will restore the previous version. The backend service will restart.",
-    "applyNow": "Apply Now",
+    "applyNow": "Install Now",
     "rollbackButton": "Rollback",
     "upToDateMessage": "Your system is up to date. No updates available. Your system is running the latest version.",
     "checkFailed": "Failed to check for updates. Check your internet connection.",
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/locales/es.json b/neode-ui/src/locales/es.json
index 79fbca32..4ab451e5 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/locales/es.json
+++ b/neode-ui/src/locales/es.json
@@ -662,18 +662,18 @@
     "autoApply": "Aplicaci\u00f3n autom\u00e1tica",
     "autoApplyDesc": "Buscar diariamente y aplicar actualizaciones autom\u00e1ticamente a las 3 AM. Los servicios se reinician seg\u00fan sea necesario.",
     "downloadUpdate": "Descargar actualizaci\u00f3n",
-    "applyUpdate": "Aplicar actualizaci\u00f3n",
+    "applyUpdate": "Instalar actualizaci\u00f3n",
     "checkForUpdates": "Buscar actualizaciones",
     "checking": "Verificando...",
     "rollback": "Revertir a la versi\u00f3n anterior",
     "backToSettings": "Volver a configuraci\u00f3n",
     "percentComplete": "{percent}% completado",
     "applyWarning": "Instalando componentes y reiniciando servicios. No apague el equipo.",
-    "applyTitle": "\u00bfAplicar actualizaci\u00f3n?",
+    "applyTitle": "\u00bfInstalar actualizaci\u00f3n?",
     "applyMessage": "El servicio del backend se reiniciar\u00e1. Esto puede tomar un momento.",
     "rollbackTitle": "\u00bfRevertir versi\u00f3n?",
     "rollbackMessage": "Esto restaurar\u00e1 la versi\u00f3n anterior. El servicio del backend se reiniciar\u00e1.",
-    "applyNow": "Aplicar ahora",
+    "applyNow": "Instalar ahora",
     "rollbackButton": "Revertir",
     "upToDateMessage": "Su sistema est\u00e1 actualizado. No hay actualizaciones disponibles. Su sistema est\u00e1 ejecutando la \u00faltima versi\u00f3n.",
     "checkFailed": "Error al buscar actualizaciones. Verifique su conexi\u00f3n a internet.",