diff --git a/main.js b/main.js
index 09d45bf..bbcefa3 100644
--- a/main.js
+++ b/main.js
@@ -209,9 +209,8 @@ class ManexStudyRoomPlugin extends Plugin {
       throw new Error("Python installed but still not found — restart Obsidian and try again.");
     }
 
-    throw new Error(
-      "Python 3 is required but not installed. Install it from https://python.org or via Homebrew (brew install python), then restart Obsidian."
-    );
+    new PythonSetupModal(this.app).open();
+    throw new Error("Python 3 not found. See the setup instructions in the Manex Brain dialog.");
   }
 
   getVenvPath() {
@@ -1013,6 +1012,48 @@ class ManexStudyRoomView extends ItemView {
   }
 }
 
+class PythonSetupModal extends Modal {
+  onOpen() {
+    const { contentEl } = this;
+    contentEl.empty();
+    contentEl.createEl("h2", { text: "Python 3 Required" });
+    contentEl.createEl("p", {
+      text: "Manex Brain needs Python 3 to run the local AI model. Follow the steps below to get set up."
+    });
+
+    contentEl.createEl("h3", { text: "Step 1 — Install Homebrew" });
+    contentEl.createEl("p", { text: "Homebrew is a package manager for macOS. Paste this into Terminal:" });
+    const brewCmd = `/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"`;
+    this._codeRow(contentEl, brewCmd, "Copy Homebrew install command");
+
+    contentEl.createEl("h3", { text: "Step 2 — Install Python" });
+    contentEl.createEl("p", { text: "Once Homebrew is installed, run this in Terminal:" });
+    this._codeRow(contentEl, "brew install python3", "Copy Python install command");
+
+    contentEl.createEl("h3", { text: "Step 3 — Restart Obsidian" });
+    contentEl.createEl("p", { text: "After Python is installed, restart Obsidian and Manex Brain will start automatically." });
+
+    const buttonRow = contentEl.createDiv({ cls: "manex-entitlement-actions" });
+    buttonRow.createEl("button", { text: "Open brew.sh" }).addEventListener("click", () => {
+      window.open("https://brew.sh", "_blank");
+    });
+    buttonRow.createEl("button", { text: "Close" }).addEventListener("click", () => this.close());
+  }
+
+  _codeRow(container, cmd, label) {
+    const wrap = container.createDiv({ cls: "manex-code-row" });
+    wrap.createEl("code", { text: cmd });
+    const btn = wrap.createEl("button", { text: label });
+    btn.addEventListener("click", () => {
+      navigator.clipboard.writeText(cmd);
+      btn.setText("Copied!");
+      setTimeout(() => btn.setText(label), 2000);
+    });
+  }
+
+  onClose() { this.contentEl.empty(); }
+}
+
 class MemoryModal extends Modal {
   constructor(app, options) {
     super(app);
diff --git a/manifest.json b/manifest.json
index ac0342a..d28ea98 100644
--- a/manifest.json
+++ b/manifest.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "id": "manex-brain",
   "name": "Manex Brain",
-  "version": "1.0.2",
+  "version": "1.0.3",
   "minAppVersion": "1.5.0",
   "description": "Local AI brain for your vault. Indexes all your notes and answers questions privately using a local Apple Silicon MLX model — no cloud, no API keys.",
   "author": "Manex",
diff --git a/styles.css b/styles.css
index 59bb01c..477664a 100644
--- a/styles.css
+++ b/styles.css
@@ -334,3 +334,21 @@
   width: 100%;
   min-height: 160px;
 }
+
+.manex-code-row {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 10px;
+  margin: 6px 0 14px;
+  padding: 8px 12px;
+  border: 1px solid var(--background-modifier-border);
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  background: var(--background-secondary);
+}
+
+.manex-code-row code {
+  flex: 1;
+  font-size: var(--font-ui-smaller);
+  word-break: break-all;
+  background: none;
+}
diff --git a/versions.json b/versions.json
index 43d4f38..c80be4c 100644
--- a/versions.json
+++ b/versions.json
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 {
   "1.0.0": "1.5.0",
   "1.0.1": "1.5.0",
-  "1.0.2": "1.5.0"
+  "1.0.2": "1.5.0",
+  "1.0.3": "1.5.0"
 }