diff --git a/kickstart/veilor-os.ks b/kickstart/veilor-os.ks
index 18f8749..581b4ab 100644
--- a/kickstart/veilor-os.ks
+++ b/kickstart/veilor-os.ks
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ user --name=admin --groups=wheel --gecos="veilor admin" --password="" --plaintex
 # Note: init_on_alloc/init_on_free removed from default live cmdline —
 # they zero every memory page at boot which 5x'd KVM live boot time.
 # Re-enable per-install via veilor-firstboot.service for production.
-bootloader --location=mbr --append="lockdown=integrity slab_nomerge randomize_kstack_offset=on vsyscall=none plymouth.enable=0"
+bootloader --location=mbr --append="lockdown=integrity slab_nomerge randomize_kstack_offset=on vsyscall=none"
 
 # ── Live ISO partitioning (flat — for live rootfs build only) ──
 # NOTE: This is the *live* image kickstart. Final installed system uses
diff --git a/overlay/usr/local/bin/veilor-installer b/overlay/usr/local/bin/veilor-installer
index 743948f..0285aa5 100644
--- a/overlay/usr/local/bin/veilor-installer
+++ b/overlay/usr/local/bin/veilor-installer
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ __SSHKEY_DIRECTIVE__
 
 # Full hardening cmdline (installed system, not live):
 # --location=none: anaconda auto-places bootloader (UEFI grub2-efi or BIOS).
-bootloader --append="lockdown=integrity slab_nomerge init_on_alloc=1 init_on_free=1 randomize_kstack_offset=on vsyscall=none plymouth.enable=0"
+bootloader --append="lockdown=integrity slab_nomerge init_on_alloc=1 init_on_free=1 randomize_kstack_offset=on vsyscall=none"
 
 # Disk: zero, LUKS2 (argon2id), btrfs subvolumes (no LVM intermediary).
 # Native btrfs-on-LUKS matches Fedora KDE Spin defaults; LVM+btrfs combo
@@ -547,11 +547,22 @@ bash $REPO/scripts/kde-theme-apply.sh
 # QEMU sendkey AND on real hardware.
 
 # GRUB branding: replace fedora distributor with veilor-os in menu titles.
-# Theme + splash kept default (plymouth handles boot UI). v0.6 will swap
-# fedora-logos with veilor-logos for full visual rebrand.
+# Drop rhgb quiet from default cmdline → all kernel/systemd messages
+# visible. Plymouth `details` theme shows scrolling text (no splash, no
+# logo). LUKS prompt rendered as text. Onyx-style boot.
 sed -i \
     -e 's|^GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=.*|GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR="veilor-os"|' \
+    -e 's|^GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=.*|GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=""|' \
     /etc/default/grub 2>/dev/null || true
+
+# Switch plymouth to text-only `details` theme (scrolling boot log, no
+# graphics, no logo). Theme is built-in to plymouth package, no asset
+# install needed. v0.6 will ship custom veilor-themed plymouth.
+plymouth-set-default-theme details 2>/dev/null || true
+# Regenerate initramfs with new theme baked in (plymouth modules read
+# theme at initramfs build time).
+dracut --force --regenerate-all 2>&1 | tail -3 || true
+
 # Regen grub.cfg with new branding (anaconda already wrote one; replace).
 grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg 2>/dev/null || true
 [ -f /boot/efi/EFI/fedora/grub.cfg ] && \