diff --git a/packaging/linux/install.sh b/packaging/linux/install.sh
index fb71f8c19..451612376 100755
--- a/packaging/linux/install.sh
+++ b/packaging/linux/install.sh
@@ -87,12 +87,28 @@ echo "Installing udev rules …"
 sudo install -Dm644 "${SCRIPT_DIR}/udev/70-openlogi.rules" \
   /etc/udev/rules.d/70-openlogi.rules
 
+# The rule grants /dev/uinput with TAG+="uaccess", which logind applies in
+# response to a device event. A host that has never loaded the uinput module has
+# no such device, so the trigger below matches nothing and the node stays
+# root-owned — the hook then cannot create its virtual device and button
+# remapping silently does nothing. Load it now, and register it for every boot.
+echo "Loading the uinput module …"
+sudo install -Dm644 "${SCRIPT_DIR}/modules-load/openlogi.conf" \
+  /etc/modules-load.d/openlogi.conf
+if command -v modprobe >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  sudo modprobe uinput || true
+fi
+
 if command -v udevadm >/dev/null 2>&1; then
   echo "Reloading udev rules …"
   sudo udevadm control --reload-rules
   sudo udevadm trigger --subsystem-match=hidraw
   sudo udevadm trigger --subsystem-match=input
   sudo udevadm trigger --subsystem-match=misc --attr-match=name=uinput 2>/dev/null || true
+  # trigger only queues the events. Without settle the script can return before
+  # udev has applied the uaccess ACLs, so the next thing the user does — start
+  # the agent — still hits EACCES on a correctly configured system.
+  sudo udevadm settle 2>/dev/null || true
 fi
 
 # ── systemd user unit ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/packaging/linux/modules-load/openlogi.conf b/packaging/linux/modules-load/openlogi.conf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1407af725
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/linux/modules-load/openlogi.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# Load uinput at boot for OpenLogi.
+#
+# 70-openlogi.rules grants access to /dev/uinput with TAG+="uaccess", which
+# systemd-logind applies in response to a device event. A machine that has never
+# loaded the uinput module has no such device: OPTIONS+="static_node=uinput"
+# creates the node so that opening it can autoload the module, but the node is
+# created with default permissions and no ACL, and opening it is precisely what
+# the missing permission forbids.
+#
+# Loading the module makes the device appear, which lets the rule tag it.
+uinput
diff --git a/packaging/linux/nfpm-scripts/postinstall.sh b/packaging/linux/nfpm-scripts/postinstall.sh
index 07dc65a83..09dfc1d29 100755
--- a/packaging/linux/nfpm-scripts/postinstall.sh
+++ b/packaging/linux/nfpm-scripts/postinstall.sh
@@ -1,11 +1,20 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 set -eu
 
+# /etc/modules-load.d/openlogi.conf loads uinput from the next boot on; load it
+# now so the first session after installing works too. Without the module there
+# is no uinput device for the rule's uaccess tag to apply to — the node exists
+# via static_node= but stays root-owned, so the agent's hook cannot open it and
+# button remapping silently does nothing while HID++ keeps working.
+if command -v modprobe >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  modprobe uinput || true
+fi
+
 # Reload udev rules and wait for the new uaccess tags to be applied.
 # udevadm trigger is asynchronous — settle ensures the tags are in place
-# before the script exits so the agent can open /dev/hidraw* and the mouse's
-# /dev/input/event* node immediately, even for a device connected before the
-# install.
+# before the script exits so the agent can open /dev/hidraw*, /dev/uinput and
+# the mouse's /dev/input/event* node immediately, even for a device connected
+# before the install.
 if command -v udevadm >/dev/null 2>&1; then
   udevadm control --reload-rules
   udevadm trigger --subsystem-match=hidraw
diff --git a/packaging/linux/nfpm.yaml b/packaging/linux/nfpm.yaml
index bb4ddb510..0fe7ebf54 100644
--- a/packaging/linux/nfpm.yaml
+++ b/packaging/linux/nfpm.yaml
@@ -47,6 +47,14 @@ contents:
     file_info:
       mode: 0644
 
+  # ── uinput module load ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+  # The udev rule alone cannot grant /dev/uinput on a machine that has never
+  # loaded the module; see the file's own comment.
+  - src: packaging/linux/modules-load/openlogi.conf
+    dst: /etc/modules-load.d/openlogi.conf
+    file_info:
+      mode: 0644
+
   # ── systemd user unit ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
   - src: packaging/linux/systemd/openlogi-agent.service
     dst: /usr/lib/systemd/user/openlogi-agent.service
diff --git a/packaging/linux/nixos-module.nix b/packaging/linux/nixos-module.nix
index b10e1f4d9..c2a875a55 100644
--- a/packaging/linux/nixos-module.nix
+++ b/packaging/linux/nixos-module.nix
@@ -25,6 +25,14 @@ in
     environment.systemPackages = [ cfg.package ];
     services.udev.packages = [ cfg.package ];
 
+    # The udev rule grants /dev/uinput with TAG+="uaccess", which logind applies
+    # in response to a device event — and a host that has never loaded the
+    # uinput module has no such device, so the node stays root-owned and the
+    # agent cannot create the virtual device button remapping needs. The other
+    # packaging paths ship /etc/modules-load.d/openlogi.conf for this; on NixOS
+    # the equivalent is asking for the module here.
+    boot.kernelModules = [ "uinput" ];
+
     systemd.user.services.openlogi-agent = {
       description = "OpenLogi background agent";
       wantedBy = lib.optionals cfg.launchAtLogin [ "graphical-session.target" ];
diff --git a/packaging/linux/uninstall.sh b/packaging/linux/uninstall.sh
index 6e6749821..d2e623e9e 100755
--- a/packaging/linux/uninstall.sh
+++ b/packaging/linux/uninstall.sh
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ sudo rm -f "${BINDIR}/openlogi" "${BINDIR}/openlogi-desktop" \
 
 echo "Removing udev rules …"
 sudo rm -f /etc/udev/rules.d/70-openlogi.rules
+# Leave the module loaded: other software may be using it by now. Only stop
+# asking for it at boot.
+sudo rm -f /etc/modules-load.d/openlogi.conf
 if command -v udevadm >/dev/null 2>&1; then
   sudo udevadm control --reload-rules
   sudo udevadm trigger --subsystem-match=hidraw