diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 35ba85e..7997d26 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -28,15 +28,6 @@ On illumos/Solaris the default prefix is `/opt/party` and the install needs root
 
 ## Quick start
 
-One-time setup, as root. Create the group and add members:
-
-```sh
-groupadd party
-usermod -aG party alice
-usermod -aG party bob
-# alice and bob log out and back in so the new group takes effect
-```
-
 Host a party, then invite from inside it:
 
 ```sh
@@ -53,7 +44,16 @@ party join standup        # attach (auto-attaches if only one party is running)
 party leave               # detach and clean up
 ```
 
-The `party` group is the partyline: filesystem access to party sockets is shared among members, and `tmux server-access` decides who is actually let into a given session. No shared install directory is needed: each party keeps its own state under its own per-party private directory. Parties you haven't been invited to yet show up in `party list` as `invite-only`; `party join` on one tells you which host to ask (exit status 13).
+No shared group on this box? `party host` says so and prints the recipe. The fallback is a dedicated `party` group, created once as root:
+
+```sh
+groupadd party
+usermod -aG party alice
+usermod -aG party bob
+# alice and bob log out and back in so the new group takes effect
+```
+
+The gating group is the partyline: filesystem access to party sockets is shared among members, and `tmux server-access` decides who is actually let into a given session. No shared install directory is needed: each party keeps its own state under its own per-party private directory. Parties you haven't been invited to yet show up in `party list` as `invite-only`; `party join` on one tells you which host to ask (exit status 13).
 
 ## How it works