diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index dc74f8c..1766fa2 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -182,6 +182,23 @@ if [ -d "$HOME/imports" ] && ls "$HOME/imports"/*.json &>/dev/null; then
   fi
 fi
 
+# Clean generated files from existing site directories so rebuild-all
+# regenerates them from the current template.  Preserves:
+#   config.json          — site content and settings
+#   .onionshare-session  — Tor domain identity key
+#   server.pid           — running process marker
+#   onionshare.log       — current log (may be in use)
+# Everything else is regenerated by build_assets().
+if [ -d "$HOME/host" ]; then
+  for site_dir in "$HOME"/host/*/; do
+    [ -f "${site_dir}config.json" ] || continue
+    msg "Cleaning generated files in ${site_dir}..."
+    rm -f "${site_dir}index.html" 2>/dev/null || true
+    rm -f "${site_dir}qrcode-content.png" "${site_dir}qrcode-tear-offs.png" 2>/dev/null || true
+    rm -rf "${site_dir}download" 2>/dev/null || true
+  done
+fi
+
 # --- Helper: build pip flags for this distro ---
 pip_flags() {
   local flags="--user --upgrade"
diff --git a/voxvera/cli.py b/voxvera/cli.py
index 69ff4bc..51aec64 100644
--- a/voxvera/cli.py
+++ b/voxvera/cli.py
@@ -731,6 +731,12 @@ def serve(config_path: str) -> str | None:
     if not dir_path.is_dir():
         print(f"Directory {dir_path} not found", file=sys.stderr)
         sys.exit(1)
+
+    # Auto-rebuild if index.html is missing (e.g. after install cleanup)
+    if not (dir_path / "index.html").exists():
+        print(f"Rebuilding {folder_name} from current template...")
+        build_assets(config_path)
+
     logfile = dir_path / "onionshare.log"
 
     # Set environment variables for OnionShare to use the detected Tor ports