diff --git a/docs/FORKING.md b/docs/FORKING.md
index 57ed1cb3..37d4ee25 100644
--- a/docs/FORKING.md
+++ b/docs/FORKING.md
@@ -158,6 +158,8 @@ The deployment automatically detects your repository name and sets the correct b
 
 ## Supabase Setup
 
+While Supabase env vars are unset, you'll see a yellow "Setup required" banner on every page of the running app. This is intentional — it disappears automatically once `NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL` and `NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY` are populated. The banner is also dismissible via the × button if you want to focus on non-Supabase features first.
+
 ### 1. Create Supabase Project
 
 1. Go to [supabase.com](https://supabase.com) and create a new project
diff --git a/src/components/SetupBanner/SetupBanner.test.tsx b/src/components/SetupBanner/SetupBanner.test.tsx
index 6e07c49f..1d6d953b 100644
--- a/src/components/SetupBanner/SetupBanner.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/SetupBanner/SetupBanner.test.tsx
@@ -61,10 +61,21 @@ describe('SetupBanner', () => {
       const link = screen.getByText('View setup guide');
       expect(link).toHaveAttribute(
         'href',
-        'https://github.com/TortoiseWolfe/ScriptHammer#supabase-setup'
+        'https://github.com/TortoiseWolfe/ScriptHammer/blob/main/docs/FORKING.md#supabase-setup'
       );
     });
 
+    it('should name both required env vars in default message', () => {
+      // Fork users seeing the banner need to know exactly which two
+      // NEXT_PUBLIC_* vars to populate. Pin both names so a future copy
+      // refactor doesn't drop one.
+      render(<SetupBanner show={true} />);
+      expect(screen.getByText(/NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL/)).toBeInTheDocument();
+      expect(
+        screen.getByText(/NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY/)
+      ).toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+
     it('should render setup guide link with custom URL', () => {
       render(<SetupBanner show={true} docsUrl="https://custom-docs.com" />);
 
diff --git a/src/components/SetupBanner/SetupBanner.tsx b/src/components/SetupBanner/SetupBanner.tsx
index f0a56d1c..5597d087 100644
--- a/src/components/SetupBanner/SetupBanner.tsx
+++ b/src/components/SetupBanner/SetupBanner.tsx
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ const STORAGE_KEY = 'supabase_setup_banner_dismissed';
  * Auto-detects Supabase configuration status when show prop is not provided.
  */
 export function SetupBanner({
-  message = 'Supabase is not configured. Some features may be unavailable.',
-  docsUrl = 'https://github.com/TortoiseWolfe/ScriptHammer#supabase-setup',
+  message = 'Supabase is not configured: set NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL and NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY in your .env file.',
+  docsUrl = 'https://github.com/TortoiseWolfe/ScriptHammer/blob/main/docs/FORKING.md#supabase-setup',
   show,
 }: SetupBannerProps) {
   const [isDismissed, setIsDismissed] = useState(true); // Start hidden to avoid flash