diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8f1c3c1..47f57b5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ All data and file upload operations accept an optional `payment_mode` parameter
 - **Rust** toolchain — for building antd
 - **Python 3.10+** — for the dev CLI (`ant-dev`) and MCP server
 - **ant-node** repo cloned as sibling (for local testnet only): `git clone https://github.com/WithAutonomi/ant-node ../ant-node`
+- **Foundry** (provides `anvil`) — for the local EVM testnet that the devnet spawns: `curl -sL https://foundry.paradigm.xyz | bash && foundryup`
 
 **Language-specific** (install only what you need):
 
@@ -428,7 +429,7 @@ The Autonomi network provides these core primitives, all accessible through the
 ## Developer CLI Reference
 
 ```
-ant dev start [--autonomi-dir PATH] [--no-build]    # Start local environment
+ant dev start [--ant-node-dir PATH] [--no-build]    # Start local environment
 ant dev stop                                         # Tear down everything
 ant dev status                                       # Show running processes + health
 ant dev example <name> [-l python|csharp]             # Run named example
diff --git a/ant-dev/src/ant_dev/cli.py b/ant-dev/src/ant_dev/cli.py
index 1c1e4bd..1a19bba 100644
--- a/ant-dev/src/ant_dev/cli.py
+++ b/ant-dev/src/ant_dev/cli.py
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> None:
 
     # ant dev start
     p = dev_sub.add_parser("start", help="Start ant devnet + antd")
-    p.add_argument("--ant-node-dir", help="Path to ant-node repo")
+    # --autonomi-dir kept as a back-compat alias for older docs/scripts (#62).
+    p.add_argument("--ant-node-dir", "--autonomi-dir", dest="ant_node_dir",
+                   help="Path to ant-node repo")
     p.add_argument("--no-build", action="store_true", help="Skip build (use existing binaries)")
     p.add_argument("--enable-evm", action="store_true", help="Enable EVM payment enforcement")
 
diff --git a/ant-dev/src/ant_dev/cmd_example.py b/ant-dev/src/ant_dev/cmd_example.py
index 3c17e22..9cb2e97 100644
--- a/ant-dev/src/ant_dev/cmd_example.py
+++ b/ant-dev/src/ant_dev/cmd_example.py
@@ -66,9 +66,9 @@ def _run_one_python(script: Path) -> None:
         print(f"Example file not found: {script}")
         sys.exit(1)
 
-    # Use 'python' on Windows, 'python3' on Unix
-    python = "python" if sys.platform == "win32" else "python3"
-    result = subprocess.run([python, str(script)])
+    # Use the interpreter that runs ant-dev itself; in editable installs
+    # that points at the venv where antd[rest] is on sys.path (#63).
+    result = subprocess.run([sys.executable, str(script)])
     if result.returncode != 0:
         sys.exit(result.returncode)
 
diff --git a/ant-dev/src/ant_dev/cmd_start.py b/ant-dev/src/ant_dev/cmd_start.py
index a081d0f..5870b2c 100644
--- a/ant-dev/src/ant_dev/cmd_start.py
+++ b/ant-dev/src/ant_dev/cmd_start.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 import json
 import os
+import shutil
 import sys
 import time
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -73,6 +74,14 @@ def run(args) -> None:
     print()
 
     # ── 1. Start ant-devnet ──
+    # Preflight: ant-devnet spawns anvil (Foundry) for the EVM testnet (#64).
+    # Without anvil on PATH the devnet times out with an unhelpful error.
+    if shutil.which("anvil") is None:
+        print(red("       ERROR: anvil (from Foundry) not found on PATH."))
+        print(gray("       ant-devnet needs anvil for the local EVM testnet."))
+        print(gray("       Install: curl -sL https://foundry.paradigm.xyz | bash && foundryup"))
+        sys.exit(1)
+
     print(yellow("[1/3] Starting ant devnet..."))
 
     devnet_cmd = [