diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b2772d8..f251a07 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -160,8 +160,6 @@ hishtory config-set filter-duplicate-commands true
 If you don't need the ability to sync your shell history, you can install hiSHtory in offline mode:
 
 ```sh
-curl https://hishtory.dev/install.py | HISHTORY_OFFLINE=true python3 -
-# or
 curl https://hishtory.dev/install.py | python3 - --offline
 ```
 
diff --git a/backend/web/landing/www/install.py b/backend/web/landing/www/install.py
index 07500c1..1bd8bd4 100644
--- a/backend/web/landing/www/install.py
+++ b/backend/web/landing/www/install.py
@@ -53,8 +53,9 @@ os.system('chmod +x ' + tmpFilePath)
 cmd = tmpFilePath + ' install'
 if os.environ.get('HISHTORY_OFFLINE'):
     cmd += " --offline"
-if len(sys.argv) > 1:
-    cmd += " " + " ".join(sys.argv[1:])
+additional_flags = [flag for flag in sys.argv[1:] if flag.startswith("-") and flag != "-"]
+if additional_flags:
+    cmd += " " + " ".join(additional_flags)
 exitCode = os.system(cmd)
 os.remove(tmpFilePath)
 if exitCode != 0:
diff --git a/client/client_test.go b/client/client_test.go
index 941aac6..04b6684 100644
--- a/client/client_test.go
+++ b/client/client_test.go
@@ -1063,18 +1063,16 @@ func TestInstallViaPythonScriptWithCustomHishtoryPath(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(path.Join(homedir, altHishtoryPath)))
 
-	testInstallViaPythonScriptChild(t, zshTester{})
+	testInstallViaPythonScriptChild(t, zshTester{}, Online)
 }
 
 func TestInstallViaPythonScriptInOfflineMode(t *testing.T) {
 	markTestForSharding(t, 1)
 	defer testutils.BackupAndRestore(t)()
-	defer testutils.BackupAndRestoreEnv("HISHTORY_OFFLINE")()
-	os.Setenv("HISHTORY_OFFLINE", "1")
 	tester := zshTester{}
 
 	// Check that installing works
-	testInstallViaPythonScriptChild(t, tester)
+	testInstallViaPythonScriptChild(t, tester, Offline)
 
 	// And check that it installed in offline mode
 	out := tester.RunInteractiveShell(t, `hishtory status -v`)
@@ -1083,14 +1081,14 @@ func TestInstallViaPythonScriptInOfflineMode(t *testing.T) {
 
 func testInstallViaPythonScript(t *testing.T, tester shellTester) {
 	defer testutils.BackupAndRestore(t)()
-	testInstallViaPythonScriptChild(t, tester)
+	testInstallViaPythonScriptChild(t, tester, Online)
 
 	// And check that it installed in online mode
 	out := tester.RunInteractiveShell(t, `hishtory status -v`)
 	require.Contains(t, out, "\nSync Mode: Enabled\n")
 }
 
-func testInstallViaPythonScriptChild(t *testing.T, tester shellTester) {
+func testInstallViaPythonScriptChild(t *testing.T, tester shellTester, onlineStatus OnlineStatus) {
 	if !testutils.IsOnline() {
 		t.Skip("skipping because we're currently offline")
 	}
@@ -1099,7 +1097,11 @@ func testInstallViaPythonScriptChild(t *testing.T, tester shellTester) {
 	defer testutils.BackupAndRestoreEnv("HISHTORY_TEST")()
 
 	// Install via the python script
-	out := tester.RunInteractiveShell(t, `curl https://hishtory.dev/install.py | python3 -`)
+	additionalFlags := " "
+	if onlineStatus == Offline {
+		additionalFlags = "--offline"
+	}
+	out := tester.RunInteractiveShell(t, `curl https://hishtory.dev/install.py | python3 -`+additionalFlags)
 	require.Contains(t, out, "Succesfully installed hishtory")
 	r := regexp.MustCompile(`Setting secret hishtory key to (.*)`)
 	matches := r.FindStringSubmatch(out)