diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 4f6ca04..63f8ffc 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 # Better Auth
+# Generate a secret with: openssl rand -base64 32
 BETTER_AUTH_SECRET=
 BETTER_AUTH_URL=http://localhost:3001
 
@@ -18,11 +19,20 @@ NODE_ENV=development
 AUTH_UI_ISSUER_ID=
 AS_ISSUER_ID=
 # Where to fetch the AS's published JWKS for verifying inbound JWTs.
+# Defaults to AS_BASE_URL/oauth/jwks if unset.
 AS_JWKS_URI=
 # Channel mode: backchannel (server-to-server, production) | frontchannel (dev only)
 INTERACTION_CHANNEL=backchannel
 # auth-ui's full private JWKS (JSON; published with private fields stripped at /.well-known/jwks.json).
-# Generate any ES256 keypair, then format as: {"keys":[<jwk-with-d>]}
+# Generate one with:
+#   node --input-type=module -e "import {generateKeyPair, exportJWK, calculateJwkThumbprint} from 'jose'; const {privateKey} = await generateKeyPair('ES256', {extractable: true}); const jwk = await exportJWK(privateKey); jwk.kid = await calculateJwkThumbprint(jwk); jwk.alg = 'ES256'; console.log(JSON.stringify({keys: [jwk]}))"
 AUTH_UI_JWKS=
 # Optional explicit signing-key kid. If unset, the resolver picks the only key, then by alg, then first.
 AUTH_UI_SIGNING_KID=
+
+# End-to-end smoke test (scripts/smoke-e2e.mjs)
+# Client id of the test RP registered on the Authlete service — see the
+# typescript-oauth-server README, "Provisioning".
+RP_CLIENT_ID=
+# Must match the redirect URI registered on the test client.
+RP_REDIRECT_URI=http://localhost:4040
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index d1c8d4d..c4ac6bd 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -9,3 +9,6 @@ data/*.sqlite-journal
 .DS_Store
 next-env.d.ts
 tsconfig.tsbuildinfo
+
+# Local agent notes, not part of the reference implementation
+CLAUDE.md
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4b99305..6547689 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ This app ships **unbranded** — the default look is a neutral reference UI, mea
 
 - **Rebrand from one file.** [`src/brand/brand.ts`](src/brand/brand.ts) is the single source of truth for product name, logo, font, colors, and sign-in panel copy. Colors flow into CSS variables; copy and assets are read from the active brand. No brand value is hardcoded elsewhere.
 - **Drop in your logo.** Set `logoMark` to an image under `/public/brand`, or keep the neutral built-in mark.
-- **Or replace the UI entirely.** Any app that speaks the same component protocol to the AS can stand in for this one — this repo is a working reference, not a requirement.
+- **Or replace the UI entirely.** Any app that speaks the same Interaction Protocol to the AS can stand in for this one — this repo is a working reference, not a requirement.
 
 ## The pattern: Externalized Login & Consent
 
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ This app ships **unbranded** — the default look is a neutral reference UI, mea
 ### State and protocol
 
 - The **AS holds no per-transaction state**; the browser carries only an opaque **authorization id**.
-- **auth-ui** holds the user session (Better Auth), not the OAuth transaction. It talks to the AS over a small component protocol authenticated by **per-request mutual JWT** (no bearer tokens):
+- **auth-ui** holds the user session (Better Auth), not the OAuth transaction. It talks to the AS over the **Interaction Protocol** (specified in `INTERACTION_PROTOCOL.md` in the `typescript-oauth-server` repo), authenticated by **per-request mutual JWT** (no bearer tokens):
   - `GET  /api/authorizations/{id}` — fetch the in-flight authorization.
   - `POST /api/authorizations/{id}/decision` — submit the user's approve/deny decision.
   - `GET  /api/users/{id}` (on auth-ui) — the AS calls back to resolve user claims.
@@ -50,29 +50,50 @@ This separation matches the architecture Authlete is designed around: the engine
 - Sign-in / sign-up / forgot-password (Better Auth — email + password today).
 - Consent surface for an in-flight AS authorization (`/authorizations/[id]`).
 - Account self-service: `/settings/account`, `/settings/security` via `better-auth-ui`.
-- Server-to-server client of the AS's component protocol (`src/lib/as-client.ts`).
+- Server-to-server client of the AS's Interaction Protocol (`src/lib/as-client.ts`).
 - Server actions that bridge user decisions back to the AS (`src/server/authorization-actions.ts`).
 - End-to-end smoke harness (`scripts/smoke-e2e.mjs`).
 
+## Prerequisites
+
+- An **Authlete 3.0 service**, provisioned as described in the `typescript-oauth-server` README (service JWK Set registered, test RP client created).
+- The AS running and reachable at `AS_BASE_URL` (default `http://localhost:3000`).
+
 ## Run locally
 
 ```bash
-npm install
+pnpm install
 cp .env.example .env
-# Fill in BETTER_AUTH_SECRET (32+ chars):   openssl rand -base64 32
-# Fill in AS_BASE_URL, AS_JWKS_URI, AUTH_UI_JWKS — see .env.example for the full set
-npx @better-auth/cli migrate   # create the SQLite schema at SQLITE_DB_PATH (./data ships in the repo)
-npm run dev
+# Fill in BETTER_AUTH_SECRET, AS_BASE_URL, AUTH_UI_JWKS — see .env.example
+# for the full set and key generation commands.
 ```
 
-Server boots at `http://localhost:3001`. The AS must be reachable at `AS_BASE_URL`.
+Create the SQLite schema once before first run. The migrate CLI does not read `.env`, so pass the vars inline:
 
-Run the end-to-end smoke against a running AS:
+```bash
+BETTER_AUTH_SECRET=<your-secret> BETTER_AUTH_URL=http://localhost:3001 pnpm exec better-auth migrate -y
+```
+
+Then start the dev server:
+
+```bash
+pnpm dev
+```
+
+Server boots at `http://localhost:3001`.
+
+## End-to-end smoke test
+
+`scripts/smoke-e2e.mjs` drives the full flow against a running AS and auth-ui: authorize → login → decision → code → token → userinfo → introspect → revoke.
+
+Set `RP_CLIENT_ID` in `.env` to the test client registered on your Authlete service, then:
 
 ```bash
 node --env-file=.env scripts/smoke-e2e.mjs
 ```
 
+Expect `E2E COMPLETE` at the end. Note the script exercises the protocol, not the UI: it signs up a user via API and signs the decision JWT itself instead of clicking through the login and consent screens.
+
 ## Roadmap
 
 Authentication and consent grow here; the AS does not change for these.
diff --git a/data/.gitkeep b/data/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/scripts/smoke-e2e.mjs b/scripts/smoke-e2e.mjs
index 913e2fd..fd92bf4 100644
--- a/scripts/smoke-e2e.mjs
+++ b/scripts/smoke-e2e.mjs
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
  *
  * Usage:
  *   node --env-file=.env scripts/smoke-e2e.mjs
+ *
+ * Requires RP_CLIENT_ID in the env — the test RP client registered on the
+ * Authlete service (see .env.example).
  */
 
 import { SignJWT, importJWK } from "jose";
@@ -21,19 +24,24 @@ const AUTH_UI_ISSUER_ID = process.env.AUTH_UI_ISSUER_ID || AUTH_UI_BASE_URL;
 const AUTH_UI_JWKS = JSON.parse(required("AUTH_UI_JWKS"));
 const SIGNING_JWK = AUTH_UI_JWKS.keys[0];
 
-const RP_CLIENT_ID = "2234376661";
-const RP_REDIRECT_URI = "http://localhost:4040";
+const RP_CLIENT_ID = required("RP_CLIENT_ID");
+const RP_REDIRECT_URI = process.env.RP_REDIRECT_URI || "http://localhost:4040";
 const RP_SCOPE = "openid profile email";
 
 function required(name) {
   const v = process.env[name];
   if (!v) {
-    console.error(`Missing env var: ${name}`);
+    console.error(`Missing env var: ${name} (see .env.example)`);
     process.exit(1);
   }
   return v;
 }
 
+function fail(label, detail = "") {
+  console.error(`  ❌ ${label}${detail ? `: ${detail}` : ""}`);
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+
 function b64url(buf) {
   return buf.toString("base64").replace(/=/g, "").replace(/\+/g, "-").replace(/\//g, "_");
 }
@@ -140,8 +148,10 @@ const parsedRp = new URL(rpUrl);
 const code = parsedRp.searchParams.get("code");
 const returnedState = parsedRp.searchParams.get("state");
 ok("RP URL", rpUrl);
-ok("code", code?.slice(0, 16) + "…");
-ok("state matches", returnedState === state ? "yes" : "NO");
+if (!code) fail("no code in RP redirect", rpUrl);
+if (returnedState !== state) fail("state mismatch", `sent ${state}, got ${returnedState}`);
+ok("code", code.slice(0, 16) + "…");
+ok("state matches");
 
 // 5) RP exchanges code for tokens
 step(5, "RP /token exchange (PKCE)");
@@ -170,8 +180,8 @@ const ui = await fetch(`${AS_BASE_URL}/oauth/userinfo`, {
   headers: { authorization: `Bearer ${codeExchange.access_token}` },
 }).then((r) => r.json());
 console.log("  Response body:", JSON.stringify(ui, null, 2));
-const ok6 = ui.sub === userId && ui.email === email;
-ok6 ? ok("live claims round-tripped end-to-end") : console.error("  ❌ claims wrong or missing");
+if (ui.sub !== userId || ui.email !== email) fail("claims wrong or missing");
+ok("live claims round-tripped end-to-end");
 
 // 7) /introspect
 step(7, "RS introspects access_token via /oauth/introspect");
@@ -179,11 +189,16 @@ const introspectRes = await fetch(`${AS_BASE_URL}/oauth/introspect`, {
   method: "POST",
   headers: {
     "content-type": "application/x-www-form-urlencoded",
+    // The reference AS's introspection auth is a stub: it only checks that a
+    // Basic Authorization header is present (see typescript-oauth-server
+    // src/routes/introspect.ts), so any credentials work here.
     authorization: `Basic ${Buffer.from("rs:placeholder").toString("base64")}`,
   },
   body: new URLSearchParams({ token: codeExchange.access_token }),
 }).then((r) => r.json());
 console.log("  Introspection:", JSON.stringify(introspectRes, null, 2));
+if (introspectRes.active !== true) fail("introspection did not report the token active");
+ok("token reported active");
 
 // 8) /revoke
 step(8, "RP revokes the access_token");
@@ -195,6 +210,7 @@ const revokeRes = await fetch(`${AS_BASE_URL}/oauth/revoke`, {
     client_id: RP_CLIENT_ID,
   }),
 });
+if (!revokeRes.ok) fail("revocation failed", String(revokeRes.status));
 ok("revocation status", String(revokeRes.status));
 
 // 9) Verify revoked token rejected
@@ -202,6 +218,7 @@ step(9, "Confirm revoked token is rejected by /userinfo");
 const ui2 = await fetch(`${AS_BASE_URL}/oauth/userinfo`, {
   headers: { authorization: `Bearer ${codeExchange.access_token}` },
 });
-ok("status after revoke", String(ui2.status) + " (expecting 401)");
+if (ui2.status !== 401) fail("revoked token still accepted", `status ${ui2.status}`);
+ok("revoked token rejected", "401");
 
 console.log("\n══════════════════  E2E COMPLETE  ══════════════════\n");