diff --git a/src/clientversion.h b/src/clientversion.h
index ea0510e..c3c516d 100644
--- a/src/clientversion.h
+++ b/src/clientversion.h
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 // These need to be macros, as version.cpp's and triangles-qt.rc's voodoo requires it
 #define CLIENT_VERSION_MAJOR       5
 #define CLIENT_VERSION_MINOR       5
-#define CLIENT_VERSION_REVISION    4
+#define CLIENT_VERSION_REVISION    5
 #define CLIENT_VERSION_BUILD       0
 
 // Converts the parameter X to a string after macro replacement on X has been performed.
diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 5d98261..496e78c 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -834,8 +834,22 @@ bool AppInit2()
     StartupPerfLog("network_init", GetTimeMillis() - nStart, strprintf("listen=%d seednodes=%" PRIszu, !fNoListen, mapMultiArgs["-seednode"].size()));
 
     // ********************************************************* Step 6b: bootstrap download (daemon)
+    // Automatic: if data dir has no blockchain, bootstrap without asking.
+    // Can also be forced with -bootstrap flag, or disabled with -nobootstrap.
 #ifndef QT_GUI
-    if (GetBoolArg("-bootstrap", false))
+    {
+        bool wantsBootstrap = GetBoolArg("-bootstrap", false);
+        bool noBootstrap = GetBoolArg("-nobootstrap", false);
+        fs::path dataPath = GetDataDir();
+        bool needsBootstrap = Bootstrap::NeedsBootstrap(dataPath);
+
+        if (needsBootstrap && !noBootstrap) {
+            printf("Bootstrap: no blockchain data found — downloading automatically.\n");
+            printf("Bootstrap: (use -nobootstrap to skip)\n");
+            wantsBootstrap = true;
+        }
+
+    if (wantsBootstrap)
     {
         int64_t nBootstrapStart = GetTimeMillis();
         fs::path dataPath = GetDataDir();
@@ -871,6 +885,7 @@ bool AppInit2()
         StartupPerfLog("bootstrap_download", GetTimeMillis() - nBootstrapStart,
             strprintf("host=%s success=%d", host.c_str(), success));
     }
+    } // end bootstrap scope
 #endif
 
     // ********************************************************* Step 7: load blockchain
diff --git a/src/qt/introdialog.cpp b/src/qt/introdialog.cpp
index 13984d2..81ae9d9 100644
--- a/src/qt/introdialog.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/introdialog.cpp
@@ -225,9 +225,22 @@ bool IntroDialog::pickDataDirectory()
         return false;
     }
 
-    // Offer bootstrap download on each startup (unless user checked "don't ask again")
+    // Auto-bootstrap: if no blockchain data exists, download automatically.
+    // If data exists, offer optional re-download (unless user checked "don't ask again").
     fs::path dataDirPath(dataDir.toStdString());
-    if (!settings.value("bootstrapDontAsk", false).toBool())
+    bool needsBootstrap = Bootstrap::NeedsBootstrap(dataDirPath);
+    bool userWantsBootstrap = false;
+
+    if (needsBootstrap)
+    {
+        // No blockchain data — bootstrap automatically, just inform the user
+        QMessageBox::information(0, "Triangles",
+            "No blockchain data found.\n\n"
+            "Downloading the latest blockchain snapshot automatically.\n"
+            "This will only take a few minutes.");
+        userWantsBootstrap = true;
+    }
+    else if (!settings.value("bootstrapDontAsk", false).toBool())
     {
         QMessageBox msgBox;
         msgBox.setWindowTitle("Triangles");
@@ -247,7 +260,10 @@ bool IntroDialog::pickDataDirectory()
         if (dontAskBox->isChecked())
             settings.setValue("bootstrapDontAsk", true);
 
-        if (ret == QMessageBox::Yes)
+        userWantsBootstrap = (ret == QMessageBox::Yes);
+    }
+
+        if (userWantsBootstrap)
         {
             std::string host = Bootstrap::DEFAULT_HOST;
             std::string strError;