diff --git a/.github/scripts/mock-registry.py b/.github/scripts/mock-registry.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..034cc46
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/scripts/mock-registry.py
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Mock keypackage/account registry for the chat-cli CI smoketest.
+
+On startup the client registers its keypackage and account bundle. Publishing the
+bundle first fetches any existing record, so the stub answers:
+
+  * POST /v0/keypackage, POST /v0/account -> 200 (accept the write)
+  * GET  (any)                            -> 404 (nothing published yet)
+
+A 404 is what a fresh account looks like, which the client reads as "no existing
+record". This validates nothing — it only unblocks the smoketest; protocol-level
+behavior is covered by the workspace tests.
+"""
+
+from http.server import BaseHTTPRequestHandler, HTTPServer
+
+
+class Handler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
+    # Match the client's HTTP/1.1 requests so reqwest frames the response body.
+    protocol_version = "HTTP/1.1"
+
+    def _drain(self):
+        # Consume the request body so the client's request completes cleanly.
+        length = int(self.headers.get("Content-Length", 0))
+        if length:
+            self.rfile.read(length)
+
+    def _reply(self, status):
+        self.send_response(status)
+        self.send_header("Content-Length", "0")
+        self.end_headers()
+
+    def do_POST(self):
+        self._drain()
+        self._reply(200)
+
+    def do_GET(self):
+        self._drain()
+        self._reply(404)
+
+    def log_message(self, *args):
+        pass
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    HTTPServer(("127.0.0.1", 18080), Handler).serve_forever()
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index edb99a4..c45a5a2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -74,4 +74,15 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build chat-cli (logos-delivery)
         run: nix develop -c bash -c 'LOGOS_DELIVERY_LIB_DIR=./result/lib cargo build --release -p chat-cli'
       - name: Run chat-cli smoketest
-        run: nix develop -c ./target/release/chat-cli --name ci-test --smoketest
+        # The client registers against the keypackage/account registry on
+        # startup, so stand up a mock that accepts those calls. It runs on the
+        # system Python (no Nix needed); only chat-cli needs the dev shell.
+        run: |
+          python3 .github/scripts/mock-registry.py &
+          mock_pid=$!
+          trap 'kill "$mock_pid" 2>/dev/null || true' EXIT
+          for _ in $(seq 1 50); do
+            curl -s -o /dev/null http://127.0.0.1:18080/ && break
+            sleep 0.2
+          done
+          nix develop -c ./target/release/chat-cli --name ci-test --smoketest --registry-url http://127.0.0.1:18080
diff --git a/bin/chat-cli/src/main.rs b/bin/chat-cli/src/main.rs
index 61a2f27..bd12b68 100644
--- a/bin/chat-cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/bin/chat-cli/src/main.rs
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@ use anyhow::{Context, Result};
 use clap::{Parser, ValueEnum};
 use crossbeam_channel::Receiver;
 use logos_chat::{
-    ChatClient, ChatClientBuilder, ChatStore, Event, HttpRegistry, IdentityProvider,
-    RegistrationService, StorageConfig, Transport,
+    ChatClient, ChatStore, Event, IdentityProvider, LogosChatClient, RegistrationService, Transport,
 };
 
 use components::{EmbeddedP2pDeliveryService, P2pConfig};
@@ -79,9 +78,9 @@ struct Cli {
     #[arg(long)]
     smoketest: bool,
 
-    /// Optional KeyPackage registry base URL. When set, uses the HTTP-backed
-    /// registry instead of the in-memory `EphemeralRegistry`.
-    /// Example: `--registry-url http://localhost:8080`.
+    /// Override the Logos registry endpoint (account + keypackage store). When
+    /// omitted, the preconfigured endpoint is used.
+    /// Example: `--registry-url http://127.0.0.1:18080`.
     #[arg(long)]
     registry_url: Option<String>,
 }
@@ -127,33 +126,12 @@ fn run<T: Transport>(transport: T, cli: &Cli) -> Result<()> {
         .to_str()
         .context("db path contains non-UTF-8 characters")?
         .to_string();
-    let storage = StorageConfig::Encrypted {
-        path: db_str,
-        key: "chat-cli".to_string(),
-    };
 
-    match cli.registry_url.as_deref() {
-        Some(url) => {
-            let registry = HttpRegistry::new(url);
-            let (client, events) = ChatClientBuilder::new()
-                .transport(transport)
-                .storage_config(storage)
-                .registration(registry)
-                .build()
-                .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("{e:?}"))
-                .context("failed to open chat client with HTTP registry")?;
-            launch_tui(client, events, cli)
-        }
-        None => {
-            let (client, events) = ChatClientBuilder::new()
-                .transport(transport)
-                .storage_config(storage)
-                .build()
-                .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("{e:?}"))
-                .context("failed to open chat client")?;
-            launch_tui(client, events, cli)
-        }
-    }
+    let (client, events) =
+        LogosChatClient::open(transport, db_str, "chat-cli", cli.registry_url.as_deref())
+            .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("{e:?}"))
+            .context("failed to open chat client")?;
+    launch_tui(client, events, cli)
 }
 
 fn launch_tui<I, T, R, S>(