diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 940cd84..208d068 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ jobs:
   smoke:
     name: smoke / ${{ matrix.os }} / ${{ matrix.shell }}
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+    timeout-minutes: 30
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ jobs:
   suite:
     name: suite / ${{ matrix.os }}
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+    timeout-minutes: 45
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index aaa9c45..51837ec 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -9,3 +9,8 @@ tmp/
 scripts/gvm
 Gemfile.lock
 .vagrant/
+
+# Local-only AI / planning artifacts — do not commit
+.cursor/
+docs/plans/
+docs/brainstorms/
diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index b38f228..ba3436e 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -5,6 +5,12 @@ All notable changes to gvm2 are documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/).
 
+## [Unreleased]
+
+### Fixed
+
+- Stop duplicating `GOPATH`/`PATH` when creating the `global` pkgset environment (`pkgset-create` and installer `system@global`) (#8).
+
 ## [1.2.0] - 2026-07-14
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/binscripts/gvm-installer b/binscripts/gvm-installer
index 375b9b1..08910b2 100755
--- a/binscripts/gvm-installer
+++ b/binscripts/gvm-installer
@@ -41,15 +41,8 @@ export GOPATH; GOPATH="$GVM_DEST/$GVM_NAME/pkgsets/system/global"
 export PATH; PATH="$GVM_DEST/$GVM_NAME/pkgsets/system/global/bin:$GOROOT/bin:$GVM_ROOT/bin:\$PATH"
 EOF
 
-	# create system@global pkgset
+	# create system@global pkgset (base system env already embeds global)
 	cp $GVM_DEST/$GVM_NAME/environments/system $GVM_DEST/$GVM_NAME/environments/system@global
-	# @TODO: This is here for consistency with 'gvm pkgset create' which adds
-	# some duplicated entries when the pkgset is 'global'. Need to fix it!
-	cat << EOF >> $GVM_DEST/$GVM_NAME/environments/system@global
-export gvm_pkgset_name="global"
-export GOPATH; GOPATH="$GVM_DEST/$GVM_NAME/pkgsets/system/global:\$GOPATH"
-export PATH; PATH="$GVM_DEST/$GVM_NAME/pkgsets/system/global/bin:\$PATH"
-EOF
 }
 
 BRANCH=${1:-master}
diff --git a/scripts/ci-smoke.sh b/scripts/ci-smoke.sh
index 8cd1e6e..b3938cb 100755
--- a/scripts/ci-smoke.sh
+++ b/scripts/ci-smoke.sh
@@ -7,10 +7,23 @@ source "$GVM_DEST/gvm/scripts/gvm"
 echo "GVM_VERSION=${GVM_VERSION:-} HEXDUMP_PATH=${HEXDUMP_PATH:-}"
 test -n "$GVM_VERSION"
 test -n "$HEXDUMP_PATH"
+# system@global is only created when an existing Go was detected at install time
+if [ -f "$GVM_DEST/gvm/environments/system@global" ]; then
+  if grep -q 'global:$GOPATH' "$GVM_DEST/gvm/environments/system@global"; then
+    echo "FAIL: system@global has duplicated global GOPATH prefix" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  diff -q "$GVM_DEST/gvm/environments/system" "$GVM_DEST/gvm/environments/system@global"
+fi
 gvm install go1.22.12 -B
 gvm use go1.22.12
 go version | grep -E 'go1\.22\.12'
 gvm list --porcelain | grep -F 'go1.22.12'
+# install creates $go@global via pkgset create; must not duplicate global GOPATH
+if grep -q 'global:$GOPATH' "$GVM_DEST/gvm/environments/go1.22.12@global"; then
+  echo "FAIL: go1.22.12@global has duplicated global GOPATH prefix" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
 spaced="$GVM_DEST/dir with spaces"
 mkdir -p "$spaced"
 cd "$spaced"
diff --git a/scripts/install b/scripts/install
index 0aecf07..06465eb 100755
--- a/scripts/install
+++ b/scripts/install
@@ -214,15 +214,31 @@ download_binary() {
 	GO_BINARY_URL="${GO_BINARY_BASE_URL}/${GO_BINARY_FILE}"
 	GO_BINARY_PATH=${GVM_ROOT}/archive/${GO_BINARY_FILE}
 
-	if [ ! -f $GO_BINARY_PATH ]; then
-		curl -s -f -L $GO_BINARY_URL > ${GO_BINARY_PATH}
-
-		if [[ $? -ne 0 ]]; then
-			display_error "Failed to download binary go"
-			rm -rf $GO_INSTALL_ROOT
-			rm -f $GO_BINARY_PATH
+	if [ ! -f "$GO_BINARY_PATH" ]; then
+		mkdir -p "${GVM_ROOT}/archive" || {
+			display_error "Failed to create archive directory"
+			rm -rf "$GO_INSTALL_ROOT"
 			exit 1
-		fi
+		}
+		# go.dev occasionally flakes under parallel CI; retry before failing.
+		_dl_attempt=1
+		_dl_max=3
+		while [ "${_dl_attempt}" -le "${_dl_max}" ]; do
+			if curl -sS -f -L --retry 2 --retry-delay 1 \
+				-o "${GO_BINARY_PATH}" "${GO_BINARY_URL}"; then
+				break
+			fi
+			rm -f "${GO_BINARY_PATH}"
+			if [ "${_dl_attempt}" -eq "${_dl_max}" ]; then
+				display_error "Failed to download binary go"
+				rm -rf "$GO_INSTALL_ROOT"
+				exit 1
+			fi
+			display_warning "Binary download failed (attempt ${_dl_attempt}/${_dl_max}); retrying..."
+			_dl_attempt=$((_dl_attempt + 1))
+			sleep "${_dl_attempt}"
+		done
+		unset _dl_attempt _dl_max
 	fi
 
 	tar zxf ${GO_BINARY_PATH} -C $GO_INSTALL_ROOT --strip-components 1 >> "${GVM_ROOT}/logs/go-${GO_NAME}-download-binary" 2>&1
diff --git a/scripts/pkgset-create b/scripts/pkgset-create
index 20eea82..5e115e7 100755
--- a/scripts/pkgset-create
+++ b/scripts/pkgset-create
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@ mkdir -p "$target_top/pkgsets/$gvm_go_name/$target_set_name" ||
 	display_fatal "Could not create packageset folder"
 cp "$GVM_ROOT/environments/$gvm_go_name" "$target_top/environments/$gvm_go_name@$target_set_name" ||
 	display_fatal "Could copy environment"
+
+# Base Go environments already embed the global pkgset (see scripts/install
+# create_enviroment and binscripts/gvm-installer). Copying alone is enough for
+# global; re-appending GOPATH/PATH would duplicate those prefixes.
+if [ "${target_set_name}" = "global" ]; then
+	exit 0
+fi
+
 echo "export gvm_pkgset_name=\"$target_set_name_str\"" >> "$target_top/environments/$gvm_go_name@$target_set_name" ||
 	display_fatal "Could not extend environment"
 echo "export GOPATH; GOPATH=\"$add_gopath:\$GOPATH\"" >> "$target_top/environments/$gvm_go_name@$target_set_name" ||
@@ -40,16 +48,14 @@ echo "export GOPATH; GOPATH=\"$add_gopath:\$GOPATH\"" >> "$target_top/environmen
 echo "export PATH; PATH=\"$add_path:\$PATH\"" >> "$target_top/environments/$gvm_go_name@$target_set_name" ||
 	display_fatal "Could not extend environment"
 
-if [ "${target_set_name}" != "global" ]; then
-  echo "# Package Set-Specific Overrides" >> "${GVM_ROOT}/environments/${gvm_go_name}@${target_set_name}"
-	echo "export GVM_OVERLAY_PREFIX; GVM_OVERLAY_PREFIX=\"\${GVM_ROOT}/pkgsets/${gvm_go_name}/${target_set_name}/overlay\"" >> "${GVM_ROOT}/environments/${gvm_go_name}@${target_set_name}"
-  mkdir -p "${GVM_ROOT}/pkgsets/${gvm_go_name}/${target_set_name}/overlay/"{bin,lib/pkgconfig}
-  echo "export PATH; PATH=\"${GVM_ROOT}/pkgsets/${gvm_go_name}/${target_set_name}/bin:\${GVM_OVERLAY_PREFIX}/bin:\${PATH}\"" >> "$GVM_ROOT/environments/${gvm_go_name}@${target_set_name}" ||
-	  display_fatal "Could not extend environment"
-  echo "export LD_LIBRARY_PATH; LD_LIBRARY_PATH=\"\${GVM_OVERLAY_PREFIX}/lib:\${LD_LIBRARY_PATH}\"" >> "${GVM_ROOT}/environments/${gvm_go_name}@${target_set_name}" ||
-	  display_fatal "Could not extend environment"
-  echo "export DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH; DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH=\"\${GVM_OVERLAY_PREFIX}/lib:\${DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH}\"" >> "${GVM_ROOT}/environments/${gvm_go_name}@${target_set_name}" ||
-	  display_fatal "Could not extend environment"
-  echo "export PKG_CONFIG_PATH; PKG_CONFIG_PATH=\"\${GVM_OVERLAY_PREFIX}/lib/pkgconfig:\${PKG_CONFIG_PATH}\"" >> "${GVM_ROOT}/environments/${gvm_go_name}@${target_set_name}" ||
-	  display_fatal "Could not extend environment"
-fi
+echo "# Package Set-Specific Overrides" >> "${GVM_ROOT}/environments/${gvm_go_name}@${target_set_name}"
+echo "export GVM_OVERLAY_PREFIX; GVM_OVERLAY_PREFIX=\"\${GVM_ROOT}/pkgsets/${gvm_go_name}/${target_set_name}/overlay\"" >> "${GVM_ROOT}/environments/${gvm_go_name}@${target_set_name}"
+mkdir -p "${GVM_ROOT}/pkgsets/${gvm_go_name}/${target_set_name}/overlay/"{bin,lib/pkgconfig}
+echo "export PATH; PATH=\"${GVM_ROOT}/pkgsets/${gvm_go_name}/${target_set_name}/bin:\${GVM_OVERLAY_PREFIX}/bin:\${PATH}\"" >> "$GVM_ROOT/environments/${gvm_go_name}@${target_set_name}" ||
+	display_fatal "Could not extend environment"
+echo "export LD_LIBRARY_PATH; LD_LIBRARY_PATH=\"\${GVM_OVERLAY_PREFIX}/lib:\${LD_LIBRARY_PATH}\"" >> "${GVM_ROOT}/environments/${gvm_go_name}@${target_set_name}" ||
+	display_fatal "Could not extend environment"
+echo "export DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH; DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH=\"\${GVM_OVERLAY_PREFIX}/lib:\${DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH}\"" >> "${GVM_ROOT}/environments/${gvm_go_name}@${target_set_name}" ||
+	display_fatal "Could not extend environment"
+echo "export PKG_CONFIG_PATH; PKG_CONFIG_PATH=\"\${GVM_OVERLAY_PREFIX}/lib/pkgconfig:\${PKG_CONFIG_PATH}\"" >> "${GVM_ROOT}/environments/${gvm_go_name}@${target_set_name}" ||
+	display_fatal "Could not extend environment"
diff --git a/tests/gvm_pkgset_global_comment_test.sh b/tests/gvm_pkgset_global_comment_test.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0f56d4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/gvm_pkgset_global_comment_test.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+source $GVM_ROOT/scripts/gvm
+
+## Synthetic Go env whose base file already embeds the global pkgset.
+## Note: tf runs each line as its own command — never use multi-line heredocs.
+mkdir -p "$GVM_ROOT/gos/duptest" "$GVM_ROOT/pkgsets/duptest" "$GVM_ROOT/environments"
+printf '%s\n' 'export GVM_ROOT; GVM_ROOT="'"$GVM_ROOT"'"' 'export gvm_go_name; gvm_go_name="duptest"' 'export gvm_pkgset_name; gvm_pkgset_name="global"' 'export GOPATH; GOPATH="'"$GVM_ROOT"'/pkgsets/duptest/global"' 'export PATH; PATH="'"$GVM_ROOT"'/pkgsets/duptest/global/bin:$PATH"' > "$GVM_ROOT/environments/duptest"
+
+gvm_go_name=duptest "$GVM_ROOT/scripts/pkgset-create" global # status=0
+test -f "$GVM_ROOT/environments/duptest@global" # status=0
+## @global should be a clean copy — no GOPATH="…/global:$GOPATH" append
+grep 'global:$GOPATH' "$GVM_ROOT/environments/duptest@global" # status=1
+diff -q "$GVM_ROOT/environments/duptest" "$GVM_ROOT/environments/duptest@global" # status=0
+
+## Non-global pkgsets still prepend paths
+gvm_go_name=duptest "$GVM_ROOT/scripts/pkgset-create" myset # status=0
+grep 'pkgsets/duptest/myset:$GOPATH' "$GVM_ROOT/environments/duptest@myset" # status=0
+grep 'Package Set-Specific Overrides' "$GVM_ROOT/environments/duptest@myset" # status=0
+
+## Cleanup
+rm -rf "$GVM_ROOT/gos/duptest" "$GVM_ROOT/pkgsets/duptest" "$GVM_ROOT/environments/duptest" "$GVM_ROOT/environments/duptest@global" "$GVM_ROOT/environments/duptest@myset"