diff --git a/scripts/mssql_clickhouse_migrate.sh b/scripts/mssql_clickhouse_migrate.sh
index dd429a6..dc355f2 100755
--- a/scripts/mssql_clickhouse_migrate.sh
+++ b/scripts/mssql_clickhouse_migrate.sh
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
 # Bulk copy one SQL Server table to ClickHouse on Ubuntu (or Debian-based).
 #
 # Prerequisites (or run with --install-deps):
-#   - sqlcmd: Microsoft mssql-tools18  (/opt/mssql-tools18/bin/sqlcmd)
+#   - sqlcmd: Microsoft mssql-tools18  (/opt/mssql-tools18/bin/sqlcmd) or mssql-tools (/opt/mssql-tools/bin)
 #   - clickhouse-client
+#   Optional: SQLCMD_PATH=/full/path/to/sqlcmd if installed outside PATH
 #
 # Environment (required for export-import):
 #   MSSQL_HOST          e.g. db.example.com
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@
 #   CH_USER             default default
 #   CH_PASSWORD         optional
 #   CH_SECURE           set to 1 to use TLS (--secure)
+#   SQLCMD_PATH         optional full path to sqlcmd if not on PATH
 #
 # Example:
 #   export MSSQL_HOST=sql.mycompany.internal MSSQL_USER=ro MSSQL_PASSWORD='***' MSSQL_DATABASE=sales
@@ -46,7 +48,7 @@ usage() {
 $SCRIPT_NAME — export SQL Server data to TSV and load into ClickHouse (Ubuntu/Debian).
 
 Commands:
-  --install-deps    Install mssql-tools18 + clickhouse-client (needs sudo)
+  --install-deps    Install mssql-tools18 + clickhouse-client (needs sudo). Run alone FIRST, then migrate-db.
   export            Export MSSQL table/query to TSV (TabSeparated)
   import            Load TSV into ClickHouse (INSERT FORMAT TabSeparated)
   export-import     Run export then import
@@ -72,6 +74,7 @@ Environment:
   MSSQL_TABLES_FILE            optional explicit table list path for migrate-db
   CH_HOST, CH_PORT, CH_USER, CH_PASSWORD, CH_SECURE=1 for TLS
   CH_DOCKER_CONTAINER          optional; run clickhouse-client inside this container
+  SQLCMD_PATH                  optional; full path to sqlcmd when not on PATH
 
 Notes:
   - ClickHouse columns must match export order and types.
@@ -81,14 +84,23 @@ EOF
 }
 
 ensure_sqlcmd() {
+  if [[ -n "${SQLCMD_PATH:-}" ]]; then
+    [[ -x "$SQLCMD_PATH" ]] || die "SQLCMD_PATH is set but not executable: $SQLCMD_PATH"
+    export PATH="$(dirname "$SQLCMD_PATH"):$PATH"
+  fi
   if command -v sqlcmd >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     return 0
   fi
-  if [[ -x /opt/mssql-tools18/bin/sqlcmd ]]; then
-    export PATH="/opt/mssql-tools18/bin:$PATH"
-    return 0
-  fi
-  die "sqlcmd not found. Install mssql-tools18 or run: $0 --install-deps"
+  local d
+  for d in /opt/mssql-tools18/bin /opt/mssql-tools/bin; do
+    if [[ -x "$d/sqlcmd" ]]; then
+      export PATH="$d:$PATH"
+      return 0
+    fi
+  done
+  die "sqlcmd not found. On this host run once (needs sudo), then open a new shell or re-login:
+  $0 --install-deps
+If sqlcmd is already installed, add it to PATH or set SQLCMD_PATH=/path/to/sqlcmd"
 }
 
 ensure_clickhouse_client() {
@@ -502,17 +514,28 @@ install_deps() {
   [[ "${ID:-}" == "ubuntu" || "${ID:-}" == "debian" || "${ID_LIKE:-}" == *"debian"* ]] \
     || die "This installer expects Ubuntu or Debian."
 
+  export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
   $SUDO apt-get update
   $SUDO apt-get install -y apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl gnupg lsb-release
 
-  # Microsoft ODBC + sqlcmd
+  # Microsoft ODBC + sqlcmd (Ubuntu codename: use current release; fall back if MS has no prod.list yet)
   curl -fsSL https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc \
     | $SUDO gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/microsoft.gpg
-  curl -fsSL "https://packages.microsoft.com/config/ubuntu/$(lsb_release -rs)/prod.list" \
-    | $SUDO tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mssql-release.list >/dev/null
+  local ms_ub ms_url
+  ms_ub="$(lsb_release -rs)"
+  ms_url="https://packages.microsoft.com/config/ubuntu/${ms_ub}/prod.list"
+  if ! curl -fsSL "$ms_url" -o /tmp/mssql-release.list 2>/dev/null; then
+    echo "$SCRIPT_NAME: No Microsoft prod.list for Ubuntu ${ms_ub}; trying 22.04 repo (packages often install on newer LTS)." >&2
+    ms_ub="22.04"
+    ms_url="https://packages.microsoft.com/config/ubuntu/${ms_ub}/prod.list"
+    curl -fsSL "$ms_url" -o /tmp/mssql-release.list
+  fi
+  $SUDO mv /tmp/mssql-release.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mssql-release.list
   $SUDO apt-get update
   ACCEPT_EULA=Y $SUDO apt-get install -y msodbcsql18 mssql-tools18 unixodbc-dev
-  echo 'export PATH="$PATH:/opt/mssql-tools18/bin"' >>"$HOME/.bashrc" || true
+  local path_line='export PATH="$PATH:/opt/mssql-tools18/bin"'
+  grep -qF 'mssql-tools18/bin' "$HOME/.bashrc" 2>/dev/null || echo "$path_line" >>"$HOME/.bashrc" || true
+  grep -qF 'mssql-tools18/bin' "$HOME/.profile" 2>/dev/null || echo "$path_line" >>"$HOME/.profile" || true
   export PATH="$PATH:/opt/mssql-tools18/bin"
 
   # ClickHouse client