diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 46adb1ae3..8c061f4db 100644
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -1300,6 +1300,32 @@ EOF
     ${xui_folder}/x-ui migrate
 }
 
+# setup_fail2ban auto-installs and configures fail2ban for the IP Limit feature
+# by invoking the freshly installed x-ui CLI. IP Limit is load-bearing on
+# fail2ban (without it the panel disables the limitIp field and zeroes existing
+# limits), so a fresh install should make it work out of the box, just like the
+# Docker image already does. Non-fatal by design: a fail2ban failure must never
+# abort the panel install.
+setup_fail2ban() {
+    if [[ -n "${XUI_ENABLE_FAIL2BAN+x}" && "${XUI_ENABLE_FAIL2BAN}" != "true" ]]; then
+        echo -e "${yellow}XUI_ENABLE_FAIL2BAN=${XUI_ENABLE_FAIL2BAN}, skipping Fail2ban auto-setup.${plain}"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    if [[ ! -x /usr/bin/x-ui ]]; then
+        echo -e "${yellow}x-ui CLI not found; skipping Fail2ban auto-setup.${plain}"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    echo -e "${green}Setting up Fail2ban for the IP Limit feature...${plain}"
+    if /usr/bin/x-ui setup-fail2ban; then
+        echo -e "${green}Fail2ban setup complete.${plain}"
+    else
+        echo -e "${yellow}Fail2ban setup did not finish; IP Limit stays disabled until you run 'x-ui' and open the IP Limit menu. Continuing.${plain}"
+    fi
+    return 0
+}
+
 install_x-ui() {
     cd ${xui_folder%/x-ui}/
 
@@ -1487,6 +1513,10 @@ install_x-ui() {
         fi
     fi
 
+    # IP Limit relies on fail2ban; install + configure it now so the feature
+    # works out of the box (no-op when XUI_ENABLE_FAIL2BAN=false). Never fatal.
+    setup_fail2ban
+
     echo -e "${green}x-ui ${tag_version}${plain} installation finished, it is running now..."
     echo -e ""
     echo -e "┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
diff --git a/update.sh b/update.sh
index 608db2d16..70ff74b86 100755
--- a/update.sh
+++ b/update.sh
@@ -854,6 +854,33 @@ config_after_update() {
     fi
 }
 
+# setup_fail2ban auto-installs and configures fail2ban for the IP Limit feature
+# by invoking the freshly downloaded x-ui CLI. IP Limit is load-bearing on
+# fail2ban (without it the panel disables the limitIp field and zeroes existing
+# limits), so updating an older install should make it work without a manual
+# trip through the IP Limit menu. Non-fatal: a fail2ban failure must never abort
+# the update. XUI_ENABLE_FAIL2BAN is honored (load_xui_env exports it from the
+# persisted env file, so a deliberate opt-out survives updates).
+setup_fail2ban() {
+    if [[ -n "${XUI_ENABLE_FAIL2BAN+x}" && "${XUI_ENABLE_FAIL2BAN}" != "true" ]]; then
+        echo -e "${yellow}XUI_ENABLE_FAIL2BAN=${XUI_ENABLE_FAIL2BAN}, skipping Fail2ban auto-setup.${plain}"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    if [[ ! -x /usr/bin/x-ui ]]; then
+        echo -e "${yellow}x-ui CLI not found; skipping Fail2ban auto-setup.${plain}"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    echo -e "${green}Setting up Fail2ban for the IP Limit feature...${plain}"
+    if /usr/bin/x-ui setup-fail2ban; then
+        echo -e "${green}Fail2ban setup complete.${plain}"
+    else
+        echo -e "${yellow}Fail2ban setup did not finish; IP Limit stays disabled until you run 'x-ui' and open the IP Limit menu. Continuing.${plain}"
+    fi
+    return 0
+}
+
 update_x-ui() {
     cd ${xui_folder%/x-ui}/
 
@@ -1037,6 +1064,11 @@ update_x-ui() {
 
     config_after_update
 
+    # IP Limit relies on fail2ban; install + configure it now so the feature
+    # works out of the box on update too (no-op when XUI_ENABLE_FAIL2BAN=false).
+    # Never fatal.
+    setup_fail2ban
+
     echo -e "${green}x-ui ${tag_version}${plain} updating finished, it is running now..."
     echo -e ""
     echo -e "┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
diff --git a/x-ui.sh b/x-ui.sh
index ee6fbbb99..f499b108f 100644
--- a/x-ui.sh
+++ b/x-ui.sh
@@ -2166,7 +2166,15 @@ iplimit_main() {
     esac
 }
 
-install_iplimit() {
+setup_fail2ban_iplimit() {
+    # Honor the same toggle the panel uses (isFail2BanEnabled): enabled when the
+    # var is unset or exactly "true"; any other explicit value means the operator
+    # opted out, so do nothing rather than install a fail2ban the panel ignores.
+    if [[ -n "${XUI_ENABLE_FAIL2BAN+x}" && "${XUI_ENABLE_FAIL2BAN}" != "true" ]]; then
+        echo -e "${yellow}XUI_ENABLE_FAIL2BAN=${XUI_ENABLE_FAIL2BAN}, skipping Fail2ban setup.${plain}\n"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
     if ! command -v fail2ban-client &> /dev/null; then
         echo -e "${green}Fail2ban is not installed. Installing now...!${plain}\n"
 
@@ -2216,13 +2224,13 @@ install_iplimit() {
                 ;;
             *)
                 echo -e "${red}Unsupported operating system. Please check the script and install the necessary packages manually.${plain}\n"
-                exit 1
+                return 1
                 ;;
         esac
 
         if ! command -v fail2ban-client &> /dev/null; then
             echo -e "${red}Fail2ban installation failed.${plain}\n"
-            exit 1
+            return 1
         fi
 
         echo -e "${green}Fail2ban installed successfully!${plain}\n"
@@ -2267,6 +2275,14 @@ install_iplimit() {
     fi
 
     echo -e "${green}IP Limit installed and configured successfully!${plain}\n"
+    return 0
+}
+
+# install_iplimit is the interactive (menu) entry point: it runs the shared
+# setup and then returns to the menu. The non-interactive installer path uses
+# setup_fail2ban_iplimit directly via `x-ui setup-fail2ban`.
+install_iplimit() {
+    setup_fail2ban_iplimit
     before_show_menu
 }
 
@@ -3263,6 +3279,9 @@ if [[ $# > 0 ]]; then
         "banlog")
             check_install 0 && show_banlog 0
             ;;
+        "setup-fail2ban")
+            setup_fail2ban_iplimit
+            ;;
         "update")
             check_install 0 && update 0
             ;;