diff --git a/.beads/interactions.jsonl b/.beads/interactions.jsonl
index 7e7d577..1341bce 100644
--- a/.beads/interactions.jsonl
+++ b/.beads/interactions.jsonl
@@ -4,3 +4,4 @@
 {"id":"int-4ab84a6f","kind":"field_change","created_at":"2026-04-15T15:37:55.547397813Z","actor":"w1n5t0n","issue_id":"meml-efb2","extra":{"field":"status","new_value":"closed","old_value":"in_progress","reason":"Added variant-aware firmware build selection and interactive prompting"}}
 {"id":"int-6deafb72","kind":"field_change","created_at":"2026-04-15T15:44:14.681880459Z","actor":"w1n5t0n","issue_id":"meml-zbbs","extra":{"field":"status","new_value":"in_progress","old_value":"open"}}
 {"id":"int-fd7690f3","kind":"field_change","created_at":"2026-04-15T15:44:48.605669713Z","actor":"w1n5t0n","issue_id":"meml-zbbs","extra":{"field":"status","new_value":"closed","old_value":"in_progress","reason":"Prompt variant selection now uses /dev/tty so interactive shells are detected correctly"}}
+{"id":"int-672df751","kind":"field_change","created_at":"2026-04-15T15:45:23.772401653Z","actor":"w1n5t0n","issue_id":"meml-oq1q","extra":{"field":"status","new_value":"in_progress","old_value":"open"}}
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index cfb2d04..4f3e88d 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ git submodule update --init --recursive
 scripts/build-firmware.sh
 
 # Build a specific variant
-scripts/build-firmware.sh memlcelium
+scripts/build-firmware.sh MEMLCelium
 
 # Flash a previously-built UF2
 scripts/flash-firmware.sh
diff --git a/MAP.md b/MAP.md
index 1c5c8bb..3eaa8b7 100644
--- a/MAP.md
+++ b/MAP.md
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ MEMLNaut-NISPS: Neural Interactive Shaping of Parameter Spaces. Two living artef
 - `README.md` — short quickstart.
 
 ## Entry points
-- **Firmware**: `scripts/build-firmware.sh`, `scripts/flash-firmware.sh`, or `scripts/build-and-flash-firmware.sh` (requires submodules initialised). `build-firmware.sh` can take an explicit variant name like `memlcelium` or prompt interactively from the parsed `MEMLNautMode*` list and rewrite the active mode in `MEMLNaut-NISPS.ino`. The scripts target `rp2040:rp2040:solderparty_rp2350_stamp_xl:opt=Optimize3` and force C++20. Execution = `setup()`/`loop()` on Core 0, `setup1()`/`loop1()` on Core 1, audio ISR on Core 1.
+- **Firmware**: `scripts/build-firmware.sh`, `scripts/flash-firmware.sh`, or `scripts/build-and-flash-firmware.sh` (requires submodules initialised). `build-firmware.sh` can take an explicit variant name like `MEMLCelium` or prompt interactively from the parsed `MEMLNautMode*` list and rewrite the active mode in `MEMLNaut-NISPS.ino`. Matching is case-insensitive, but user-facing prompts preserve the canonical mode capitalization. The scripts target `rp2040:rp2040:solderparty_rp2350_stamp_xl:opt=Optimize3` and force C++20. Execution = `setup()`/`loop()` on Core 0, `setup1()`/`loop1()` on Core 1, audio ISR on Core 1.
 - **Playground**: `cd playground && python3 -m http.server` (or `serve.sh` / `serve-coop.py`), open `a-immersive.html`. Append `?debug=1` to expose `window.__nisps`.
 - **WASM rebuild**: `cd playground/wasm && ./build.sh` (needs `emcc`).
 - **Tests**: `npx playwright test` (auto-spawns server on 7331).
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 88e1913..cf16bab 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ scripts/build-and-flash-firmware.sh
 Notes:
 - The scripts build for `rp2040:rp2040:solderparty_rp2350_stamp_xl` with `Optimize3`.
 - The build forces C++20 because the firmware uses `std::span` and concepts.
-- `build-firmware.sh` accepts an optional variant name such as `memlcelium` or `breakor`. If you omit it in an interactive shell, the script parses `MEMLNaut-NISPS.ino`, prompts for a variant, and rewrites the active `MEMLNAUT_MODE_TYPE` before building.
+- `build-firmware.sh` accepts an optional variant name such as `MEMLCelium` or `BreakOr`. Matching remains case-insensitive, so `memlcelium` still works. If you omit it in an interactive shell, the script parses `MEMLNaut-NISPS.ino`, prompts for a variant, and rewrites the active `MEMLNAUT_MODE_TYPE` before building.
 - `flash-firmware.sh` accepts an optional mountpoint argument, or auto-detects common UF2 bootloader mounts such as `/run/media/$USER/RP2350` and `/run/media/$USER/RPI-RP2`.
 
 ## Web Playground
diff --git a/scripts/build-firmware.sh b/scripts/build-firmware.sh
index af7e35d..f13838b 100755
--- a/scripts/build-firmware.sh
+++ b/scripts/build-firmware.sh
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ echo "Building firmware:"
 echo "  sketch: $SKETCH_PATH"
 echo "  fqbn:   $FQBN"
 echo "  out:    $BUILD_DIR"
-echo "  variant: $(variant_alias "$ACTIVE_FIRMWARE_VARIANT")"
+echo "  variant: $(variant_display_name "$ACTIVE_FIRMWARE_VARIANT")"
 
 compile_args=(
   compile
diff --git a/scripts/firmware-common.sh b/scripts/firmware-common.sh
index 6c572aa..01e8ca3 100755
--- a/scripts/firmware-common.sh
+++ b/scripts/firmware-common.sh
@@ -114,10 +114,13 @@ load_firmware_variants() {
   )"
 }
 
-variant_alias() {
+variant_display_name() {
   local variant="$1"
-  variant="${variant#MEMLNautMode}"
-  printf '%s\n' "$variant" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]'
+  printf '%s\n' "${variant#MEMLNautMode}"
+}
+
+variant_alias() {
+  variant_display_name "$1" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]'
 }
 
 resolve_firmware_variant() {
@@ -154,7 +157,7 @@ choose_firmware_variant() {
     echo "error: unknown firmware variant: $requested" >&2
     echo "available variants:" >&2
     for variant in "${FIRMWARE_VARIANTS[@]}"; do
-      echo "  - $(variant_alias "$variant") ($variant)" >&2
+      echo "  - $(variant_display_name "$variant") ($variant)" >&2
     done
     exit 1
   fi
@@ -164,9 +167,9 @@ choose_firmware_variant() {
     local idx=1
     for variant in "${FIRMWARE_VARIANTS[@]}"; do
       if [[ "$variant" == "$ACTIVE_FIRMWARE_VARIANT" ]]; then
-        printf '  %d) %s (%s, current)\n' "$idx" "$(variant_alias "$variant")" "$variant" >&"$tty_fd"
+        printf '  %d) %s (%s, current)\n' "$idx" "$(variant_display_name "$variant")" "$variant" >&"$tty_fd"
       else
-        printf '  %d) %s (%s)\n' "$idx" "$(variant_alias "$variant")" "$variant" >&"$tty_fd"
+        printf '  %d) %s (%s)\n' "$idx" "$(variant_display_name "$variant")" "$variant" >&"$tty_fd"
       fi
       idx=$((idx + 1))
     done
@@ -190,7 +193,7 @@ choose_firmware_variant() {
   fi
 
   if [[ -n "$ACTIVE_FIRMWARE_VARIANT" ]]; then
-    echo "No variant specified and no interactive terminal available; using current variant: $(variant_alias "$ACTIVE_FIRMWARE_VARIANT")" >&2
+    echo "No variant specified and no interactive terminal available; using current variant: $(variant_display_name "$ACTIVE_FIRMWARE_VARIANT")" >&2
     printf '%s\n' "$ACTIVE_FIRMWARE_VARIANT"
     return 0
   fi
@@ -237,5 +240,5 @@ sketch_path.write_text("\n".join(updated) + "\n")
 PY
 
   ACTIVE_FIRMWARE_VARIANT="$selected"
-  echo "Selected firmware variant: $(variant_alias "$selected") ($selected)"
+  echo "Selected firmware variant: $(variant_display_name "$selected") ($selected)"
 }