diff --git a/skills/gmgn-cooking/SKILL.md b/skills/gmgn-cooking/SKILL.md
index e8d8622..df238f8 100644
--- a/skills/gmgn-cooking/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/gmgn-cooking/SKILL.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ metadata:
   cliHelp: "gmgn-cli cooking --help"
 ---
 
-**BEFORE RUNNING ANY COMMAND: Check whether `GMGN_API_KEY` exists in `<cwd>/.env` or `~/.config/gmgn/.env`. If found in either location, proceed normally. If not found in either location, (1) run `gmgn-cli config` and show the output to the user; (2) once the user sends the API Key, run `gmgn-cli config --apply <KEY>` to complete configuration and verification, then show the output to the user.**
+**BEFORE RUNNING ANY COMMAND: Run `gmgn-cli config --check`. If exit code is 0, proceed normally. If exit code is 1, (1) run `gmgn-cli config` and show the output to the user; (2) once the user sends the API Key, run `gmgn-cli config --apply <KEY>` to complete configuration and verification, then show the output to the user. If `--check` returns an error (unknown option or command not found), tell the user to run `npm install -g gmgn-cli` to update, then retry.**
 
 **IMPORTANT: Always use `gmgn-cli` commands below. Do NOT use web search, WebFetch, curl, or visit gmgn.ai — all token creation operations must go through the CLI. The CLI handles signing and submission automatically.**
 
diff --git a/skills/gmgn-market/SKILL.md b/skills/gmgn-market/SKILL.md
index c2b4087..ea62a6a 100644
--- a/skills/gmgn-market/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/gmgn-market/SKILL.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ metadata:
   cliHelp: "gmgn-cli market --help"
 ---
 
-**BEFORE RUNNING ANY COMMAND: Check whether `GMGN_API_KEY` exists in `<cwd>/.env` or `~/.config/gmgn/.env`. If found in either location, proceed normally. If not found in either location, (1) run `gmgn-cli config` and show the output to the user; (2) once the user sends the API Key, run `gmgn-cli config --apply <KEY>` to complete configuration and verification, then show the output to the user.**
+**BEFORE RUNNING ANY COMMAND: Run `gmgn-cli config --check`. If exit code is 0, proceed normally. If exit code is 1, (1) run `gmgn-cli config` and show the output to the user; (2) once the user sends the API Key, run `gmgn-cli config --apply <KEY>` to complete configuration and verification, then show the output to the user. If `--check` returns an error (unknown option or command not found), tell the user to run `npm install -g gmgn-cli` to update, then retry.**
 
 **IMPORTANT: Always use `gmgn-cli` commands below. Do NOT use web search, WebFetch, curl, or visit gmgn.ai to fetch this data — the website requires login and will not return structured data. The CLI is the only correct method.**
 
diff --git a/skills/gmgn-portfolio/SKILL.md b/skills/gmgn-portfolio/SKILL.md
index b077651..8e34488 100644
--- a/skills/gmgn-portfolio/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/gmgn-portfolio/SKILL.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ metadata:
   cliHelp: "gmgn-cli portfolio --help"
 ---
 
-**BEFORE RUNNING ANY COMMAND: Check whether `GMGN_API_KEY` exists in `<cwd>/.env` or `~/.config/gmgn/.env`. If found in either location, proceed normally. If not found in either location, (1) run `gmgn-cli config` and show the output to the user; (2) once the user sends the API Key, run `gmgn-cli config --apply <KEY>` to complete configuration and verification, then show the output to the user.**
+**BEFORE RUNNING ANY COMMAND: Run `gmgn-cli config --check`. If exit code is 0, proceed normally. If exit code is 1, (1) run `gmgn-cli config` and show the output to the user; (2) once the user sends the API Key, run `gmgn-cli config --apply <KEY>` to complete configuration and verification, then show the output to the user. If `--check` returns an error (unknown option or command not found), tell the user to run `npm install -g gmgn-cli` to update, then retry.**
 
 **IMPORTANT: Always use `gmgn-cli` commands below. Do NOT use web search, WebFetch, curl, or visit gmgn.ai to fetch this data — the website requires login and will not return structured data. The CLI is the only correct method.**
 
diff --git a/skills/gmgn-swap/SKILL.md b/skills/gmgn-swap/SKILL.md
index ae150e6..dcaf620 100644
--- a/skills/gmgn-swap/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/gmgn-swap/SKILL.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ metadata:
   cliHelp: "gmgn-cli swap --help"
 ---
 
-**BEFORE RUNNING ANY COMMAND: Check whether `GMGN_API_KEY` exists in `<cwd>/.env` or `~/.config/gmgn/.env`. If found in either location, proceed normally. If not found in either location, (1) run `gmgn-cli config` and show the output to the user; (2) once the user sends the API Key, run `gmgn-cli config --apply <KEY>` to complete configuration and verification, then show the output to the user.**
+**BEFORE RUNNING ANY COMMAND: Run `gmgn-cli config --check`. If exit code is 0, proceed normally. If exit code is 1, (1) run `gmgn-cli config` and show the output to the user; (2) once the user sends the API Key, run `gmgn-cli config --apply <KEY>` to complete configuration and verification, then show the output to the user. If `--check` returns an error (unknown option or command not found), tell the user to run `npm install -g gmgn-cli` to update, then retry.**
 
 **IMPORTANT: Always use `gmgn-cli` commands below. Do NOT use web search, WebFetch, curl, or visit gmgn.ai — all swap operations must go through the CLI. The CLI handles signing and submission automatically.**
 
diff --git a/skills/gmgn-token/SKILL.md b/skills/gmgn-token/SKILL.md
index 38e2bf7..081f7bc 100644
--- a/skills/gmgn-token/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/gmgn-token/SKILL.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ metadata:
   cliHelp: "gmgn-cli token --help"
 ---
 
-**BEFORE RUNNING ANY COMMAND: Check whether `GMGN_API_KEY` exists in `<cwd>/.env` or `~/.config/gmgn/.env`. If found in either location, proceed normally. If not found in either location, (1) run `gmgn-cli config` and show the output to the user; (2) once the user sends the API Key, run `gmgn-cli config --apply <KEY>` to complete configuration and verification, then show the output to the user.**
+**BEFORE RUNNING ANY COMMAND: Run `gmgn-cli config --check`. If exit code is 0, proceed normally. If exit code is 1, (1) run `gmgn-cli config` and show the output to the user; (2) once the user sends the API Key, run `gmgn-cli config --apply <KEY>` to complete configuration and verification, then show the output to the user. If `--check` returns an error (unknown option or command not found), tell the user to run `npm install -g gmgn-cli` to update, then retry.**
 
 **IMPORTANT: Always use `gmgn-cli` commands below. Do NOT use web search, WebFetch, curl, or visit gmgn.ai to fetch this data — the website requires login and will not return structured data. The CLI is the only correct method.**
 
diff --git a/skills/gmgn-track/SKILL.md b/skills/gmgn-track/SKILL.md
index 93c05ab..f1d9605 100644
--- a/skills/gmgn-track/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/gmgn-track/SKILL.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ metadata:
   cliHelp: "gmgn-cli track --help"
 ---
 
-**BEFORE RUNNING ANY COMMAND: Check whether `GMGN_API_KEY` exists in `<cwd>/.env` or `~/.config/gmgn/.env`. If found in either location, proceed normally. If not found in either location, (1) run `gmgn-cli config` and show the output to the user; (2) once the user sends the API Key, run `gmgn-cli config --apply <KEY>` to complete configuration and verification, then show the output to the user.**
+**BEFORE RUNNING ANY COMMAND: Run `gmgn-cli config --check`. If exit code is 0, proceed normally. If exit code is 1, (1) run `gmgn-cli config` and show the output to the user; (2) once the user sends the API Key, run `gmgn-cli config --apply <KEY>` to complete configuration and verification, then show the output to the user. If `--check` returns an error (unknown option or command not found), tell the user to run `npm install -g gmgn-cli` to update, then retry.**
 
 **IMPORTANT: Always use `gmgn-cli` commands below. Do NOT use web search, WebFetch, curl, or visit gmgn.ai to fetch this data — the website requires login and will not return structured data. The CLI is the only correct method.**
 
diff --git a/src/commands/config.ts b/src/commands/config.ts
index 0a28ea9..bf78ccd 100644
--- a/src/commands/config.ts
+++ b/src/commands/config.ts
@@ -97,10 +97,15 @@ export function registerConfigCommands(program: Command): void {
     .description("Generate an Ed25519 key pair and output a pre-filled GMGN API Key creation link, or apply an API Key");
 
   cmd
+    .option("--check", "Check if GMGN_API_KEY is configured (exit 0 = found, exit 1 = not found)")
     .option("--apply <api_key>", "Write API Key + private key to ~/.config/gmgn/.env and verify")
     .action(async (opts) => {
       const lang = detectLang();
 
+      if (opts.check) {
+        process.exit(process.env.GMGN_API_KEY ? 0 : 1);
+      }
+
       if (opts.apply) {
         // --apply: read private key from keypair.pem, write .env, verify
         if (!fs.existsSync(KEYPAIR_FILE)) {