diff --git a/src/mcp_server_gitea.rs b/src/mcp_server_gitea.rs
index 97eb128..e343997 100644
--- a/src/mcp_server_gitea.rs
+++ b/src/mcp_server_gitea.rs
@@ -268,12 +268,22 @@ fn resolve_binary_path(explicit_path: &Option<String>) -> Result<String> {
     }
 
     // Build list of common binary paths to try
-    let mut search_paths = vec![
-        PathBuf::from("/usr/local/bin/gitea-mcp"),
-        PathBuf::from("/usr/local/bin/gitea-mcp-server"),
-        PathBuf::from("/usr/bin/gitea-mcp"),
-        PathBuf::from("/usr/bin/gitea-mcp-server"),
-    ];
+    // Note: On macOS, Homebrew paths are checked first since that's the recommended
+    // installation method and Homebrew installs as 'gitea-mcp-server'
+    let mut search_paths = vec![];
+
+    // macOS M-series (ARM64) Homebrew locations - check first on macOS
+    #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+    {
+        search_paths.push(PathBuf::from("/opt/homebrew/bin/gitea-mcp"));
+        search_paths.push(PathBuf::from("/opt/homebrew/bin/gitea-mcp-server"));
+    }
+
+    // Standard system paths (work on Linux, macOS, Windows)
+    search_paths.push(PathBuf::from("/usr/local/bin/gitea-mcp"));
+    search_paths.push(PathBuf::from("/usr/local/bin/gitea-mcp-server"));
+    search_paths.push(PathBuf::from("/usr/bin/gitea-mcp"));
+    search_paths.push(PathBuf::from("/usr/bin/gitea-mcp-server"));
 
     // Add home directory paths
     if let Ok(home) = std::env::var("HOME") {
@@ -285,13 +295,6 @@ fn resolve_binary_path(explicit_path: &Option<String>) -> Result<String> {
         search_paths.push(PathBuf::from(&home).join(".cargo/bin/gitea-mcp-server"));
     }
 
-    // macOS M-series (ARM64) Homebrew locations
-    #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
-    {
-        search_paths.push(PathBuf::from("/opt/homebrew/bin/gitea-mcp"));
-        search_paths.push(PathBuf::from("/opt/homebrew/bin/gitea-mcp-server"));
-    }
-
     // Windows locations
     #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
     {