diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ecbf6d2..bcb1b36 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ public route.
 The provider owns how those VMs and networks exist:
 
 - macOS + Lima uses two local Lima VMs and a Lima user-v2 private network.
-- AWS EC2 uses two EC2 instances, a dedicated VPC, and Terraform-managed
+- AWS EC2 uses two EC2 instances, a dedicated VPC, and OpenTofu-managed
   networking.
 
 The two VMs have the same roles in either provider:
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ On macOS with Homebrew:
 brew tap oven-sh/bun
 brew install bun
 brew install lima       # for the macOS + Lima provider
-brew install terraform  # for the AWS EC2 provider
+brew install opentofu   # for the AWS EC2 provider
 
 chmod +x ./rootcell
 bun install --frozen-lockfile
@@ -152,8 +152,9 @@ Initialize the instance `.env` before the first run:
 ./rootcell -i aws-dev
 ```
 
-See [AWS EC2 provider](src/rootcell/providers/aws-ec2/README.md) for Terraform
-layout, AWS resource ownership, AMI selection, and IAM isolation details.
+See [AWS EC2 provider](src/rootcell/providers/aws-ec2/README.md) for the
+OpenTofu/Terraform layout, AWS resource ownership, AMI selection, and IAM
+isolation details.
 
 First run creates the provider resources and provisions both VMs. Provisioning
 uses Nix inside the VMs, but you do not need Nix installed on the host unless
@@ -170,9 +171,13 @@ environment variable:
 
 ```bash
 ROOTCELL_LIMACTL=/path/to/limactl      # Lima provider
-ROOTCELL_TERRAFORM=/path/to/terraform  # AWS EC2 provider
+ROOTCELL_TERRAFORM=/path/to/tofu       # AWS EC2 provider
 ```
 
+The AWS EC2 provider uses OpenTofu's `tofu` command by default. Set
+`ROOTCELL_TERRAFORM=/path/to/terraform` if you want to use a Terraform binary
+you installed yourself.
+
 Per-instance state defaults to `instances/<name>` under the current repo. Set
 `ROOTCELL_STATE_DIR=/path/to/rootcell-instances` to use a different persistent
 state root.
@@ -365,7 +370,7 @@ Provider state is intentionally provider-specific:
 
 - macOS + Lima writes generated Lima YAML and VM state under `v/a/` and `v/f/`
   and keeps Lima's own VM state under normal `LIMA_HOME`.
-- AWS EC2 writes a generated Terraform module and Terraform state under
+- AWS EC2 writes a generated Terraform-compatible module and state under
   `v/aws-ec2/`.
 
 Use `./rootcell list` to show known VMs and their state. `./rootcell stop`
diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index 67b9f7c..465f986 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
             paths = [
               p.bun
               p.lima
+              p.opentofu
             ];
           };
         });
diff --git a/src/rootcell/host-tools.ts b/src/rootcell/host-tools.ts
index 2b63373..dff2cbe 100644
--- a/src/rootcell/host-tools.ts
+++ b/src/rootcell/host-tools.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ function hostToolMissingMessage(spec: HostToolSpec): string {
     ...(envVars.length === 0 ? [] : [`Set ${envVars.join(" or ")}=/path/to/${spec.name} to use a non-PATH binary.`]),
     "Install host tools with Homebrew:",
     "  brew tap oven-sh/bun",
-    "  brew install bun lima",
+    "  brew install bun lima opentofu",
     "Or run with Nix-provided host tools:",
     "  nix shell .#hostTools --command ./rootcell",
   ].join("\n");
diff --git a/src/rootcell/integration/providers/aws-ec2/provider.ts b/src/rootcell/integration/providers/aws-ec2/provider.ts
index a07e6c7..3214193 100644
--- a/src/rootcell/integration/providers/aws-ec2/provider.ts
+++ b/src/rootcell/integration/providers/aws-ec2/provider.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
 } from "../../common/fixtures.ts";
 import { instancePaths } from "../../../instance.ts";
 import { commandExists, runInherited } from "../../../process.ts";
+import { resolveHostTool } from "../../../host-tools.ts";
 import type { RootcellConfig } from "../../../types.ts";
 import { AwsEc2VmProvider } from "../../../providers/aws-ec2.ts";
 import {
@@ -47,7 +48,12 @@ export function preflightAwsEc2Integration(): Promise<void> {
   requireEnv("ROOTCELL_VM_PROVIDER", "aws-ec2");
   requireEnv("ROOTCELL_AWS_PROFILE");
   requireEnv("ROOTCELL_AWS_REGION");
-  for (const tool of ["terraform", "ssh", "scp", "ssh-keygen", "curl"]) {
+  resolveHostTool({
+    name: "tofu",
+    envVar: "ROOTCELL_TERRAFORM",
+    purpose: "for AWS EC2 integration tests",
+  });
+  for (const tool of ["ssh", "scp", "ssh-keygen", "curl"]) {
     if (!commandExists(tool)) {
       throw new Error(`aws-ec2 integration tests require '${tool}' on PATH`);
     }
diff --git a/src/rootcell/providers/aws-ec2-terraform.ts b/src/rootcell/providers/aws-ec2-terraform.ts
index e3069fc..a7b9d01 100644
--- a/src/rootcell/providers/aws-ec2-terraform.ts
+++ b/src/rootcell/providers/aws-ec2-terraform.ts
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ export class AwsEc2TerraformProject {
       return;
     }
 
-    this.log(`applying AWS EC2 Terraform for instance '${this.config.instanceName}'...`);
+    this.log(`applying AWS EC2 infrastructure for instance '${this.config.instanceName}'...`);
     this.writeTerraformFiles(metadata, "running", controlCidr);
     this.runner.init(this.terraformDir(), this.terraformEnv());
     this.runner.apply(this.terraformDir(), this.terraformEnv());
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ export class AwsEc2TerraformProject {
   private ensureTerraform(): string {
     if (this.terraformBin.length === 0) {
       this.terraformBin = resolveHostTool({
-        name: "terraform",
+        name: "tofu",
         envVar: "ROOTCELL_TERRAFORM",
         purpose: "to manage rootcell AWS EC2 resources",
       });
diff --git a/src/rootcell/providers/aws-ec2/README.md b/src/rootcell/providers/aws-ec2/README.md
index af0183c..00037fc 100644
--- a/src/rootcell/providers/aws-ec2/README.md
+++ b/src/rootcell/providers/aws-ec2/README.md
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@
 
 The `aws-ec2` provider runs rootcell's agent and firewall VMs as EC2
 instances. Rootcell creates a dedicated VPC per rootcell instance and manages
-AWS infrastructure with a generated Terraform module.
+AWS infrastructure with a generated Terraform-compatible module. It runs
+OpenTofu's `tofu` command by default; set
+`ROOTCELL_TERRAFORM=/path/to/terraform` to use a Terraform binary you installed
+yourself.
 
 ## Required Instance Environment
 
@@ -26,13 +29,13 @@ ROOTCELL_AWS_CONTROL_CIDR=auto
 not fall back to `AWS_PROFILE` or `AWS_REGION` for provider selection.
 
 `ROOTCELL_AWS_CONTROL_CIDR=auto` resolves your current public IPv4 address to a
-single `/32` when Terraform is applied. If that address changes, normal
+single `/32` when OpenTofu is applied. If that address changes, normal
 `rootcell` entry fails with instructions to run `rootcell provision` so the
 firewall SSH ingress rule is updated intentionally.
 
-## Terraform Layout
+## OpenTofu / Terraform Layout
 
-Rootcell writes one Terraform module per instance:
+Rootcell writes one Terraform-compatible module per instance:
 
 ```text
 <instance-dir>/v/aws-ec2/
@@ -47,12 +50,12 @@ Rootcell writes one Terraform module per instance:
 ```
 
 Terraform state is the ownership record for AWS resources. Normal VM entry does
-not run `terraform init` or `terraform apply`; it reads cached Terraform
-outputs, checks EC2 status, syncs allowlists, injects explicitly configured
+not run `tofu init` or `tofu apply`; it reads cached infrastructure outputs,
+checks EC2 status, syncs allowlists, injects explicitly configured
 session secrets, and opens SSH through the firewall.
 
-Terraform runs for first create, explicit `rootcell provision`, Terraform-backed
-start/stop transitions, and `rootcell remove`.
+OpenTofu runs for first create, explicit `rootcell provision`,
+state-backed start/stop transitions, and `rootcell remove`.
 
 ## Upstream NixOS AMI
 
@@ -60,7 +63,7 @@ AWS EC2 instances boot from the official upstream NixOS ARM64 AMI. Rootcell
 does not use rootcell-owned release image manifests, VM Import/Export, imported
 snapshots, generated AMIs, or S3 image staging.
 
-Terraform resolves the AMI at apply time:
+OpenTofu resolves the AMI at apply time:
 
 ```hcl
 data "aws_ami" "nixos_arm64" {
@@ -112,8 +115,8 @@ values.
 ## IAM And Credential Isolation
 
 Rootcell does not attach an IAM instance profile to the agent or firewall. The
-generated Terraform module must not create IAM roles, IAM instance profiles, or
-instance-profile associations for those instances.
+generated Terraform-compatible module must not create IAM roles, IAM instance
+profiles, or instance-profile associations for those instances.
 
 Rootcell never copies host `~/.aws` files into either VM and never injects AWS
 credentials unless the user explicitly maps them in `secrets.env`.
diff --git a/src/rootcell/rootcell.test.ts b/src/rootcell/rootcell.test.ts
index da13433..3a023ba 100644
--- a/src/rootcell/rootcell.test.ts
+++ b/src/rootcell/rootcell.test.ts
@@ -438,6 +438,22 @@ describe("host tool resolution", () => {
     })).toThrow("nix shell .#hostTools --command ./rootcell");
   });
 
+  test("AWS EC2 uses OpenTofu by default but accepts Terraform override", () => {
+    const tofuSpec = {
+      name: "tofu",
+      envVar: "ROOTCELL_TERRAFORM",
+      purpose: "to manage rootcell AWS EC2 resources",
+    };
+    expect(resolveHostTool(tofuSpec, {
+      env: {},
+      commandExists: (command) => command === "tofu",
+    })).toBe("tofu");
+    expect(resolveHostTool(tofuSpec, {
+      env: { ROOTCELL_TERRAFORM: "/usr/local/bin/terraform" },
+      commandExists: () => false,
+    })).toBe("/usr/local/bin/terraform");
+  });
+
   test("runtime host tools do not fall back to host-side nix builds", () => {
     for (const file of [
       "src/rootcell/images.ts",
@@ -1038,8 +1054,10 @@ describe("VM and network providers", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  test("AWS EC2 README documents Terraform layout, upstream AMI, tags, and credential isolation", () => {
+  test("AWS EC2 README documents OpenTofu layout, upstream AMI, tags, and credential isolation", () => {
     const readme = readFileSync("src/rootcell/providers/aws-ec2/README.md", "utf8");
+    expect(readme).toContain("OpenTofu");
+    expect(readme).toContain("ROOTCELL_TERRAFORM=/path/to/terraform");
     expect(readme).toContain("<instance-dir>/v/aws-ec2/");
     expect(readme).toContain("official upstream NixOS ARM64 AMI");
     expect(readme).toContain("427812963091");