diff --git a/demo.lisp b/demo.lisp
index d74ad75..effe842 100644
--- a/demo.lisp
+++ b/demo.lisp
@@ -7,16 +7,18 @@
 
 (load "~/quicklisp/setup.lisp")
 
-;; Register local project in case it's not symlinked into quicklisp/local-projects/
+;; Register local project and load via ASDF directly
+;; (avoids Quicklisp SYSTEM-NOT-FOUND in --disable-debugger mode)
 (let ((cl-tty-path (truename ".")))
-  (pushnew cl-tty-path ql:*local-project-directories* :test #'equal))
-(ql:register-local-projects)
+  (pushnew cl-tty-path ql:*local-project-directories* :test #'equal)
+  (ql:register-local-projects))
 
-(ignore-errors (ql:quickload :cl-tty :silent t))
-;; Fallback: load via asdf directly if quicklisp didn't find it
 (unless (find-package :cl-tty.backend)
-  (load "cl-tty.asd")
-  (asdf:load-system :cl-tty))
+  (ignore-errors
+    (ql:quickload :cl-tty :silent t))
+  (unless (find-package :cl-tty.backend)
+    (load "cl-tty.asd")
+    (asdf:load-system :cl-tty)))
 
 (use-package :cl-tty.backend)
 (use-package :cl-tty.input)