diff --git a/docs/embedding.md b/docs/embedding.md
index 2d0453b..4228841 100644
--- a/docs/embedding.md
+++ b/docs/embedding.md
@@ -41,10 +41,16 @@ the socket is created owner-only (`0600`), so only the embedding program's user
 
 ## go
 
-`ffi/go` wraps the C api for go programs. point `CGO_LDFLAGS` at the directory with the static library:
+`ffi/go` wraps the C api for go programs. the go module is the repo root, so get it with:
 
 ```bash
-CGO_LDFLAGS=-L$PWD/target/release go build ./...
+go get tangled.org/ptr.pet/hydrant/ffi/go
+```
+
+the header comes with the module, but the static library doesn't, so build it and point `CGO_LDFLAGS` at its directory:
+
+```bash
+CGO_LDFLAGS=-L/path/to/hydrant/target/release go build ./...
 ```
 
 ```go
diff --git a/ffi/go/go.mod b/ffi/go/go.mod
deleted file mode 100644
index 2a6e507..0000000
--- a/ffi/go/go.mod
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-module tangled.org/ptr.pet/hydrant/ffi/go
-
-go 1.24
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3f1181d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+// the module sits at the repo root so it carries ffi/include/hydrant.h,
+// and so go can find it, since tangled only answers go-get for the repo itself
+module tangled.org/ptr.pet/hydrant
+
+go 1.24