diff --git a/libs/typescript/cua-cli/README.md b/libs/typescript/cua-cli/README.md
index 54d58f5e..5e802d83 100644
--- a/libs/typescript/cua-cli/README.md
+++ b/libs/typescript/cua-cli/README.md
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ bun run ./index.ts -- --help
   - `cua vm start NAME`
   - `cua vm stop NAME`
   - `cua vm restart NAME`
+  - `cua vm vnc NAME` – opens NoVNC URL in your browser
+  - `cua vm chat NAME` – opens Dashboard Playground for the VM
 
 ## Auth Flow (Dynamic Callback Port)
 
@@ -52,5 +54,18 @@ bun run ./index.ts -- --help
 ## Notes
 
 - Stored API key lives at `~/.config/cua/cli.sqlite` under `kv(api_key)`.
-- Public API base: `https://api.cua.ai`.
+- Public API base defaults to `https://api.cua.ai` (override via `CUA_API_BASE`).
+- Website base defaults to `https://cua.ai` (override via `CUA_WEBSITE_URL`).
 - Authorization header: `Authorization: Bearer <api_key>`.
+
+### Environment overrides
+
+You can point the CLI to alternate deployments:
+
+```bash
+export CUA_API_BASE=https://api.staging.cua.ai
+export CUA_WEBSITE_URL=https://staging.cua.ai
+
+cua auth login
+cua vm chat my-vm    # opens https://staging.cua.ai/dashboard/playground?...  
+```
diff --git a/libs/typescript/cua-cli/src/commands/vm.ts b/libs/typescript/cua-cli/src/commands/vm.ts
index 0fcb73be..3b7f2b20 100644
--- a/libs/typescript/cua-cli/src/commands/vm.ts
+++ b/libs/typescript/cua-cli/src/commands/vm.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import type { Argv } from "yargs";
 import { ensureApiKeyInteractive } from "../auth";
 import { http } from "../http";
 import { printVmList, openInBrowser } from "../util";
+import { WEBSITE_URL } from "../config";
 import type { VmItem } from "../util";
 import { clearApiKey } from "../storage";
 
@@ -91,6 +92,26 @@ export function registerVmCommands(y: Argv) {
             await openInBrowser(url);
           }
         )
+        .command(
+          "chat <name>",
+          "Open CUA dashboard playground for a VM",
+          (y) => y.positional("name", { type: "string", describe: "VM name" }),
+          async (argv: Record<string, unknown>) => {
+            const token = await ensureApiKeyInteractive();
+            const name = String((argv as any).name);
+            const listRes = await http("/v1/vms", { token });
+            if (listRes.status === 401) { clearApiKey(); console.error("Unauthorized. Try 'cua auth login' again."); process.exit(1); }
+            if (!listRes.ok) { console.error(`Request failed: ${listRes.status}`); process.exit(1); }
+            const vms = (await listRes.json()) as VmItem[];
+            const vm = vms.find(v => v.name === name);
+            if (!vm) { console.error("VM not found"); process.exit(1); }
+            const host = `${vm.name}.containers.cloud.trycua.com`;
+            const base = WEBSITE_URL.replace(/\/$/, "");
+            const url = `${base}/dashboard/playground?host=${encodeURIComponent(host)}&id=${encodeURIComponent(vm.name)}&name=${encodeURIComponent(vm.name)}&vnc_password=${encodeURIComponent(vm.password)}&fullscreen=true`;
+            console.log(`Opening Playground: ${url}`);
+            await openInBrowser(url);
+          }
+        )
         .demandCommand(1, "Specify a vm subcommand")
   );
 }
diff --git a/libs/typescript/cua-cli/src/config.ts b/libs/typescript/cua-cli/src/config.ts
index 3ef686c2..1d4b9212 100644
--- a/libs/typescript/cua-cli/src/config.ts
+++ b/libs/typescript/cua-cli/src/config.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
-export const API_BASE = "https://api.cua.ai";
-export const AUTH_PAGE = "https://cua.ai/cli-auth";
+export const WEBSITE_URL = Bun.env.CUA_WEBSITE_URL?.replace(/\/$/, "") || "https://cua.ai";
+export const API_BASE = Bun.env.CUA_API_BASE?.replace(/\/$/, "") || "https://api.cua.ai";
+export const AUTH_PAGE = `${WEBSITE_URL}/cli-auth`;
 export const CALLBACK_HOST = "127.0.0.1";
 
 export function getConfigDir(): string {
   const home = Bun.env.HOME || Bun.env.USERPROFILE || ".";
-  const dir = `${home}/.cua/config`;
+  const dir = `${home}/.config/cua`;
   try {
     Bun.spawnSync(["mkdir", "-p", dir]);
   } catch {}