diff --git a/packaging/macos/Info.plist b/packaging/macos/Info.plist
index 7ceecbb..550a831 100644
--- a/packaging/macos/Info.plist
+++ b/packaging/macos/Info.plist
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@
     <key>CFBundlePackageType</key>
     <string>APPL</string>
     <key>CFBundleShortVersionString</key>
-    <string>3.2.0</string>
+    <string>3.6.0</string>
     <key>CFBundleVersion</key>
-    <string>1</string>
+    <string>3.6.0</string>
     <key>LSMinimumSystemVersion</key>
     <string>13.0</string>
     <key>NSHumanReadableCopyright</key>
diff --git a/packaging/macos/build_app.sh b/packaging/macos/build_app.sh
index a3e8231..66d47b3 100755
--- a/packaging/macos/build_app.sh
+++ b/packaging/macos/build_app.sh
@@ -78,6 +78,11 @@ APP_VERSION="$(tr -d '[:space:]' < "$REPO/VERSION" 2>/dev/null || true)"
 if [ -n "$APP_VERSION" ] && command -v plutil >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     plutil -replace CFBundleShortVersionString -string "$APP_VERSION" "$CONTENTS/Info.plist"
     echo "==> bundle CFBundleShortVersionString = $APP_VERSION (from VERSION)"
+    # Sparkle decides "is this newer?" from CFBundleVersion (the appcast's sparkle:version),
+    # not the short string. It stayed "1" on every build, so no installed copy was ever
+    # offered an update. Use the same version.
+    plutil -replace CFBundleVersion -string "$APP_VERSION" "$CONTENTS/Info.plist"
+    echo "==> bundle CFBundleVersion = $APP_VERSION (from VERSION)"
 fi
 printf 'APPL????' > "$CONTENTS/PkgInfo"
 
diff --git a/tests/test_app_bundle.py b/tests/test_app_bundle.py
index bc39b78..90ec337 100644
--- a/tests/test_app_bundle.py
+++ b/tests/test_app_bundle.py
@@ -75,3 +75,20 @@ def test_build_assembles_bundle_and_selftest_passes():
             capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=60,
         )
         assert st.returncode == 0, f"--selftest failed: {st.stderr}\n{st.stdout}"
+
+
+def test_the_bundle_carries_the_release_version_as_its_build_number():
+    # Sparkle offers an update only when the appcast's sparkle:version (CFBundleVersion) is
+    # higher than the installed one. It stayed "1" on every build, so no installed copy was
+    # ever offered an update. Both version keys now come from VERSION.
+    import plistlib
+    version = (REPO / "VERSION").read_text(encoding="utf-8").strip()
+    static = plistlib.loads((PKG / "Info.plist").read_bytes())
+    assert static["CFBundleVersion"] == static["CFBundleShortVersionString"] == version, "static plist matches VERSION"
+    if sys.platform != "darwin":
+        return  # the build itself needs macOS (Swift/AppKit launcher, plutil)
+    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as td:
+        r = subprocess.run(["bash", str(BUILD), "--out", td, "--clean"], capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=120)
+        assert r.returncode == 0, r.stderr
+        built = plistlib.loads((Path(td) / "Sovereign AI Workstation.app" / "Contents" / "Info.plist").read_bytes())
+        assert built["CFBundleVersion"] == built["CFBundleShortVersionString"] == version