diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
index 83789234..be5cfa43 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
@@ -60,9 +60,35 @@ jobs:
       ANDROID_KEY_ALIAS: ${{ secrets.ANDROID_KEY_ALIAS }}
       ANDROID_KEY_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.ANDROID_KEYSTORE_PASSWORD }}
 
+    # Job outputs propagate the computed release version to image-release
+    # so the bundled sidecar file matches what's baked into the APK —
+    # otherwise the server would report a different version string than
+    # the installed client and the update banner could thrash.
+    outputs:
+      version_name: ${{ steps.ver.outputs.name }}
+      version_code: ${{ steps.ver.outputs.code }}
+
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          # fetch-depth: 0 retrieves full history; default shallow clone
+          # would return 1 for `git rev-list --count HEAD`, breaking the
+          # iteration suffix.
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - name: Compute release version
+        id: ver
+        shell: bash
+        working-directory: ${{ github.workspace }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          TAG="${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/v}"
+          COMMIT_COUNT=$(git rev-list --count HEAD)
+          VERSION_NAME="${TAG}.${COMMIT_COUNT}"
+          echo "name=${VERSION_NAME}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo "code=${COMMIT_COUNT}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo "::notice::APK version: ${VERSION_NAME} (code=${COMMIT_COUNT})"
 
       - name: Cache Gradle dirs
         uses: actions/cache@v4
@@ -91,7 +117,10 @@ jobs:
           echo "ANDROID_KEYSTORE_PATH=${KEYSTORE_PATH}" >> "${GITHUB_ENV}"
 
       - name: Build release APK
-        run: ./gradlew assembleRelease
+        run: |
+          ./gradlew assembleRelease \
+            -PMINSTREL_VERSION_NAME=${{ steps.ver.outputs.name }} \
+            -PMINSTREL_VERSION_CODE=${{ steps.ver.outputs.code }}
 
       - name: Upload APK as workflow artifact
         # @v3 because Gitea Actions emulates GHES and the v2 artifact
@@ -204,14 +233,18 @@ jobs:
       - name: Stage bundled APK + version sidecar
         if: steps.guard.outputs.ready == 'true' && startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v')
         shell: bash
+        env:
+          # Pulled from android-release.outputs.version_name so the
+          # sidecar string the server hands clients matches the
+          # versionName baked into the APK they're comparing against.
+          APK_VERSION_NAME: ${{ needs.android-release.outputs.version_name }}
         run: |
           set -euxo pipefail
-          TAG="${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}"
           # The artifact lands as `app-release.apk` (the original Gradle
           # output name). The Dockerfile COPYs client/* into /app/client/
           # and the server reads minstrel.apk + minstrel.apk.version.
           mv client/app-release.apk client/minstrel.apk
-          echo "${TAG}" > client/minstrel.apk.version
+          echo "${APK_VERSION_NAME}" > client/minstrel.apk.version
           ls -lh client/
 
       - name: Build and push
diff --git a/android/app/build.gradle.kts b/android/app/build.gradle.kts
index 2535edf2..4e72d441 100644
--- a/android/app/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/android/app/build.gradle.kts
@@ -21,8 +21,19 @@ android {
         applicationId = "com.fabledsword.minstrel"
         minSdk = 26
         targetSdk = 36
-        versionCode = 1
-        versionName = "0.1.0-native"
+        // versionName / versionCode are released-build values injected by
+        // CI from the git tag + commit count. Local / debug builds fall
+        // back to "dev" so the About card reads honestly. Releases ship
+        // versionName="YYYY.MM.DD.<commits>" (e.g. "2026.06.02.142") and
+        // versionCode=<commits>, which is monotonic forever and lets the
+        // shared isVersionNewer comparator distinguish two same-day
+        // re-cuts (the iteration suffix differs).
+        val versionNameOverride =
+            (project.findProperty("MINSTREL_VERSION_NAME") as String?)?.takeIf { it.isNotBlank() }
+        val versionCodeOverride =
+            (project.findProperty("MINSTREL_VERSION_CODE") as String?)?.toIntOrNull()
+        versionCode = versionCodeOverride ?: 1
+        versionName = versionNameOverride ?: "dev"
         testInstrumentationRunner = "androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
         vectorDrawables { useSupportLibrary = true }
     }