diff --git a/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml b/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml
index 13ebe16d..d7da91b8 100644
--- a/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml
@@ -63,6 +63,34 @@ jobs:
           echo "${{ secrets.REGISTRY_TOKEN }}" \
             | docker login git.fabledsword.com -u "${{ github.actor }}" --password-stdin
 
+      # In-app update flow (#397): on tag pushes only, fetch the APK
+      # that flutter.yml is attaching to this same release. flutter.yml
+      # runs in parallel; poll up to 15 min for the asset to appear.
+      # On main pushes (or if the APK never lands), client/ stays empty
+      # and the endpoints return 404 — graceful degradation.
+      - name: Fetch APK for bundled in-app update channel
+        if: steps.guard.outputs.ready == 'true' && startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v')
+        shell: bash
+        env:
+          RELEASE_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          TAG="${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}"
+          REPO="${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}"
+          APK_URL="https://git.fabledsword.com/${REPO}/releases/download/${TAG}/minstrel-${TAG}.apk"
+          echo "Polling ${APK_URL} (up to 15 min for flutter.yml to attach)..."
+          for i in $(seq 1 30); do
+            if curl -fsSL -H "Authorization: token ${RELEASE_TOKEN}" \
+                -o client/minstrel.apk "$APK_URL"; then
+              echo "Got APK on attempt $i"
+              echo "${TAG}" > client/minstrel.apk.version
+              ls -lh client/
+              exit 0
+            fi
+            echo "APK not ready yet (attempt $i/30), sleeping 30s..."
+            sleep 30
+          done
+          echo "::warning::APK never appeared at ${APK_URL} after 15 min — image will ship without bundled update channel"
+
       - name: Build and push
         if: steps.guard.outputs.ready == 'true'
         run: docker buildx build --push ${{ steps.tags.outputs.args }} .
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 6cf722a0..1d68ff13 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -12,6 +12,11 @@
 # Test binary, built with `go test -c`
 *.test
 
+# Bundled Android APK + version sidecar (#397). Populated by CI for
+# tag releases; never committed. README in client/ explains the flow.
+client/minstrel.apk
+client/minstrel.apk.version
+
 # Output of the go coverage tool, specifically when used with LiteIDE
 *.out
 
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 07b8f17b..34cc41ad 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -36,14 +36,11 @@ COPY config.example.yaml /etc/smartmusic/config.yaml
 RUN mkdir -p /app/data /app/client && chown -R minstrel:minstrel /app
 WORKDIR /app
 
-# In-app update channel (#397): bundled Android APK + sidecar version
-# file. CI populates these on tag releases via a build context COPY;
-# leaving the COPY commented during scaffold means the endpoints return
-# 404 until the CI sequencing lands. Operators can also drop these in
-# at runtime via a volume mount on /app/client.
-#
-# COPY minstrel.apk         /app/client/minstrel.apk
-# COPY minstrel.apk.version /app/client/minstrel.apk.version
+# In-app update channel (#397). client/ in the build context holds
+# minstrel.apk + minstrel.apk.version (populated by release.yml on tag
+# pushes; .gitkeep + README otherwise). Endpoints return 404 when the
+# APK files aren't present, so non-tag images degrade gracefully.
+COPY --chown=minstrel:minstrel client/ /app/client/
 
 USER minstrel
 EXPOSE 4533
diff --git a/client/.gitkeep b/client/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/client/README.md b/client/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..29e8de6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+# Bundled client assets
+
+Holds the Android APK (`minstrel.apk` + `minstrel.apk.version`) that the
+server serves via `/api/client/version` and `/api/client/apk` for the
+in-app update flow (#397).
+
+## Production
+
+CI populates this directory on tag releases:
+1. `flutter.yml` builds `app-release.apk` and attaches it to the
+   Forgejo release as `minstrel-<TAG>.apk`.
+2. `release.yml` waits for that asset to appear, downloads it into
+   this directory as `minstrel.apk`, writes the tag string to
+   `minstrel.apk.version`, and `docker buildx build` includes both
+   via `COPY client/ /app/client/`.
+
+## Development
+
+Empty directory works fine — the endpoints return 404 and the Flutter
+update banner stays hidden ("no update channel" graceful degradation).
+
+To smoke-test the update flow locally, drop a real APK + a version
+file into this directory:
+
+```sh
+cp /path/to/app-release.apk client/minstrel.apk
+echo "v0.2.0" > client/minstrel.apk.version
+```
+
+## Why a directory and not embed.FS?
+
+The APK is 30-60 MB. Embedding bloats the Go binary and slows
+`go build` for everyone, even when the APK isn't being changed.
+File-on-disk also lets operators override at runtime via volume
+mount on `/app/client/` if they want to ship their own build.