diff --git a/internal/consts/consts.go b/internal/consts/consts.go
index c8043a0..0413d3f 100644
--- a/internal/consts/consts.go
+++ b/internal/consts/consts.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package consts
 
 import (
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/gogf/gf/v2/errors/gcode"
@@ -9,25 +10,47 @@ import (
 )
 
 // Version can be set at build time via -ldflags "-X github.com/qianfree/team-api/internal/consts.Version=x.y.z".
-// Falls back to reading the VERSION file in the project root, or "dev" if unavailable.
+// Falls back to reading the VERSION file, or "dev" if unavailable.
 var Version = ""
 
 func init() {
 	if Version != "" {
 		return
 	}
-	data, err := os.ReadFile("VERSION")
-	if err != nil {
-		Version = "dev"
-		return
-	}
-	if v := strings.TrimSpace(string(data)); v != "" {
+	v := readVersionFile()
+	if v != "" {
 		Version = v
 	} else {
 		Version = "dev"
 	}
 }
 
+// readVersionFile tries multiple locations to find the VERSION file:
+//  1. Current working directory (development mode)
+//  2. Same directory as the running binary (deployment mode)
+func readVersionFile() string {
+	// Candidate paths to search
+	candidates := []string{"VERSION"}
+
+	// Add binary's directory
+	if exe, err := os.Executable(); err == nil {
+		if exe, err = filepath.EvalSymlinks(exe); err == nil {
+			candidates = append(candidates, filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(exe), "VERSION"))
+		}
+	}
+
+	for _, path := range candidates {
+		data, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+		if err != nil {
+			continue
+		}
+		if v := strings.TrimSpace(string(data)); v != "" {
+			return v
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
 // Business error variables (using gerror for full stack traces)
 var (
 	ErrUnauthorized       = gerror.NewCode(gcode.New(CodeUnauthorized, MsgUnauthorized, nil), MsgUnauthorized)
diff --git a/internal/logic/update/checker.go b/internal/logic/update/checker.go
index 6297150..c851088 100644
--- a/internal/logic/update/checker.go
+++ b/internal/logic/update/checker.go
@@ -33,17 +33,6 @@ func CheckForUpdate(ctx context.Context, force bool) (*CheckResult, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Dev builds skip update check
-	if consts.Version == "dev" {
-		return &CheckResult{
-			CurrentVersion: consts.Version,
-			LatestVersion:  consts.Version,
-			HasUpdate:      false,
-			CheckedAt:      gtime.Now(),
-			DeploymentMode: GetDeploymentMode(),
-		}, nil
-	}
-
 	// Call GitHub API
 	release, etag, err := fetchLatestRelease(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -65,16 +54,23 @@ func CheckForUpdate(ctx context.Context, force bool) (*CheckResult, error) {
 		}, nil
 	}
 
-	// Parse versions
-	currentVer, err := semver.NewVersion(strings.TrimPrefix(consts.Version, "v"))
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid current version %q: %w", consts.Version, err)
-	}
-
 	latestStr := strings.TrimPrefix(release.TagName, "v")
-	latestVer, err := semver.NewVersion(latestStr)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid latest version %q: %w", release.TagName, err)
+
+	// Determine if update is available
+	var hasUpdate bool
+	if consts.Version == "dev" {
+		// Dev builds: always report an update if a remote release exists
+		hasUpdate = true
+	} else {
+		currentVer, err := semver.NewVersion(strings.TrimPrefix(consts.Version, "v"))
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid current version %q: %w", consts.Version, err)
+		}
+		latestVer, err := semver.NewVersion(latestStr)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid latest version %q: %w", release.TagName, err)
+		}
+		hasUpdate = latestVer.GreaterThan(currentVer)
 	}
 
 	// Find matching asset for current platform
@@ -95,7 +91,7 @@ func CheckForUpdate(ctx context.Context, force bool) (*CheckResult, error) {
 	result := &CheckResult{
 		CurrentVersion: consts.Version,
 		LatestVersion:  latestStr,
-		HasUpdate:      latestVer.GreaterThan(currentVer),
+		HasUpdate:      hasUpdate,
 		ReleaseNotes:   release.Body,
 		ReleaseURL:     release.HTMLURL,
 		PublishedAt:    release.PublishedAt,