diff --git a/src/app/pages/client/DesktopUpdater.test.tsx b/src/app/pages/client/DesktopUpdater.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..aeb33cd4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/pages/client/DesktopUpdater.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+import type { ReactNode } from 'react';
+import { render, screen, fireEvent, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { useAtomValue, useSetAtom, Provider } from 'jotai';
+import { globalBannersAtom } from '$state/globalBanners';
+import { triggerUpdateCheckAtom } from '$state/desktopUpdate';
+import { DesktopUpdatePill } from '$components/tauri/DesktopUpdatePill';
+import { DesktopUpdater } from './DesktopUpdater';
+
+const { checkFn } = vi.hoisted(() => ({ checkFn: vi.fn<() => Promise<unknown>>() }));
+
+vi.mock('@tauri-apps/plugin-updater', () => ({ check: checkFn }));
+
+vi.mock('$utils/platform', async (importOriginal) => {
+  const mod = (await importOriginal()) as Record<string, unknown>;
+  return { ...mod, isDesktopTauri: () => true };
+});
+
+vi.mock('$state/hooks/desktopSettings', async (importOriginal) => ({
+  ...((await importOriginal()) as Record<string, unknown>),
+  useDesktopSetting: () => [true, vi.fn<() => void>()],
+}));
+
+vi.mock('$utils/tauriTitlebar', async (importOriginal) => {
+  const mod = (await importOriginal()) as Record<string, unknown>;
+  return { ...mod, hasCustomDesktopTitlebar: () => true };
+});
+
+// Make exit animations synchronous so hidden elements leave the DOM immediately.
+vi.mock('framer-motion', async (importOriginal) => {
+  const mod = (await importOriginal()) as Record<string, unknown>;
+  return {
+    ...mod,
+    AnimatePresence: ({ children }: { children?: ReactNode }) => <>{children}</>,
+  };
+});
+
+function BannersProbe() {
+  const banners = useAtomValue(globalBannersAtom);
+  return (
+    <div data-testid="banners">
+      {banners.map((b) => (
+        <section key={b.id} data-testid={`banner-${b.id}`}>
+          <span>{b.title}</span>
+          <button type="button" onClick={b.primaryAction.onClick}>
+            {b.primaryAction.label}
+          </button>
+          {b.secondaryAction && (
+            <button type="button" onClick={b.secondaryAction.onClick}>
+              {b.secondaryAction.label}
+            </button>
+          )}
+        </section>
+      ))}
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+function CheckNowButton() {
+  const trigger = useSetAtom(triggerUpdateCheckAtom);
+  return (
+    <button type="button" onClick={() => trigger((c) => c + 1)}>
+      check
+    </button>
+  );
+}
+
+function makeUpdate(version: string) {
+  return {
+    version,
+    body: `changelog ${version}`,
+    download: vi.fn<() => Promise<void>>().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+    install: vi.fn<() => Promise<void>>().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+    close: vi.fn<() => Promise<void>>().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+  };
+}
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  localStorage.clear();
+});
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.clearAllMocks();
+});
+
+describe('DesktopUpdater', () => {
+  it('reopens the update banner from the pill after dismissing it', async () => {
+    localStorage.setItem('sable_fake_desktop_update', '1');
+
+    render(
+      <Provider>
+        <DesktopUpdatePill />
+        <DesktopUpdater />
+        <BannersProbe />
+      </Provider>
+    );
+
+    const pill = await screen.findByRole('button', { name: 'Update Available' });
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId('banner-desktop-update-ready')).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+
+    fireEvent.click(pill);
+    await screen.findByTestId('banner-desktop-update-ready');
+    expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Download & Install' })).toBeInTheDocument();
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Later' }));
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.queryByTestId('banner-desktop-update-ready')).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+    const pillAgain = await screen.findByRole('button', { name: 'Update Available' });
+
+    fireEvent.click(pillAgain);
+    await screen.findByTestId('banner-desktop-update-ready');
+    expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Download & Install' })).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it('releases the previous update handle when a new check replaces it after a dismiss', async () => {
+    const update1 = makeUpdate('1.0.0');
+    const update2 = makeUpdate('2.0.0');
+    checkFn.mockResolvedValueOnce(update1).mockResolvedValueOnce(update2);
+
+    render(
+      <Provider>
+        <DesktopUpdatePill />
+        <DesktopUpdater />
+        <BannersProbe />
+        <CheckNowButton />
+      </Provider>
+    );
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(checkFn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1));
+    const pill = await screen.findByRole('button', { name: 'Update Available' });
+
+    fireEvent.click(pill);
+    await screen.findByTestId('banner-desktop-update-ready');
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Later' }));
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.queryByTestId('banner-desktop-update-ready')).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+    expect(update1.close).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'check' }));
+    await waitFor(() => expect(update1.close).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1));
+    expect(update2.close).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/app/pages/client/DesktopUpdater.tsx b/src/app/pages/client/DesktopUpdater.tsx
index bfc39272e..3ec84277b 100644
--- a/src/app/pages/client/DesktopUpdater.tsx
+++ b/src/app/pages/client/DesktopUpdater.tsx
@@ -206,13 +206,7 @@ export function DesktopUpdater() {
   const handleDismiss = useCallback(() => {
     setDismissed(true);
     setBannerVisible(false);
-    if (!installStartedRef.current) {
-      closePendingUpdate(pendingUpdateRef.current);
-      pendingUpdateRef.current = null;
-      setUpdateInfo(null);
-      setIsDownloaded(false);
-    }
-  }, [closePendingUpdate, setBannerVisible]);
+  }, [setBannerVisible]);
 
   const bannerData = useMemo<GlobalBanner | null>(() => {
     if (!bannerVisible || !updateInfo || dismissed) return null;