diff --git a/.github/workflows/sync-upstream.yml b/.github/workflows/sync-upstream.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0083ec3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/sync-upstream.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+name: Sync Upstream Releases
+
+on:
+  schedule:
+    # Every 6 hours, off the hour to dodge the scheduling backlog at :00
+    - cron: '20 */6 * * *'
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      packages:
+        description: 'Specific packages to update (space-separated, leave empty for all)'
+        required: false
+        default: ''
+
+jobs:
+  sync:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+      pull-requests: write
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
+
+      # Runs in an Arch container for vercmp: whether a release is an upgrade has
+      # to be decided by the same comparator pacman will use on users' machines.
+      - name: Update packages from upstream release feeds
+        run: |
+          docker run --rm \
+            -e PACKAGES="$PACKAGES" \
+            -e HOST_UID="$(id -u)" \
+            -e HOST_GID="$(id -g)" \
+            -v "$PWD/bin:/workspace/bin:ro" \
+            -v "$PWD/helpers:/workspace/helpers:ro" \
+            -v "$PWD/pkgbuilds:/workspace/pkgbuilds" \
+            -w /workspace \
+            archlinux:base-devel bash -lc '
+              set -euo pipefail
+
+              pacman -Syu --noconfirm jq
+
+              groupadd -g "$HOST_GID" runner
+              useradd -m -u "$HOST_UID" -g "$HOST_GID" runner
+              chown -R runner:runner /workspace/pkgbuilds
+
+              if [[ -n "${PACKAGES:-}" ]]; then
+                read -r -a package_args <<< "$PACKAGES"
+                runuser -u runner -- ./bin/sync-upstream "${package_args[@]}"
+              else
+                runuser -u runner -- ./bin/sync-upstream
+              fi
+            '
+        env:
+          PACKAGES: ${{ github.event.inputs.packages }}
+
+      - name: Check for changes
+        id: changes
+        run: |
+          if [ -z "$(git status --porcelain)" ]; then
+            echo "has_changes=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          else
+            echo "has_changes=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          fi
+
+      - name: Create Pull Request
+        if: steps.changes.outputs.has_changes == 'true'
+        uses: peter-evans/create-pull-request@v7
+        with:
+          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          commit-message: 'chore: sync upstream releases'
+          title: 'chore: sync upstream releases'
+          body: |
+            Automated update of packages that track an upstream vendor release
+            feed rather than the AUR.
+
+            Each package reports its newest release through
+            `.omarchy/upstream.sh`.
+          branch: auto/sync-upstream
+          delete-branch: true
+          labels: automated
+          reviewers: ryanrhughes
+
+      - name: Notify Basecamp on failure
+        if: failure() && env.BASECAMP_CHATBOT_URL != ''
+        env:
+          BASECAMP_CHATBOT_URL: ${{ secrets.BASECAMP_CHATBOT_URL }}
+        run: |
+          curl -s -o /dev/null \
+            -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+            -d "$(jq -n --arg content \
+              "🔴 <strong>Upstream sync failed</strong><br><a href=\"${{ github.server_url }}/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}\">View run</a>" \
+              '{content: $content}')" \
+            "$BASECAMP_CHATBOT_URL"
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5f1e891..50c03f0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ The filesystem no longer encodes release policy. Instead:
 - all other packages reach `stable` by promoting tested edge artifacts with `bin/repo migrate`
 - AUR sync behavior is controlled by `source`, `sync`, `aur`, patches, and hooks in `.omarchy/`
 - packages can opt out of unscoped builds with `skip_build`; explicit `--package` builds remain available
+- packages that follow a vendor release feed instead of the AUR carry an `.omarchy/upstream.sh` hook
 
 ## Prerequisites
 ### aarch64 Builds (Optional)
@@ -248,6 +249,40 @@ bin/sync-aur yay v4l2-relayd            # Sync specific packages
 
 AUR sync is metadata-driven. It preserves `.omarchy/`, replaces the package root with AUR contents, applies `.omarchy/patches/*.patch`, runs `.omarchy/post-sync.sh` when present, applies pkgrel metadata, removes AUR-only `.SRCINFO` and `.gitignore` files, and records `upstream_commit`.
 
+### Sync Upstream Releases
+
+```bash
+bin/sync-upstream                       # Update every package with an upstream hook
+bin/sync-upstream openai-codex-desktop  # Update specific packages
+```
+
+Some vendors publish a release feed of their own that is faster and more precise
+than the AUR packaging of it. Those packages are `source: local` — Omarchy owns
+the PKGBUILD — and provide `.omarchy/upstream.sh`, a hook that reports the newest
+upstream release as JSON on stdout:
+
+```json
+{
+  "pkgver": "1.2.3",
+  "sha256sums": { "x86_64": ["<sha256>"], "aarch64": ["<sha256>"] }
+}
+```
+
+Architecture keys become `sha256sums_<arch>` in the PKGBUILD; the key `any` means
+the unsuffixed `sha256sums` array, and only the arrays a hook names are touched.
+An empty object (`{}`) reports no update, which is how a hook waits out a release
+that has landed for one architecture but not yet the other.
+
+When the reported version is newer than the checked-in one, `bin/sync-upstream`
+rewrites `pkgver` and those checksum arrays and resets `pkgrel` to 1. A version
+that is equal or older leaves the package alone, so a vendor rolling a release
+back cannot walk the repository backwards.
+
+Hooks should read checksums from whatever manifest the vendor publishes rather
+than downloading the artifacts — see `pkgbuilds/openai-codex-desktop/.omarchy/upstream.sh`,
+which reads OpenAI's Debian package index and never fetches the 750 MB of debs
+it describes.
+
 ### Other
 
 ```bash
@@ -260,6 +295,7 @@ bin/repo push                        # Upload local builds to the host and publi
 bin/add-package <package>            # Add an AUR/local package with metadata
 bin/package-worktree <package>       # Create upstream/patched/current scratch workspace
 bin/repo remove <package>            # Remove package
+bin/sync-upstream                    # Update packages that track a vendor release feed
 bin/clean-docker                     # Clear Docker images/cache (forces fresh rebuild)
 ```
 
@@ -345,7 +381,8 @@ omarchy-pkgs/
 │       └── .omarchy/
 │           ├── package.json    # Source/sync/release metadata
 │           ├── patches/        # Omarchy patches reapplied after AUR sync
-│           └── post-sync.sh    # Optional dynamic post-sync customization hook
+│           ├── post-sync.sh    # Optional dynamic post-sync customization hook
+│           └── upstream.sh     # Optional vendor release feed hook (non-AUR packages)
 ├── build/
 ├── build-output/               # Unsigned packages (temporary)
 │   ├── edge/
@@ -396,7 +433,7 @@ Minimal examples:
 
 Fields:
 
-- `source`: `aur` or `local`
+- `source`: `aur` or `local`. A `local` package can still follow an upstream release with an `.omarchy/upstream.sh` hook.
 - `sync`: optional for AUR packages; defaults to `true`. Set `false` for AUR-origin packages that Omarchy maintains manually.
 - `aur`: optional AUR package name when it differs from the local package directory, usually for split packages.
 - `release_ring`: optional. `fast` means the package is built directly for stable as well as edge. Packages without a ring build in edge and reach stable through tested artifact promotion (`bin/repo migrate`).
@@ -539,6 +576,7 @@ The repository includes GitHub workflows and systemd services for automated rele
 #### GitHub Workflows
 
 1. **sync-aur.yml** (Every 6 hours): Syncs AUR packages according to `.omarchy/package.json` and opens a PR when changes are found.
+2. **sync-upstream.yml** (Every 6 hours): Runs `.omarchy/upstream.sh` for packages that track a vendor release feed and opens a PR when a newer version is out.
 
 #### Systemd Services
 
diff --git a/bin/sync-upstream b/bin/sync-upstream
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..c307cf8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/sync-upstream
@@ -0,0 +1,314 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+BUILD_ROOT=$(realpath "${BASH_SOURCE[0]%/*}/..")
+source "$BUILD_ROOT/helpers/message-helpers.sh"
+source "$BUILD_ROOT/helpers/paths.sh"
+source "$BUILD_ROOT/helpers/package-metadata.sh"
+
+TEMP_DIR=$(mktemp -d)
+trap 'rm -rf "$TEMP_DIR"' EXIT
+
+SPECIFIC_PACKAGES=()
+
+usage() {
+  cat <<EOF
+Usage: $0 [PACKAGE...]
+
+Update packages that track an upstream vendor release feed instead of the AUR.
+
+A package opts in by providing pkgbuilds/<package>/.omarchy/upstream.sh, a hook
+that reports the newest upstream release as JSON on stdout:
+
+  {
+    "pkgver": "1.2.3",
+    "sha256sums": { "x86_64": ["<sha256>"], "aarch64": ["<sha256>"] }
+  }
+
+Architecture keys become sha256sums_<arch> in the PKGBUILD; the key "any" means
+the unsuffixed sha256sums array. An empty object ({}) reports no update.
+
+When the reported version is newer than the checked-in one, pkgver and the
+listed checksum arrays are rewritten and pkgrel is reset to 1.
+
+Arguments:
+  PACKAGE    One or more package names to update (optional)
+
+Examples:
+  $0                          # Update every package with an upstream hook
+  $0 openai-codex-desktop     # Update specific packages
+EOF
+}
+
+while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
+  case "$1" in
+    -h|--help)
+      usage
+      exit 0
+      ;;
+    --*)
+      print_error "Unknown option: $1"
+      exit 1
+      ;;
+    *)
+      SPECIFIC_PACKAGES+=("$1")
+      shift
+      ;;
+  esac
+done
+
+if ! command -v vercmp >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  print_error "vercmp not found: this needs pacman to decide whether a release is an upgrade"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+print_header "Upstream Package Sync"
+
+UPDATED=0
+SKIPPED=0
+FAILED=0
+SPECIFIC_MODE=false
+
+get_pkgver() {
+  local package_dir="$1"
+
+  grep -m1 '^pkgver=' "$package_dir/PKGBUILD" | cut -d= -f2- | tr -d "\"'"
+}
+
+assert_single_assignment() {
+  local pkgbuild="$1"
+  local pattern="$2"
+  local label="$3"
+
+  if [[ $(grep -c "$pattern" "$pkgbuild") -ne 1 ]]; then
+    print_error "Expected exactly one $label assignment in $pkgbuild"
+    return 1
+  fi
+}
+
+set_pkgbuild_scalar() {
+  local pkgbuild="$1"
+  local field="$2"
+  local value="$3"
+
+  assert_single_assignment "$pkgbuild" "^${field}=" "$field" || return 1
+  sed -i "s/^${field}=.*/${field}=${value}/" "$pkgbuild"
+}
+
+# Replace an array assignment, however many lines the original spans.
+set_pkgbuild_array() {
+  local pkgbuild="$1"
+  local name="$2"
+  shift 2
+  local values=("$@")
+
+  assert_single_assignment "$pkgbuild" "^${name}=(" "$name" || return 1
+
+  local block="$TEMP_DIR/array-block"
+  if [[ ${#values[@]} -eq 1 ]]; then
+    printf "%s=('%s')\n" "$name" "${values[0]}" > "$block"
+  else
+    printf '%s=(\n' "$name" > "$block"
+    printf "  '%s'\n" "${values[@]}" >> "$block"
+    printf ')\n' >> "$block"
+  fi
+
+  # Rewrite beside the PKGBUILD so the move is an atomic same-filesystem rename.
+  local rewritten="$pkgbuild.sync-upstream"
+  if ! awk -v prefix="${name}=(" -v block="$block" '
+    !replaced && index($0, prefix) == 1 {
+      while ((getline line < block) > 0) print line
+      close(block)
+      replaced = 1
+      # A ")" anywhere past the opening closes the array; testing for one at end
+      # of line instead would treat a trailing comment as a continuation and eat
+      # every line up to the next ")".
+      if (index(substr($0, length(prefix) + 1), ")") == 0) skipping = 1
+      next
+    }
+    skipping { if ($0 ~ /\)/) skipping = 0; next }
+    { print }
+  ' "$pkgbuild" > "$rewritten"; then
+    print_error "Failed to rewrite ${name} in $pkgbuild"
+    rm -f "$rewritten"
+    return 1
+  fi
+
+  chmod --reference="$pkgbuild" "$rewritten"
+  mv "$rewritten" "$pkgbuild"
+}
+
+# pacman's own comparator, because nothing else agrees with it at the corners:
+# sort -V calls 1.0a newer than 1.0, vercmp calls it older, and pacman is what
+# decides whether a published package is an upgrade.
+version_is_newer() {
+  local candidate="$1"
+  local current="$2"
+
+  [[ "$candidate" != "$current" ]] || return 1
+  [[ "$(vercmp "$candidate" "$current")" -gt 0 ]]
+}
+
+validate_release() {
+  local release="$1"
+
+  # pkgver is written into the PKGBUILD, which makepkg sources as shell, so it
+  # is held to pacman's own character set rather than merely being non-empty.
+  jq -e '
+    (.pkgver | type == "string" and test("^[A-Za-z0-9._+]+$"))
+    and (.sha256sums | type == "object" and length > 0)
+    and (.sha256sums | to_entries | all(
+      .key | test("^[a-z0-9_]+$")
+    ))
+    and (.sha256sums | to_entries | all(
+      .value | type == "array" and length > 0 and all(test("^[0-9a-f]{64}$"))
+    ))
+  ' <<<"$release" >/dev/null
+}
+
+apply_release() {
+  local package_dir="$1"
+  local release="$2"
+  local pkgver="$3"
+  local pkgbuild="$package_dir/PKGBUILD"
+
+  local arch array values
+  local targets=()
+
+  while IFS= read -r arch; do
+    if [[ "$arch" == "any" ]]; then
+      array="sha256sums"
+    else
+      array="sha256sums_$arch"
+    fi
+    targets+=("$arch:$array")
+  done < <(jq -r '.sha256sums | keys[]' <<<"$release")
+
+  # Everything the update will touch is checked before anything is written. A
+  # hook naming an array the PKGBUILD does not have must fail with the file
+  # untouched rather than half rewritten.
+  assert_single_assignment "$pkgbuild" '^pkgver=' pkgver || return 1
+  assert_single_assignment "$pkgbuild" '^pkgrel=' pkgrel || return 1
+  local target
+  for target in "${targets[@]}"; do
+    assert_single_assignment "$pkgbuild" "^${target#*:}=(" "${target#*:}" || return 1
+  done
+
+  for target in "${targets[@]}"; do
+    arch="${target%%:*}"
+    array="${target#*:}"
+
+    mapfile -t values < <(jq -r --arg arch "$arch" '.sha256sums[$arch][]' <<<"$release")
+    set_pkgbuild_array "$pkgbuild" "$array" "${values[@]}" || return 1
+  done
+
+  set_pkgbuild_scalar "$pkgbuild" pkgver "$pkgver" || return 1
+  set_pkgbuild_scalar "$pkgbuild" pkgrel 1 || return 1
+}
+
+sync_package() {
+  local package="$1"
+  local package_dir="$PKGBUILDS_DIR/$package"
+  local hook="$package_dir/.omarchy/upstream.sh"
+
+  if [[ ! -f "$package_dir/PKGBUILD" ]]; then
+    print_error "Package $package has no PKGBUILD"
+    ((++FAILED))
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  if [[ ! -f "$hook" ]]; then
+    if [[ "$SPECIFIC_MODE" == true ]]; then
+      print_error "Package $package is missing .omarchy/upstream.sh"
+      ((++FAILED))
+    else
+      print_info "Skipping $package: no upstream hook"
+      ((++SKIPPED))
+    fi
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  print_info "Checking $package for upstream releases..."
+
+  local release
+  if ! release=$(cd "$package_dir" && PACKAGE_NAME="$package" bash .omarchy/upstream.sh); then
+    print_error "Upstream hook failed for $package"
+    ((++FAILED))
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  if ! jq -e . >/dev/null 2>&1 <<<"$release"; then
+    print_error "Upstream hook for $package did not report valid JSON"
+    ((++FAILED))
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  if [[ "$(jq -r 'has("pkgver")' <<<"$release")" == "false" ]]; then
+    print_info "  No upstream update reported"
+    ((++SKIPPED))
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  if ! validate_release "$release"; then
+    print_error "Upstream hook for $package reported a malformed release"
+    ((++FAILED))
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  local pkgver current_pkgver
+  pkgver=$(jq -r '.pkgver' <<<"$release")
+  current_pkgver=$(get_pkgver "$package_dir")
+
+  if [[ -z "$current_pkgver" ]]; then
+    print_error "Could not read pkgver from $package_dir/PKGBUILD"
+    ((++FAILED))
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  if [[ "$pkgver" == "$current_pkgver" ]]; then
+    print_info "  Already at $current_pkgver"
+    ((++SKIPPED))
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  if ! version_is_newer "$pkgver" "$current_pkgver"; then
+    print_warning "  Upstream reports $pkgver, older than the checked-in $current_pkgver; leaving it alone"
+    ((++SKIPPED))
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  if ! apply_release "$package_dir" "$release" "$pkgver"; then
+    print_error "Failed to update $package"
+    ((++FAILED))
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  print_success "  $current_pkgver -> $pkgver"
+  ((++UPDATED))
+}
+
+if [[ ${#SPECIFIC_PACKAGES[@]} -gt 0 ]]; then
+  SPECIFIC_MODE=true
+  for package in "${SPECIFIC_PACKAGES[@]}"; do
+    sync_package "$package"
+  done
+else
+  while IFS= read -r package; do
+    sync_package "$package"
+  done < <(packages_for_upstream_sync)
+fi
+
+echo ""
+if [[ $FAILED -gt 0 ]]; then
+  print_error "Upstream sync completed with failures"
+else
+  print_success "Upstream sync complete!"
+fi
+echo "  Target: $PKGBUILDS_DIR"
+echo "  Updated: $UPDATED"
+echo "  Skipped: $SKIPPED"
+echo "  Failed: $FAILED"
+
+if [[ $FAILED -gt 0 ]]; then
+  exit 1
+fi
diff --git a/helpers/package-metadata.sh b/helpers/package-metadata.sh
index 1160fff..b1f1b70 100644
--- a/helpers/package-metadata.sh
+++ b/helpers/package-metadata.sh
@@ -135,6 +135,19 @@ packages_for_aur_sync() {
   done
 }
 
+package_has_upstream_hook() {
+  local pkgdir="$1"
+  [[ -f "$pkgdir/.omarchy/upstream.sh" ]]
+}
+
+packages_for_upstream_sync() {
+  package_dirs | while IFS= read -r pkgdir; do
+    if package_has_upstream_hook "$pkgdir"; then
+      basename "$pkgdir"
+    fi
+  done
+}
+
 packages_for_mirror() {
   local mirror="$1"