diff --git a/bin/omarchy-apply-pacman b/bin/omarchy-apply-pacman
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..d5a92234
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/omarchy-apply-pacman
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# omarchy:summary=Restore channel and regional pacman defaults in an installed target
+# omarchy:args=<stable|rc|edge> [target-root]
+# omarchy:requires-sudo=true
+# omarchy:hidden=true
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+if (( $# < 1 || $# > 2 )); then
+  echo "Usage: omarchy-apply-pacman <stable|rc|edge> [target-root]" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+channel="$1"
+case "$channel" in
+  stable|rc|edge) ;;
+  *) echo "Invalid pacman channel: $channel" >&2; exit 1 ;;
+esac
+
+# The ISO writes this plain-text marker before target finalization. Missing
+# markers keep existing installations global; never source it as shell code.
+etc="${2:-/}/etc"
+region=global
+if [[ -e $etc/omarchy/region ]]; then
+  region=$(<"$etc/omarchy/region")
+fi
+case "$region" in
+  global|cn) ;;
+  *) echo "Unsupported region: $region (expected global or cn)" >&2; exit 1 ;;
+esac
+
+# Build both files before replacing either. Explicit refreshes retain backups;
+# ordinary updates do not call this command or enforce regional defaults.
+staging=$(mktemp -d)
+trap 'rm -rf "$staging"' EXIT
+cp "$OMARCHY_PATH/default/pacman/pacman-$channel.conf" "$staging/pacman.conf"
+cp "$OMARCHY_PATH/default/pacman/mirrorlist-$channel" "$staging/mirrorlist"
+if [[ $region != "global" ]]; then
+  profile="$OMARCHY_PATH/default/regions/$region/pacman"
+  printf '\n' >> "$staging/pacman.conf"
+  cat "$profile/pacman.conf.append" >> "$staging/pacman.conf"
+  cat "$profile/mirrorlist.append" >> "$staging/mirrorlist"
+fi
+
+mkdir -p "$etc/pacman.d"
+for file in pacman.conf pacman.d/mirrorlist; do
+  if [[ -e $etc/$file ]]; then
+    cp -f "$etc/$file" "$etc/$file.bak"
+  fi
+done
+install -m 644 "$staging/pacman.conf" "$etc/pacman.conf"
+install -m 644 "$staging/mirrorlist" "$etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist"
diff --git a/bin/omarchy-refresh-pacman b/bin/omarchy-refresh-pacman
index 7406e6ad..be2a256d 100755
--- a/bin/omarchy-refresh-pacman
+++ b/bin/omarchy-refresh-pacman
@@ -30,11 +30,10 @@ if [[ $channel != "stable" && $channel != "rc" && $channel != "edge" ]]; then
   exit 2
 fi
 
-sudo cp -f /etc/pacman.conf /etc/pacman.conf.bak
-sudo cp -f /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.bak
 echo "Setting channel to $channel"
-sudo cp -f "$OMARCHY_PATH/default/pacman/pacman-$channel.conf" /etc/pacman.conf
-sudo cp -f "$OMARCHY_PATH/default/pacman/mirrorlist-$channel" /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
+# Restores the channel templates plus this machine's regional additions, and
+# backs up both files first. OMARCHY_PATH was verified as this command's root.
+sudo env "OMARCHY_PATH=$OMARCHY_PATH" "$OMARCHY_PATH/bin/omarchy-apply-pacman" "$channel"
 
 # Allow user customization of /etc/pacman.conf before the upgrade runs, so
 # custom repositories and IgnorePkg entries shape the downgrade-capable
diff --git a/install/post-install/pacman.sh b/install/post-install/pacman.sh
index da84975b..bb673353 100644
--- a/install/post-install/pacman.sh
+++ b/install/post-install/pacman.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 # Configure pacman after package installation completes. Offline target package
 # installs use the live ISO's offline pacman.conf until this final restore.
-cp -f "$OMARCHY_PATH/default/pacman/pacman-${OMARCHY_MIRROR:-stable}.conf" /etc/pacman.conf
-cp -f "$OMARCHY_PATH/default/pacman/mirrorlist-${OMARCHY_MIRROR:-stable}" /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
+"$OMARCHY_PATH/bin/omarchy-apply-pacman" "${OMARCHY_MIRROR:-stable}"
 
 # Wait for CUPS to own the file, the way omarchy-settings does, so pacman does
 # not turn the override into a .pacnew during ISO package installation.