diff --git a/bin/omarchy-update b/bin/omarchy-update
index 22d9edbb..b479a9e8 100755
--- a/bin/omarchy-update
+++ b/bin/omarchy-update
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ run_update_pipeline() {
   disable_sleep_for_update
   disable_idle_for_update
 
+  omarchy-update-dev
   omarchy-update-keyring
   omarchy-update-system-pkgs
   omarchy-migrate
diff --git a/bin/omarchy-update-available b/bin/omarchy-update-available
index 2c824f5f..f1a70b25 100755
--- a/bin/omarchy-update-available
+++ b/bin/omarchy-update-available
@@ -1,9 +1,25 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-# omarchy:summary=Check whether Omarchy package updates are available.
+# omarchy:summary=Check whether Omarchy updates are available.
 
 set -euo pipefail
 
+updates=()
+
+if [[ $OMARCHY_PATH != "/usr/share/omarchy" ]]; then
+  upstream=$(git -C "$OMARCHY_PATH" rev-parse --abbrev-ref --symbolic-full-name '@{upstream}' 2>/dev/null || true)
+  if [[ -n $upstream ]]; then
+    GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=0 timeout 10 git -C "$OMARCHY_PATH" fetch --quiet 2>/dev/null || true
+
+    behind=$(git -C "$OMARCHY_PATH" rev-list --count "HEAD..$upstream" 2>/dev/null || echo 0)
+    if (( behind > 0 )); then
+      commit_label=commits
+      (( behind == 1 )) && commit_label=commit
+      updates+=("omarchy-dev-checkout $behind new $commit_label on $upstream")
+    fi
+  fi
+fi
+
 package=""
 if pacman -Qq omarchy-dev >/dev/null 2>&1; then
   package=omarchy-dev
@@ -16,7 +32,11 @@ if [[ -n $package ]]; then
 fi
 
 if [[ -n ${update:-} ]]; then
-  printf '%s\n' "$update"
+  updates+=("$update")
+fi
+
+if (( ${#updates[@]} > 0 )); then
+  printf '%s\n' "${updates[@]}"
   exit 0
 else
   echo "Omarchy is up to date"
diff --git a/bin/omarchy-update-dev b/bin/omarchy-update-dev
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..a973246e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/omarchy-update-dev
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# omarchy:summary=Update the active Omarchy dev checkout
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+[[ $OMARCHY_PATH != "/usr/share/omarchy" ]] || exit 0
+
+if ! git -C "$OMARCHY_PATH" rev-parse --is-inside-work-tree >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "Error: OMARCHY_PATH is not a git checkout: $OMARCHY_PATH" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+upstream=$(git -C "$OMARCHY_PATH" rev-parse --abbrev-ref --symbolic-full-name '@{upstream}' 2>/dev/null || true)
+if [[ -z $upstream ]]; then
+  echo -e "\e[33m\nSkip Omarchy dev checkout update (current branch has no upstream)\e[0m"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+echo -e "\e[32m\nUpdate Omarchy dev checkout\e[0m"
+git -C "$OMARCHY_PATH" pull --ff-only
diff --git a/docs/update-process.md b/docs/update-process.md
index 5581879c..200f1ffc 100644
--- a/docs/update-process.md
+++ b/docs/update-process.md
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ omarchy-update
   ├─ create snapper snapshot, if snapper is installed
   └─ run update pipeline
        ├─ block system sleep and temporarily enable shell stay-awake mode
+       ├─ omarchy-update-dev
        ├─ omarchy-update-keyring
        ├─ omarchy-update-system-pkgs
        ├─ omarchy-migrate
@@ -133,6 +134,8 @@ omarchy-update
 
 Important behavior:
 
+- In dev-link mode, `omarchy update` fast-forwards the active checkout from its
+  configured upstream before changing system packages or running migrations.
 - `omarchy update` checks/runs migrations in the same visible terminal via
   `omarchy-migrate` after pacman finishes.
 - A failure should leave enough output in `/tmp/omarchy-update.log` and the
@@ -172,11 +175,16 @@ The bar widget `omarchy.system-update` runs:
 omarchy-update-available
 ```
 
-`omarchy-update-available` checks the installed Omarchy package for updates:
+`omarchy-update-available` checks the active Omarchy sources for updates:
 
+- new upstream commits for the active dev-linked checkout
 - `omarchy-dev`, when installed
 - otherwise `omarchy`, when installed
 
+The dev check fetches the checkout's configured upstream before comparing it
+with `HEAD`. A failed fetch is quiet and falls back to the existing remote-
+tracking state.
+
 Exit codes:
 
 - `0` — Omarchy updates are available; stdout is the update list.
@@ -196,6 +204,7 @@ scripts.
 | `omarchy-update` | Public user command. Adds transcript logging, lock, confirmation, snapshot, sleep/idle inhibitors, package updates, migrations, hooks, update-state refresh, and restart checks. | **Keep.** This is the blessed entry point and owns the update pipeline. |
 | `omarchy-update-perform` | Hidden compatibility wrapper for `omarchy-update -y`. | **Temporary.** Keep only for old callers; new code should call `omarchy-update` directly. |
 | `omarchy-update-confirm` | Gum confirmation copy for `omarchy update`. | **Question.** Could be inlined into `omarchy-update`; separate file only helps keep copy isolated. |
+| `omarchy-update-dev` | Fast-forwards the active dev-linked checkout from its configured upstream; no-ops for package-backed installs. | **Keep.** Runs before package updates so a checkout conflict stops the update before system mutation. |
 | `omarchy-update-keyring` | Ensures Omarchy keyring and Arch keyring are current before the main transaction. | **Keep, but review.** It uses targeted `pacman -Sy` for keyring bootstrapping; acceptable for this special case but should remain tightly scoped. |
 | `omarchy-update-system-pkgs` | Runs `sudo env OMARCHY_UPDATE_PACMAN=1 pacman -Syu --noconfirm` with targeted transition `--overwrite` entries so the ALPM guard allows the transaction and early package-layout conflicts are handled. | **Keep for now.** Small leaf command, clear/testable. |
 | `omarchy-migrate` | Public migration command. Waits for pacman, then runs all pending migrations for the current user. Supports `--pending`. | **Keep.** This replaces the discarded `omarchy-update-user-finalize` name and no longer needs `--force`. |
diff --git a/test/shell.d/update-available-test.sh b/test/shell.d/update-available-test.sh
index 40cfbd1c..60158863 100644
--- a/test/shell.d/update-available-test.sh
+++ b/test/shell.d/update-available-test.sh
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ test_tmp=$(mktemp -d)
 trap 'rm -rf "$test_tmp"' EXIT
 
 stub_bin="$test_tmp/bin"
+git_log="$test_tmp/git.log"
 mkdir -p "$stub_bin"
 
 cat >"$stub_bin/checkupdates" <<'SH'
@@ -52,8 +53,48 @@ exit 0
 SH
 chmod +x "$stub_bin/pacman"
 
+cat >"$stub_bin/git" <<'SH'
+#!/bin/bash
+
+printf '%s\n' "$*" >>"$TEST_GIT_LOG"
+
+[[ $1 == "-C" ]] || exit 1
+shift 2
+
+case "$1" in
+  fetch)
+    [[ ${TEST_GIT_FETCH:-ok} == "ok" ]]
+    ;;
+  rev-parse)
+    case "$2" in
+      --is-inside-work-tree)
+        [[ ${TEST_GIT_CHECKOUT:-yes} == "yes" ]] || exit 1
+        echo true
+        ;;
+      --abbrev-ref)
+        [[ ${TEST_GIT_UPSTREAM:-origin/quattro} != "none" ]] || exit 1
+        echo "${TEST_GIT_UPSTREAM:-origin/quattro}"
+        ;;
+      *)
+        exit 1
+        ;;
+    esac
+    ;;
+  rev-list)
+    echo "${TEST_GIT_BEHIND:-0}"
+    ;;
+  *)
+    exit 1
+    ;;
+esac
+SH
+chmod +x "$stub_bin/git"
+
 run_checker() {
-  PATH="$stub_bin:$PATH" "$ROOT/bin/omarchy-update-available"
+  OMARCHY_PATH="${TEST_OMARCHY_PATH:-/usr/share/omarchy}" \
+    TEST_GIT_LOG="$git_log" \
+    PATH="$stub_bin:$PATH" \
+    "$ROOT/bin/omarchy-update-available"
 }
 
 capture_checker() {
@@ -124,3 +165,49 @@ fi
 [[ $status -eq 1 ]] || fail "update checker exits non-zero when no updates are available"
 grep -q '^Omarchy is up to date$' "$stdout" || fail "update checker prints up-to-date message"
 pass "update checker reports up-to-date Omarchy packages"
+
+: >"$git_log"
+if capture_checker "$stdout" "$stderr" \
+  TEST_CHECKUPDATES=none \
+  TEST_INSTALLED_PACKAGE=none \
+  TEST_OMARCHY_PATH="$test_tmp/checkout" \
+  TEST_GIT_BEHIND=2; then
+  status=0
+else
+  status=$?
+fi
+[[ $status -eq 0 ]] || fail "update checker exits successfully when dev commits are available"
+grep -Fx 'omarchy-dev-checkout 2 new commits on origin/quattro' "$stdout" >/dev/null ||
+  fail "update checker reports available dev commits" "$(cat "$stdout")"
+grep -Fx -- "-C $test_tmp/checkout fetch --quiet" "$git_log" >/dev/null ||
+  fail "update checker fetches the dev checkout upstream" "$(cat "$git_log")"
+pass "update checker detects new commits in the dev checkout"
+
+if capture_checker "$stdout" "$stderr" \
+  TEST_CHECKUPDATES=none \
+  TEST_INSTALLED_PACKAGE=none \
+  TEST_OMARCHY_PATH="$test_tmp/checkout" \
+  TEST_GIT_BEHIND=0; then
+  status=0
+else
+  status=$?
+fi
+[[ $status -eq 1 ]] || fail "update checker exits non-zero when the dev checkout is current"
+grep -q '^Omarchy is up to date$' "$stdout" || fail "update checker reports a current dev checkout"
+pass "update checker ignores a current dev checkout"
+
+if capture_checker "$stdout" "$stderr" \
+  TEST_CHECKUPDATES=none \
+  TEST_INSTALLED_PACKAGE=none \
+  TEST_OMARCHY_PATH="$test_tmp/checkout" \
+  TEST_GIT_BEHIND=1 \
+  TEST_GIT_FETCH=fail; then
+  status=0
+else
+  status=$?
+fi
+[[ $status -eq 0 ]] || fail "update checker uses cached upstream state when fetch fails"
+grep -Fx 'omarchy-dev-checkout 1 new commit on origin/quattro' "$stdout" >/dev/null ||
+  fail "update checker reports cached dev commits after a fetch failure" "$(cat "$stdout")"
+[[ ! -s $stderr ]] || fail "update checker keeps dev fetch failures quiet" "$(cat "$stderr")"
+pass "update checker uses cached dev state when fetching is unavailable"
diff --git a/test/shell.d/update-dev-test.sh b/test/shell.d/update-dev-test.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..68da418a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/shell.d/update-dev-test.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+source "$(cd -- "$(dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)/base-test.sh"
+
+test_tmp=$(mktemp -d)
+trap 'rm -rf "$test_tmp"' EXIT
+
+stub_bin="$test_tmp/bin"
+git_log="$test_tmp/git.log"
+checkout="$test_tmp/checkout"
+mkdir -p "$stub_bin" "$checkout"
+
+cat >"$stub_bin/git" <<'SH'
+#!/bin/bash
+
+printf '%s\n' "$*" >>"$TEST_GIT_LOG"
+
+[[ $1 == "-C" ]] || exit 1
+shift 2
+
+case "$1" in
+  rev-parse)
+    case "$2" in
+      --is-inside-work-tree)
+        [[ ${TEST_GIT_CHECKOUT:-yes} == "yes" ]] || exit 1
+        echo true
+        ;;
+      --abbrev-ref)
+        [[ ${TEST_GIT_UPSTREAM:-origin/quattro} != "none" ]] || exit 1
+        echo "${TEST_GIT_UPSTREAM:-origin/quattro}"
+        ;;
+      *)
+        exit 1
+        ;;
+    esac
+    ;;
+  pull)
+    [[ $2 == "--ff-only" ]]
+    ;;
+  *)
+    exit 1
+    ;;
+esac
+SH
+chmod +x "$stub_bin/git"
+
+run_dev_update() {
+  OMARCHY_PATH="$1" \
+    TEST_GIT_LOG="$git_log" \
+    PATH="$stub_bin:$PATH" \
+    "$ROOT/bin/omarchy-update-dev"
+}
+
+: >"$git_log"
+run_dev_update /usr/share/omarchy
+[[ ! -s $git_log ]] || fail "package-backed updates do not invoke git" "$(cat "$git_log")"
+pass "package-backed updates skip the dev checkout step"
+
+: >"$git_log"
+run_dev_update "$checkout"
+grep -Fx -- "-C $checkout pull --ff-only" "$git_log" >/dev/null ||
+  fail "dev checkout update pulls its upstream with fast-forward only" "$(cat "$git_log")"
+pass "dev checkout update pulls its configured upstream"
+
+: >"$git_log"
+TEST_GIT_UPSTREAM=none run_dev_update "$checkout"
+if grep -q ' pull ' "$git_log"; then
+  fail "dev checkout without an upstream is not pulled" "$(cat "$git_log")"
+fi
+pass "dev checkout without an upstream is skipped safely"
+
+: >"$git_log"
+if TEST_GIT_CHECKOUT=no run_dev_update "$checkout" >"$test_tmp/invalid.out" 2>"$test_tmp/invalid.err"; then
+  fail "invalid dev checkout fails the update"
+fi
+grep -F "OMARCHY_PATH is not a git checkout: $checkout" "$test_tmp/invalid.err" >/dev/null ||
+  fail "invalid dev checkout reports the configured path" "$(cat "$test_tmp/invalid.err")"
+pass "invalid dev checkout fails with a useful error"
+
+grep -qE '^ *omarchy-update-dev$' "$ROOT/bin/omarchy-update" ||
+  fail "top-level update includes the dev checkout step"
+pass "top-level update includes the dev checkout step"
diff --git a/test/shell.d/update-lock-test.sh b/test/shell.d/update-lock-test.sh
index aef0b6fe..73895768 100644
--- a/test/shell.d/update-lock-test.sh
+++ b/test/shell.d/update-lock-test.sh
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ SH
 for command in \
   omarchy-toggle-idle \
   systemd-inhibit \
+  omarchy-update-dev \
   omarchy-update-keyring \
   omarchy-update-system-pkgs \
   omarchy-migrate \