diff --git a/cmd/skill-sync/main.go b/cmd/skill-sync/main.go
index e240664..c4d6681 100644
--- a/cmd/skill-sync/main.go
+++ b/cmd/skill-sync/main.go
@@ -2,15 +2,45 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"os"
+	"runtime/debug"
 
 	"github.com/eezzekl/skill-sync/internal/cli"
 )
 
+// devVersion is the placeholder reported when no build stamped a real version.
+const devVersion = "dev"
+
 // version is set at build time via -ldflags "-X main.version=vX.Y.Z"
-var version = "dev"
+var version = devVersion
+
+// resolveVersion decides which version string to report. A GoReleaser build
+// stamps ldflagVersion and wins outright. A `go install` build cannot receive
+// those ldflags, so it falls back to the module version the toolchain embeds.
+// A plain local build has neither and reports devVersion.
+func resolveVersion(ldflagVersion, moduleVersion string) string {
+	if ldflagVersion != "" && ldflagVersion != devVersion {
+		return ldflagVersion
+	}
+	// "(devel)" is what the toolchain reports for a build outside a tagged
+	// module version, which carries no more information than devVersion.
+	if moduleVersion != "" && moduleVersion != "(devel)" {
+		return moduleVersion
+	}
+	return devVersion
+}
+
+// moduleVersion returns the module version the Go toolchain embeds in the
+// binary, or an empty string when build information is unavailable.
+func moduleVersion() string {
+	info, ok := debug.ReadBuildInfo()
+	if !ok {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return info.Main.Version
+}
 
 func main() {
-	if err := cli.NewRootCmd(version).Execute(); err != nil {
+	if err := cli.NewRootCmd(resolveVersion(version, moduleVersion())).Execute(); err != nil {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/cmd/skill-sync/version_test.go b/cmd/skill-sync/version_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f1bc558
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/skill-sync/version_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+package main
+
+import "testing"
+
+// TestResolveVersion covers both ways this binary gets built. GoReleaser stamps
+// the version through -ldflags, but `go install` cannot receive a maintainer's
+// ldflags: it compiles from the module proxy with its own flags. In that path the
+// only version available is the one the Go toolchain embeds in the binary, which
+// is why the ldflag value alone is not enough.
+func TestResolveVersion(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name          string
+		ldflagVersion string
+		moduleVersion string
+		want          string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:          "ldflag wins when GoReleaser stamped it",
+			ldflagVersion: "1.1.0",
+			moduleVersion: "v1.1.0+dirty",
+			want:          "1.1.0",
+		},
+		{
+			name:          "falls back to module version on go install",
+			ldflagVersion: devVersion,
+			moduleVersion: "v1.1.0",
+			want:          "v1.1.0",
+		},
+		{
+			// The toolchain stamps VCS state by default, so a local build in a
+			// git worktree yields a pseudo-version rather than "(devel)". It is
+			// reported as-is on purpose: it pins the exact commit and flags a
+			// dirty tree, which is precisely what a bug report needs.
+			name:          "reports the pseudo-version of a local VCS-stamped build",
+			ldflagVersion: devVersion,
+			moduleVersion: "v1.1.1-0.20261002231447-f9c2b733d696+dirty",
+			want:          "v1.1.1-0.20261002231447-f9c2b733d696+dirty",
+		},
+		{
+			// Reachable with -buildvcs=false.
+			name:          "stays dev for a build with no VCS stamping",
+			ldflagVersion: devVersion,
+			moduleVersion: "(devel)",
+			want:          devVersion,
+		},
+		{
+			name:          "stays dev when build info is unavailable",
+			ldflagVersion: devVersion,
+			moduleVersion: "",
+			want:          devVersion,
+		},
+		{
+			name:          "falls back when the ldflag is stamped empty",
+			ldflagVersion: "",
+			moduleVersion: "v1.1.0",
+			want:          "v1.1.0",
+		},
+		{
+			name:          "reports dev when neither source knows the version",
+			ldflagVersion: "",
+			moduleVersion: "",
+			want:          devVersion,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			got := resolveVersion(tt.ldflagVersion, tt.moduleVersion)
+			if got != tt.want {
+				t.Errorf("resolveVersion(%q, %q) = %q, want %q",
+					tt.ldflagVersion, tt.moduleVersion, got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}