diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/services/AppUpdateService/index.ts b/apps/desktop/src/services/AppUpdateService/index.ts
index 9a583aad..62206d7a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/services/AppUpdateService/index.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/services/AppUpdateService/index.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ export class AppUpdateController {
     private readonly now: () => string;
     private initialized = false;
     private unlistenProgress: UnlistenFn | null = null;
+    private checkRequestVersion = 0;
 
     constructor(deps: AppUpdateControllerDeps) {
         this.native = deps.native;
@@ -112,6 +113,7 @@ export class AppUpdateController {
     async setChannel(channel: AppUpdateChannel): Promise<void> {
         await this.initialize();
         await this.settings.updateAppUpdateChannel(channel);
+        this.checkRequestVersion += 1;
         await this.settings.updateAppUpdateLastCheckedAt(null);
         this.commit({ type: 'channel-updated', channel });
     }
@@ -125,15 +127,24 @@ export class AppUpdateController {
 
         const previousState = this.state;
         const channel = this.state.channel;
+        const requestVersion = ++this.checkRequestVersion;
         this.commit({ type: 'check-started', channel });
 
         try {
             const result = await this.native.checkForUpdates(channel);
             const checkedAt = this.now();
+            if (!this.isCurrentCheckRequest(requestVersion, channel)) {
+                return false;
+            }
+
             this.commit({ type: 'check-completed', channel, result, checkedAt });
             await this.settings.updateAppUpdateLastCheckedAt(checkedAt);
             return true;
         } catch (error) {
+            if (!this.isCurrentCheckRequest(requestVersion, channel)) {
+                return false;
+            }
+
             if (source === 'automatic') {
                 this.replaceState(previousState);
                 return false;
@@ -171,6 +182,10 @@ export class AppUpdateController {
         }
     }
 
+    private isCurrentCheckRequest(requestVersion: number, channel: AppUpdateChannel): boolean {
+        return requestVersion === this.checkRequestVersion && this.state.channel === channel;
+    }
+
     private shouldRunAutomaticCheck(): boolean {
         if (!this.state.autoCheckEnabled) {
             return false;
diff --git a/apps/desktop/tests/services/AppUpdateService/service.test.ts b/apps/desktop/tests/services/AppUpdateService/service.test.ts
index bee64628..97f6e514 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/tests/services/AppUpdateService/service.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/tests/services/AppUpdateService/service.test.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ function createController(
         lastCheckedAt?: string | null;
         checkResult?: AppUpdateCheckResult;
         checkError?: Error;
+        updateChannelError?: Error;
     } = {}
 ) {
     const checkForUpdates = options.checkError
@@ -66,7 +67,9 @@ function createController(
           );
     const downloadUpdate = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(availableUpdate);
     const installUpdate = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(true);
-    const updateAppUpdateChannel = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    const updateAppUpdateChannel = options.updateChannelError
+        ? vi.fn().mockRejectedValue(options.updateChannelError)
+        : vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
     const updateAppUpdateAutoCheck = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
     const updateAppUpdateLastCheckedAt = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
 
@@ -170,6 +173,33 @@ describe('AppUpdateController', () => {
         });
     });
 
+    it('does not restore an old channel after a stale automatic check fails', async () => {
+        const deferredCheck = createDeferred<AppUpdateCheckResult>();
+        const { controller, checkForUpdates, updateAppUpdateLastCheckedAt } = createController();
+        checkForUpdates.mockReturnValueOnce(deferredCheck.promise);
+
+        await controller.initialize();
+        const checkPromise = controller.checkNow('automatic');
+        await Promise.resolve();
+
+        expect(controller.getState()).toMatchObject({
+            status: 'checking',
+            channel: 'stable',
+        });
+
+        await controller.setChannel('nightly');
+        deferredCheck.reject(new Error('network unavailable'));
+
+        await expect(checkPromise).resolves.toBe(false);
+        expect(controller.getState()).toMatchObject({
+            status: 'idle',
+            channel: 'nightly',
+            error: null,
+        });
+        expect(updateAppUpdateLastCheckedAt).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+        expect(updateAppUpdateLastCheckedAt).toHaveBeenCalledWith(null);
+    });
+
     it('surfaces manual check failures', async () => {
         const { controller } = createController({
             checkError: new Error('network unavailable'),
@@ -248,6 +278,111 @@ describe('AppUpdateController', () => {
         });
     });
 
+    it('does not persist stale check timestamps after the user switches channels', async () => {
+        const deferredCheck = createDeferred<AppUpdateCheckResult>();
+        const { controller, checkForUpdates, updateAppUpdateLastCheckedAt } = createController();
+        checkForUpdates.mockReturnValueOnce(deferredCheck.promise);
+
+        await controller.initialize();
+        const checkPromise = controller.checkNow('manual');
+        await Promise.resolve();
+
+        await controller.setChannel('nightly');
+        deferredCheck.resolve({
+            status: 'available',
+            channel: 'stable',
+            currentVersion: '0.1.0',
+            latest: latestUpdate,
+            update: availableUpdate,
+            requirement: neutralRequirement,
+        });
+
+        await expect(checkPromise).resolves.toBe(false);
+        expect(controller.getState()).toMatchObject({
+            status: 'idle',
+            channel: 'nightly',
+            availableUpdate: null,
+            lastCheckedAt: null,
+        });
+        expect(updateAppUpdateLastCheckedAt).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+        expect(updateAppUpdateLastCheckedAt).toHaveBeenCalledWith(null);
+    });
+
+    it('keeps in-flight checks current when channel persistence fails', async () => {
+        const deferredCheck = createDeferred<AppUpdateCheckResult>();
+        const { controller, checkForUpdates, updateAppUpdateLastCheckedAt } = createController({
+            updateChannelError: new Error('database unavailable'),
+        });
+        checkForUpdates.mockReturnValueOnce(deferredCheck.promise);
+
+        await controller.initialize();
+        const checkPromise = controller.checkNow('manual');
+        await Promise.resolve();
+
+        await expect(controller.setChannel('nightly')).rejects.toThrow('database unavailable');
+        deferredCheck.resolve({
+            status: 'available',
+            channel: 'stable',
+            currentVersion: '0.1.0',
+            latest: latestUpdate,
+            update: availableUpdate,
+            requirement: neutralRequirement,
+        });
+
+        await expect(checkPromise).resolves.toBe(true);
+        expect(controller.getState()).toMatchObject({
+            status: 'available',
+            channel: 'stable',
+            availableUpdate,
+            lastCheckedAt: '2026-05-22T10:00:00.000Z',
+        });
+        expect(updateAppUpdateLastCheckedAt).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+        expect(updateAppUpdateLastCheckedAt).toHaveBeenCalledWith('2026-05-22T10:00:00.000Z');
+    });
+
+    it('ignores an older check result when a newer same-channel check finishes first', async () => {
+        const firstCheck = createDeferred<AppUpdateCheckResult>();
+        const secondCheck = createDeferred<AppUpdateCheckResult>();
+        const { controller, checkForUpdates, updateAppUpdateLastCheckedAt } = createController();
+        checkForUpdates
+            .mockReturnValueOnce(firstCheck.promise)
+            .mockReturnValueOnce(secondCheck.promise);
+
+        await controller.initialize();
+        const firstPromise = controller.checkNow('manual');
+        await Promise.resolve();
+        const secondPromise = controller.checkNow('manual');
+        await Promise.resolve();
+
+        secondCheck.resolve({
+            status: 'available',
+            channel: 'stable',
+            currentVersion: '0.1.0',
+            latest: latestUpdate,
+            update: availableUpdate,
+            requirement: neutralRequirement,
+        });
+        await expect(secondPromise).resolves.toBe(true);
+
+        firstCheck.resolve({
+            status: 'not_available',
+            channel: 'stable',
+            currentVersion: '0.2.0',
+            latest: latestUpdate,
+            requirement: neutralRequirement,
+        });
+        await expect(firstPromise).resolves.toBe(false);
+
+        expect(controller.getState()).toMatchObject({
+            status: 'available',
+            channel: 'stable',
+            availableUpdate,
+            currentVersion: '0.1.0',
+        });
+        expect(updateAppUpdateLastCheckedAt).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+        expect(updateAppUpdateLastCheckedAt).toHaveBeenCalledWith('2026-05-22T10:00:00.000Z');
+    });
+
     it('persists auto-check changes', async () => {
         const { controller, updateAppUpdateAutoCheck } = createController();