diff --git a/custom_components/bahmcloud_store/core.py b/custom_components/bahmcloud_store/core.py
index a5ea049..877cf6c 100644
--- a/custom_components/bahmcloud_store/core.py
+++ b/custom_components/bahmcloud_store/core.py
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ class BCSCore:
     def list_repos_public(self) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
         out: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
 
-        installed_map: dict[str, Any] = getattr(self, '_installed_cache', {}) or {}
+        installed_map: dict[str, Any] = getattr(self, "_installed_cache", {}) or {}
         if not isinstance(installed_map, dict):
             installed_map = {}
 
@@ -315,33 +315,41 @@ class BCSCore:
             installed = bool(inst)
             installed_domains: list[str] = []
             installed_version: str | None = None
+            installed_manifest_version: str | None = None
+
             if isinstance(inst, dict):
-                d = inst.get('domains') or []
+                d = inst.get("domains") or []
                 if isinstance(d, list):
                     installed_domains = [str(x) for x in d if str(x).strip()]
-                v = inst.get('installed_version')
+
+                # IMPORTANT: this is the ref we installed (tag/release/branch)
+                v = inst.get("installed_version")
                 installed_version = str(v) if v is not None else None
 
+                mv = inst.get("installed_manifest_version")
+                installed_manifest_version = str(mv) if mv is not None else None
+
             out.append(
                 {
-                    'id': r.id,
-                    'name': r.name,
-                    'url': r.url,
-                    'source': r.source,
-                    'owner': r.owner,
-                    'provider': r.provider,
-                    'repo_name': r.provider_repo_name,
-                    'description': r.provider_description or r.meta_description,
-                    'default_branch': r.default_branch,
-                    'latest_version': r.latest_version,
-                    'latest_version_source': r.latest_version_source,
-                    'category': r.meta_category,
-                    'meta_author': r.meta_author,
-                    'meta_maintainer': r.meta_maintainer,
-                    'meta_source': r.meta_source,
-                    'installed': installed,
-                    'installed_version': installed_version,
-                    'installed_domains': installed_domains,
+                    "id": r.id,
+                    "name": r.name,
+                    "url": r.url,
+                    "source": r.source,
+                    "owner": r.owner,
+                    "provider": r.provider,
+                    "repo_name": r.provider_repo_name,
+                    "description": r.provider_description or r.meta_description,
+                    "default_branch": r.default_branch,
+                    "latest_version": r.latest_version,
+                    "latest_version_source": r.latest_version_source,
+                    "category": r.meta_category,
+                    "meta_author": r.meta_author,
+                    "meta_maintainer": r.meta_maintainer,
+                    "meta_source": r.meta_source,
+                    "installed": installed,
+                    "installed_version": installed_version,
+                    "installed_manifest_version": installed_manifest_version,
+                    "installed_domains": installed_domains,
                 }
             )
         return out
@@ -457,7 +465,7 @@ class BCSCore:
 
         await self.hass.async_add_executor_job(_copy)
 
-    async def _read_installed_version(self, domain: str) -> str | None:
+    async def _read_installed_manifest_version(self, domain: str) -> str | None:
         def _read() -> str | None:
             try:
                 p = Path(self.hass.config.path("custom_components", domain, "manifest.json"))
@@ -478,7 +486,8 @@ class BCSCore:
             for it in items:
                 cache[it.repo_id] = {
                     "domains": it.domains,
-                    "installed_version": it.installed_version,
+                    "installed_version": it.installed_version,  # BCS ref
+                    "installed_manifest_version": it.installed_manifest_version,
                     "ref": it.ref,
                     "installed_at": it.installed_at,
                 }
@@ -525,13 +534,19 @@ class BCSCore:
                 if not installed_domains:
                     raise BCSInstallError("No integrations found under custom_components/ (missing manifest.json)")
 
-            installed_version = await self._read_installed_version(installed_domains[0])
+            # informational only (many repos are wrong here)
+            installed_manifest_version = await self._read_installed_manifest_version(installed_domains[0])
+
+            # IMPORTANT: BCS "installed_version" is the ref we installed (tag/release/branch),
+            # so update logic won't break when manifest.json is 0.0.0 or outdated.
+            installed_version = ref
 
             await self.storage.set_installed_repo(
                 repo_id=repo_id,
                 url=repo.url,
                 domains=installed_domains,
                 installed_version=installed_version,
+                installed_manifest_version=installed_manifest_version,
                 ref=ref,
             )
             await self._refresh_installed_cache()
@@ -543,13 +558,20 @@ class BCSCore:
                 notification_id="bcs_restart_required",
             )
 
-            _LOGGER.info("BCS install complete: repo_id=%s domains=%s", repo_id, installed_domains)
+            _LOGGER.info(
+                "BCS install complete: repo_id=%s domains=%s installed_ref=%s manifest_version=%s",
+                repo_id,
+                installed_domains,
+                installed_version,
+                installed_manifest_version,
+            )
             self.signal_updated()
             return {
                 "ok": True,
                 "repo_id": repo_id,
                 "domains": installed_domains,
                 "installed_version": installed_version,
+                "installed_manifest_version": installed_manifest_version,
                 "restart_required": True,
             }