diff --git a/.changeset/prerelease-update-check.md b/.changeset/prerelease-update-check.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5c6df740d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/prerelease-update-check.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"ctx7": patch
+---
+
+Show the update notice to canary users once the matching stable version is released.
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/__tests__/update-check.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/__tests__/update-check.test.ts
index f7c3052ab..95364e414 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/__tests__/update-check.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/__tests__/update-check.test.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ describe("compareVersions", () => {
     expect(compareVersions("0.3.13", "0.3.13")).toBe(0);
     expect(compareVersions("0.3.13", "0.3.14")).toBeLessThan(0);
   });
+
+  test("orders a prerelease before its release", () => {
+    expect(compareVersions("0.3.14", "0.3.14-canary-20250101000000")).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    expect(compareVersions("0.3.14-canary-20250101000000", "0.3.14")).toBeLessThan(0);
+  });
 });
 
 describe("detectInstallMethod", () => {
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/utils/update-check.ts b/packages/cli/src/utils/update-check.ts
index 600e0aa3a..b9c5ffdfc 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/utils/update-check.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/utils/update-check.ts
@@ -96,7 +96,8 @@ export function compareVersions(a: string, b: string): number {
     if (diff !== 0) return diff;
   }
 
-  return 0;
+  // A prerelease (e.g. a canary build) sorts before its release.
+  return Number(b.includes("-")) - Number(a.includes("-"));
 }
 
 export function detectInstallMethod(env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env): InstallMethod {