diff --git a/cmd/omni/update_command_test.go b/cmd/omni/update_command_test.go
index 6849ab5..25d883f 100644
--- a/cmd/omni/update_command_test.go
+++ b/cmd/omni/update_command_test.go
@@ -28,9 +28,9 @@ func TestUpdateCheckJSON(t *testing.T) {
 		UpdateAvailable: true,
 		CurrentVersion:  "v1.2.0",
 		LatestVersion:   "v1.3.0",
-		ReleaseURL:      "https://example.test/v1.3.0",
+		ReleaseURL:      "https://github.com/exploreomni/cli/releases/tag/v1.3.0",
 		Upgrade: updatecheck.UpgradeInstructions{
-			Homebrew: "brew upgrade omni",
+			Homebrew: "brew update && brew upgrade omni",
 			Other:    "install command",
 		},
 	}}
diff --git a/cmd/omni/update_notice_test.go b/cmd/omni/update_notice_test.go
index e247a84..86a5136 100644
--- a/cmd/omni/update_notice_test.go
+++ b/cmd/omni/update_notice_test.go
@@ -159,8 +159,8 @@ func TestAutomaticUpdateNotice(t *testing.T) {
 	result := updatecheck.Result{
 		UpdateAvailable: true,
 		LatestVersion:   "v1.3.0",
-		ReleaseURL:      "https://example.test/v1.3.0",
-		Upgrade:         updatecheck.UpgradeInstructions{Homebrew: "brew upgrade omni", Other: "install command"},
+		ReleaseURL:      "https://github.com/exploreomni/cli/releases/tag/v1.3.0",
+		Upgrade:         updatecheck.UpgradeInstructions{Homebrew: "brew update && brew upgrade omni", Other: "install command"},
 	}
 	ch := make(chan updateOutcome, 1)
 	ch <- updateOutcome{result: result}
@@ -282,15 +282,15 @@ func TestRecentHomebrewReleaseIsSuppressed(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestUpgradeHint(t *testing.T) {
-	unix := updatecheck.UpgradeInstructions{Homebrew: "brew upgrade omni", Other: "curl ... | sh"}
-	if got := upgradeHint(unix, true); got != "run: brew upgrade omni" {
+	unix := updatecheck.UpgradeInstructions{Homebrew: "brew update && brew upgrade omni", Other: "curl ... | sh"}
+	if got := upgradeHint(unix, true); got != "run: brew update && brew upgrade omni" {
 		t.Errorf("homebrew hint = %q", got)
 	}
 	if got := upgradeHint(unix, false); got != "run: curl ... | sh" {
 		t.Errorf("unix hint = %q", got)
 	}
 	// Windows has no Homebrew and no install.sh, so the advice is prose.
-	windows := updatecheck.UpgradeInstructions{Other: "download the latest release from https://example.test/latest"}
+	windows := updatecheck.UpgradeInstructions{Other: "download the latest release from https://github.com/exploreomni/cli/releases/latest"}
 	if got := upgradeHint(windows, false); got != windows.Other {
 		t.Errorf("windows hint = %q", got)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/updatecheck/updatecheck.go b/internal/updatecheck/updatecheck.go
index e57fb90..6ef2318 100644
--- a/internal/updatecheck/updatecheck.go
+++ b/internal/updatecheck/updatecheck.go
@@ -344,7 +344,8 @@ func upgradeInstructions(goos string) UpgradeInstructions {
 	if goos == "windows" {
 		return UpgradeInstructions{Other: "download the latest release from " + releasesPage}
 	}
-	return UpgradeInstructions{Homebrew: "brew upgrade omni", Other: installCommand}
+	// brew upgrade only auto-refreshes taps every 24h, so it can miss a fresh release.
+	return UpgradeInstructions{Homebrew: "brew update && brew upgrade omni", Other: installCommand}
 }
 
 func (c *Checker) readState() (state, error) {
diff --git a/internal/updatecheck/updatecheck_test.go b/internal/updatecheck/updatecheck_test.go
index f4be88c..1b96abb 100644
--- a/internal/updatecheck/updatecheck_test.go
+++ b/internal/updatecheck/updatecheck_test.go
@@ -53,13 +53,13 @@ func (c *clock) advance(d time.Duration) {
 	c.now = c.now.Add(d)
 }
 
-const releaseBody = `{"tag_name":"v1.3.0","html_url":"https://example.test/v1.3.0","published_at":"2026-08-30T12:00:00Z"}`
+const releaseBody = `{"tag_name":"v1.3.0","html_url":"https://github.com/exploreomni/cli/releases/tag/v1.3.0","published_at":"2026-08-30T12:00:00Z"}`
 
 func newTestChecker(t *testing.T, statePath string, clk *clock, rt roundTripFunc) *Checker {
 	t.Helper()
 	return &Checker{
 		Client:    &http.Client{Transport: rt},
-		Endpoint:  "https://example.test/latest",
+		Endpoint:  defaultEndpoint,
 		StatePath: statePath,
 		Now:       clk.Now,
 	}
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ func TestAutomaticCheckFastPathDoesNotCreateTheLock(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("a throttled check must not make a request")
 		return nil, nil
 	})
-	wantRelease := Release{Version: "v1.3.0", URL: "https://example.test/v1.3.0"}
+	wantRelease := Release{Version: "v1.3.0", URL: "https://github.com/exploreomni/cli/releases/tag/v1.3.0"}
 	if err := checker.writeState(state{
 		NextCheckAt:   clk.Now().Add(checkInterval),
 		LatestRelease: wantRelease,
@@ -332,10 +332,10 @@ func TestStaleLeaseOwnerCannotOverwriteNewerState(t *testing.T) {
 	if !ok {
 		t.Fatal("expected the expired lease to be reclaimed")
 	}
-	checker.finishCheck(fresh, Release{Version: "v1.4.0", URL: "https://example.test/v1.4.0"}, nil)
+	checker.finishCheck(fresh, Release{Version: "v1.4.0", URL: "https://github.com/exploreomni/cli/releases/tag/v1.4.0"}, nil)
 
 	// The stale owner finally returns with an older answer.
-	checker.finishCheck(stale, Release{Version: "v1.3.0", URL: "https://example.test/v1.3.0"}, nil)
+	checker.finishCheck(stale, Release{Version: "v1.3.0", URL: "https://github.com/exploreomni/cli/releases/tag/v1.3.0"}, nil)
 
 	s, err := checker.readState()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ func TestStaleLeaseOwnerCannotOverwriteNewerState(t *testing.T) {
 func TestConcurrentNotificationClaimsProduceOneNotice(t *testing.T) {
 	clk := newClock()
 	statePath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "update.json")
-	r := result("v1.2.0", Release{Version: "v1.3.0", URL: "https://example.test/release"})
+	r := result("v1.2.0", Release{Version: "v1.3.0", URL: "https://github.com/exploreomni/cli/releases/tag/v1.3.0"})
 
 	var claims atomic.Int64
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ func TestConcurrentNotificationClaimsProduceOneNotice(t *testing.T) {
 func TestNotificationThrottle(t *testing.T) {
 	clk := newClock()
 	checker := newTestChecker(t, filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "update.json"), clk, nil)
-	r := result("v1.2.0", Release{Version: "v1.3.0", URL: "https://example.test/release"})
+	r := result("v1.2.0", Release{Version: "v1.3.0", URL: "https://github.com/exploreomni/cli/releases/tag/v1.3.0"})
 	if !checker.ClaimNotification(r) {
 		t.Fatal("a new release should be claimable before its first notification")
 	}
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ func TestNotificationThrottle(t *testing.T) {
 func TestNotificationFastPathDoesNotCreateTheLock(t *testing.T) {
 	clk := newClock()
 	checker := newTestChecker(t, filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "update.json"), clk, nil)
-	r := result("v1.2.0", Release{Version: "v1.3.0", URL: "https://example.test/release"})
+	r := result("v1.2.0", Release{Version: "v1.3.0", URL: "https://github.com/exploreomni/cli/releases/tag/v1.3.0"})
 	if err := checker.writeState(state{
 		NotifiedVersion: r.LatestVersion,
 		NotifiedAt:      clk.Now(),
@@ -524,7 +524,7 @@ func TestUpgradeInstructionsArePlatformSpecific(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	for _, goos := range []string{"darwin", "linux"} {
 		got := upgradeInstructions(goos)
-		if got.Homebrew != "brew upgrade omni" || got.Other != installCommand {
+		if got.Homebrew != "brew update && brew upgrade omni" || got.Other != installCommand {
 			t.Fatalf("%s instructions = %+v", goos, got)
 		}
 	}