diff --git a/cmd/server/server.go b/cmd/server/server.go
index 735c31e..3698d0d 100644
--- a/cmd/server/server.go
+++ b/cmd/server/server.go
@@ -232,6 +232,7 @@ func runServer() {
 	meta.Register(api, mods)
 	meta.RegisterHealth(api, sessions)
 	meta.RegisterWhoami(api, sessions, roles, mods)
+	meta.ConfigPath = configPath
 	meta.RegisterUpdate(api)
 
 	auth.RegisterLogin(api, sessions, auditStore, cfg.SecureCookie())
diff --git a/internal/meta/update.go b/internal/meta/update.go
index a039bd5..6a4910e 100644
--- a/internal/meta/update.go
+++ b/internal/meta/update.go
@@ -6,11 +6,16 @@ import (
 	"os/exec"
 	"syscall"
 
+	"nadir/internal/config"
 	"nadir/internal/oscmd"
 
 	"github.com/danielgtaylor/huma/v2"
 )
 
+// ConfigPath is set at startup so the update handler can re-load config and
+// surface release_repo / parse errors to the caller instead of only stderr.
+var ConfigPath string
+
 // RegisterUpdate wires POST /api/meta/update. It runs the equivalent of
 // `sudo nadir update` in a detached session and returns 202 immediately; the
 // systemctl restart that ends the updater drops in-flight connections, so the
@@ -28,9 +33,18 @@ func RegisterUpdate(api huma.API) {
 		Description:   "Equivalent to running `sudo nadir update` on the host: queries server.release_repo for the latest release, downloads the binary matching the host's architecture, atomically replaces the running binary, and restarts the systemd unit. Returns 202 immediately; the service restart drops in-flight connections, so poll /api/health to confirm the new version is up. Requires the wildcard admin role.",
 		Tags:          []string{"Meta"},
 		Metadata:      map[string]any{"module": "meta", "permission": "root"},
-		Errors:        []int{401, 403, 500},
+		Errors:        []int{400, 401, 403, 500},
 		DefaultStatus: 202,
 	}, func(ctx context.Context, _ *struct{}) (*oscmd.StatusOutput, error) {
+		if ConfigPath != "" {
+			cfg, err := config.Load(ConfigPath)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, huma.Error500InternalServerError("config load failed", err)
+			}
+			if cfg.Server.ReleaseRepo == "" {
+				return nil, huma.Error400BadRequest("server.release_repo not set in " + ConfigPath)
+			}
+		}
 		exe, err := os.Executable()
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, huma.Error500InternalServerError("could not resolve own binary path", err)