diff --git a/macos/Ghostty-Info.plist b/macos/Ghostty-Info.plist
index 914c6ed6b..17caf19d7 100644
--- a/macos/Ghostty-Info.plist
+++ b/macos/Ghostty-Info.plist
@@ -96,6 +96,10 @@
 			</array>
 		</dict>
 	</array>
+#if SPARKLE_CHECKS_DISABLED
+	<key>SUEnableAutomaticChecks</key>
+	<false/>
+#endif
 	<key>SUPublicEDKey</key>
 	<string>wsNcGf5hirwtdXMVnYoxRIX/SqZQLMOsYlD3q3imeok=</string>
 </dict>
diff --git a/macos/Ghostty.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj b/macos/Ghostty.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
index 68322756b..3dd37c0ff 100644
--- a/macos/Ghostty.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
+++ b/macos/Ghostty.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
@@ -730,6 +730,7 @@
 				GCC_WARN_UNINITIALIZED_AUTOS = YES_AGGRESSIVE;
 				GCC_WARN_UNUSED_FUNCTION = YES;
 				GCC_WARN_UNUSED_VARIABLE = YES;
+				INFOPLIST_PREPROCESS = YES;
 				MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET = 13.1;
 				MTL_ENABLE_DEBUG_INFO = NO;
 				MTL_FAST_MATH = YES;
@@ -843,6 +844,8 @@
 				GCC_WARN_UNINITIALIZED_AUTOS = YES_AGGRESSIVE;
 				GCC_WARN_UNUSED_FUNCTION = YES;
 				GCC_WARN_UNUSED_VARIABLE = YES;
+				INFOPLIST_PREPROCESS = YES;
+				INFOPLIST_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS = "SPARKLE_CHECKS_DISABLED=1";
 				MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET = 13.1;
 				MTL_ENABLE_DEBUG_INFO = INCLUDE_SOURCE;
 				MTL_FAST_MATH = YES;
@@ -899,6 +902,8 @@
 				GCC_WARN_UNINITIALIZED_AUTOS = YES_AGGRESSIVE;
 				GCC_WARN_UNUSED_FUNCTION = YES;
 				GCC_WARN_UNUSED_VARIABLE = YES;
+				INFOPLIST_PREPROCESS = YES;
+				INFOPLIST_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS = "SPARKLE_CHECKS_DISABLED=1";
 				MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET = 13.1;
 				MTL_ENABLE_DEBUG_INFO = NO;
 				MTL_FAST_MATH = YES;
diff --git a/macos/Sources/App/macOS/AppDelegate.swift b/macos/Sources/App/macOS/AppDelegate.swift
index 8d56b91d5..7ebf52d3d 100644
--- a/macos/Sources/App/macOS/AppDelegate.swift
+++ b/macos/Sources/App/macOS/AppDelegate.swift
@@ -484,9 +484,10 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject,
         default: UserDefaults.standard.removeObject(forKey: "NSQuitAlwaysKeepsWindows")
         }
 
-        // Sync our auto-update settings
-        // Local (source) builds always disable the updater
-        if let commit = Bundle.main.infoDictionary?["GhosttyCommit"] as? String, !commit.isEmpty {
+        // Sync our auto-update settings. If SUEnableAutomaticChecks (in our Info.plist) is
+        // explicitly false (NO), auto-updates are disabled. Otherwise, we use the behavior
+        // defined by our "auto-update" configuration.
+        if Bundle.main.infoDictionary?["SUEnableAutomaticChecks"] as? Bool != false {
             updaterController.updater.automaticallyChecksForUpdates =
                 config.autoUpdate == .check || config.autoUpdate == .download
             updaterController.updater.automaticallyDownloadsUpdates =