diff --git a/tools/cli/bmad-cli.js b/tools/cli/bmad-cli.js
index ad3aac34..2a5b8d38 100755
--- a/tools/cli/bmad-cli.js
+++ b/tools/cli/bmad-cli.js
@@ -1,6 +1,48 @@
 const { program } = require('commander');
 const path = require('node:path');
 const fs = require('node:fs');
+const { execSync } = require('node:child_process');
+
+// Check for updates - do this asynchronously so it doesn't block startup
+const packageJson = require('../../package.json');
+const packageName = 'bmad-method';
+checkForUpdate().catch(() => {
+  // Silently ignore errors - version check is best-effort
+});
+
+async function checkForUpdate() {
+  try {
+    // For beta versions, check the beta tag; otherwise check latest
+    const isBeta =
+      packageJson.version.includes('Beta') ||
+      packageJson.version.includes('beta') ||
+      packageJson.version.includes('alpha') ||
+      packageJson.version.includes('rc');
+    const tag = isBeta ? 'beta' : 'latest';
+
+    const result = execSync(`npm view ${packageName}@${tag} version`, {
+      encoding: 'utf8',
+      stdio: 'pipe',
+      timeout: 5000,
+    }).trim();
+
+    if (result && result !== packageJson.version) {
+      console.warn('');
+      console.warn('  ╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗');
+      console.warn('  ║  UPDATE AVAILABLE                                                             ║');
+      console.warn('  ║                                                                               ║');
+      console.warn(`  ║  You are using version ${packageJson.version} but ${result} is available.     ║`);
+      console.warn('  ║                                                                               ║');
+      console.warn('  ║  To update,exir and first run:                                                ║');
+      console.warn(`  ║    npm cache clean --force && npx bmad-method@${tag} install                  ║`);
+      console.warn('  ║                                                                               ║');
+      console.warn('  ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝');
+      console.warn('');
+    }
+  } catch {
+    // Silently fail - network issues or npm not available
+  }
+}
 
 // Fix for stdin issues when running through npm on Windows
 // Ensures keyboard interaction works properly with CLI prompts
@@ -20,9 +62,6 @@ if (process.stdin.isTTY) {
   }
 }
 
-// Load package.json from root for version info
-const packageJson = require('../../package.json');
-
 // Load all command modules
 const commandsPath = path.join(__dirname, 'commands');
 const commandFiles = fs.readdirSync(commandsPath).filter((file) => file.endsWith('.js'));