diff --git a/thor_settings_dialog.py b/thor_settings_dialog.py
index 34e0554..19eb9e6 100644
--- a/thor_settings_dialog.py
+++ b/thor_settings_dialog.py
@@ -487,12 +487,21 @@ class SettingsDialog:
     def _build_tab_updates(self, nb):
         f = self._tab_frame(nb, "Updates")
 
-        tk.Label(f, text="Auto-Update Source", anchor="w").grid(
+        # Current version display
+        tk.Label(f, text="Current Version", anchor="w").grid(
             row=0, column=0, sticky="w", padx=(8, 4), pady=(8, 2)
         )
+        tk.Label(
+            f, text="v{}".format(watcher.VERSION), anchor="w",
+            font=("TkDefaultFont", 9, "bold"),
+        ).grid(row=0, column=1, sticky="w", padx=(0, 8), pady=(8, 2))
+
+        tk.Label(f, text="Auto-Update Source", anchor="w").grid(
+            row=1, column=0, sticky="w", padx=(8, 4), pady=(8, 2)
+        )
 
         radio_frame = tk.Frame(f)
-        radio_frame.grid(row=0, column=1, sticky="w", padx=(0, 8), pady=(8, 2))
+        radio_frame.grid(row=1, column=1, sticky="w", padx=(0, 8), pady=(8, 2))
 
         ttk.Radiobutton(
             radio_frame, text="Gitea (default)",
@@ -513,10 +522,10 @@ class SettingsDialog:
         ).grid(row=0, column=2, sticky="w")
 
         tk.Label(f, text="Update Server URL", anchor="w").grid(
-            row=1, column=0, sticky="w", padx=(8, 4), pady=4
+            row=2, column=0, sticky="w", padx=(8, 4), pady=4
         )
         self._update_url_entry = ttk.Entry(f, textvariable=self.var_update_url, width=42)
-        self._update_url_entry.grid(row=1, column=1, sticky="ew", padx=(0, 8), pady=4)
+        self._update_url_entry.grid(row=2, column=1, sticky="ew", padx=(0, 8), pady=4)
 
         tk.Label(
             f,
@@ -528,7 +537,7 @@ class SettingsDialog:
                 "still works when disabled."
             ),
             justify="left", fg="#555555", wraplength=380,
-        ).grid(row=2, column=0, columnspan=2, sticky="w", padx=(8, 8), pady=(4, 8))
+        ).grid(row=3, column=0, columnspan=2, sticky="w", padx=(8, 8), pady=(4, 8))
 
         self._on_update_source_change()
 
diff --git a/thor_tray.py b/thor_tray.py
index f2212db..5bcf8b2 100644
--- a/thor_tray.py
+++ b/thor_tray.py
@@ -126,17 +126,17 @@ def check_for_update():
         cfg = _read_config()
         update_source = str(cfg.get("update_source", "gitea")).strip().lower()
         update_url    = str(cfg.get("update_url", "")).strip()
-    except Exception:
+    except Exception as exc:
+        _update_log("config read failed in check_for_update: {} — defaulting to gitea".format(exc))
         update_source = "gitea"
         update_url    = ""
 
-    if update_source == "disabled":
-        return None, None
-
     _update_log("Checking for update (source={}, version={})".format(
         update_source, _CURRENT_VERSION
     ))
 
+    if update_source == "disabled":
+        return None, None
     if update_source == "url":
         return _check_for_update_url(update_url)
     else:
@@ -472,8 +472,11 @@ class WatcherTray:
 
     def _icon_updater(self):
         """Periodically refresh the tray icon and check for updates."""
+        _update_log("Updater thread started (version={}, first check in ~30s)".format(_CURRENT_VERSION))
         last_status = None
-        update_check_counter = 0  # check every ~5 min (30 × 10s ticks)
+        # Initial first-check fires at counter==3 (~30s) so we get a confirmation
+        # line in the log soon after startup; subsequent checks every ~5 min.
+        update_check_counter = 27
 
         while not self.stop_event.is_set():
             icon_status = self._tray_status()