diff --git a/app/Controllers/UpdateController.php b/app/Controllers/UpdateController.php
index 90cec16..cafe926 100644
--- a/app/Controllers/UpdateController.php
+++ b/app/Controllers/UpdateController.php
@@ -115,9 +115,13 @@ class UpdateController extends Controller
             if (!$hasMigrations) {
                 try {
                     $notificationService = new NotificationService();
+                    // For hotfixes the "to_version" is a commit SHA (e.g. "4371f17"),
+                    // not a semver string. Pass the current app version so the
+                    // notification reads "v1.1.3 has been updated" instead of "v4371f17".
+                    $notifyToVersion = ($type === 'hotfix') ? $fromVersion : $toVersion;
                     $notificationService->notifyAdminsUpgrade(
                         $fromVersion,
-                        $toVersion,
+                        $notifyToVersion,
                         0,
                         !empty($result['composer_manual_required'])
                     );
diff --git a/app/Services/NotificationService.php b/app/Services/NotificationService.php
index 99124d2..d45e6c2 100644
--- a/app/Services/NotificationService.php
+++ b/app/Services/NotificationService.php
@@ -573,7 +573,13 @@ class NotificationService
      */
     public function notifySystemUpgrade(int $userId, string $fromVersion, string $toVersion, int $migrationsCount, bool $composerManualRequired = false): void
     {
-        $message = "Domain Monitor upgraded from v{$fromVersion} to v{$toVersion} ({$migrationsCount} migration" . ($migrationsCount > 1 ? 's' : '') . " applied)";
+        $migrationLabel = $migrationsCount . ' migration' . ($migrationsCount !== 1 ? 's' : '') . ' applied';
+        if ($fromVersion === $toVersion) {
+            // Hotfix: same version, just file updates
+            $message = "Domain Monitor v{$toVersion} has been updated ({$migrationLabel})";
+        } else {
+            $message = "Domain Monitor upgraded from v{$fromVersion} to v{$toVersion} ({$migrationLabel})";
+        }
         if ($composerManualRequired) {
             $message .= ". Composer could not be run here (e.g. exec disabled). If dependencies changed, run \"composer install --no-dev\" manually via SSH or Terminal.";
         }
diff --git a/app/Services/UpdateService.php b/app/Services/UpdateService.php
index b671cf0..ebe1291 100644
--- a/app/Services/UpdateService.php
+++ b/app/Services/UpdateService.php
@@ -243,6 +243,9 @@ class UpdateService
                 ? ($this->settingModel->getValue('latest_available_version') ?: $this->settingModel->getAppVersion())
                 : ($this->settingModel->getValue('latest_remote_sha') ? substr($this->settingModel->getValue('latest_remote_sha'), 0, 7) : 'latest');
 
+            // Clear cached update state so the UI no longer shows a stale "update available" card
+            $this->clearUpdateCache();
+
             $this->logger->endOperation('Application Update', [
                 'success' => true,
                 'files_updated' => $filesUpdated,
@@ -386,6 +389,24 @@ class UpdateService
     // Private: Cache methods
     // ========================================================================
 
+    /**
+     * Clear all cached update-check state so the UI no longer shows stale "update available" info.
+     * Called after a successful update is applied.
+     */
+    private function clearUpdateCache(): void
+    {
+        $this->settingModel->setValue('last_update_check', null);
+        $this->settingModel->setValue('commits_behind_count', '0');
+        $this->settingModel->setValue('latest_remote_sha', '');
+        $this->settingModel->setValue('latest_release_notes', '');
+        $this->settingModel->setValue('latest_release_url', '');
+        $this->settingModel->setValue('latest_release_published_at', '');
+        // Note: latest_available_version is kept — it's used by the view to compare
+        // against current_version. After migrations bump app_version, the comparison
+        // will no longer show an update. Clearing it could cause issues if migrations
+        // haven't run yet and the user reloads the page.
+    }
+
     private function isCacheValid(string $lastCheckTimestamp): bool
     {
         $lastCheck = strtotime($lastCheckTimestamp);