diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index 280d772..5463857 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ jobs:
 
   update-homebrew:
     needs: [release, build-binaries]
-    if: needs.release.outputs.new_release_published == 'true'
+    if: needs.release.outputs.new_release_published == 'true' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/release'
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
diff --git a/src/utils/update-check.ts b/src/utils/update-check.ts
index 7911e53..756e2fe 100644
--- a/src/utils/update-check.ts
+++ b/src/utils/update-check.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
-import { execSync } from 'child_process';
-import { mkdirSync, readFileSync, writeFileSync } from 'fs';
+import { mkdirSync, readFileSync, realpathSync, writeFileSync } from 'fs';
 import https from 'https';
 import { homedir } from 'os';
 import { join } from 'path';
@@ -96,8 +95,8 @@ export function isNewerVersion(current: string, latest: string): boolean {
 function isHomebrewInstall(): boolean {
   if (process.platform === 'win32') return false;
   try {
-    execSync('brew list tigris', { stdio: 'ignore' });
-    return true;
+    const resolved = realpathSync(process.execPath);
+    return resolved.includes('/Cellar/') || resolved.includes('/Caskroom/');
   } catch {
     return false;
   }
@@ -109,15 +108,23 @@ function isHomebrewInstall(): boolean {
 export function getUpdateCommand(): string {
   const isBinary =
     (globalThis as { __TIGRIS_BINARY?: boolean }).__TIGRIS_BINARY === true;
-  const isWindows = process.platform === 'win32';
 
+  // npm install — process.execPath is Node, not our binary.
+  // Must come before isHomebrewInstall() to avoid false positives
+  // when Node itself was installed via Homebrew.
   if (!isBinary) {
     return 'npm install -g @tigrisdata/cli';
-  } else if (isHomebrewInstall()) {
+  }
+  // Standalone binary installed via Homebrew (execPath resolves to /Cellar/ or /Caskroom/)
+  else if (isHomebrewInstall()) {
     return 'brew upgrade tigris';
-  } else if (isWindows) {
+  }
+  // Standalone binary on Windows
+  else if (process.platform === 'win32') {
     return 'irm https://github.com/tigrisdata/cli/releases/latest/download/install.ps1 | iex';
-  } else {
+  }
+  // Standalone binary on macOS/Linux (installed via curl)
+  else {
     return 'curl -fsSL https://github.com/tigrisdata/cli/releases/latest/download/install.sh | sh';
   }
 }