diff --git a/src/cli/update-cli.test.ts b/src/cli/update-cli.test.ts
index 94ac19033..330d5d292 100644
--- a/src/cli/update-cli.test.ts
+++ b/src/cli/update-cli.test.ts
@@ -482,6 +482,7 @@ describe("update-cli", () => {
       force: true,
       json: undefined,
     });
+    expect(runRestartScript).toHaveBeenCalled();
     expect(runDaemonRestart).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
@@ -508,6 +509,29 @@ describe("update-cli", () => {
     expect(runDaemonRestart).toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  it("updateCommand falls back to restart when no detached restart script is available", async () => {
+    const mockResult: UpdateRunResult = {
+      status: "ok",
+      mode: "git",
+      steps: [],
+      durationMs: 100,
+    };
+
+    vi.mocked(runGatewayUpdate).mockResolvedValue(mockResult);
+    vi.mocked(runDaemonInstall).mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    prepareRestartScript.mockResolvedValue(null);
+    serviceLoaded.mockResolvedValue(true);
+    vi.mocked(runDaemonRestart).mockResolvedValue(true);
+
+    await updateCommand({});
+
+    expect(runDaemonInstall).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      force: true,
+      json: undefined,
+    });
+    expect(runDaemonRestart).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
   it("updateCommand does not refresh service env when --no-restart is set", async () => {
     vi.mocked(runGatewayUpdate).mockResolvedValue(makeOkUpdateResult());
     serviceLoaded.mockResolvedValue(true);
diff --git a/src/cli/update-cli/update-command.ts b/src/cli/update-cli/update-command.ts
index c47893dd0..469b32b45 100644
--- a/src/cli/update-cli/update-command.ts
+++ b/src/cli/update-cli/update-command.ts
@@ -403,12 +403,9 @@ async function maybeRestartService(params: {
     try {
       let restarted = false;
       let restartInitiated = false;
-      let serviceRefreshed = false;
       if (params.refreshServiceEnv) {
         try {
           await runDaemonInstall({ force: true, json: params.opts.json });
-          serviceRefreshed = true;
-          restarted = true;
         } catch (err) {
           if (!params.opts.json) {
             defaultRuntime.log(
@@ -419,13 +416,11 @@ async function maybeRestartService(params: {
           }
         }
       }
-      if (!serviceRefreshed && params.restartScriptPath) {
+      if (params.restartScriptPath) {
         await runRestartScript(params.restartScriptPath);
         restartInitiated = true;
       } else {
-        if (!serviceRefreshed) {
-          restarted = await runDaemonRestart();
-        }
+        restarted = await runDaemonRestart();
       }
 
       if (!params.opts.json && restarted) {