@@ -23,12 +23,12 @@ Both read the same environment as every other release package:
 
 | Variable           | Meaning                                                                                                         |
 | ------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `OPENCODE_CHANNEL` | `dev` (default), `beta`, or `latest`/`prod`. Picks the app identity, icons and bundled CLI.                     |
+| `OPENCODE_CHANNEL` | `dev` (download default), `beta`, or `latest`/`prod`. Picks the app identity, icons and bundled CLI.          |
 | `OPENCODE_VERSION` | Version stamped into the app and its packages.                                                                  |
 | `OPENCODE_TARGET`  | `darwin-arm64`, `darwin-x64`, `windows-arm64`, `windows-x64`, `linux-x64`, `linux-arm64`. Defaults to the host. |
 
-For a prebuilt CLI, build it and Desktop with the same `OPENCODE_CHANNEL`. `latest` and `prod` use the production
-app identity but separate service registrations.
+For a prebuilt CLI, set `OPENCODE_CHANNEL` explicitly to the channel used to build it. `latest` and `prod` use
+the production app identity but separate service registrations.
 
 The CLI is placed outside `app.asar` in the application's resources directory, and packaging fails if it is missing.
 `bun run build` uses `packages/cli/dist` when that holds the target's CLI. Otherwise `dev` (and `local`, unset or unrecognized)
 
@@ -14,19 +14,19 @@ const cli = path.resolve(dir, "../cli/dist")
 
 const channel = resolveChannel()
 
-process.chdir(dir)
-
-await $`bun ./script/copy-icons.ts ${channel}`
-
-await $`bun ./script/copy-metainfo.ts ${channel}`
-
 const built = await exists(path.join(cli, getCurrentCli().package.replace("@opencode/", "")))
 
 if (channel === "prod" && !built)
   throw new Error(`Production desktop builds bundle the CLI from ${cli}; build it first`)
 
 const cliChannel = resolveCliChannel(built)
 
+process.chdir(dir)
+
+await $`bun ./script/copy-icons.ts ${channel}`
+
+await $`bun ./script/copy-metainfo.ts ${channel}`
+
 if (built) await copyBuiltCliToResources(cli)
 
 if (!built) await downloadCliToResources(cliChannel)
 
@@ -5,11 +5,20 @@ test.each([
   { channel: "preview-a", built: false, expected: "dev" },
   { channel: "preview-a", built: true, expected: "preview-a" },
   { channel: "beta", built: false, expected: "beta" },
+  { channel: undefined, built: false, expected: "dev" },
+  { channel: undefined, built: true, error: true },
+  { channel: "", built: true, error: true },
 ])("selects the bundled CLI channel for $channel (built=$built)", (input) => {
   const previous = process.env.OPENCODE_CHANNEL
-  process.env.OPENCODE_CHANNEL = input.channel
+  if (input.channel === undefined) delete process.env.OPENCODE_CHANNEL
+  else process.env.OPENCODE_CHANNEL = input.channel
 
   try {
+    if (input.error) {
+      expect(() => resolveCliChannel(input.built)).toThrow(Error)
+      return
+    }
+
     expect(resolveCliChannel(input.built)).toBe(input.expected)
   } finally {
     if (previous === undefined) delete process.env.OPENCODE_CHANNEL
 
@@ -20,7 +20,12 @@ export function resolveChannel(): Channel {
 }
 
 export function resolveCliChannel(built: boolean) {
-  return built ? process.env.OPENCODE_CHANNEL || "dev" : resolveChannel()
+  if (!built) return resolveChannel()
+
+  const channel = process.env.OPENCODE_CHANNEL
+  if (!channel) throw new Error("Set OPENCODE_CHANNEL to the channel used to build the prebuilt CLI")
+
+  return channel
 }
 
 export const CLI_BINARIES: Array<{ target: string; package: string; os: string; cpu: string }> = [
Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
`@@ -20,7 +20,12 @@ export function resolveChannel(): Channel {`
`20`	`20`	`}`
`21`	`21`
`22`	`22`	`export function resolveCliChannel(built: boolean) {`
`23`		`- return built ? process.env.OPENCODE_CHANNEL \|\| "dev" : resolveChannel()`
	`23`	`+ if (!built) return resolveChannel()`
	`24`	`+`
	`25`	`+ const channel = process.env.OPENCODE_CHANNEL`
	`26`	`+ if (!channel) throw new Error("Set OPENCODE_CHANNEL to the channel used to build the prebuilt CLI")`
	`27`	`+`
	`28`	`+ return channel`
`24`	`29`	`}`
`25`	`30`
`26`	`31`	`export const CLI_BINARIES: Array<{ target: string; package: string; os: string; cpu: string }> = [`