diff --git a/dev-app-update.yml b/dev-app-update.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d8c11fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev-app-update.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+provider: github
+owner: davidkaya
+repo: aryx
+releaseType: release
diff --git a/src/main/services/autoUpdater.ts b/src/main/services/autoUpdater.ts
index 75dae31..eefda72 100644
--- a/src/main/services/autoUpdater.ts
+++ b/src/main/services/autoUpdater.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ type AutoUpdateListener = (...args: any[]) => void;
 interface AutoUpdaterLike {
   autoDownload: boolean;
   autoInstallOnAppQuit: boolean;
+  forceDevUpdateConfig: boolean;
   on(event: string, listener: AutoUpdateListener): this;
   removeListener(event: string, listener: AutoUpdateListener): this;
   checkForUpdates(): Promise<unknown>;
@@ -180,6 +181,7 @@ export class AutoUpdateService {
     this.scheduler = options.scheduler ?? defaultScheduler;
     this.updater.autoDownload = true;
     this.updater.autoInstallOnAppQuit = false;
+    this.updater.forceDevUpdateConfig = !options.isPackaged;
 
     this.updater.on('checking-for-update', this.checkingListener);
     this.updater.on('update-available', this.availableListener);
@@ -215,10 +217,6 @@ export class AutoUpdateService {
   }
 
   async checkForUpdates(): Promise<UpdateStatus> {
-    if (!this.options.isPackaged) {
-      return this.getStatus();
-    }
-
     if (this.pendingCheck) {
       return this.pendingCheck;
     }
diff --git a/tests/main/autoUpdater.test.ts b/tests/main/autoUpdater.test.ts
index 2824956..4912a02 100644
--- a/tests/main/autoUpdater.test.ts
+++ b/tests/main/autoUpdater.test.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ class FakeUpdater extends EventEmitter {
 
   autoInstallOnAppQuit = true;
 
+  forceDevUpdateConfig = false;
+
   checkForUpdatesCalls = 0;
 
   quitAndInstallCalls = 0;
@@ -62,7 +64,7 @@ class FakeScheduler implements AutoUpdateScheduler {
 }
 
 describe('AutoUpdateService', () => {
-  test('does not schedule checks for unpackaged apps', async () => {
+  test('does not schedule checks for unpackaged apps but manual checks still work', async () => {
     const updater = new FakeUpdater();
     const scheduler = new FakeScheduler();
     const service = new AutoUpdateService({ isPackaged: false, scheduler, updater });
@@ -71,8 +73,10 @@ describe('AutoUpdateService', () => {
 
     expect(scheduler.timeouts).toHaveLength(0);
     expect(scheduler.intervals).toHaveLength(0);
-    expect(await service.checkForUpdates()).toEqual({ state: 'idle' });
-    expect(updater.checkForUpdatesCalls).toBe(0);
+    expect(updater.forceDevUpdateConfig).toBe(true);
+
+    await service.checkForUpdates();
+    expect(updater.checkForUpdatesCalls).toBe(1);
   });
 
   test('configures auto download and schedules startup and periodic checks', async () => {