diff --git a/services/premiere-plugin-uxp/index.html b/services/premiere-plugin-uxp/index.html
index 2abb794..578fdb8 100644
--- a/services/premiere-plugin-uxp/index.html
+++ b/services/premiere-plugin-uxp/index.html
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
       </div>
       <div class="brand-title">Dragonflight</div>
       <div class="brand-tag">Wild Dragon Broadcast</div>
+      <div class="brand-version" id="brand-version"></div>
     </div>
     <label class="field-label" for="server-url">Server URL</label>
     <input id="server-url" type="text" placeholder="https://dragonflight.live" />
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@
     <header class="status-strip">
       <span class="signal-dot"></span>
       <span id="connected-host" class="connected-host"></span>
+      <span id="panel-version" class="panel-version" title="Plugin version"></span>
       <button id="menu-btn" class="btn-ghost" title="More" aria-label="More">⋯</button>
       <div id="status-menu" class="menu hidden" role="menu">
         <button id="disconnect-btn" class="menu-item" role="menuitem">Disconnect</button>
diff --git a/services/premiere-plugin-uxp/manifest.json b/services/premiere-plugin-uxp/manifest.json
index e8b4162..af129ca 100644
--- a/services/premiere-plugin-uxp/manifest.json
+++ b/services/premiere-plugin-uxp/manifest.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "manifestVersion": 5,
   "id": "net.wilddragon.dragonflight.uxp",
   "name": "Dragonflight MAM",
-  "version": "2.1.8",
+  "version": "2.1.9",
   "main": "index.html",
   "host": {
     "app": "premierepro",
diff --git a/services/premiere-plugin-uxp/src/main.js b/services/premiere-plugin-uxp/src/main.js
index 7a5f033..9653de6 100644
--- a/services/premiere-plugin-uxp/src/main.js
+++ b/services/premiere-plugin-uxp/src/main.js
@@ -345,9 +345,29 @@
     });
   }
 
+  // Read the plugin version from manifest.json at runtime — the canonical
+  // source of truth. Display it on both the connect-pane brand and the
+  // library-pane status strip so we can verify which build is actually
+  // running (UPIA stacks every install in its own _<version> dir, so the
+  // "highest in folder" picker has historically loaded stale copies).
+  async function showVersion() {
+    let v = '';
+    try {
+      const lfs = require('uxp').storage.localFileSystem;
+      const folder = await lfs.getPluginFolder();
+      const entry = await folder.getEntry('manifest.json');
+      const text  = await entry.read();
+      const m = JSON.parse(text);
+      v = m && m.version ? ('v' + m.version) : '';
+    } catch (_) { /* leave blank — the absence itself signals a bad load */ }
+    const a = $('panel-version');  if (a) a.textContent = v;
+    const b = $('brand-version');  if (b) b.textContent = v;
+  }
+
   function init() {
     wireConnectPane(); wireLibraryPane();
     wireExportPanel(); wireConformPanel(); wireRelinkPanel();
+    showVersion();
     if (API.state.serverUrl && API.state.apiToken) tryConnect(API.state.serverUrl, API.state.apiToken);
     else UI.showPane('connect');
   }
diff --git a/services/premiere-plugin-uxp/styles.css b/services/premiere-plugin-uxp/styles.css
index d3b964f..4cbcc57 100644
--- a/services/premiere-plugin-uxp/styles.css
+++ b/services/premiere-plugin-uxp/styles.css
@@ -240,6 +240,24 @@ input[type="search"]::-webkit-search-cancel-button { display: none; }
 }
 .menu-item:hover { background: var(--hover-strong); }
 
+/* Tiny version chip — verifies which build is actually running. Lives in
+   the status strip (between host and ⋯) and on the connect-pane brand. */
+.panel-version {
+  font-family: var(--font-mono);
+  font-size: 9.5px;
+  color: var(--text-4);
+  letter-spacing: 0.04em;
+  flex-shrink: 0;
+  padding-right: 2px;
+}
+.brand-version {
+  font-family: var(--font-mono);
+  font-size: 9.5px;
+  color: var(--text-4);
+  margin-top: 6px;
+  letter-spacing: 0.04em;
+}
+
 /* ── tabs ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
 .tab-nav {
   display: flex;