diff --git a/frontend/editor/src/core/components/shared/config/configSections/GeneralSection.tsx b/frontend/editor/src/core/components/shared/config/configSections/GeneralSection.tsx
index e5fdacea79..598b705347 100644
--- a/frontend/editor/src/core/components/shared/config/configSections/GeneralSection.tsx
+++ b/frontend/editor/src/core/components/shared/config/configSections/GeneralSection.tsx
@@ -112,12 +112,14 @@ const GeneralSection: React.FC<GeneralSectionProps> = ({
   // falling back to the backend version
   const currentVersion = appVersion ?? config?.appVersion ?? null;
 
-  // Check for updates on mount
+  // Check for updates on mount — skipped when the update UI is hidden (SaaS
+  // build, managed-disabled desktop) so no external update call ever fires.
   useEffect(() => {
+    if (hideUpdateSection) return;
     if (currentVersion) {
       checkForUpdate();
     }
-  }, [currentVersion, config?.machineType]);
+  }, [currentVersion, config?.machineType, hideUpdateSection]);
 
   const checkForUpdate = async () => {
     if (!currentVersion) return;
diff --git a/frontend/editor/src/desktop/components/shared/config/configSections/GeneralSection.tsx b/frontend/editor/src/desktop/components/shared/config/configSections/GeneralSection.tsx
index abe37d10b8..98c4455ce0 100644
--- a/frontend/editor/src/desktop/components/shared/config/configSections/GeneralSection.tsx
+++ b/frontend/editor/src/desktop/components/shared/config/configSections/GeneralSection.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import CoreGeneralSection from "@core/components/shared/config/configSections/GeneralSection";
 import { DefaultAppSettings } from "@app/components/shared/config/configSections/DefaultAppSettings";
 import { useDesktopInstall } from "@app/hooks/useDesktopInstall";
+import { useSaaSMode } from "@app/hooks/useSaaSMode";
 import {
   desktopUpdateService,
   type UpdateMode,
@@ -22,6 +23,9 @@ import {
 const GeneralSection: React.FC = () => {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const install = useDesktopInstall();
+  // In SaaS connection mode the cloud owns app versioning — hide the update
+  // section (which also stops the core auto-check from firing).
+  const isSaaSMode = useSaaSMode();
   const [updateModeInfo, setUpdateModeInfo] = useState<UpdateModeInfo>({
     mode: "prompt",
     locked: false,
@@ -93,7 +97,8 @@ const GeneralSection: React.FC = () => {
       )}
       <CoreGeneralSection
         hideUpdateSection={
-          updateModeInfo.mode === "disabled" && updateModeInfo.locked
+          isSaaSMode ||
+          (updateModeInfo.mode === "disabled" && updateModeInfo.locked)
         }
         desktopInstall={{
           state: install.state,
diff --git a/frontend/editor/src/desktop/hooks/useDesktopUpdatePopup.test.ts b/frontend/editor/src/desktop/hooks/useDesktopUpdatePopup.test.ts
index d26a20a982..241edbeee4 100644
--- a/frontend/editor/src/desktop/hooks/useDesktopUpdatePopup.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/editor/src/desktop/hooks/useDesktopUpdatePopup.test.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ const getVersionMock = vi.fn();
 const getUpdateModeMock = vi.fn();
 const canInstallUpdatesMock = vi.fn();
 const getUpdateSummaryMock = vi.fn();
+const getCurrentModeMock = vi.fn();
 
 vi.mock("@tauri-apps/api/core", () => ({
   invoke: (cmd: string, args?: unknown) => invokeMock(cmd, args),
@@ -36,6 +37,12 @@ vi.mock("@app/services/desktopUpdateService", () => ({
   },
 }));
 
+vi.mock("@app/services/connectionModeService", () => ({
+  connectionModeService: {
+    getCurrentMode: () => getCurrentModeMock(),
+  },
+}));
+
 import { useDesktopUpdatePopup } from "@app/hooks/useDesktopUpdatePopup";
 
 /** Flush pending microtasks so awaited promises settle. */
@@ -74,8 +81,11 @@ describe("useDesktopUpdatePopup — auto mode", () => {
     getUpdateModeMock.mockReset();
     canInstallUpdatesMock.mockReset();
     getUpdateSummaryMock.mockReset();
+    getCurrentModeMock.mockReset();
 
-    // Defaults: auto mode, update available, install permitted.
+    // Defaults: local (non-SaaS) connection, auto mode, update available,
+    // install permitted.
+    getCurrentModeMock.mockResolvedValue("local");
     getUpdateModeMock.mockResolvedValue("auto");
     getVersionMock.mockResolvedValue("1.0.0");
     getUpdateSummaryMock.mockResolvedValue({ latest_version: "2.0.0" });
@@ -189,4 +199,18 @@ describe("useDesktopUpdatePopup — auto mode", () => {
     expect(invocations).toContain("download_and_install_update");
     expect(invocations).toContain("restart_app");
   });
+
+  it("skips the update check entirely in SaaS connection mode", async () => {
+    // In SaaS mode the cloud owns versioning — the self-hosted update check
+    // must never run: no mode lookup, no external summary fetch, no install.
+    getCurrentModeMock.mockResolvedValue("saas");
+
+    await runStartup();
+
+    expect(getUpdateModeMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(getUpdateSummaryMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    const invocations = invokeMock.mock.calls.map((c) => c[0]);
+    expect(invocations).not.toContain("download_and_install_update");
+    expect(invocations).not.toContain("restart_app");
+  });
 });
diff --git a/frontend/editor/src/desktop/hooks/useDesktopUpdatePopup.ts b/frontend/editor/src/desktop/hooks/useDesktopUpdatePopup.ts
index 6a2df77914..0cd0fcd003 100644
--- a/frontend/editor/src/desktop/hooks/useDesktopUpdatePopup.ts
+++ b/frontend/editor/src/desktop/hooks/useDesktopUpdatePopup.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {
   desktopUpdateService,
   type CanInstallResult,
 } from "@app/services/desktopUpdateService";
+import { connectionModeService } from "@app/services/connectionModeService";
 
 const SNOOZE_KEY = "stirling-pdf-updater:snoozedUntil";
 const STARTUP_DELAY_MS = 15_000;
@@ -72,6 +73,10 @@ export function useDesktopUpdatePopup() {
     hasChecked.current = true;
 
     const timer = setTimeout(async () => {
+      // In SaaS connection mode the cloud owns app versioning — the self-hosted
+      // update check + popup must never run (no external call, no modal).
+      if ((await connectionModeService.getCurrentMode()) === "saas") return;
+
       let mode: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof desktopUpdateService.getUpdateMode>> =
         "prompt";
       try {