diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
index da4c573..ef067d7 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Setup PHP
         uses: shivammathur/setup-php@v2
         with:
-          php-version: '8.3'
+          php-version: '8.4'
           extensions: curl, json, mbstring
           tools: composer:v2
           coverage: none
diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
index efbe95f..5062463 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Setup PHP
         uses: shivammathur/setup-php@v2
         with:
-          php-version: '8.3'
+          php-version: '8.4'
           extensions: curl, json, mbstring
           tools: composer:v2
           coverage: none
diff --git a/PLAN.md b/PLAN.md
index 993903e..5bcba5e 100644
--- a/PLAN.md
+++ b/PLAN.md
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ Phase 1 turns the spike into the smallest dev-mode-only framework that can repla
 | Qt module URI | `PhpQml.Bridge` |
 | C++ namespace | `PhpQml::Bridge` |
 | Symfony minimum | `^8.0` |
-| PHP minimum | `^8.3` |
+| PHP minimum | `^8.4` (Symfony 8 enforces this) |
 | Qt minimum | `6.5 LTS` (build), `6.11` is what's on the dev box |
 
 **Directory layout (additions over Phase 0):**
diff --git a/examples/todo/symfony/composer.json b/examples/todo/symfony/composer.json
index 14f3309..09930f0 100644
--- a/examples/todo/symfony/composer.json
+++ b/examples/todo/symfony/composer.json
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
     "license": "proprietary",
     "minimum-stability": "stable",
     "require": {
-        "php": "^8.3",
+        "php": "^8.4",
         "symfony/framework-bundle": "^8.0",
         "symfony/runtime": "^8.0",
         "symfony/dotenv": "^8.0",
diff --git a/framework/php/composer.json b/framework/php/composer.json
index ab43fe4..93b1215 100644
--- a/framework/php/composer.json
+++ b/framework/php/composer.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     "type": "symfony-bundle",
     "license": "proprietary",
     "require": {
-        "php": "^8.3",
+        "php": "^8.4",
         "symfony/framework-bundle": "^8.0",
         "symfony/mercure": "^0.7",
         "symfony/security-bundle": "^8.0",
diff --git a/framework/qml/src/BackendConnection.h b/framework/qml/src/BackendConnection.h
index 6435a72..52c0d4c 100644
--- a/framework/qml/src/BackendConnection.h
+++ b/framework/qml/src/BackendConnection.h
@@ -67,6 +67,17 @@ public:
     /// hits Retry on the Offline overlay). Dev mode: re-probe.
     Q_INVOKABLE void restart();
 
+    /// Bundled mode: ask the bundled `AppImageUpdate.AppImage` sidecar
+    /// whether a newer release is available. Dev mode: emits
+    /// `updateCheckFailed` with an explanatory string. Result is signalled
+    /// via updatesAvailable / noUpdatesAvailable / updateCheckFailed.
+    Q_INVOKABLE void checkForUpdates();
+
+    /// Bundled mode: invoke the sidecar to download and apply the
+    /// available update in place. The user has to restart the app
+    /// after this completes; emits `updateApplied` / `updateApplyFailed`.
+    Q_INVOKABLE void applyUpdate();
+
 signals:
     void urlChanged();
     void tokenChanged();
@@ -77,6 +88,12 @@ signals:
     /// MercureClient pick the new value up on next request (§3 *Edge cases*).
     void tokenRotated(const QString& newToken);
 
+    void updatesAvailable();
+    void noUpdatesAvailable();
+    void updateCheckFailed(const QString& reason);
+    void updateApplied();
+    void updateApplyFailed(const QString& reason);
+
 private slots:
     void probe();
     void onProbeFinished();
diff --git a/framework/skeleton/symfony/composer.json b/framework/skeleton/symfony/composer.json
index 1aacea4..5a8b2d6 100644
--- a/framework/skeleton/symfony/composer.json
+++ b/framework/skeleton/symfony/composer.json
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
     "license": "proprietary",
     "minimum-stability": "stable",
     "require": {
-        "php": "^8.3",
+        "php": "^8.4",
         "symfony/framework-bundle": "^8.0",
         "symfony/runtime": "^8.0",
         "symfony/dotenv": "^8.0",