diff --git a/docs/lib.md b/docs/lib.md
index de79f7e..ab74c3a 100644
--- a/docs/lib.md
+++ b/docs/lib.md
@@ -45,6 +45,15 @@ have their own helpers outside that pair: `fetch_and_deploy_gh_tag`,
 Deploy modes: prebuilt release asset, source tarball, `.deb` package, or a
 plain URL through `fetch_and_deploy_from_url`.
 
+Both entry points keep a version stamp in `~/.<app>`. It is written when the
+deploy finishes, so a build that fails afterwards leaves it at the new
+version; the marker `~/.<app>.pending` beside it holds the version the run
+started from and stays until a run that deployed exits cleanly.
+`check_for_release` redoes the update while the marker exists, and both
+helpers export `CS_PREVIOUS_VERSION`, the version from before the update,
+which stays right on that redo. Prefer it over reading `~/.<app>` when a
+migration depends on the old version.
+
 ## [`runtime.func`](../lib/runtime.func)
 
 Language runtimes and the application-level installers: `setup_nodejs`,
diff --git a/lib/API.txt b/lib/API.txt
index c9ba53e..551a4fe 100644
--- a/lib/API.txt
+++ b/lib/API.txt
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ _forge_highest_version
 _forge_http_get
 _forge_is_current
 _forge_keep_raw
+_forge_previous_version
 _forge_release_json
 _forge_same_shape
 _forge_scan_older
diff --git a/lib/forge.func b/lib/forge.func
index df05be5..2e4ff79 100644
--- a/lib/forge.func
+++ b/lib/forge.func
@@ -1670,6 +1670,17 @@ _forge_release_json() {
 #   still reads as an update. Version-aware ordering would change what every
 #   app sees and belongs in its own change
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# The version a run started from: the marker of an unfinished run, otherwise
+# the stamp. Empty on a fresh install.
+_forge_previous_version() {
+  local version_file="${1:?version file}"
+  if [[ -f "${version_file}.pending" ]]; then
+    printf '%s' "$(<"${version_file}.pending")"
+  elif [[ -f "$version_file" ]]; then
+    printf '%s' "$(<"$version_file")"
+  fi
+}
+
 check_for_release() {
   local forge="${1:?forge}" app="${2:?app}" source="${3:?repo}"
   local pinned_version_in="${4:-}" pin_reason="${5:-}" tag_prefix="${6:-}"
@@ -1794,8 +1805,13 @@ check_for_release() {
     fi
   fi
   current="$(_forge_strip_v "$current")"
+  CS_PREVIOUS_VERSION="$(_forge_strip_v "$(_forge_previous_version "$current_file")")"
+  export CS_PREVIOUS_VERSION
   local unfinished=""
-  [[ -f "${current_file}.pending" ]] && unfinished=" (the last run did not finish, doing it again)"
+  if [[ -f "${current_file}.pending" ]]; then
+    unfinished=" (the last run did not finish, doing it again)"
+    current="$CS_PREVIOUS_VERSION"
+  fi
 
   if [[ -n "$pinned_version_in" ]]; then
     local pin_clean match_raw="" i
@@ -2097,10 +2113,14 @@ fetch_and_deploy_release() {
   # throughout, which mangles tags like version-2.
   version="$(_forge_strip_v "$tag_name")"
 
-  # The stamp written at the end only says "deployed". This marker says the
-  # run around it still has to finish: on_exit removes it when the run exits 0,
-  # and check_for_release redoes the update while it exists (ProxmoxVE #18050).
-  touch "${version_file}.pending" 2>/dev/null || true
+  # The stamp written at the end only says "deployed". The marker beside it
+  # holds the version this update started from and stays until a run that
+  # deployed exits 0 (on_exit); check_for_release redoes the update while it
+  # exists, and CS_PREVIOUS_VERSION still names the real old version on that
+  # redo (ProxmoxVE #18050).
+  CS_PREVIOUS_VERSION="$(_forge_previous_version "$version_file")"
+  export CS_PREVIOUS_VERSION
+  [[ -f "${version_file}.pending" ]] || printf '%s' "$CS_PREVIOUS_VERSION" >"${version_file}.pending" 2>/dev/null || true
   _CS_DEPLOYED=1
 
   local current_version=""
diff --git a/tests/release-stamp-pending.sh b/tests/release-stamp-pending.sh
index e76a26b..96ad12f 100644
--- a/tests/release-stamp-pending.sh
+++ b/tests/release-stamp-pending.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ set -uo pipefail
 CORE_DIR="$(cd -- "$(dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
 eval "$(sed -n '/^_FORGE_JQ_VKEY_DEF=/,/^_FORGE_JQ_VKEY=/p' "$CORE_DIR/lib/forge.func")"
 eval "$(awk '/^_forge_(descriptor|strip_v|is_current|highest_version|same_shape|stable_filter)[(][)] [{]/,/^}/' "$CORE_DIR/lib/forge.func")"
-eval "$(awk '/^check_for_release[(][)] [{]/,/^}/' "$CORE_DIR/lib/forge.func")"
+eval "$(awk '/^(check_for_release|_forge_previous_version)[(][)] [{]/,/^}/' "$CORE_DIR/lib/forge.func")"
 eval "$(awk '/^on_exit[(][)] [{]/,/^}/' "$CORE_DIR/core/error_handler.func")"
 
 TEST_DIR="$(mktemp -d)"
@@ -66,6 +66,21 @@ expect "no stamp at all: a normal install" 0 "$(check "" no)"
 expect "pinned and current: held back" 1 "$(check 2.16.0 no 2.16.0 "testing")"
 expect "pinned, current, marker: redone anyway" 0 "$(check 2.16.0 yes 2.16.0 "testing")"
 
+# The marker carries the version the run started from; the redo reports it
+: >"$LOG"
+echo 2.16.0 >"$HOME/.npm"
+printf '%s' 2.15.1 >"$HOME/.npm.pending"
+rc=0
+check_for_release github NPM owner/repo >/dev/null 2>&1 || rc=$?
+expect "a marker with the old version: redone" 0 "$rc"
+expect "the message names the version the run started from" 1 "$(grep -c '2.15.1 -> 2.16.0' "$LOG")"
+expect "CS_PREVIOUS_VERSION is the old version on the redo" 2.15.1 "$CS_PREVIOUS_VERSION"
+rm -f "$HOME/.npm.pending"
+check_for_release github NPM owner/repo >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+expect "without a marker it is the stamp" 2.16.0 "$CS_PREVIOUS_VERSION"
+rm -f "$HOME/.npm"
+expect "a fresh install has no previous version" "" "$(_forge_previous_version "$HOME/.npm")"
+
 # on_exit: only a run that deployed and exits 0 removes the marker
 touch "$HOME/.npm.pending"
 (_CS_DEPLOYED=1; on_exit) 2>/dev/null