diff --git a/app/Services/ReleaseChecker.php b/app/Services/ReleaseChecker.php
index 01d464d..c7696da 100644
--- a/app/Services/ReleaseChecker.php
+++ b/app/Services/ReleaseChecker.php
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 namespace App\Services;
 
-use App\Models\Setting;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Cache;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Http;
 
@@ -16,8 +15,6 @@ use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Http;
  */
 class ReleaseChecker
 {
-    private const CHANNELS = ['stable', 'beta'];
-
     /** Cache the resolved tag long enough that the scheduled refresh keeps it continuously warm. */
     private const TTL_MINUTES = 60;
 
@@ -38,9 +35,7 @@ class ReleaseChecker
 
     public function channel(): string
     {
-        $channel = (string) (Setting::get('release_channel', config('clusev.channel')) ?? 'stable');
-
-        return in_array($channel, self::CHANNELS, true) ? $channel : 'stable';
+        return 'stable';
     }
 
     /** Last resolved latest tag (no network). Null when unknown. */
@@ -191,9 +186,7 @@ class ReleaseChecker
      */
     public function newestVersion(array $tagNames, string $channel): ?string
     {
-        $pattern = $channel === 'beta'
-            ? '/^v?\d+\.\d+\.\d+(?:-[0-9A-Za-z.]+)?$/'
-            : '/^v?\d+\.\d+\.\d+$/';
+        $pattern = '/^v?\d+\.\d+\.\d+$/';
 
         $versions = [];
         foreach (array_unique($tagNames) as $tag) {
diff --git a/tests/Feature/ReleaseCheckerChannelTest.php b/tests/Feature/ReleaseCheckerChannelTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fad7c8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Feature/ReleaseCheckerChannelTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Tests\Feature;
+
+use App\Models\Setting;
+use App\Services\ReleaseChecker;
+use Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\RefreshDatabase;
+use Tests\TestCase;
+
+class ReleaseCheckerChannelTest extends TestCase
+{
+    use RefreshDatabase;
+
+    public function test_channel_is_always_stable_even_if_a_beta_setting_lingers(): void
+    {
+        Setting::put('release_channel', 'beta'); // a stale setting from before the drop
+        $this->assertSame('stable', app(ReleaseChecker::class)->channel());
+    }
+
+    public function test_newest_version_ignores_rc_and_beta_prereleases(): void
+    {
+        $checker = app(ReleaseChecker::class);
+        $tags = ['v0.11.0', 'v0.12.0-rc1', 'v0.12.0-beta2', 'v0.10.0'];
+        $this->assertSame('0.11.0', $checker->newestVersion($tags, 'stable'));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tests/Feature/VersionUpdateCheckTest.php b/tests/Feature/VersionUpdateCheckTest.php
index 2a19d04..3ce7ccc 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/VersionUpdateCheckTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/VersionUpdateCheckTest.php
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ class VersionUpdateCheckTest extends TestCase
             ->assertSet('updateState', 'current');
     }
 
-    public function test_stable_channel_ignores_prereleases_but_beta_sees_them(): void
+    public function test_stable_channel_ignores_prereleases(): void
     {
         config()->set('clusev.version', '0.9.6');
         Http::fake([self::TAGS_URL => Http::response([
@@ -121,13 +121,12 @@ class VersionUpdateCheckTest extends TestCase
         Setting::put('release_channel', 'stable');
         Livewire::test(Index::class)->call('checkUpdates')->assertSet('updateState', 'current');
 
-        // beta: the prerelease is newer → update available
+        // a stale beta setting from before the channel drop is ignored → still current
         Cache::flush();
         Setting::put('release_channel', 'beta');
         Livewire::test(Index::class)
             ->call('checkUpdates')
-            ->assertSet('updateState', 'update')
-            ->assertSee('1.0.0-beta1');
+            ->assertSet('updateState', 'current');
     }
 
     public function test_degrades_gracefully_when_the_remote_api_is_unreachable(): void