diff --git a/.tmp-update-check/update_check.json b/.tmp-update-check/update_check.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2ec89ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.tmp-update-check/update_check.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{"timestamp": "2026-03-12T10:57:42.150570", "release": {"tag_name": "v0.8.4", "name": "WebDropBridge v0.8.4", "version": "0.8.4", "body": "Shared branded release for WebDrop Bridge v0.8.4", "assets": [{"id": 49, "name": "AgravityBridge-0.8.4-win-x64.msi", "size": 214445231, "download_count": 2, "created_at": "2026-03-12T08:25:03Z", "uuid": "7ffcd98a-99a9-4100-8e71-3ebe63534b8f", "browser_download_url": "https://git.him-tools.de/HIM-public/webdrop-bridge/releases/download/v0.8.4/AgravityBridge-0.8.4-win-x64.msi", "type": "attachment"}, {"id": 50, "name": "AgravityBridge-0.8.4-win-x64.msi.sha256", "size": 64, "download_count": 2, "created_at": "2026-03-12T08:25:03Z", "uuid": "ddd00072-a5bc-422f-93c0-7cc3bc3408d3", "browser_download_url": "https://git.him-tools.de/HIM-public/webdrop-bridge/releases/download/v0.8.4/AgravityBridge-0.8.4-win-x64.msi.sha256", "type": "attachment"}, {"id": 47, "name": "WebDropBridge-0.8.4-win-x64.msi", "size": 214445229, "download_count": 0, "created_at": "2026-03-12T08:24:20Z", "uuid": "5a20eef9-b77d-4e04-be06-d85c3ebd3f6e", "browser_download_url": "https://git.him-tools.de/HIM-public/webdrop-bridge/releases/download/v0.8.4/WebDropBridge-0.8.4-win-x64.msi", "type": "attachment"}, {"id": 48, "name": "WebDropBridge-0.8.4-win-x64.msi.sha256", "size": 64, "download_count": 0, "created_at": "2026-03-12T08:24:21Z", "uuid": "9972b3bb-7c4b-4b26-951a-5a8dfc1a1f27", "browser_download_url": "https://git.him-tools.de/HIM-public/webdrop-bridge/releases/download/v0.8.4/WebDropBridge-0.8.4-win-x64.msi.sha256", "type": "attachment"}, {"id": 51, "name": "release-manifest.json", "size": 931, "download_count": 0, "created_at": "2026-03-12T08:25:03Z", "uuid": "e3c13ccd-cbc6-4eb1-988e-7f465a75eca6", "browser_download_url": "https://git.him-tools.de/HIM-public/webdrop-bridge/releases/download/v0.8.4/release-manifest.json", "type": "attachment"}], "published_at": "2026-03-12T08:23:40Z"}}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.tmp_check_update.py b/.tmp_check_update.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..51e5e8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.tmp_check_update.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import asyncio
+from pathlib import Path
+from webdrop_bridge.core.updater import UpdateManager
+
+async def main():
+    manager = UpdateManager(current_version='0.8.3', config_dir=Path('.tmp-update-check'))
+    release = await manager.check_for_updates()
+    print('release:', None if not release else (release.tag_name, release.version, len(release.assets)))
+    if release:
+        installer, checksum = await manager._resolve_release_assets(release)
+        print('installer:', None if not installer else installer.get('name'))
+        print('checksum:', None if not checksum else checksum.get('name'))
+
+asyncio.run(main())
diff --git a/build/scripts/create_release.ps1 b/build/scripts/create_release.ps1
index 49de30d..488c9bb 100644
--- a/build/scripts/create_release.ps1
+++ b/build/scripts/create_release.ps1
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@ if ($artifactPaths.Count -eq 0) {
     exit 1
 }
 
-$localData.manifest | ConvertTo-Json -Depth 10 | Set-Content -Path $localManifestPath -Encoding utf8
+$localManifestJson = $localData.manifest | ConvertTo-Json -Depth 10
+[System.IO.File]::WriteAllText($localManifestPath, $localManifestJson, (New-Object System.Text.UTF8Encoding($false)))
 
 if ($DryRun) {
     Copy-Item $localManifestPath $manifestOutput -Force
@@ -155,6 +156,12 @@ else {
     Copy-Item $localManifestPath $manifestOutput -Force
 }
 
+# Ensure uploaded manifest is UTF-8 without BOM (for strict JSON parsers)
+if (Test-Path $manifestOutput) {
+    $manifestText = Get-Content -Raw -Path $manifestOutput
+    [System.IO.File]::WriteAllText($manifestOutput, $manifestText, (New-Object System.Text.UTF8Encoding($false)))
+}
+
 $artifactPaths.Add($manifestOutput)
 $assetMap = Get-AssetMap -Assets $releaseInfo.assets
 
diff --git a/src/webdrop_bridge/core/updater.py b/src/webdrop_bridge/core/updater.py
index 92fe794..c235caa 100644
--- a/src/webdrop_bridge/core/updater.py
+++ b/src/webdrop_bridge/core/updater.py
@@ -93,7 +93,9 @@ class UpdateManager:
         """Download and parse a JSON asset from a release."""
         try:
             with urlopen(url, timeout=10) as response:
-                return json.loads(response.read().decode("utf-8"))
+                # Some release pipelines may upload JSON files with UTF-8 BOM.
+                # Use utf-8-sig to transparently handle both BOM and non-BOM files.
+                return json.loads(response.read().decode("utf-8-sig"))
         except (URLError, json.JSONDecodeError) as e:
             logger.error(f"Failed to download JSON asset: {e}")
             return None
@@ -148,8 +150,28 @@ class UpdateManager:
         brand_prefix = f"{self.brand_id}-*"
 
         installer_asset = None
+
+        # Prefer brand-specific naming when possible.
+        if self.brand_id == "webdrop_bridge":
+            preferred_patterns = ["webdropbridge-*.msi", "webdropbridge*.msi"]
+        else:
+            preferred_patterns = [f"{self.brand_id.lower()}-*.msi", f"{self.brand_id.lower()}*.msi"]
+
+        # 1) Try strict brand-pattern match first
         for asset in release.assets:
             asset_name = asset.get("name", "")
+            asset_name_lower = asset_name.lower()
+            if not asset_name_lower.endswith(extension):
+                continue
+            if any(fnmatch.fnmatch(asset_name_lower, pattern) for pattern in preferred_patterns):
+                installer_asset = asset
+                break
+
+        # 2) Fallback: preserve previous behavior (first installer for platform)
+        for asset in release.assets:
+            if installer_asset:
+                break
+            asset_name = asset.get("name", "")
             if not asset_name.endswith(extension):
                 continue