diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4101d71..6cdfa6f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -280,6 +280,13 @@ Helpers built before identity reporting do not provide these identity/status
 records. The installed helper's `--version` option can be used for a manual
 check; it does not require a running reader.
 
+`cthulhu -v`, `cthulhu --version`, and **Cthulhu+Shift+V** append
+`wine-access YYYY.MM.DD` when the selected installed helper contains release
+metadata. This reads its `.exe.so` sidecar directly without starting Wine.
+Rebuild Wine Access to supply the metadata; older helpers are omitted.
+The reported release describes the installed files, which can differ from a
+helper still running after an upgrade.
+
 Helper-prefixed stderr diagnostics are captured with a 4096-byte line limit,
 a 64-record queue and up to 32 distinct records per ten-second window. Repeated,
 oversized and excess records are counted in a suppression notice. Unrelated
diff --git a/cmd/cthulhu/main.go b/cmd/cthulhu/main.go
index 9712092..2671602 100644
--- a/cmd/cthulhu/main.go
+++ b/cmd/cthulhu/main.go
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ import (
 	"git.stormux.org/storm/cthulhu/internal/speechhistoryui"
 	"git.stormux.org/storm/cthulhu/internal/tentacle"
 	"git.stormux.org/storm/cthulhu/internal/version"
+	"git.stormux.org/storm/cthulhu/internal/wine"
 )
 
 func main() {
@@ -95,6 +96,7 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, arguments []string, stdout, stderr io.Writer) (res
 			atspi.Version(),
 			os.Getenv("XDG_SESSION_TYPE"),
 			os.Getenv("XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP"),
+			wine.InstalledVersion(),
 		))
 		fmt.Fprintln(stdout)
 		fmt.Fprintln(stdout, "Usage: cthulhu [options]")
@@ -132,6 +134,7 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, arguments []string, stdout, stderr io.Writer) (res
 			atspi.Version(),
 			os.Getenv("XDG_SESSION_TYPE"),
 			os.Getenv("XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP"),
+			wine.InstalledVersion(),
 		))
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/cthulhu/main_test.go b/cmd/cthulhu/main_test.go
index 215f84b..0d6060d 100644
--- a/cmd/cthulhu/main_test.go
+++ b/cmd/cthulhu/main_test.go
@@ -26,21 +26,22 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
+	"git.stormux.org/storm/cthulhu/internal/atspi"
 	"git.stormux.org/storm/cthulhu/internal/version"
+	"git.stormux.org/storm/cthulhu/internal/wine"
 )
 
 func TestVersion(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Setenv("XDG_SESSION_TYPE", "x11")
 	t.Setenv("XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP", "GNOME")
-	want := version.Details("2.58.0", "x11", "GNOME")
+	want := version.Details(atspi.Version(), "x11", "GNOME", wine.InstalledVersion())
 	for _, argument := range []string{"--version", "-v"} {
 		var stdout bytes.Buffer
 		if err := run(context.Background(), []string{argument}, &stdout, &stdout); err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("run %s: %v", argument, err)
 		}
-		if got := strings.TrimSpace(stdout.String()); !strings.Contains(got, "Cthulhu screen reader version") ||
-			!strings.Contains(got, "AT-SPI2 version:") || !strings.Contains(got, "Session: x11 GNOME") {
-			t.Fatalf("version output = %q, want details including %q", got, want)
+		if got := strings.TrimSpace(stdout.String()); got != want {
+			t.Fatalf("version output = %q, want %q", got, want)
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/distro-packages/Arch-Linux/cthulhu-git/PKGBUILD b/distro-packages/Arch-Linux/cthulhu-git/PKGBUILD
index 0483c67..ba8b8e8 100644
--- a/distro-packages/Arch-Linux/cthulhu-git/PKGBUILD
+++ b/distro-packages/Arch-Linux/cthulhu-git/PKGBUILD
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 pkgbase=cthulhu-git
 pkgname=cthulhu-git
 _pkgname=cthulhu
-pkgver=2026.10.23.r73.g03e2b31
+pkgver=2026.10.24.r75.g8a560a2
 pkgrel=1
 pkgdesc="Desktop-agnostic screen reader with speech, Braille, and Tentacle support"
 url="https://git.stormux.org/storm/cthulhu"
diff --git a/internal/app/version.go b/internal/app/version.go
index 0afeb53..30b8fa0 100644
--- a/internal/app/version.go
+++ b/internal/app/version.go
@@ -4,11 +4,14 @@
 
 package app
 
-import "git.stormux.org/storm/cthulhu/internal/version"
+import (
+	"git.stormux.org/storm/cthulhu/internal/version"
+	"git.stormux.org/storm/cthulhu/internal/wine"
+)
 
 func presentVersion(speech speechEnqueuer, atspiVersion, sessionType, sessionDesktop string) {
 	speech.Enqueue(speechRequest{
-		Text:  version.Details(atspiVersion, sessionType, sessionDesktop),
+		Text:  version.Details(atspiVersion, sessionType, sessionDesktop, wine.InstalledVersion()),
 		Role:  "system",
 		Cause: "version",
 	})
diff --git a/internal/app/version_test.go b/internal/app/version_test.go
index 61e2abd..c1ece08 100644
--- a/internal/app/version_test.go
+++ b/internal/app/version_test.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"git.stormux.org/storm/cthulhu/internal/version"
+	"git.stormux.org/storm/cthulhu/internal/wine"
 )
 
 func TestPresentVersion(t *testing.T) {
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ func TestPresentVersion(t *testing.T) {
 	default:
 	}
 	request := <-speech.requests
-	want := version.Details("2.58.0", "x11", "GNOME")
+	want := version.Details("2.58.0", "x11", "GNOME", wine.InstalledVersion())
 	if request.Text != want || request.Role != "system" || request.Cause != "version" {
 		t.Fatalf("request = %+v, want %q as system version", request, want)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/version/version.go b/internal/version/version.go
index e888f50..26e507a 100644
--- a/internal/version/version.go
+++ b/internal/version/version.go
@@ -30,11 +30,14 @@ func String() string {
 	return Name + " screen reader version " + Build + "-" + Channel
 }
 
-func Details(atspiVersion, sessionType, sessionDesktop string) string {
+func Details(atspiVersion, sessionType, sessionDesktop, wineVersion string) string {
 	details := String() + ", AT-SPI2 version: " + atspiVersion
 	session := strings.TrimSpace(sessionType + " " + sessionDesktop)
 	if session != "" {
 		details += ", Session: " + session
 	}
+	if wineVersion != "" {
+		details += ", wine-access " + wineVersion
+	}
 	return details
 }
diff --git a/internal/version/version_test.go b/internal/version/version_test.go
index 24b124c..6e543b0 100644
--- a/internal/version/version_test.go
+++ b/internal/version/version_test.go
@@ -42,12 +42,22 @@ func TestStringUsesCurrentVersionByDefault(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestDetailsIncludesATSPIAndSession(t *testing.T) {
-	got := Details("2.58.0", "x11", "GNOME")
+	got := Details("2.58.0", "x11", "GNOME", "")
 	want := "Cthulhu screen reader version " + Version + "-" + Channel + ", AT-SPI2 version: 2.58.0, Session: x11 GNOME"
 	if got != want {
 		t.Fatalf("Details() = %q, want %q", got, want)
 	}
-	if Details("2.58.0", "  ", "") != strings.TrimSuffix(got, ", Session: x11 GNOME") {
+	if Details("2.58.0", "  ", "", "") != strings.TrimSuffix(got, ", Session: x11 GNOME") {
 		t.Fatal("empty session information was included")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestDetailsIncludesOptionalWineAccess(t *testing.T) {
+	base := Details("2.58.0", "x11", "GNOME", "")
+	if got := Details("2.58.0", "x11", "GNOME", "2026.10.24"); got != base+", wine-access 2026.10.24" {
+		t.Fatalf("Details() = %q", got)
+	}
+	if got := Details("2.58.0", "x11", "GNOME", ""); got != base {
+		t.Fatalf("missing helper changed details: %q", got)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/wine/version.go b/internal/wine/version.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f75920a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/wine/version.go
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+package wine
+
+import (
+	"debug/elf"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// InstalledVersion reads the selected helper's embedded release without
+// executing Wine. Older helpers without the metadata return an empty string.
+// This describes the files on disk, which may differ from a running helper.
+func InstalledVersion() string {
+	helper := helperPath()
+	if helper == "" {
+		return ""
+	}
+	// Resolve launcher symlinks before locating its adjacent Winelib sidecar.
+	helper, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(helper)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	file, err := elf.Open(helper + ".so")
+	if err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	defer file.Close()
+	section := file.Section(".wine_access.version")
+	if section == nil || section.Size != 11 || section.Flags&elf.SHF_COMPRESSED != 0 {
+		return ""
+	}
+	var data [11]byte
+	if _, err := section.ReadAt(data[:], 0); err != nil || data[10] != 0 {
+		return ""
+	}
+	release := string(data[:10])
+	if _, err := time.Parse("2006.01.02", release); err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return release
+}
diff --git a/internal/wine/version_test.go b/internal/wine/version_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5ebf3d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/wine/version_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+package wine
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestInstalledVersion(t *testing.T) {
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	helper := filepath.Join(root, "wine-access.exe")
+	// The launcher must never run, including for old helpers lacking metadata.
+	marker := filepath.Join(root, "executed")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(helper, []byte("#!/bin/sh\ntouch '"+marker+"'\nexit 99\n"), 0700); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t.Setenv("CTHULHU_WINE_ACCESS_HELPER", helper)
+	for _, test := range []struct {
+		name, declaration, want string
+	}{
+		{"current", `const char release[] = "2026.10.24";`, "2026.10.24"},
+		{"old helper", `int unused;`, ""},
+		{"invalid date", `const char release[] = "2026.99.99";`, ""},
+		{"oversized", `const char release[] = "2026.10.24 extra";`, ""},
+		{"unterminated", `const char release[11] = "2026.10.24x";`, ""},
+	} {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			source := "__attribute__((used, section(\".wine_access.version\")))\n" + test.declaration
+			if test.name == "old helper" {
+				source = test.declaration
+			}
+			command := exec.Command("cc", "-shared", "-fPIC", "-x", "c", "-o", helper+".so", "-")
+			command.Stdin = strings.NewReader(source)
+			if output, err := command.CombinedOutput(); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("compile helper metadata fixture: %v\n%s", err, output)
+			}
+			if got := InstalledVersion(); got != test.want {
+				t.Fatalf("InstalledVersion() = %q, want %q", got, test.want)
+			}
+			link := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "wine-access.exe")
+			if err := os.Symlink(helper, link); err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			t.Setenv("CTHULHU_WINE_ACCESS_HELPER", link)
+			if got := InstalledVersion(); got != test.want {
+				t.Fatalf("symlink InstalledVersion() = %q, want %q", got, test.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+	if _, err := os.Stat(marker); !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		t.Fatalf("version detection executed the helper: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(helper+".so", []byte("broken sidecar"), 0600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if got := InstalledVersion(); got != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("invalid ELF returned %q", got)
+	}
+	t.Setenv("CTHULHU_WINE_ACCESS_HELPER", "/usr/bin/true")
+	if got := InstalledVersion(); got != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("missing sidecar returned %q", got)
+	}
+}