diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 568c10db..c7336a18 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ Handoff file: `/home/dpsifr/.strategy/PLATFORM-HANDOFF.md`
 
 **Brainy's current open actions:** None. MIT open-source — no platform-specific actions.
 
-**Current version:** `@soulcraft/brainy@7.31.5` (latest published; 8.0.0 release candidate on `feat/8.0-u64-ids`)
+**Current version:** run `npm view @soulcraft/brainy version` (never trust a hardcoded number here — this line went stale for months); consumer-facing changes tracked in `RELEASES.md`
 
 ---