diff --git a/src/core/cliArgs.ts b/src/core/cliArgs.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4d908a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/cliArgs.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+/** first top-level subcommand, ignoring global flags (e.g. --debug). */
+export function getTopLevelCommand(argv: string[]): string | undefined {
+  const args = argv.slice(2);
+  return args.find((arg) => !arg.startsWith('-'));
+}
+
+export function isUpdateCommand(argv: string[] = process.argv): boolean {
+  return getTopLevelCommand(argv) === 'update';
+}
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 324b7e4..b6a3d9d 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import {
 } from './commands/release.js';
 import { updateCommand } from './commands/update.js';
 import { enableCommand } from './commands/enable.js';
+import { isUpdateCommand } from './core/cliArgs.js';
 import { printCliError, resolveDebugFlag } from './core/cliError.js';
 import { ui } from './core/ui.js';
 
@@ -245,6 +246,11 @@ function checkForUpdates(): void {
     return;
   }
 
+  // user is already updating; don't suggest running `ensemble update` again.
+  if (isUpdateCommand()) {
+    return;
+  }
+
   // IMPORTANT: This command string must remain a static literal and MUST NOT
   // interpolate user-controlled input to avoid shell injection risks.
   const child = exec(
diff --git a/tests/core/cliArgs.test.ts b/tests/core/cliArgs.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ebf5278
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/core/cliArgs.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+
+import { getTopLevelCommand, isUpdateCommand } from '../../src/core/cliArgs.js';
+
+describe('cliArgs', () => {
+  describe('getTopLevelCommand', () => {
+    it.each([
+      [['node', 'ensemble', 'update'], 'update'],
+      [['node', 'ensemble', '--debug', 'update'], 'update'],
+      [['node', 'ensemble', 'push'], 'push'],
+      [['node', 'ensemble', '--debug', 'push', '--app', 'uat'], 'push'],
+      [['node', 'ensemble'], undefined],
+    ])('parses %j', (argv, expected) => {
+      expect(getTopLevelCommand(argv)).toBe(expected);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('isUpdateCommand', () => {
+    it.each([
+      [['node', 'ensemble', 'update'], true],
+      [['node', 'ensemble', '--debug', 'update'], true],
+      [['node', 'ensemble', 'push'], false],
+      [['node', 'ensemble', 'release', 'create'], false],
+    ])('detects update command in %j', (argv, expected) => {
+      expect(isUpdateCommand(argv)).toBe(expected);
+    });
+  });
+});