diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 01f38c2..b55e72e 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 
 [project]
 name = "wisdomgraph"
-version = "0.3.2"
+version = "0.3.3"
 description = "Graph-native persistent cognition for AI agents using Neo4j, DIKW, and MCP"
 readme = "README.md"
 license = {text = "MIT"}
diff --git a/tests/test_mcp.py b/tests/test_mcp.py
index 36cc3e4..660bec2 100644
--- a/tests/test_mcp.py
+++ b/tests/test_mcp.py
@@ -844,3 +844,56 @@ def test_try_autostart_local_starts_backend_when_docker_present():
          patch("wisdom.local.up") as up:
         assert mcp._try_autostart_local() is True
     up.assert_called_once_with(connect=True)
+
+
+# ── version / stale-install self-check ─────────────────────────────────────────
+
+def test_version_command_prints_code_version(monkeypatch, capsys):
+    import wisdom.__main__ as m
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "argv", ["wisdom", "--version"])
+    m.main()
+    assert f"wisdomgraph {m._CODE_VERSION}" in capsys.readouterr().out
+
+
+def test_code_version_matches_pyproject():
+    import re
+    from pathlib import Path
+    import wisdom.__main__ as m
+
+    root = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
+    text = (root / "pyproject.toml").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    match = re.search(r'(?m)^version\s*=\s*"([^"]+)"', text)
+    assert match, "version not found in pyproject.toml"
+    assert match.group(1) == m._CODE_VERSION, "bump _CODE_VERSION to match pyproject.toml"
+
+
+def test_warn_if_stale_warns_on_version_mismatch(capsys):
+    import wisdom.__main__ as m
+
+    with patch.object(m, "_dist_version", return_value="0.2.0"):
+        m._warn_if_stale()
+    err = capsys.readouterr().err
+    assert "0.2.0" in err
+    assert "pip install -U wisdomgraph" in err
+
+
+def test_warn_if_stale_silent_when_matching_or_unknown(capsys):
+    import wisdom.__main__ as m
+
+    with patch.object(m, "_dist_version", return_value=m._CODE_VERSION):
+        m._warn_if_stale()
+    with patch.object(m, "_dist_version", return_value="unknown"):
+        m._warn_if_stale()
+    assert capsys.readouterr().err == ""
+
+
+def test_main_skips_stale_check_for_mcp(monkeypatch):
+    import wisdom.__main__ as m
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "argv", ["wisdom", "mcp"])
+    with patch.object(m, "_warn_if_stale") as warn, \
+         patch("wisdom.mcp.run_mcp_server") as run:
+        m.main()
+    warn.assert_not_called()
+    run.assert_called_once()
diff --git a/wisdom/__main__.py b/wisdom/__main__.py
index 667747b..f5d0449 100644
--- a/wisdom/__main__.py
+++ b/wisdom/__main__.py
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@
 import sys
 from pathlib import Path
 
+# Baked into the source so it identifies the code actually running, independent
+# of whatever distribution metadata happens to resolve on sys.path. Keep in sync
+# with pyproject.toml (guarded by test_code_version_matches_pyproject).
+_CODE_VERSION = "0.3.3"
+
 try:
     from importlib.metadata import version as _pkg_version
     __version__ = _pkg_version("wisdomgraph")
@@ -15,6 +20,41 @@
     __version__ = "unknown"
 
 
+def _dist_version() -> str:
+    """Version of the installed `wisdomgraph` distribution metadata (may differ
+    from the running code if more than one install is on PATH)."""
+    try:
+        from importlib.metadata import version
+        return version("wisdomgraph")
+    except Exception:
+        return "unknown"
+
+
+def _print_version() -> None:
+    print(f"wisdomgraph {_CODE_VERSION}")
+    dist = _dist_version()
+    if dist not in (_CODE_VERSION, "unknown"):
+        print(
+            f"  note: installed distribution metadata reports {dist} — "
+            "more than one wisdomgraph install is on PATH.",
+            file=sys.stderr,
+        )
+
+
+def _warn_if_stale() -> None:
+    """Warn when the running code and the installed distribution disagree — the
+    classic 'wisdom on PATH is an old shim' trap."""
+    dist = _dist_version()
+    if dist not in (_CODE_VERSION, "unknown"):
+        print(
+            f"warning: this 'wisdom' runs code v{_CODE_VERSION} but the installed "
+            f"wisdomgraph distribution is v{dist} — you likely have more than one "
+            "install on PATH.",
+            file=sys.stderr,
+        )
+        print("  Fix: pip install -U wisdomgraph   (check with: which -a wisdom)", file=sys.stderr)
+
+
 # ── Hook / registration strings ──────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 _SETTINGS_HOOK = {
@@ -380,6 +420,15 @@ def main() -> None:
 
     cmd = sys.argv[1]
 
+    if cmd in ("--version", "-V", "version"):
+        _print_version()
+        return
+
+    # Surface stale-install mismatches, but never on `mcp` — that speaks JSON-RPC
+    # over stdio and its stderr is reserved for the host's logs.
+    if cmd != "mcp":
+        _warn_if_stale()
+
     if cmd == "install":
         default_p = "windows" if _platform_mod.system() == "Windows" else "claude"
         chosen = default_p
@@ -635,6 +684,8 @@ def _print_explain(result: dict) -> None:
 def _print_help() -> None:
     print("Usage: wisdom <command>")
     print()
+    print("  --version                       print the running wisdomgraph version")
+    print()
     print("Setup:")
     print("  quickstart [--storage local|aura|existing] [--host claude|codex|all|none]")
     print("  doctor                          check Neo4j, local backend, and MCP host readiness")