diff --git a/apps/app/src/components/sidebar/SidebarUpdatesBadge.test.tsx b/apps/app/src/components/sidebar/SidebarUpdatesBadge.test.tsx
index 586d9575c..776b06ec3 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/components/sidebar/SidebarUpdatesBadge.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/components/sidebar/SidebarUpdatesBadge.test.tsx
@@ -52,6 +52,34 @@ function providerIssue(
   };
 }
 
+function missingInstallIssue(
+  provider: ProviderCliKey,
+  displayName: string,
+): ProviderCliIssue {
+  return {
+    provider,
+    status: {
+      displayName,
+      executableName: provider,
+      executablePath: null,
+      installed: false,
+      installSource: "notInstalled",
+      currentVersion: null,
+      latestVersion: "1.1.0",
+      minimumSupportedVersion: null,
+      npmPackageName: `@example/${provider}`,
+      npmGlobalPackageVersion: null,
+      installAction: null,
+      needsUpdate: false,
+      versionUnsupported: false,
+    },
+    action: null,
+    title: `${displayName} CLI not installed`,
+    description: `Install ${displayName} so bb can start ${displayName} sessions.`,
+    fingerprint: `${provider}:missing:1.1.0`,
+  };
+}
+
 function host(id: string): Host {
   return {
     id,
@@ -137,6 +165,33 @@ describe("SidebarUpdatesBadge", () => {
     ).toBe("Claude Code update available");
   });
 
+  it("renders no provider chip when a CLI is not installed", () => {
+    renderBadge({
+      machines: [
+        machine({
+          issues: [missingInstallIssue("claudeCode", "Claude Code")],
+        }),
+      ],
+    });
+
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId("sidebar-updates-badge-providers")).toBeNull();
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId("sidebar-updates-badge-bb")).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("still shows the bb chip when the only provider issue is a missing CLI", () => {
+    renderBadge({
+      appUpdateAvailable: true,
+      machines: [
+        machine({
+          issues: [missingInstallIssue("codex", "Codex")],
+        }),
+      ],
+    });
+
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("sidebar-updates-badge-bb")).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId("sidebar-updates-badge-providers")).toBeNull();
+  });
+
   it("renders one mark per provider in a stable order when the same CLI is stale on several machines", () => {
     renderBadge({
       appUpdateAvailable: true,
diff --git a/apps/app/src/components/sidebar/SidebarUpdatesBadge.tsx b/apps/app/src/components/sidebar/SidebarUpdatesBadge.tsx
index 46c253b75..56f97a42b 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/components/sidebar/SidebarUpdatesBadge.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/components/sidebar/SidebarUpdatesBadge.tsx
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ interface StaleProvider {
  * protocol) and the agent CLIs, which carry their own brand marks so it is
  * clear which agent is stale without hovering. Both chips open the
  * consolidated Settings → Updates view.
+ *
+ * A CLI that is not installed at all is not an update and gets no chip here:
+ * there is no installed version to stale against, and the Settings → Updates
+ * page already surfaces the install prompt for it.
  */
 export function SidebarUpdatesBadge({ onNavigate }: SidebarUpdatesBadgeProps) {
   const inventory = useUpdateInventory();
@@ -70,9 +74,14 @@ export function SidebarUpdatesBadge({ onNavigate }: SidebarUpdatesBadgeProps) {
     stuckDaemonCount;
 
   // One mark per provider, even when the same CLI is stale on several machines.
+  // Missing CLIs are install prompts, not updates: skip them so the chip never
+  // claims an update is available for a CLI that isn't installed.
   const staleProvidersByKey = new Map<ProviderCliKey, StaleProvider>();
   for (const machine of inventory.machines) {
     for (const issue of machine.issues) {
+      if (!issue.status.installed) {
+        continue;
+      }
       if (!staleProvidersByKey.has(issue.provider)) {
         staleProvidersByKey.set(issue.provider, {
           provider: issue.provider,