diff --git a/python/unbrowser/__init__.py b/python/unbrowser/__init__.py
index 2793ec9..4e5c456 100644
--- a/python/unbrowser/__init__.py
+++ b/python/unbrowser/__init__.py
@@ -60,13 +60,13 @@ def find_binary() -> str:
 
       1. ``UNBROWSER_BIN`` env var (overrides everything; right escape hatch
          for testing a one-off build or vendored copy).
-      2. Bundled binary inside this package (the wheel ships one for your
-         platform — this is what end users hit).
+      2. Newest by mtime among: the bundled binary inside this package and
+         local dev builds (``target/release`` / ``target/debug`` relative to
+         a source checkout). End users with a wheel install only have the
+         bundled binary; developers with a fresh ``cargo build`` get that
+         instead of a months-old bundled one.
       3. ``unbrowser`` on ``$PATH`` (covers ``cargo install`` / ``brew install``
          users who didn't install the wheel).
-      4. The local debug build at ``target/debug/unbrowser`` relative to the
-         repo root (developer convenience — only fires when running from a
-         checkout without an installed wheel).
 
     Raises UnbrowserError with a helpful message if none of the above resolve.
     """
@@ -74,17 +74,24 @@ def find_binary() -> str:
     if env:
         return _checked_binary(Path(env), "UNBROWSER_BIN")
 
-    bundled = Path(__file__).parent / "_bin" / _binary_name()
-    if bundled.is_file():
-        return _checked_binary(bundled, "bundled binary")
-
     # Dev fallback before PATH: source checkouts commonly have the Python
     # package importable without an installed wheel, while PATH may contain the
     # pip-generated `unbrowser` console wrapper. Prefer the real local binary.
     # (python/unbrowser/__init__.py -> python/unbrowser -> python -> repo root).
-    dev = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2] / "target" / "debug" / "unbrowser"
-    if dev.is_file():
-        return _checked_binary(dev, "target/debug/unbrowser")
+    name = _binary_name()
+    candidates: list[tuple[float, str, Path]] = []
+    for source, path in (
+        ("bundled binary", Path(__file__).parent / "_bin" / name),
+        ("target/release/" + name, Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2] / "target" / "release" / name),
+        ("target/debug/" + name, Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2] / "target" / "debug" / name),
+    ):
+        try:
+            candidates.append((path.stat().st_mtime, source, path))
+        except OSError:
+            continue  # not present; single stat avoids is_file/stat TOCTOU
+    if candidates:
+        _, source, path = max(candidates, key=lambda c: c[0])
+        return _checked_binary(path, source)
 
     on_path = shutil.which("unbrowser")
     if on_path:
@@ -94,7 +101,7 @@ def find_binary() -> str:
 
     raise UnbrowserError(
         "Could not locate the unbrowser binary. Tried: $UNBROWSER_BIN, "
-        "package-bundled binary, target/debug/unbrowser, $PATH. "
+        "package-bundled binary, target/release|debug/unbrowser, $PATH. "
         "Install via `pip install pyunbrowser` (PyPI distribution; ships the binary), "
         "`cargo install unbrowser`, or `brew install unbrowser`."
     )
diff --git a/tests/test_mcp_minimal.py b/tests/test_mcp_minimal.py
index ff7885d..916f548 100644
--- a/tests/test_mcp_minimal.py
+++ b/tests/test_mcp_minimal.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """Protocol test: minimal vs full tools/list + help drift (PR #48)."""
 
 import json
+import os
 import subprocess
 import sys
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -235,3 +236,48 @@ def test_apply_coherence_filters_contradictions():
     before = json.loads(json.dumps(c))
     _apply_coherence(c)
     assert c == before
+
+
+def test_find_binary_prefers_freshest_local_build(tmp_path):
+    # Regression: editable installs silently resolved to a months-old bundled
+    # binary even when target/release was freshly built. find_binary must pick
+    # the newest of bundled/target-release/target-debug by mtime.
+    sys.path.insert(0, str(REPO / "python"))
+    import unbrowser
+
+    name = unbrowser._binary_name()  # unbrowser.exe on Windows
+
+    def fake_bin(path):
+        path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        path.write_bytes(b"#!/bin/sh\nexit 0\n")
+        if os.name != "nt":
+            path.chmod(0o755)
+        return path
+
+    # find_binary derives: bundled = <dir(__file__)>/_bin/<name>,
+    # dev root = resolve(__file__).parents[2]/target  ->  pkg lives under repo/
+    repo = tmp_path / "repo"
+    pkg = repo / "pkg" / "unbrowser"
+    pkg.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (pkg / "__init__.py").write_text("")
+    old_bundled = fake_bin(pkg / "_bin" / name)
+    os.utime(old_bundled, (1_000_000,) * 2)
+
+    real_file = unbrowser.__file__
+    real_path_pos = sys.path.index(str(REPO / "python"))
+    unbrowser.__file__ = str(pkg / "__init__.py")
+    try:
+        release = fake_bin(repo / "target" / "release" / name)
+        os.utime(release, (2_000_000,) * 2)
+        assert unbrowser.find_binary() == str(release), "fresh release must beat stale bundled"
+
+        release.unlink()
+        debug = fake_bin(repo / "target" / "debug" / name)
+        os.utime(debug, (500_000,) * 2)  # older than bundled -> bundled wins
+        assert unbrowser.find_binary() == str(old_bundled), "bundled must beat stale debug"
+
+        os.utime(debug, (3_000_000,) * 2)
+        assert unbrowser.find_binary() == str(debug), "fresh debug must win overall"
+    finally:
+        unbrowser.__file__ = real_file
+        sys.path.pop(real_path_pos)