diff --git a/source/src/commands/publish-template.cpp b/source/src/commands/publish-template.cpp
index 86032be..4814882 100644
--- a/source/src/commands/publish-template.cpp
+++ b/source/src/commands/publish-template.cpp
@@ -158,6 +158,38 @@ static bool check_file_exists(const std::string& server_url, const std::string&
            output.find("\"exists\": true") != std::string::npos;
 }
 
+// Get unpacked hash for a template:tag from server metadata
+// Returns empty string if not found or error
+static std::string get_remote_unpacked_hash(const std::string& server_url, const std::string& labeltag) {
+    std::string cmd = "curl -s \"" + server_url + "/meta/" + labeltag + "\"";
+    std::string output;
+    int http_code;
+
+    if (!run_curl(cmd, output, http_code) || http_code != 200) {
+        return "";
+    }
+
+    // Parse unpackedhash from JSON response
+    // Look for "unpackedhash":"<hash>" or "unpackedhash": "<hash>"
+    size_t pos = output.find("\"unpackedhash\"");
+    if (pos == std::string::npos) {
+        return "";
+    }
+
+    // Find the colon and opening quote
+    pos = output.find(':', pos);
+    if (pos == std::string::npos) return "";
+
+    pos = output.find('"', pos);
+    if (pos == std::string::npos) return "";
+
+    pos++; // skip opening quote
+    size_t end = output.find('"', pos);
+    if (end == std::string::npos) return "";
+
+    return output.substr(pos, end - pos);
+}
+
 // Upload a new file to the server
 static bool upload_file(const std::string& server_url, const std::string& token,
                         const std::string& file_path, const std::vector<std::string>& labeltags,
@@ -275,9 +307,9 @@ static bool is_valid_template_dir(const std::filesystem::path& dir_path) {
 }
 
 // Publish a single template directory
-// Returns: 0 = success, 1 = error, 2 = skipped (not a template)
+// Returns: 0 = success, 1 = error, 2 = skipped (not a template), 3 = unchanged (already up to date)
 static int publish_single_template(const std::string& template_dir, const std::string& server_url,
-                                   const std::string& token, bool quiet = false) {
+                                   const std::string& token, bool quiet = false, bool skip_if_unchanged = false) {
     std::filesystem::path dir_path(template_dir);
     std::string template_name = dir_path.filename().string();
 
@@ -305,6 +337,18 @@ static int publish_single_template(const std::string& template_dir, const std::s
         return 1;
     }
     if (!quiet) info << "  Hash: " << unpacked_hash << std::endl;
+
+    // Check if unchanged (compare with remote :latest)
+    if (skip_if_unchanged) {
+        std::string remote_hash = get_remote_unpacked_hash(server_url, template_name + ":latest");
+        if (!remote_hash.empty() && remote_hash == unpacked_hash) {
+            if (!quiet) {
+                info << "  ✓ Unchanged (matches remote)" << std::endl;
+                std::cout << std::endl;
+            }
+            return 3; // unchanged
+        }
+    }
     if (!quiet) std::cout << std::endl;
 
     // Create temp directory and tarball
@@ -502,13 +546,16 @@ int publish_template_handler(const CommandContext& ctx) {
         std::cout << std::endl;
 
         int success_count = 0;
+        int unchanged_count = 0;
         int fail_count = 0;
         std::vector<std::string> failed_templates;
 
         for (const auto& tdir : template_dirs) {
-            int result = publish_single_template(tdir.string(), server_url, effective_token, false);
+            int result = publish_single_template(tdir.string(), server_url, effective_token, false, true);
             if (result == 0) {
                 success_count++;
+            } else if (result == 3) {
+                unchanged_count++;
             } else {
                 fail_count++;
                 failed_templates.push_back(tdir.filename().string());
@@ -518,9 +565,14 @@ int publish_template_handler(const CommandContext& ctx) {
         // Summary
         std::cout << std::endl;
         maketitle("Publish Summary");
-        info << "Successfully published: " << success_count << " template(s)" << std::endl;
+        if (success_count > 0) {
+            info << "Published: " << success_count << " template(s)" << std::endl;
+        }
+        if (unchanged_count > 0) {
+            info << "Unchanged: " << unchanged_count << " template(s)" << std::endl;
+        }
         if (fail_count > 0) {
-            error << "Failed to publish: " << fail_count << " template(s)" << std::endl;
+            error << "Failed: " << fail_count << " template(s)" << std::endl;
             for (const auto& name : failed_templates) {
                 error << "  - " << name << std::endl;
             }