diff --git a/publish.sh b/publish.sh
index 9d7eaa5..148a35c 100755
--- a/publish.sh
+++ b/publish.sh
@@ -40,20 +40,9 @@ trap 'rm -rf "${TEMP_DIR}"' EXIT
 curl -L -o "${SOS}" "https://getbin.xyz/sos"
 chmod +x "${SOS}"
 
-# Create metadata file with version information
-METADATA_FILE="${TEMP_DIR}/metadata.json"
-cat > "${METADATA_FILE}" <<EOF
-{
-  "version": "${VERSION}",
-  "architecture": "${ARCH}",
-  "project": "${PROJECT}"
-}
-EOF
-
-# upload arch-specific binary with metadata
-# The sos tool should support --metadata flag or similar for version info
-"${SOS}" upload "getbin.xyz" "${SCRIPT_DIR}/output/${PROJECT}" "${PROJECT}:latest-${ARCH}" \
-    --metadata "version=${VERSION}"
+# Upload arch-specific binary
+# sos will automatically run "dropshell version" and store it in metadata
+"${SOS}" upload "getbin.xyz" "${SCRIPT_DIR}/output/${PROJECT}" "${PROJECT}:latest-${ARCH}"
 
 # Also upload with version-specific tag for direct version access
 "${SOS}" upload "getbin.xyz" "${SCRIPT_DIR}/output/${PROJECT}" "${PROJECT}:${VERSION}-${ARCH}"
diff --git a/source/src/commands/install.cpp b/source/src/commands/install.cpp
index 5565963..3348867 100644
--- a/source/src/commands/install.cpp
+++ b/source/src/commands/install.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include <libassert/assert.hpp>
 #include "servers.hpp"
 #include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <nlohmann/json.hpp>
 
 namespace dropshell
 {
@@ -275,55 +276,54 @@ complete -F _dropshell_completions ds
         info << "Current version: " << currentver << std::endl;
         info << "Checking for updates..." << std::endl;
         
+        // Check version using the /version endpoint
+        // The simple-object-server returns JSON: {"result":"success","version":"YYYY.MMDD.HHMM"}
+        std::string version_url = "https://getbin.xyz/version/dropshell:latest-" + arch;
         shared_commands::cLocalTempFolder local_temp_folder;
-        std::filesystem::path sos_path = local_temp_folder.path() / "sos";
+        std::filesystem::path version_file = local_temp_folder.path() / "version.json";
         
-        // Download sos to check metadata
-        bool should_download = true;
-        if (!download_file("https://getbin.xyz/sos", sos_path))
+        if (download_file(version_url, version_file))
         {
-            warning << "Failed to download sos utility, proceeding with direct download." << std::endl;
+            try {
+                // Read and parse the JSON response
+                std::ifstream vf(version_file);
+                nlohmann::json version_json;
+                vf >> version_json;
+                
+                // Check if the response was successful and has a version field
+                if (version_json.contains("result") && version_json["result"] == "success" &&
+                    version_json.contains("version"))
+                {
+                    std::string remote_version = version_json["version"];
+                    remote_version = trim(remote_version);
+                    
+                    info << "Latest available version: " << remote_version << std::endl;
+                    
+                    // Compare versions (both in YYYY.MMDD.HHMM format)
+                    if (!remote_version.empty() && currentver >= remote_version)
+                    {
+                        info << "Dropshell is already up to date." << std::endl;
+                        return 0;
+                    }
+                    
+                    if (!remote_version.empty() && currentver < remote_version)
+                    {
+                        info << "New version available, downloading..." << std::endl;
+                    }
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    debug << "Version check failed or version field not found, proceeding with download." << std::endl;
+                }
+            }
+            catch (const nlohmann::json::exception& e)
+            {
+                debug << "Failed to parse version JSON: " << e.what() << ", proceeding with download." << std::endl;
+            }
         }
         else
         {
-            chmod(sos_path.c_str(), 0755);
-            
-            // Use sos to get metadata about the remote dropshell binary
-            std::string info_cmd = sos_path.string() + " info getbin.xyz dropshell:latest-" + arch;
-            std::string info_output = _exec(info_cmd.c_str());
-            
-            // Parse the version from the info output 
-            // The metadata should contain version in format: "version: YYYY.MMDD.HHMM"
-            std::size_t version_pos = info_output.find("version: ");
-            if (version_pos != std::string::npos)
-            {
-                std::string remote_version = info_output.substr(version_pos + 9);
-                remote_version = remote_version.substr(0, remote_version.find('\n'));
-                remote_version = trim(remote_version);
-                
-                info << "Latest available version: " << remote_version << std::endl;
-                
-                // Compare versions (both in YYYY.MMDD.HHMM format)
-                if (!remote_version.empty() && currentver >= remote_version)
-                {
-                    info << "Dropshell is already up to date." << std::endl;
-                    return 0;
-                }
-                
-                if (!remote_version.empty() && currentver < remote_version)
-                {
-                    info << "New version available, downloading..." << std::endl;
-                }
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                debug << "Version information not found in metadata, proceeding with download." << std::endl;
-            }
-        }
-
-        if (!should_download)
-        {
-            return 0;
+            warning << "Failed to check version from server, proceeding with download." << std::endl;
         }
 
         // Download new version from getbin.xyz