diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b6b5dbd..bae6f01 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -175,9 +175,23 @@ cd ~/.ai-workflows && git pull
 aiw-update
 ```
 
+If your upstream remote is not named `origin` (for example `redhat/main`), set
+`AI_WORKFLOWS_REMOTE_REF` so `aiw-update` and the daily update check use the
+same ref:
+
+```bash
+export AI_WORKFLOWS_REMOTE_REF=redhat/main
+aiw-update
+```
+
+For the systemd timer, add a drop-in under
+`~/.config/systemd/user/ai-workflows-update-check.service.d/` with
+`Environment=AI_WORKFLOWS_REMOTE_REF=redhat/main`, then
+`systemctl --user daemon-reload`.
+
 ### Optional: daily update notifier (Linux)
 
-On Linux desktops with systemd user sessions and `notify-send`, `install.sh` can prompt to enable a daily check. If `~/.ai-workflows` is behind `origin/main`, you get a desktop notification suggesting `aiw-update`.
+On Linux desktops with systemd user sessions and `notify-send`, `install.sh` can prompt to enable a daily check. If `~/.ai-workflows` is behind the configured upstream ref (default `origin/main`), you get a desktop notification suggesting `aiw-update`.
 
 ```bash
 ./install.sh cursor                  # prompts [y/N] when supported
diff --git a/hack/aiw-update.sh b/hack/aiw-update.sh
index b42dbb7..29b3b9c 100755
--- a/hack/aiw-update.sh
+++ b/hack/aiw-update.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Pull latest ai-workflows and refresh installs if command wrappers changed.
 #
 # Usage:
-#   aiw-update                  # ff-only pull origin/main (must be on main)
+#   aiw-update                  # ff-only pull AI_WORKFLOWS_REMOTE_REF (default origin/main)
 #   aiw-update --checkout-main  # checkout main first, then pull
 #   aiw-update --reinstall      # always re-run install.sh for detected targets
 #   aiw-update --project PATH   # also reinstall Cursor skills for PATH (repeatable)
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 set -euo pipefail
 
 INSTALL_DIR="${AI_WORKFLOWS_DIR:-${HOME}/.ai-workflows}"
+REMOTE_REF="${AI_WORKFLOWS_REMOTE_REF:-origin/main}"
 REPO_DIR="$(readlink -f "$INSTALL_DIR")"
 CHECKOUT_MAIN=false
 FORCE_REINSTALL=false
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ CURRENT_BRANCH="$(git branch --show-current 2>/dev/null || true)"
 if [[ "$CURRENT_BRANCH" != "main" ]] && ! $CHECKOUT_MAIN; then
   echo "ai-workflows: not on main (branch=${CURRENT_BRANCH:-detached})." >&2
   echo "  Use: aiw-update --checkout-main" >&2
-  echo "  Or rebase/merge origin/main into this branch, then retry." >&2
+  echo "  Or rebase/merge ${REMOTE_REF} into this branch, then retry." >&2
   exit 1
 fi
 
@@ -102,10 +103,18 @@ if $CHECKOUT_MAIN; then
   git checkout main
 fi
 
-git fetch origin main
-if ! git pull --ff-only origin main; then
-  echo "ai-workflows: fast-forward pull from origin/main failed." >&2
-  echo "  Resolve local commits on main, or: git reset --hard origin/main (destructive)." >&2
+FETCH_REMOTE="${REMOTE_REF%%/*}"
+FETCH_BRANCH="${REMOTE_REF#*/}"
+if [[ "$FETCH_REMOTE" == "$REMOTE_REF" ]]; then
+  FETCH_REMOTE="origin"
+  FETCH_BRANCH="$REMOTE_REF"
+fi
+MERGE_REF="refs/remotes/${FETCH_REMOTE}/${FETCH_BRANCH}"
+
+git fetch "$FETCH_REMOTE" "$FETCH_BRANCH"
+if ! git merge --ff-only "$MERGE_REF"; then
+  echo "ai-workflows: fast-forward pull from ${REMOTE_REF} failed." >&2
+  echo "  Resolve local commits on main, or: git reset --hard ${MERGE_REF} (destructive)." >&2
   exit 1
 fi
 
diff --git a/hack/update-check.sh b/hack/update-check.sh
index a69dd7d..091943c 100755
--- a/hack/update-check.sh
+++ b/hack/update-check.sh
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ if [[ "$FETCH_REMOTE" == "$REMOTE_REF" ]]; then
   FETCH_REMOTE="origin"
   FETCH_BRANCH="$REMOTE_REF"
 fi
+MERGE_REF="refs/remotes/${FETCH_REMOTE}/${FETCH_BRANCH}"
 
 # Fetch quietly; network failures should not spam the user.
 if ! git fetch --quiet "$FETCH_REMOTE" "$FETCH_BRANCH" 2>/dev/null; then
@@ -47,13 +48,13 @@ if ! git fetch --quiet "$FETCH_REMOTE" "$FETCH_BRANCH" 2>/dev/null; then
   exit 0
 fi
 
-if ! git rev-parse --verify "$REMOTE_REF" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-  echo "ai-workflows: missing ref $REMOTE_REF" >&2
+if ! git rev-parse --verify "$MERGE_REF" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "ai-workflows: missing ref $MERGE_REF" >&2
   exit 0
 fi
 
-REMOTE_SHA="$(git rev-parse "$REMOTE_REF")"
-BEHIND="$(git rev-list --count "HEAD..${REMOTE_REF}" 2>/dev/null || echo 0)"
+REMOTE_SHA="$(git rev-parse "$MERGE_REF")"
+BEHIND="$(git rev-list --count "HEAD..${MERGE_REF}" 2>/dev/null || echo 0)"
 BRANCH="$(git branch --show-current 2>/dev/null || echo detached)"
 UPDATE_CMD="aiw-update"
 if [[ "$BRANCH" != "main" ]]; then