diff --git a/packages/tui/src/config/keybind.ts b/packages/tui/src/config/keybind.ts
index 0ae0986e420..ec5beb94a4e 100644
--- a/packages/tui/src/config/keybind.ts
+++ b/packages/tui/src/config/keybind.ts
@@ -272,6 +272,7 @@ export const Definitions = {
   "dialog.mcp.toggle": keybind("space", "Toggle MCP server"),
   "dialog.plugins.install": keybind("shift+i", "Install plugin from plugin dialog"),
   "dialog.plugins.update": keybind("ctrl+u", "Update plugin from plugin dialog"),
+  "dialog.plugins.check": keybind("ctrl+r", "Check for plugin updates from plugin dialog"),
 
   "terminal.suspend": keybind("ctrl+z", "Suspend terminal"),
   "terminal.title.toggle": keybind("none", "Toggle terminal title"),
diff --git a/packages/tui/src/feature-plugins/system/plugins.tsx b/packages/tui/src/feature-plugins/system/plugins.tsx
index b9d6542bf7b..19b2f8b1b68 100644
--- a/packages/tui/src/feature-plugins/system/plugins.tsx
+++ b/packages/tui/src/feature-plugins/system/plugins.tsx
@@ -27,10 +27,11 @@ export function PluginsDialog(props: {
 }) {
   const dialog = useDialog()
   const [locked, setLocked] = createSignal(false)
+  const [checking, setChecking] = createSignal(false)
   const [focused, setFocused] = createSignal<string>()
   const [detail, setDetail] = createSignal<Entry>()
   const [showInternal, setShowInternal] = createSignal(false)
-  const [server, { refetch }] = createResource(
+  const [server, { refetch, mutate }] = createResource(
     () => (props.server ? undefined : (props.context.location ?? props.context.data.location.default())),
     (location) => props.context.client.plugin.list({ location }).then((result) => result.data),
   )
@@ -145,6 +146,34 @@ export function PluginsDialog(props: {
         })
       })
   }
+  // The server only re-checks package sources on startup and then caches the
+  // result for a day, so a merge pushed after launch stays invisible until the
+  // user asks. The check response carries fresh `outdated` flags for the whole
+  // inventory; apply it directly instead of waiting for a `plugin.updated`
+  // event, which only fires when a flag actually changes.
+  const check = () => {
+    if (checking()) return
+    setChecking(true)
+    props.context.client.plugin
+      .check({ location: props.context.location ?? props.context.data.location.default() })
+      .then((result) => {
+        mutate(result.data)
+        const count = result.data.filter(
+          (plugin) => plugin.source.type === "package" && plugin.source.outdated === true,
+        ).length
+        props.context.ui.toast.show({
+          variant: count ? "info" : "success",
+          message: count ? `${count} plugin update${count === 1 ? "" : "s"} available` : "All plugins are up to date",
+        })
+      })
+      .catch((cause) => {
+        props.context.ui.toast.show({
+          variant: "error",
+          message: cause instanceof Error ? cause.message : String(cause),
+        })
+      })
+      .finally(() => setChecking(false))
+  }
 
   return (
     <box>
@@ -191,6 +220,16 @@ export function PluginsDialog(props: {
                 hidden: !updatable(focusedEntry()),
                 onTrigger: (option) => update(entries().find((entry) => entry.key === option.value)),
               },
+              {
+                title: checking() ? "checking" : "check",
+                command: "dialog.plugins.check",
+                selection: "none",
+                hidden: !entries().some(
+                  (entry) => entry.runtime === "server" && entry.plugin.source.type === "package",
+                ),
+                disabled: checking(),
+                onTrigger: check,
+              },
             ]}
             footer={
               <Show when={pluginError(focusedEntry())}>
diff --git a/packages/tui/test/cli/tui/plugins-dialog.test.tsx b/packages/tui/test/cli/tui/plugins-dialog.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c444f35f4c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/tui/test/cli/tui/plugins-dialog.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,160 @@
+/** @jsxImportSource @opentui/solid */
+import { expect, test } from "bun:test"
+import { testRender } from "@opentui/solid"
+import { mkdir } from "node:fs/promises"
+import path from "node:path"
+import { onCleanup } from "solid-js"
+import type { PluginInfo } from "@opencode-ai/client"
+import type { Context, ToastOptions } from "@opencode-ai/plugin/tui/context"
+import { ConfigProvider } from "../../../src/config"
+import { Keymap } from "../../../src/context/keymap"
+import { ThemeProvider, useThemes } from "../../../src/context/theme"
+// The plugin context registers every builtin, and the plugins dialog imports
+// the context back, so the context must load first exactly as it does in the app.
+import type { usePlugin } from "../../../src/plugin/context"
+import "../../../src/plugin/context"
+import { PluginsDialog } from "../../../src/feature-plugins/system/plugins"
+import { DialogProvider } from "../../../src/ui/dialog"
+import { ToastProvider } from "../../../src/ui/toast"
+import { emptyThemeSource, tmpdir } from "../../fixture/fixture"
+import { createApi, createFetch, json } from "../../fixture/tui-client"
+import { TestTuiContexts } from "../../fixture/tui-environment"
+import { createTuiResolvedConfig } from "../../fixture/tui-runtime"
+
+const target = "git+ssh://git@github.com/example/team-plugins.git"
+
+function packagePlugin(outdated: boolean): PluginInfo {
+  return {
+    id: "team.plugins",
+    source: { type: "package", target, version: "dadba13", ...(outdated ? { outdated: true as const } : {}) },
+    features: { server: true },
+    state: { status: "active" },
+  }
+}
+
+async function renderPlugins(root: string, inventory: { list: PluginInfo[]; check: PluginInfo[] }) {
+  const state = path.join(root, "state")
+  await mkdir(state, { recursive: true })
+  const requests: { path: string; body: unknown }[] = []
+  const toasts: ToastOptions[] = []
+  const location = { directory: root, project: { id: "proj_test", directory: root, canonical: root } }
+  const transport = createFetch(async (url, request) => {
+    if (url.pathname === "/api/plugin") return json({ location, data: inventory.list })
+    if (url.pathname === "/api/plugin/check") {
+      requests.push({ path: url.pathname, body: await request.json() })
+      return json({ location, data: inventory.check })
+    }
+    if (url.pathname === "/api/plugin/update") {
+      requests.push({ path: url.pathname, body: await request.json() })
+      return new Response(null, { status: 204 })
+    }
+  })
+
+  function Harness() {
+    function Content() {
+      onCleanup(Keymap.use().mode.push("modal"))
+      const theme = useThemes().currentTokens()
+      const context = {
+        client: createApi(transport.fetch),
+        data: { location: { default: () => ({ directory: root }) }, on: () => () => {} },
+        get theme() {
+          return theme
+        },
+        ui: {
+          toast: { show: (toast: ToastOptions) => toasts.push(toast) },
+          format: { path: (value: string) => value },
+        },
+      } as unknown as Context
+      const plugins = {
+        registered: () => [],
+        list: () => [],
+        activate: async () => true,
+        deactivate: async () => true,
+      } as unknown as ReturnType<typeof usePlugin>
+      return <PluginsDialog context={context} plugins={plugins} />
+    }
+
+    return (
+      <TestTuiContexts directory={root} paths={{ home: root, state, worktree: root }}>
+        <ConfigProvider config={createTuiResolvedConfig()}>
+          <Keymap.Provider>
+            <ThemeProvider mode="dark" source={emptyThemeSource}>
+              <ToastProvider>
+                <DialogProvider>
+                  <Content />
+                </DialogProvider>
+              </ToastProvider>
+            </ThemeProvider>
+          </Keymap.Provider>
+        </ConfigProvider>
+      </TestTuiContexts>
+    )
+  }
+
+  const app = await testRender(() => <Harness />, { width: 80, height: 20, kittyKeyboard: true })
+  app.renderer.start()
+  await app.waitForFrame((frame) => frame.includes("Plugins"))
+  return { app, requests, toasts }
+}
+
+test("checking for updates refreshes the inventory and reveals the update action", async () => {
+  await using tmp = await tmpdir()
+  const fixture = await renderPlugins(tmp.path, { list: [packagePlugin(false)], check: [packagePlugin(true)] })
+
+  try {
+    const initial = await fixture.app.waitForFrame((frame) => frame.includes("dadba13"))
+    expect(initial).toContain("check ctrl+r")
+    expect(initial).not.toContain("update available")
+    expect(initial).not.toContain("ctrl+u")
+
+    fixture.app.mockInput.pressKey("r", { ctrl: true })
+    const checked = await fixture.app.waitForFrame((frame) => frame.includes("update available"))
+    expect(checked).toContain("ctrl+u")
+    expect(fixture.requests).toEqual([{ path: "/api/plugin/check", body: {} }])
+    expect(fixture.toasts).toEqual([{ variant: "info", message: "1 plugin update available" }])
+
+    fixture.app.mockInput.pressKey("u", { ctrl: true })
+    await fixture.app.waitFor(() => fixture.requests.length === 2)
+    expect(fixture.requests[1]).toEqual({ path: "/api/plugin/update", body: { targets: [target] } })
+  } finally {
+    fixture.app.renderer.destroy()
+  }
+})
+
+test("checking for updates reports an up-to-date inventory", async () => {
+  await using tmp = await tmpdir()
+  const fixture = await renderPlugins(tmp.path, { list: [packagePlugin(false)], check: [packagePlugin(false)] })
+
+  try {
+    await fixture.app.waitForFrame((frame) => frame.includes("dadba13"))
+    fixture.app.mockInput.pressKey("r", { ctrl: true })
+    await fixture.app.waitFor(() => fixture.toasts.length === 1)
+
+    expect(fixture.toasts).toEqual([{ variant: "success", message: "All plugins are up to date" }])
+    expect(fixture.requests).toEqual([{ path: "/api/plugin/check", body: {} }])
+  } finally {
+    fixture.app.renderer.destroy()
+  }
+})
+
+test("the check action stays hidden without package plugins", async () => {
+  await using tmp = await tmpdir()
+  const local: PluginInfo = {
+    id: "local.plugin",
+    source: { type: "local", path: path.join(tmp.path, "plugin.ts") },
+    features: { server: true },
+    state: { status: "active" },
+  }
+  const fixture = await renderPlugins(tmp.path, { list: [local], check: [] })
+
+  try {
+    const frame = await fixture.app.waitForFrame((frame) => frame.includes("local.plugin"))
+    expect(frame).not.toContain("ctrl+r")
+
+    fixture.app.mockInput.pressKey("r", { ctrl: true })
+    await fixture.app.flush()
+    expect(fixture.requests).toEqual([])
+  } finally {
+    fixture.app.renderer.destroy()
+  }
+})
diff --git a/packages/www/src/docs/content/cli/keybinds.mdx b/packages/www/src/docs/content/cli/keybinds.mdx
index 77b239426cd..d51fadeb0c5 100644
--- a/packages/www/src/docs/content/cli/keybinds.mdx
+++ b/packages/www/src/docs/content/cli/keybinds.mdx
@@ -345,6 +345,7 @@ The retired `diff.toggle`, `diff.expand`, `diff.expand_all`, `diff.collapse`, an
 | `dialog.mcp.toggle`            | `space`       | Toggle MCP server                   |
 | `dialog.plugins.install`       | `shift+i`     | Install plugin from plugin dialog   |
 | `dialog.plugins.update`        | `ctrl+u`      | Update plugin from plugin dialog    |
+| `dialog.plugins.check`         | `ctrl+r`      | Check for plugin updates            |
 
 ## Terminal And Plugins