diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f1506214..e70ceb83 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ The reference implementation runs on a Mac Studio M1 in our living room at Lake
 <br>
 
 > [!NOTE]
-> [**v0.3.0-beta.1**](https://github.com/famstack-dev/famstack/releases/tag/v0.3.0-beta.1) is the current Beta.
+> [**v0.3.0-beta.2**](https://github.com/famstack-dev/famstack/releases/tag/v0.3.0-beta.2) is the current Beta.
 >
 > The state of this project is: **It works on my machine.™**
 > I gave my best it works on yours too. If it doesn't, come back and report it
diff --git a/tests/framework/test_check_versions.py b/tests/framework/test_check_versions.py
index 6a316821..31dec6ab 100644
--- a/tests/framework/test_check_versions.py
+++ b/tests/framework/test_check_versions.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 import pytest
 
-from tests.integration._check_versions import _normalise
+from tests.integration._check_versions import _normalise, _readme_version
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
@@ -53,3 +53,21 @@ def test_prerelease_markers_map_to_canonical_letters():
 def test_bare_marker_implies_zero():
     # `1.2.0b` and `1.2.0b0` are the same release under PEP 440.
     assert _normalise("1.2.0b") == "1.2.0b0"
+
+
+class TestReadmeIsCheckedToo:
+    """README is the first file anyone reads and was the last one nothing
+    verified, which is how v0.3.0-beta.2 shipped announcing beta.1 as
+    current. These pin that the claim is now machine-checked."""
+
+    def test_the_current_release_claim_is_found_and_parses(self):
+        # Reads the real README, so a reworded sentence fails here rather
+        # than silently disabling the check at release time.
+        assert _readme_version(), "README must state which release is current"
+
+    def test_it_agrees_with_the_shipped_version(self):
+        from tests.integration._check_versions import (
+            _cli_version, _pyproject_version,
+        )
+        assert _normalise(_readme_version()) == _normalise(_cli_version())
+        assert _normalise(_readme_version()) == _normalise(_pyproject_version())
diff --git a/tests/integration/_check_versions.py b/tests/integration/_check_versions.py
index e5169600..c33b60c2 100644
--- a/tests/integration/_check_versions.py
+++ b/tests/integration/_check_versions.py
@@ -4,9 +4,14 @@
 with the tag, because the pre-tag checklist was manual and a human skipped a
 line. This is that line, made mechanical.
 
-Two sources must agree: `lib/stack/cli.py`'s VERSION constant and
-`pyproject.toml`'s `project.version`. When run inside a tag build,
-`GITHUB_REF_NAME` is a third — the tag itself, minus its leading `v`.
+Three sources must agree: `lib/stack/cli.py`'s VERSION constant,
+`pyproject.toml`'s `project.version`, and the release README.md announces as
+current. When run inside a tag build, `GITHUB_REF_NAME` is a fourth — the tag
+itself, minus its leading `v`.
+
+README joined the list after v0.3.0-beta.2 shipped with a README still telling
+every visitor that beta.1 was current. It is the first file anyone reads and
+was the only version-bearing one nothing checked.
 
 Exits non-zero with the mismatch spelled out. Import-free beyond stdlib so it
 runs anywhere `stacktests preflight` runs.
@@ -27,6 +32,14 @@
 # CLI banner read `0.3.0-beta.2`, while pyproject stores PEP 440's canonical
 # `0.3.0b2`. Comparing raw strings would fail every beta release, so normalise
 # to the canonical form before comparing.
+# The one README sentence that makes a claim about *which* release is
+# current. Other version mentions there are historical ("first tagged as
+# v0.3.0-beta.1") and stay put across releases, so this deliberately matches
+# the claim rather than every version-shaped string.
+_README_RE = re.compile(
+    r"\[\*\*v(?P<label>[^\]]+)\*\*\]\((?P<url>[^)]+)\)\s+is the current Beta",
+)
+
 _PRE_RE = re.compile(
     r"[-_.]?(?:(?P<a>alpha|a)|(?P<b>beta|b)|(?P<rc>rc|c|pre|preview))[-_.]?(?P<n>\d*)$",
     re.IGNORECASE,
@@ -58,6 +71,27 @@ def _cli_version() -> str:
     return match.group(1)
 
 
+def _readme_version() -> str:
+    """The release README tells a visitor is the current one.
+
+    Fails loudly rather than silently passing when the sentence is reworded:
+    a check that quietly stops checking is worse than no check.
+    """
+    text = (REPO_ROOT / "README.md").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    match = _README_RE.search(text)
+    if not match:
+        raise SystemExit(
+            "README.md: no '[**vX.Y.Z**](...) is the current Beta' line found.\n"
+            "  If the wording changed, update _README_RE in this script to match."
+        )
+    label, url = match.group("label"), match.group("url")
+    if not url.rstrip("/").endswith(f"v{label}"):
+        raise SystemExit(
+            f"README.md: link says v{label} but its URL points at {url}"
+        )
+    return label
+
+
 def _pyproject_version() -> str:
     with (REPO_ROOT / "pyproject.toml").open("rb") as fh:
         return tomllib.load(fh)["project"]["version"]
@@ -67,6 +101,7 @@ def main() -> int:
     sources = {
         "lib/stack/cli.py": _cli_version(),
         "pyproject.toml": _pyproject_version(),
+        "README.md": _readme_version(),
     }
 
     # Only present in a tag build; locally there is no tag to agree with.