diff --git a/core/Cargo.lock b/core/Cargo.lock
index 08195110..2cfc92fc 100644
--- a/core/Cargo.lock
+++ b/core/Cargo.lock
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ checksum = "a23eb6b1614318a8071c9b2521f36b424b2c83db5eb3a0fead4a6c0809af6e61"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "archipelago"
-version = "1.7.17-alpha"
+version = "1.7.18-alpha"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "archipelago-container",
diff --git a/core/archipelago/Cargo.toml b/core/archipelago/Cargo.toml
index 524abbf8..11d07d1c 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/Cargo.toml
+++ b/core/archipelago/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "archipelago"
-version = "1.7.17-alpha"
+version = "1.7.18-alpha"
 edition = "2021"
 description = "Archipelago Bitcoin Node OS - Native backend"
 authors = ["Archipelago Team"]
diff --git a/core/archipelago/src/federation/sync.rs b/core/archipelago/src/federation/sync.rs
index 59250c31..629e6833 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/src/federation/sync.rs
+++ b/core/archipelago/src/federation/sync.rs
@@ -107,8 +107,10 @@ pub async fn sync_with_peer_by_did(
 }
 
 /// Merge peers advertised by a Trusted federated node into our own
-/// federation list. New peers are added at `Observer` trust (not
-/// Trusted — that requires a direct invite). Existing peers get their
+/// federation list. New peers are added at `Trusted` — hints only
+/// arrive from peers we already trust, and `build_local_state` only
+/// re-exports our Trusted list, so transitive membership carries the
+/// same trust the direct-invite path gives. Existing peers get their
 /// `fips_npub` refreshed if we hadn't learned it yet.
 ///
 /// Peers we are (us) or that we already track by DID are skipped.
@@ -142,7 +144,7 @@ async fn merge_transitive_peers(
             pubkey: hint.pubkey.clone(),
             onion: hint.onion.clone(),
             name: hint.name.clone(),
-            trust_level: TrustLevel::Observer,
+            trust_level: TrustLevel::Trusted,
             added_at: chrono::Utc::now().to_rfc3339(),
             last_seen: None,
             last_state: None,
diff --git a/core/archipelago/src/update.rs b/core/archipelago/src/update.rs
index fc77c8b8..62c2ed73 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/src/update.rs
+++ b/core/archipelago/src/update.rs
@@ -244,6 +244,14 @@ pub async fn download_update(data_dir: &Path) -> Result<DownloadProgress> {
     let mut downloaded = 0u64;
     let total_bytes: u64 = manifest.components.iter().map(|c| c.size_bytes).sum();
 
+    info!(
+        version = %manifest.version,
+        components = manifest.components.len(),
+        total_bytes,
+        staging = %staging_dir.display(),
+        "Starting update download"
+    );
+
     // Clear any stale cancel flag from a prior aborted run, then seed
     // the live counters so polls during the handshake show the right
     // denominator immediately instead of 0/0 → NaN%.
@@ -477,17 +485,27 @@ pub async fn cancel_download(data_dir: &Path) -> Result<()> {
     DOWNLOAD_BYTES.store(0, Ordering::Relaxed);
     DOWNLOAD_TOTAL.store(0, Ordering::Relaxed);
     let staging = data_dir.join("update-staging");
-    if staging.exists() {
-        let _ = tokio::fs::remove_dir_all(&staging).await;
-    }
+    let wiped = if staging.exists() {
+        tokio::fs::remove_dir_all(&staging).await.is_ok()
+    } else {
+        false
+    };
     // Clear the "downloaded, ready to apply" marker too — a canceled
     // download is not a staged update.
+    let mut cleared_marker = false;
     if let Ok(mut state) = load_state(data_dir).await {
         if state.update_in_progress {
             state.update_in_progress = false;
             let _ = save_state(data_dir, &state).await;
+            cleared_marker = true;
         }
     }
+    info!(
+        staging = %staging.display(),
+        wiped,
+        cleared_marker,
+        "Update download canceled"
+    );
     Ok(())
 }
 
@@ -529,6 +547,12 @@ pub async fn apply_update(data_dir: &Path) -> Result<()> {
         .await
         .context("Failed to create backup dir")?;
 
+    info!(
+        staging = %staging_dir.display(),
+        backup = %backup_dir.display(),
+        "Applying staged update"
+    );
+
     // Back up current backend binary
     let current_binary = Path::new("/usr/local/bin/archipelago");
     if current_binary.exists() {
diff --git a/neode-ui/package-lock.json b/neode-ui/package-lock.json
index 51dc0d80..0d619a1a 100644
--- a/neode-ui/package-lock.json
+++ b/neode-ui/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "neode-ui",
-  "version": "1.3.5",
+  "version": "1.6.0-alpha",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "neode-ui",
-      "version": "1.3.5",
+      "version": "1.6.0-alpha",
       "dependencies": {
         "@types/dompurify": "^3.0.5",
         "@vue-leaflet/vue-leaflet": "^0.10.1",
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/views/settings/AccountInfoSection.vue b/neode-ui/src/views/settings/AccountInfoSection.vue
index f1cdc62f..3af00db9 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/views/settings/AccountInfoSection.vue
+++ b/neode-ui/src/views/settings/AccountInfoSection.vue
@@ -180,6 +180,17 @@ init()
               </button>
             </div>
             <div class="overflow-y-auto flex-1 min-h-0 space-y-6 pr-1">
+              <!-- v1.7.18-alpha -->
+              <div>
+                <div class="flex items-center gap-2 mb-3">
+                  <span class="text-xs font-mono px-2 py-0.5 rounded bg-orange-500/20 text-orange-300">v1.7.18-alpha</span>
+                  <span class="text-xs text-white/40">Apr 20, 2026</span>
+                </div>
+                <div class="space-y-3 text-sm text-white/80 pl-3 border-l border-white/10">
+                  <p>Nodes discovered through a trusted peer now land as Trusted instead of Observer. When your federated peer shares its own peer list with you, those nodes get the same trust level as a direct invite — the link they came through is already one you vetted, so you no longer need to promote them by hand before they can be used normally.</p>
+                  <p>The update flow now writes clearer logs at every step. Start of download, cancel, and apply each emit a one-line entry to the system journal with the staging path and the affected files, so if a download misbehaves on your node it's easy to see exactly where it got to.</p>
+                </div>
+              </div>
               <!-- v1.7.17-alpha -->
               <div>
                 <div class="flex items-center gap-2 mb-3">