diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 195729d..44d662a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ The installer creates:
 - Service: `synapsis.service`
 - Mandatory update timer: `synapsis-update.timer`
 
-Every node checks `origin/main` about once per minute. When a new commit is available, Synapsis fast-forwards the checkout, replaces the single `backups/latest` database snapshot, installs dependencies, runs migrations, builds, and restarts automatically. The currently deployed commit is shown in the Network Info card and exposed by `/api/version`.
+Every node checks `origin/main` about once per minute. When a new commit is available, Synapsis fast-forwards the checkout, replaces the single `backups/latest` database snapshot, installs dependencies, runs migrations, builds, and restarts automatically. The repository commit count is shown in the Network Info card; `/api/version` exposes both that number and the full deployed commit hash.
 
 For a node installed before automatic updates existed, bootstrap the timer once with:
 
diff --git a/next.config.ts b/next.config.ts
index 95f8d79..7eb05d7 100644
--- a/next.config.ts
+++ b/next.config.ts
@@ -14,9 +14,23 @@ function getBuildCommit(): string {
   }
 }
 
+function getBuildCommitCount(): string {
+  if (process.env.APP_COMMIT_COUNT) return process.env.APP_COMMIT_COUNT;
+
+  try {
+    return execFileSync('git', ['rev-list', '--count', 'HEAD'], {
+      cwd: process.cwd(),
+      encoding: 'utf8',
+    }).trim();
+  } catch {
+    return 'unknown';
+  }
+}
+
 const nextConfig: NextConfig = {
   env: {
     APP_COMMIT: getBuildCommit(),
+    APP_COMMIT_COUNT: getBuildCommitCount(),
     APP_BUILD_DATE: process.env.APP_BUILD_DATE || new Date().toISOString(),
   },
 
diff --git a/src/components/RightSidebar.tsx b/src/components/RightSidebar.tsx
index b6299ff..1d797fe 100644
--- a/src/components/RightSidebar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/RightSidebar.tsx
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ export function RightSidebar() {
     const [version, setVersion] = useState<{
         version: string;
         commit: string | null;
+        commitCount: number | null;
         buildDate: string | null;
     } | null>(null);
 
@@ -80,7 +81,7 @@ export function RightSidebar() {
         fetch('/api/version')
             .then(res => res.json())
             .then(data => setVersion(data))
-            .catch(() => setVersion({ version: 'unknown', commit: null, buildDate: null }));
+            .catch(() => setVersion({ version: 'unknown', commit: null, commitCount: null, buildDate: null }));
 
         return () => window.removeEventListener('synapsis:node-updated', handleNodeUpdated);
     }, []);
@@ -154,8 +155,8 @@ export function RightSidebar() {
                 <p style={{ color: 'var(--foreground-secondary)', fontSize: '13px' }}>
                     Running{' '}
                     <a href="https://synapsis.gnosyslabs.xyz" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style={{ color: 'var(--accent)' }}>Synapsis</a>
-                    {version?.commit
-                        ? ` ${version.commit.slice(0, 7)}`
+                    {version?.commitCount !== null && version?.commitCount !== undefined
+                        ? ` ${version.commitCount}`
                         : version?.version
                             ? ` ${version.version}`
                             : ''}
diff --git a/src/lib/swarm/discovery.ts b/src/lib/swarm/discovery.ts
index 9146edc..14a2d33 100644
--- a/src/lib/swarm/discovery.ts
+++ b/src/lib/swarm/discovery.ts
@@ -63,7 +63,9 @@ export async function buildAnnouncement(): Promise<SwarmAnnouncement> {
     description,
     logoUrl,
     publicKey,
-    softwareVersion: buildInfo.commit || buildInfo.version,
+    softwareVersion: buildInfo.commitCount !== null
+      ? String(buildInfo.commitCount)
+      : buildInfo.version,
     userCount,
     postCount,
     capabilities,
diff --git a/src/lib/version.test.ts b/src/lib/version.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d71597e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/version.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { getCurrentBuildInfo } from './version';
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.unstubAllEnvs();
+});
+
+describe('build information', () => {
+  it('exposes the repository commit count as a number', () => {
+    vi.stubEnv('APP_COMMIT_COUNT', '288');
+
+    expect(getCurrentBuildInfo().commitCount).toBe(288);
+  });
+
+  it('ignores an unavailable commit count', () => {
+    vi.stubEnv('APP_COMMIT_COUNT', 'unknown');
+
+    expect(getCurrentBuildInfo().commitCount).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/lib/version.ts b/src/lib/version.ts
index ec9a3cf..e8179da 100644
--- a/src/lib/version.ts
+++ b/src/lib/version.ts
@@ -3,13 +3,19 @@ import packageJson from '../../package.json';
 export interface BuildInfo {
   version: string;
   commit: string | null;
+  commitCount: number | null;
   buildDate: string | null;
 }
 
 export function getCurrentBuildInfo(): BuildInfo {
+  const parsedCommitCount = Number.parseInt(process.env.APP_COMMIT_COUNT || '', 10);
+
   return {
     version: process.env.APP_VERSION || packageJson.version || 'dev',
     commit: process.env.APP_COMMIT || null,
+    commitCount: Number.isSafeInteger(parsedCommitCount) && parsedCommitCount >= 0
+      ? parsedCommitCount
+      : null,
     buildDate: process.env.APP_BUILD_DATE || null,
   };
 }