diff --git a/containers/novela/static/sidebar.css b/containers/novela/static/sidebar.css
index 6608942..348dc54 100644
--- a/containers/novela/static/sidebar.css
+++ b/containers/novela/static/sidebar.css
@@ -125,10 +125,10 @@ html {
   font-family: var(--mono);
   font-size: 0.68rem;
   color: var(--text-dim);
-  text-decoration: none;
   opacity: 0.75;
+  cursor: default;
+  user-select: none;
 }
-.sidebar-version:hover { opacity: 1; }
 
 .disk-warning {
   display: flex;
diff --git a/containers/novela/templates/_sidebar.html b/containers/novela/templates/_sidebar.html
index ff4e686..dfb7a11 100644
--- a/containers/novela/templates/_sidebar.html
+++ b/containers/novela/templates/_sidebar.html
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@
       </svg>
       <span id="rescan-label">Rescan library</span>
     </button>
-    <a href="/changelog" class="sidebar-version" title="Running Novela build">{{ app_version() }}</a>
+    <span class="sidebar-version" title="Running Novela build">{{ app_version() }}</span>
   </div>
 </aside>
 
diff --git a/containers/novela/version.py b/containers/novela/version.py
index 4f56198..776a1a0 100644
--- a/containers/novela/version.py
+++ b/containers/novela/version.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 from changelog import CHANGELOG
 
-BUILD = 6
+BUILD = 7
 
 
 def _release_version() -> str:
diff --git a/docs/changelog-develop.md b/docs/changelog-develop.md
index 3a02aca..0e962e4 100644
--- a/docs/changelog-develop.md
+++ b/docs/changelog-develop.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Develop Changelog
 
+## 2026-06-01 — Sidebar version is display-only
+
+### Changed
+- The build version at the bottom of the sidebar is no longer a clickable link to the changelog — it is now a plain text display. It exists only to show that the running build number has incremented (so it's clear the new code is active).
+  - `templates/_sidebar.html`: `<a href="/changelog" class="sidebar-version">` → `<span class="sidebar-version">`.
+  - `static/sidebar.css`: dropped the link/hover styling; added `cursor: default` and `user-select: none`.
+
 ## 2026-06-01 — Local pre-restore snapshots + token-free / upload restore
 
 ### Added