diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index f205d87..22f0535 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -64,9 +64,11 @@ func runNewtMain(ctx context.Context) {
 	logger.Init(nil)
 
 	cfg, err := newtconfig.Load(newtconfig.Options{
-		Args:     os.Args[1:],
-		Version:  newtVersion,
-		Platform: newtPlatform,
+		Args:         os.Args[1:],
+		Version:      newtVersion,
+		Agent:        "newt",
+		AgentVersion: newtVersion,
+		Platform:     newtPlatform,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		logger.Fatal("Configuration error: %v", err)
@@ -196,6 +198,7 @@ func runNewtMain(ctx context.Context) {
 			CurrentVersion: newtVersion,
 			Platform:       newtPlatform,
 			TLSConfig:      selfUpdateTLS,
+			Agent:          "newt",
 		}); err != nil {
 			if errors.Is(err, updates.ErrAutoUpdateUnsupportedInOfficialContainer) {
 				logger.Debug("checkAndSelfUpdate: auto-update skipped: %v", err)
diff --git a/newt/config.go b/newt/config.go
index 671c8e7..ca416a1 100644
--- a/newt/config.go
+++ b/newt/config.go
@@ -5,8 +5,10 @@ import "time"
 // Config holds all runtime configuration for a Newt instance.
 type Config struct {
 	// Build info
-	Version  string
-	Platform string
+	Version      string
+	Platform     string
+	Agent        string
+	AgentVersion string
 
 	// Logging
 	LogLevel string
diff --git a/newt/handlers.go b/newt/handlers.go
index 6fede7a..67c3e69 100644
--- a/newt/handlers.go
+++ b/newt/handlers.go
@@ -145,10 +145,12 @@ func (n *Newt) registerHandlers(ctx context.Context) {
 		chainId := generateChainId()
 		n.pendingRegisterChainId = chainId
 		n.stopFunc = n.client.SendMessageInterval(topicWGRegister, map[string]interface{}{
-			"publicKey":   n.publicKey.String(),
-			"pingResults": pingResults,
-			"newtVersion": n.config.Version,
-			"chainId":     chainId,
+			"publicKey":    n.publicKey.String(),
+			"pingResults":  pingResults,
+			"newtVersion":  n.config.Version,
+			"agent":        n.config.Agent,
+			"agentVersion": n.config.AgentVersion,
+			"chainId":      chainId,
 		}, 2*time.Second)
 
 		logger.Debug("Sent exit node ping results to cloud for selection: pingResults=%+v", pingResults)
@@ -894,6 +896,8 @@ func (n *Newt) registerHandlers(ctx context.Context) {
 		if err := n.client.SendMessage(topicWGRegister, map[string]interface{}{
 			"publicKey":           n.publicKey.String(),
 			"newtVersion":         n.config.Version,
+			"agent":               n.config.Agent,
+			"agentVersion":        n.config.AgentVersion,
 			"backwardsCompatible": true,
 			"chainId":             bcChainId,
 		}); err != nil {
diff --git a/newtconfig/newtconfig.go b/newtconfig/newtconfig.go
index dc62750..642b769 100644
--- a/newtconfig/newtconfig.go
+++ b/newtconfig/newtconfig.go
@@ -264,8 +264,10 @@ type Options struct {
 	Args []string
 	// Version and Platform populate the resulting Config's build info and
 	// are printed by --version.
-	Version  string
-	Platform string
+	Version      string
+	Agent        string
+	AgentVersion string
+	Platform     string
 }
 
 // Load resolves configuration with priority cli > env > file > default,
@@ -285,8 +287,10 @@ func Load(opts Options) (newtpkg.Config, error) {
 
 	// ---- defaults ----
 	cfg := newtpkg.Config{
-		Version:  opts.Version,
-		Platform: opts.Platform,
+		Version:      opts.Version,
+		Platform:     opts.Platform,
+		Agent:        opts.Agent,
+		AgentVersion: opts.AgentVersion,
 
 		DNS:                      "9.9.9.9",
 		LogLevel:                 "INFO",
diff --git a/updates/selfupdate.go b/updates/selfupdate.go
index 8476d0a..bde0646 100644
--- a/updates/selfupdate.go
+++ b/updates/selfupdate.go
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ type SelfUpdateConfig struct {
 	Platform string
 	// TLSConfig is an optional TLS configuration for the HTTP client (may be nil).
 	TLSConfig *tls.Config
+
+	// cli or newt depending on where we are
+	Agent string
 }
 
 // versionResponse mirrors the JSON returned by POST /api/v1/auth/newt/version
@@ -156,6 +159,7 @@ func CheckAndSelfUpdate(cfg SelfUpdateConfig) error {
 		"newtId":   cfg.NewtID,
 		"secret":   cfg.Secret,
 		"platform": plat,
+		"agent":    cfg.Agent,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to marshal version request: %w", err)
@@ -211,7 +215,7 @@ func CheckAndSelfUpdate(cfg SelfUpdateConfig) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	logger.Debug("checkAndSelfUpdate: update available %s → %s", cfg.CurrentVersion, verResp.Data.LatestVersion)
+	logger.Debug("checkAndSelfUpdate: newt package update available %s → %s", cfg.CurrentVersion, verResp.Data.LatestVersion)
 
 	// --- Pre-download: verify we can write to the binary's directory ---
 	// Do this before downloading so a permission failure doesn't waste bandwidth.
@@ -225,7 +229,7 @@ func CheckAndSelfUpdate(cfg SelfUpdateConfig) error {
 	_ = os.Remove(writeTestFile.Name())
 
 	// --- Step 2: Download the new binary ---
-	logger.Debug("checkAndSelfUpdate: beginning download of new binary")
+	logger.Debug("checkAndSelfUpdate: beginning download of new binary from %s", verResp.Data.DownloadUrl)
 	dlCtx, dlCancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Minute)
 	defer dlCancel()