diff --git a/scripts/bump-version.sh b/scripts/bump-version.sh
index 82ef4fd9..80223f45 100755
--- a/scripts/bump-version.sh
+++ b/scripts/bump-version.sh
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ NC='\033[0m' # No Color
 
 # Usage message
 usage() {
-    echo "Usage: $0 <version> [--commit] [--tag] [--push]"
+    echo "Usage: $0 <version> [--commit] [--tag] [--push] [--install]"
     echo ""
     echo "Bump version across all beads components."
     echo ""
@@ -18,12 +18,15 @@ usage() {
     echo "  --commit     Automatically create a git commit (optional)"
     echo "  --tag        Create annotated git tag after commit (requires --commit)"
     echo "  --push       Push commit and tag to origin (requires --commit and --tag)"
+    echo "  --install    Rebuild and install bd binary to GOPATH/bin after version bump"
     echo ""
     echo "Examples:"
     echo "  $0 0.9.3                      # Update versions and show diff"
+    echo "  $0 0.9.3 --install            # Update versions and rebuild/install bd"
     echo "  $0 0.9.3 --commit             # Update versions and commit"
     echo "  $0 0.9.3 --commit --tag       # Update, commit, and tag"
     echo "  $0 0.9.3 --commit --tag --push  # Full release preparation"
+    echo "  $0 0.9.3 --commit --install   # Update, commit, and install"
     exit 1
 }
 
@@ -68,6 +71,7 @@ main() {
     AUTO_COMMIT=false
     AUTO_TAG=false
     AUTO_PUSH=false
+    AUTO_INSTALL=false
 
     # Parse flags
     shift  # Remove version argument
@@ -82,6 +86,9 @@ main() {
             --push)
                 AUTO_PUSH=true
                 ;;
+            --install)
+                AUTO_INSTALL=true
+                ;;
             *)
                 echo -e "${RED}Error: Unknown option '$1'${NC}"
                 usage
@@ -228,6 +235,43 @@ main() {
 
     echo ""
 
+    # Auto-install if requested
+    if [ "$AUTO_INSTALL" = true ]; then
+        echo "Rebuilding and installing bd..."
+        if command -v make &> /dev/null; then
+            if make install; then
+                echo -e "${GREEN}✓ bd installed to $(go env GOPATH)/bin/bd${NC}"
+                echo ""
+                INSTALLED_VERSION=$($(go env GOPATH)/bin/bd --version 2>&1 | grep -oE '[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+' | head -1)
+                if [ "$INSTALLED_VERSION" = "$NEW_VERSION" ]; then
+                    echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Verified: bd --version reports $INSTALLED_VERSION${NC}"
+                else
+                    echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠ Warning: bd --version reports $INSTALLED_VERSION (expected $NEW_VERSION)${NC}"
+                    echo -e "${YELLOW}  You may need to restart your shell or check your PATH${NC}"
+                fi
+            else
+                echo -e "${RED}✗ make install failed${NC}"
+                exit 1
+            fi
+        else
+            if go install ./cmd/bd; then
+                echo -e "${GREEN}✓ bd installed to $(go env GOPATH)/bin/bd${NC}"
+                echo ""
+                INSTALLED_VERSION=$($(go env GOPATH)/bin/bd --version 2>&1 | grep -oE '[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+' | head -1)
+                if [ "$INSTALLED_VERSION" = "$NEW_VERSION" ]; then
+                    echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Verified: bd --version reports $INSTALLED_VERSION${NC}"
+                else
+                    echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠ Warning: bd --version reports $INSTALLED_VERSION (expected $NEW_VERSION)${NC}"
+                    echo -e "${YELLOW}  You may need to restart your shell or check your PATH${NC}"
+                fi
+            else
+                echo -e "${RED}✗ go install failed${NC}"
+                exit 1
+            fi
+        fi
+        echo ""
+    fi
+
     # Auto-commit if requested
     if [ "$AUTO_COMMIT" = true ]; then
         echo "Creating git commit..."
@@ -280,16 +324,26 @@ Generated by scripts/bump-version.sh"
             echo "Monitor: https://github.com/steveyegge/beads/actions"
         elif [ "$AUTO_TAG" = true ]; then
             echo "Next steps:"
+            if [ "$AUTO_INSTALL" = false ]; then
+                echo -e "  ${YELLOW}make install${NC}  # ⚠️  IMPORTANT: Rebuild and install bd binary!"
+            fi
             echo "  git push origin main"
             echo "  git push origin v$NEW_VERSION"
         else
             echo "Next steps:"
+            if [ "$AUTO_INSTALL" = false ]; then
+                echo -e "  ${YELLOW}make install${NC}  # ⚠️  IMPORTANT: Rebuild and install bd binary!"
+            fi
             echo "  git push origin main"
             echo "  git tag -a v$NEW_VERSION -m 'Release v$NEW_VERSION'"
             echo "  git push origin v$NEW_VERSION"
         fi
     else
         echo "Review the changes above. To commit:"
+        if [ "$AUTO_INSTALL" = false ]; then
+            echo -e "  ${YELLOW}make install${NC}  # ⚠️  IMPORTANT: Rebuild and install bd binary first!"
+            echo ""
+        fi
         echo "  git add -A"
         echo "  git commit -m 'chore: Bump version to $NEW_VERSION'"
         echo "  git tag -a v$NEW_VERSION -m 'Release v$NEW_VERSION'"
@@ -297,7 +351,7 @@ Generated by scripts/bump-version.sh"
         echo "  git push origin v$NEW_VERSION"
         echo ""
         echo "Or run with flags to automate:"
-        echo "  $0 $NEW_VERSION --commit --tag --push"
+        echo "  $0 $NEW_VERSION --commit --tag --push --install"
     fi
 }