diff --git a/vscode/README.md b/vscode/README.md
index 792a652..db1bc73 100644
--- a/vscode/README.md
+++ b/vscode/README.md
@@ -15,10 +15,15 @@ in the following order:
 2. `thrift-ls` on `PATH`, or
 3. a previously downloaded copy in the extension's storage.
 
-If none is found, a prompt offers to download the latest release binary for
-your platform (`linux`/`darwin`/`windows`, `amd64`/`arm64`) and verify its
+If none is found, a prompt offers to download the release binary for your
+platform (`linux`/`darwin`/`windows`, `amd64`/`arm64`) and verify its
 SHA-256 against `checksums.txt` from the release.
 
+A stable vsix downloads from `releases/latest` (never a prerelease). A dev
+vsix from a per-commit prerelease (`0.1.0-dev.<sha>`) pins itself to that
+same commit's release, so the extension and the server binary always come
+from the same code.
+
 Manual installs:
 
 ```bash
@@ -36,7 +41,9 @@ and put it on `PATH` (or point `thrift-ls.path` at it).
 
 All server features are negotiated over LSP; no editor-specific code beyond the
 client. The `thrift-ls.downloadServer` command re-downloads the binary (use it
-to update), and `thrift-ls.openReleases` opens the releases page.
+to update): it stops the running server first — required on Windows, where a
+running executable cannot be replaced — and restarts the client on the new
+binary. `thrift-ls.openReleases` opens the releases page.
 
 ## Settings
 
diff --git a/vscode/src/extension.ts b/vscode/src/extension.ts
index 1de841a..22911f1 100644
--- a/vscode/src/extension.ts
+++ b/vscode/src/extension.ts
@@ -15,11 +15,10 @@ import {
   LanguageClientOptions,
   ServerOptions,
 } from 'vscode-languageclient/node';
-import { assetName, findOnPath, parseChecksums, sha256Hex } from './platform';
+import { assetName, findOnPath, parseChecksums, releaseTag, sha256Hex } from './platform';
 
 const REPO = 'karitham/thrift-ls';
 const RELEASES_URL = `https://github.com/${REPO}/releases`;
-const DOWNLOAD_URL = `${RELEASES_URL}/latest/download`;
 
 // The constructs with per-construct separator and break settings.
 const CONSTRUCTS = [
@@ -149,7 +148,7 @@ async function resolveBinary(context: ExtensionContext): Promise<string | undefi
     return onPath;
   }
 
-  const target = releaseTarget();
+  const target = releaseTarget(context);
   if (!target) {
     window.showErrorMessage(
       `thrift-ls publishes no binary for ${process.platform}/${process.arch}. Install from source or set thrift-ls.path.`
@@ -189,7 +188,7 @@ async function reinstall(context: ExtensionContext): Promise<void> {
     return;
   }
 
-  const target = releaseTarget();
+  const target = releaseTarget(context);
   if (!target) {
     window.showErrorMessage(
       `thrift-ls publishes no binary for ${process.platform}/${process.arch}.`
@@ -197,16 +196,22 @@ async function reinstall(context: ExtensionContext): Promise<void> {
     return;
   }
 
+  // Windows cannot replace a running executable: the cached binary is the
+  // live server process, so stop it first to release the lock, then restart
+  // the client on the new file.
+  await client?.stop();
+
   const bin = await downloadBinary(context, target, true);
   if (!bin) {
     return;
   }
-  const choice = await window.showInformationMessage(
-    'thrift-ls downloaded. Reload the window to restart the server with it.',
-    'Reload Window'
-  );
-  if (choice === 'Reload Window') {
-    await commands.executeCommand('workbench.action.reloadWindow');
+
+  try {
+    await client?.start();
+  } catch (err) {
+    window.showErrorMessage(
+      `thrift-ls updated but could not restart the server: ${errMessage(err)}. Reload the window to pick up the new binary.`
+    );
   }
 }
 
@@ -311,15 +316,22 @@ function versionOf(bin: string): string | undefined {
   return text || undefined;
 }
 
-function releaseTarget(): ReleaseTarget | undefined {
+function releaseTarget(context: ExtensionContext): ReleaseTarget | undefined {
   const name = assetName(process.platform, process.arch);
   if (!name) {
     return undefined;
   }
+
+  // A dev vsix pins itself to its own commit's prerelease, so it pairs
+  // with the binaries built from the same code; stable builds use
+  // releases/latest (which never resolves to a prerelease).
+  const tag = releaseTag(context.extension.packageJSON.version);
+  const base = tag ? `${RELEASES_URL}/download/${tag}` : `${RELEASES_URL}/latest/download`;
+
   return {
     name,
-    url: `${DOWNLOAD_URL}/${name}`,
-    checksumUrl: `${DOWNLOAD_URL}/checksums.txt`,
+    url: `${base}/${name}`,
+    checksumUrl: `${base}/checksums.txt`,
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/vscode/src/platform.test.ts b/vscode/src/platform.test.ts
index c9b4568..2008341 100644
--- a/vscode/src/platform.test.ts
+++ b/vscode/src/platform.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import assert from 'node:assert';
 import { test } from 'node:test';
-import { assetName, findOnPath, parseChecksums, sha256Hex } from './platform';
+import { assetName, findOnPath, parseChecksums, releaseTag, sha256Hex } from './platform';
 
 test('assetName maps every released platform/arch', () => {
   assert.equal(assetName('linux', 'x64'), 'thrift-ls-linux-amd64');
@@ -77,3 +77,15 @@ test('sha256Hex matches known digests', () => {
     '4c43bf971bd110e5ff6122e6f10ab8730559f8459f7a13757df0960c0b9ccc56'
   );
 });
+
+test('releaseTag pins dev builds to their commit release', () => {
+  assert.equal(releaseTag('0.1.0-dev.110abea'), 'dev-110abea');
+  assert.equal(releaseTag('0.1.0-dev.9984fd1'), 'dev-9984fd1');
+});
+
+test('releaseTag is undefined for stable or unknown versions', () => {
+  assert.equal(releaseTag('0.1.0'), undefined);
+  assert.equal(releaseTag('0.2.0-beta.1'), undefined);
+  assert.equal(releaseTag(undefined), undefined);
+  assert.equal(releaseTag(''), undefined);
+});
diff --git a/vscode/src/platform.ts b/vscode/src/platform.ts
index 96ee12a..c5aff64 100644
--- a/vscode/src/platform.ts
+++ b/vscode/src/platform.ts
@@ -80,3 +80,22 @@ export function parseChecksums(text: string): ReadonlyMap<string, string> {
 export function sha256Hex(bytes: Buffer): string {
   return createHash('sha256').update(bytes).digest('hex');
 }
+
+// The vsix version of a per-commit dev build, set by the release workflow:
+// "0.1.0-dev.<shortsha>".
+const DEV_VERSION_RE = /^[\d.]+-dev\.([0-9a-f]{7})$/;
+
+/**
+ * releaseTag returns the release tag an extension version downloads from:
+ * "dev-<shortsha>" for dev builds (the matching per-commit prerelease), or
+ * undefined for stable builds, which use releases/latest. GitHub's latest
+ * never resolves to a prerelease, so without this a dev vsix would pair
+ * itself with the stable server binary.
+ */
+export function releaseTag(extensionVersion: string | undefined): string | undefined {
+  const m = DEV_VERSION_RE.exec(extensionVersion ?? '');
+  if (!m) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  return `dev-${m[1]}`;
+}