diff --git a/Modules/SettingsPanel/Tabs/AboutTab.qml b/Modules/SettingsPanel/Tabs/AboutTab.qml
index 68aa555..a4cb10e 100644
--- a/Modules/SettingsPanel/Tabs/AboutTab.qml
+++ b/Modules/SettingsPanel/Tabs/AboutTab.qml
@@ -12,31 +12,9 @@ ColumnLayout {
   id: root
 
   property string latestVersion: GitHubService.latestVersion
-  property string currentVersion: "Unknown" // Fallback version
+  property string currentVersion: UpdateService.currentVersion
   property var contributors: GitHubService.contributors
 
-  Process {
-    id: currentVersionProcess
-
-    command: ["sh", "-c", "cd " + Quickshell.shellDir + " && git describe --tags --abbrev=0 2>/dev/null || echo 'Unknown'"]
-    Component.onCompleted: {
-      running = true
-    }
-
-    stdout: StdioCollector {
-      onStreamFinished: {
-        const version = text.trim()
-        if (version && version !== "Unknown") {
-          root.currentVersion = version
-        } else {
-          currentVersionProcess.command = ["sh", "-c", "cd " + Quickshell.shellDir
-                                           + " && cat package.json 2>/dev/null | grep '\"version\"' | cut -d'\"' -f4 || echo 'Unknown'"]
-          currentVersionProcess.running = true
-        }
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
   NText {
     text: "Noctalia Shell"
     font.pointSize: Style.fontSizeXXXL * scaling
@@ -89,7 +67,7 @@ ColumnLayout {
     border.color: Color.mPrimary
     border.width: Math.max(1, Style.borderS * scaling)
     visible: {
-      if (root.currentVersion === "Unknown" || root.latestVersion === "Unknown")
+      if (root.latestVersion === "Unknown")
         return false
 
       const latest = root.latestVersion.replace("v", "").split(".")
diff --git a/Modules/SettingsPanel/Tabs/TimeWeatherTab.qml b/Modules/SettingsPanel/Tabs/TimeWeatherTab.qml
index 4bf1b2c..bcf577c 100644
--- a/Modules/SettingsPanel/Tabs/TimeWeatherTab.qml
+++ b/Modules/SettingsPanel/Tabs/TimeWeatherTab.qml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ ColumnLayout {
     NTextInput {
       label: "Location name"
       description: "Choose a known location near you."
-      text: Settings.data.location.name
+      text: Settings.data.location.name || "Tokyo"
       placeholderText: "Enter the location name"
       onEditingFinished: {
         // Verify the location has really changed to avoid extra resets
diff --git a/Modules/SidePanel/Cards/WeatherCard.qml b/Modules/SidePanel/Cards/WeatherCard.qml
index 3751478..03df3b3 100644
--- a/Modules/SidePanel/Cards/WeatherCard.qml
+++ b/Modules/SidePanel/Cards/WeatherCard.qml
@@ -37,8 +37,10 @@ NBox {
         spacing: Style.marginXXS * scaling
         NText {
           text: {
+            // Use the location name or fallback to default if empty
+            const locationName = Settings.data.location.name || "Tokyo"
             // Ensure the name is not too long if one had to specify the country
-            const chunks = Settings.data.location.name.split(",")
+            const chunks = locationName.split(",")
             return chunks[0]
           }
           font.pointSize: Style.fontSizeL * scaling
diff --git a/Services/LocationService.qml b/Services/LocationService.qml
index cfea5d7..e5858fa 100644
--- a/Services/LocationService.qml
+++ b/Services/LocationService.qml
@@ -136,13 +136,17 @@ Singleton {
       Logger.log("Location", "Location changed from", adapter.name, "to", Settings.data.location.name)
     }
 
+    // Ensure we always have a location name, fallback to default if empty
+    const locationName = Settings.data.location.name && Settings.data.location.name.trim(
+                         ) !== "" ? Settings.data.location.name : "Tokyo"
+
     if ((adapter.latitude === "") || (adapter.longitude === "") || locationChanged) {
 
-      _geocodeLocation(Settings.data.location.name, function (latitude, longitude, name, country) {
-        Logger.log("Location", "Geocoded", Settings.data.location.name, "to:", latitude, "/", longitude)
+      _geocodeLocation(locationName, function (latitude, longitude, name, country) {
+        Logger.log("Location", "Geocoded", locationName, "to:", latitude, "/", longitude)
 
         // Save location name
-        adapter.name = Settings.data.location.name
+        adapter.name = locationName
 
         // Save GPS coordinates
         adapter.latitude = latitude.toString()
diff --git a/Services/UpdateService.qml b/Services/UpdateService.qml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..685bfae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Services/UpdateService.qml
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+pragma Singleton
+
+import QtQuick
+import Quickshell
+import qs.Commons
+
+Singleton {
+  id: root
+
+  // Public properties
+  property string baseVersion: "v2.4.1"
+  property bool isRelease: false
+
+  property string currentVersion: isRelease ? baseVersion : baseVersion + "-dev"
+
+  // Internal helpers
+  function getVersion() {
+    return root.currentVersion
+  }
+
+  function checkForUpdates() {
+    // TODO: Implement update checking logic
+    Logger.log("UpdateService", "Checking for updates...")
+  }
+
+  function init() {
+    // Ensure the singleton is created
+    Logger.log("UpdateService", "Version:", root.currentVersion)
+  }
+}
diff --git a/shell.qml b/shell.qml
index 1e0f9ba..17050ee 100644
--- a/shell.qml
+++ b/shell.qml
@@ -107,6 +107,9 @@ ShellRoot {
     // Ensure our location singleton is created as soon as possible so we start fetching weather asap
     LocationService.init()
 
+    // Initialize UpdateService
+    UpdateService.init()
+
     // Kickoff NightLight service
     NightLightService.apply()
   }