diff --git a/configs/arch_config.fish b/configs/arch_config.fish
index 71a3a35..a0a0df0 100755
--- a/configs/arch_config.fish
+++ b/configs/arch_config.fish
@@ -230,47 +230,71 @@ function updateall
     if test -n "$aur_helper"
         set -l aur_qu ($aur_helper -Qua 2>&1)
         set -l aur_qu_code $status
-        if test $aur_qu_code -ne 0; or test -z "$aur_qu"
-            if string match -q "*there is nothing to do*" "$aur_qu"; or string match -q "*No AUR*" "$aur_qu"; or test -z "$aur_qu"
-                echo "AUR: up to date"
-                set aur_status "up to date"
-                set aur_color green
-            else
-                # Fallback: assume updates, but still enforce review
-                echo "Failed to check for AUR updates:"
-                echo ""
-                set_color yellow
-                echo "==> AUR PKGBUILD review is MANDATORY - diff cannot be skipped."
-                echo "    Note: PKGBUILDs must NEVER contain 'sudo'. Please verify diffs contain no 'sudo'."
-                set_color normal
-                set answer ""
-                read -P "Update now? [y/N]: " answer
-                if test "$answer" = "y" -o "$answer" = "Y"
-                    if test "$aur_helper" = "paru"
-                        paru -Sua --sudoloop --review
-                    else
-                        yay -Sua --sudoloop --diffmenu --answerdiff All --answerclean All
-                    end
-                    set -l _aur_code $status
-                    if test $_aur_code -eq 0
-                        set aur_status "updated"
-                        set aur_color green
-                    else
-                        set aur_status "failed ($_aur_code)"
-                        set aur_color red
-                    end
-                end
+
+        # Robust state detection: use (count) not quoted -z, and explicit patterns.
+        # aur_qu is a list (one element per line) -> count is reliable.
+        set -l aur_is_up_to_date 0
+        set -l aur_has_check_error 0
+
+        if test $aur_qu_code -eq 0
+            if test (count $aur_qu) -eq 0
+                set aur_is_up_to_date 1
+            else if string match -qr -- "there is nothing to do|No AUR|No packages to upgrade" $aur_qu
+                set aur_is_up_to_date 1
             end
         else
-            echo "Pending AUR updates:"
-            printf "%s\n" $aur_qu
+            # Non-zero: only treat as up-to-date if helper explicitly says so
+            if string match -qr -- "there is nothing to do|No AUR" $aur_qu
+                set aur_is_up_to_date 1
+            else
+                set aur_has_check_error 1
+            end
+        end
+
+        if test $aur_is_up_to_date -eq 1
+            echo "AUR: up to date"
+            set aur_status "up to date"
+            set aur_color green
+        else if test $aur_has_check_error -eq 1
+            # Real check failure: do NOT silently report up-to-date
+            echo "Failed to check for AUR updates (code $aur_qu_code):"
+            if test (count $aur_qu) -gt 0
+                printf "%s\n" $aur_qu
+            else
+                echo "(no output)"
+            end
+            echo ""
             set_color yellow
             echo "==> AUR PKGBUILD review is MANDATORY - diff cannot be skipped."
             echo "    Note: PKGBUILDs must NEVER contain 'sudo'. Please verify diffs contain no 'sudo'."
             set_color normal
-            set answer ""
-            read -P "Update now? [y/N]: " answer
-            if test "$answer" = "y" -o "$answer" = "Y"
+            set -l answer ""
+            read -l -P "Update now? [y/N]: " answer
+            if string match -qr -- "^[Yy]\$" "$answer"
+                if test "$aur_helper" = "paru"
+                    paru -Sua --sudoloop --review
+                else
+                    yay -Sua --sudoloop --diffmenu --answerdiff All --answerclean All
+                end
+                set -l _aur_code $status
+                if test $_aur_code -eq 0
+                    set aur_status "updated"
+                    set aur_color green
+                else
+                    set aur_status "failed ($_aur_code)"
+                    set aur_color red
+                end
+            end
+        else
+            echo "Pending AUR updates:"
+            printf "%s\n" $aur_qu
+            set_color yellow
+            echo "==> AUR PKGBUILD review is MANDATORY - diff cannot be skipped."
+            echo "    Note: PKGBUILDs must NEVER contain 'sudo'. Please verify diffs contain no 'sudo'."
+            set_color normal
+            set -l answer ""
+            read -l -P "Update now? [y/N]: " answer
+            if string match -qr -- "^[Yy]\$" "$answer"
                 if test "$aur_helper" = "paru"
                     paru -Sua --sudoloop --review
                 else
@@ -285,7 +309,6 @@ function updateall
                     set aur_color red
                 end
             end
-            
         end
     else
         echo "No AUR helper (paru/yay) found, skipping"