diff --git a/meshchatx/__init__.py b/meshchatx/__init__.py
index c35d74d..83bcf82 100644
--- a/meshchatx/__init__.py
+++ b/meshchatx/__init__.py
@@ -2,15 +2,5 @@
 
 """Reticulum MeshChatX - A mesh network communications app."""
 
-import re
-from pathlib import Path
-
-_vpath = Path(__file__).resolve().parent / "src" / "version.py"
-_m = re.search(
-    r'^__version__\s*=\s*["\']([^"\']+)["\']',
-    _vpath.read_text(encoding="utf-8"),
-    re.MULTILINE,
-)
-if not _m:
-    raise RuntimeError("meshchatx/src/version.py: missing __version__ line")
-__version__ = _m.group(1)
+# Synced from package.json via scripts/sync_version.js (also writes meshchatx/src/version.py).
+__version__ = "4.6.0"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/meshchatx/src/version.py b/meshchatx/src/version.py
index 0dc78c5..cadbe5f 100644
--- a/meshchatx/src/version.py
+++ b/meshchatx/src/version.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
-"""Version string synced from package.json. Do not edit by hand; run pnpm run version:sync."""
+"""Version string synced from package.json. Do not edit by hand.
+Run: pnpm run version:sync
+"""
 
 __version__ = "4.6.0"
diff --git a/scripts/sync_version.js b/scripts/sync_version.js
index 5145d4f..02130a7 100644
--- a/scripts/sync_version.js
+++ b/scripts/sync_version.js
@@ -2,12 +2,13 @@
  * Single source of truth: set "version" in package.json, then run:
  *   pnpm run version:sync
  *
- * Writes: meshchatx/src/version.py, pyproject.toml [project].version,
+ * Writes: meshchatx/__init__.py (__version__), meshchatx/src/version.py, pyproject.toml [project].version,
  * meshchatx/src/backend/data/THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.txt (reticulum-meshchatx line only),
  * README + lang README "current version" lines, docs/meshchatx_on_raspberry_pi.md
  * pipx example, packaging/arch/PKGBUILD pkgver / printf fallback.
  *
- * meshchatx/__init__.py reads __version__ from src/version.py without importing meshchatx.src.
+ * __version__ lives in meshchatx/__init__.py so Chaquopy/Android (which may not ship loose .py
+ * data files next to bytecode) always has a resolvable version. src/version.py stays for packaging and tools.
  * The build script runs version:sync automatically.
  */
 
@@ -39,6 +40,8 @@ __version__ = "${version}"
 `;
 writeIfChanged(path.join(root, "meshchatx", "src", "version.py"), versionPy);
 
+patchFile("meshchatx/__init__.py", (c) => c.replace(/^__version__\s*=\s*"[^"]*"\s*$/m, `__version__ = "${version}"`));
+
 const pyprojectPath = path.join(root, "pyproject.toml");
 let pyproject = fs.readFileSync(pyprojectPath, "utf8");
 const pyprojectNext = pyproject.replace(/^version = "[^"]+"/m, `version = "${version}"`);