diff --git a/build/rofl/manifest.go b/build/rofl/manifest.go
index 761a1b96..8489a184 100644
--- a/build/rofl/manifest.go
+++ b/build/rofl/manifest.go
@@ -537,6 +537,50 @@ func upgradeArtifacts(upgrade []artifactUpgrade) bool {
 	return changed
 }
 
+// upgradePossible checks if any explicitly configured artifact differs from the latest.
+//
+// This has intentionally different semantics than upgradeArtifacts:
+//   - upgradeArtifacts: empty existing + non-empty new -> WRITES the new value
+//   - upgradePossible:  empty existing + non-empty new -> returns FALSE
+//
+// Rationale: When a manifest field is empty, the build uses the latest defaults
+// from code (LatestBasicArtifacts/LatestContainerArtifacts). So an empty field
+// means the user is already getting the latest, no notification needed. We only
+// notify when explicit overrides exist and are outdated.
+func upgradePossible(check []artifactUpgrade) bool {
+	for _, artifact := range check {
+		if artifact.new == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		if *artifact.existing != "" && *artifact.existing != artifact.new {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// UpgradePossible returns true iff any explicitly set artifacts differ from latest.
+// Empty fields are ignored (they use defaults from code, so already latest).
+func (ac *ArtifactsConfig) UpgradePossible(latest *ArtifactsConfig) bool {
+	if upgradePossible([]artifactUpgrade{
+		{&ac.Builder, latest.Builder},
+		{&ac.Firmware, latest.Firmware},
+		{&ac.Kernel, latest.Kernel},
+		{&ac.Stage2, latest.Stage2},
+	}) {
+		return true
+	}
+	return ac.Container.UpgradePossible(&latest.Container)
+}
+
+// UpgradePossible returns true iff any explicitly set container artifacts differ from latest.
+func (cc *ContainerArtifactsConfig) UpgradePossible(latest *ContainerArtifactsConfig) bool {
+	return upgradePossible([]artifactUpgrade{
+		{&cc.Compose, latest.Compose},
+		{&cc.Runtime, latest.Runtime},
+	})
+}
+
 // UpgradeTo upgrades the artifacts to the latest version by updating any relevant fields.
 //
 // Returns true iff any artifacts have been updated.
diff --git a/build/rofl/manifest_test.go b/build/rofl/manifest_test.go
index 2c462785..488f912d 100644
--- a/build/rofl/manifest_test.go
+++ b/build/rofl/manifest_test.go
@@ -245,3 +245,55 @@ func TestUpgradeArtifacts(t *testing.T) {
 	changed = existing.UpgradeTo(&latest)
 	require.False(changed)
 }
+
+func TestUpgradePossible(t *testing.T) {
+	require := require.New(t)
+
+	existing := ArtifactsConfig{
+		Builder:  "a",
+		Firmware: "b",
+		Kernel:   "c",
+		Stage2:   "d",
+		Container: ContainerArtifactsConfig{
+			Runtime: "e",
+			Compose: "f",
+		},
+	}
+	latest := ArtifactsConfig{
+		Firmware: "b2",
+		Kernel:   "c2",
+		Stage2:   "d2",
+		Container: ContainerArtifactsConfig{
+			Runtime: "e2",
+		},
+	}
+
+	// Explicit overrides differing from latest -> upgradeable.
+	require.True(existing.UpgradePossible(&latest))
+
+	// After upgrading -> not upgradeable.
+	existing.UpgradeTo(&latest)
+	require.False(existing.UpgradePossible(&latest))
+
+	// Empty config (uses defaults from code) -> not upgradeable.
+	require.False((&ArtifactsConfig{}).UpgradePossible(&latest))
+
+	// Partial: explicit override differs -> upgradeable.
+	require.True((&ArtifactsConfig{Firmware: "old"}).UpgradePossible(&latest))
+
+	// Partial: explicit override matches latest -> not upgradeable.
+	require.False((&ArtifactsConfig{Firmware: "b2"}).UpgradePossible(&latest))
+
+	// Container field differs -> upgradeable.
+	require.True((&ArtifactsConfig{
+		Container: ContainerArtifactsConfig{Runtime: "old"},
+	}).UpgradePossible(&ArtifactsConfig{
+		Container: ContainerArtifactsConfig{Runtime: "new"},
+	}))
+
+	// ContainerArtifactsConfig directly.
+	containerLatest := ContainerArtifactsConfig{Runtime: "new"}
+	require.True((&ContainerArtifactsConfig{Runtime: "old"}).UpgradePossible(&containerLatest))
+	require.False((&ContainerArtifactsConfig{Runtime: "new"}).UpgradePossible(&containerLatest))
+	require.False((&ContainerArtifactsConfig{}).UpgradePossible(&containerLatest))
+}
diff --git a/cmd/rofl/build/build.go b/cmd/rofl/build/build.go
index cb6ed898..3f2cb7ee 100644
--- a/cmd/rofl/build/build.go
+++ b/cmd/rofl/build/build.go
@@ -289,6 +289,10 @@ var (
 
 					fmt.Println("Manifest enclave identities MATCH on-chain enclave identities.")
 				}
+
+				// Check if artifact upgrades are available and notify the user.
+				notifyUpgradeAvailable(manifest)
+
 				return nil
 			}
 
@@ -332,11 +336,45 @@ var (
 
 				fmt.Printf("Run `oasis rofl update` to update your ROFL app's on-chain configuration.\n")
 			}
+
+			// Check if artifact upgrades are available and notify the user.
+			notifyUpgradeAvailable(manifest)
+
 			return nil
 		},
 	}
 )
 
+// notifyUpgradeAvailable checks if artifact upgrades are available and prints a notification.
+func notifyUpgradeAvailable(manifest *buildRofl.Manifest) {
+	var latestArtifacts buildRofl.ArtifactsConfig
+	switch manifest.TEE {
+	case buildRofl.TEETypeTDX:
+		switch manifest.Kind {
+		case buildRofl.AppKindRaw:
+			latestArtifacts = buildRofl.LatestBasicArtifacts
+			latestArtifacts.Builder = buildRofl.LatestBuilderImage
+		case buildRofl.AppKindContainer:
+			latestArtifacts = buildRofl.LatestContainerArtifacts
+			latestArtifacts.Builder = buildRofl.LatestContainerBuilderImage
+		default:
+			return
+		}
+	default:
+		return
+	}
+
+	current := manifest.Artifacts
+	if current == nil {
+		current = &buildRofl.ArtifactsConfig{}
+	}
+
+	if current.UpgradePossible(&latestArtifacts) {
+		fmt.Println()
+		fmt.Println("NOTE: A new version of artifacts is available. Run `oasis rofl upgrade` to upgrade.")
+	}
+}
+
 // setupContainerEnv creates and initializes a container build environment.
 func setupContainerEnv(builderImage string) (env.ExecEnv, error) {
 	baseDir, err := env.GetBasedir()
diff --git a/cmd/rofl/mgmt.go b/cmd/rofl/mgmt.go
index 3e0898f7..2b825f79 100644
--- a/cmd/rofl/mgmt.go
+++ b/cmd/rofl/mgmt.go
@@ -595,7 +595,8 @@ var (
 			}
 
 			if artifactsUpdated {
-				fmt.Printf("Run `oasis rofl build` to build your ROFL app.\n")
+				fmt.Printf("Artifacts have been updated to the latest versions.\n")
+				fmt.Printf("Run `oasis rofl build` to build with the new artifacts.\n")
 			} else {
 				fmt.Printf("Artifacts already up-to-date.\n")
 			}
diff --git a/examples/rofl/upgrade.in.static b/examples/rofl/upgrade.in.static
index 3f2f38fb..e850cf8f 100644
--- a/examples/rofl/upgrade.in.static
+++ b/examples/rofl/upgrade.in.static
@@ -1 +1 @@
-oasis rofl upgrade
\ No newline at end of file
+oasis rofl upgrade
diff --git a/examples/rofl/upgrade.out.static b/examples/rofl/upgrade.out.static
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2f739e76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/rofl/upgrade.out.static
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Artifacts have been updated to the latest versions.
+Run `oasis rofl build` to build with the new artifacts.