diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5b369a47fe..518bf26480 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -43,3 +43,5 @@ test.js
 /.cache/
 .clangd
 internal_docs/
+# Sparkle auto-update test artifacts
+/.sparkle-test/
diff --git a/deps/Sparkle/Sparkle.cmake b/deps/Sparkle/Sparkle.cmake
index cc3b055a48..7a48cdc233 100644
--- a/deps/Sparkle/Sparkle.cmake
+++ b/deps/Sparkle/Sparkle.cmake
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ if(APPLE)
         CONFIGURE_COMMAND ""
         BUILD_COMMAND ""
         INSTALL_COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E make_directory ${DESTDIR}/Frameworks
-        COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy_directory
-            <SOURCE_DIR>/Sparkle.framework ${DESTDIR}/Frameworks/Sparkle.framework
+        # Use ditto to preserve symlinks in framework bundle (cmake -E copy_directory breaks symlinks)
+        COMMAND ditto <SOURCE_DIR>/Sparkle.framework ${DESTDIR}/Frameworks/Sparkle.framework
         # Also install the Sparkle CLI tools (sign_update, generate_appcast) for CI/CD signing
         COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E make_directory ${DESTDIR}/bin
         COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy <SOURCE_DIR>/bin/sign_update ${DESTDIR}/bin/sign_update
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index a8a61cd54c..1eed269efe 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -269,7 +269,8 @@ else ()
             endif()
             add_custom_command(TARGET OrcaSlicer POST_BUILD
                 COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E make_directory "${BUNDLE_FRAMEWORKS_DIR}"
-                COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy_directory "${SPARKLE_FRAMEWORK}" "${BUNDLE_FRAMEWORKS_DIR}/Sparkle.framework"
+                # Use ditto to preserve symlinks in framework bundle (cmake -E copy_directory breaks symlinks)
+                COMMAND ditto "${SPARKLE_FRAMEWORK}" "${BUNDLE_FRAMEWORKS_DIR}/Sparkle.framework"
                 COMMENT "Embedding Sparkle.framework into app bundle"
                 VERBATIM)
             message(STATUS "Sparkle framework will be embedded: ${SPARKLE_FRAMEWORK}")