diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 5dce0c3..bf0c979 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@
     "build:cloudflare": "cross-env VITE_DEPLOY_TARGET=cloudflare vite build",
     "deploy": "npm run build:cloudflare && wrangler pages deploy --branch main",
     "postinstall": "bun scripts/patch-electrobun-src.mjs && bun scripts/build-macos-effects.mjs",
+    "generate-app-icons": "bun scripts/generate-app-icons.mjs",
     "build:macos-effects": "bun scripts/build-macos-effects.mjs",
     "clean": "bun scripts/clean-build.mjs"
   },
diff --git a/scripts/build-windows-msi.ps1 b/scripts/build-windows-msi.ps1
index 34d69cc..b8051d2 100644
--- a/scripts/build-windows-msi.ps1
+++ b/scripts/build-windows-msi.ps1
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ if ($outputDir -and -not (Test-Path $outputDir)) {
 
 $installerIconPath = Join-Path $rootDir "assets\installer.ico"
 if (-not (Test-Path $installerIconPath)) {
-  throw "Installer icon not found at $installerIconPath. Run scripts/prepare-installer-icons.mjs first."
+  throw "Installer icon not found at $installerIconPath. Run 'bun run generate-app-icons' first."
 }
 
 $installerIconWorkPath = Join-Path $workDir "installer.ico"
diff --git a/scripts/finalize-desktop-artifacts.mjs b/scripts/finalize-desktop-artifacts.mjs
index 205b26e..077fa46 100644
--- a/scripts/finalize-desktop-artifacts.mjs
+++ b/scripts/finalize-desktop-artifacts.mjs
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ function findCommand(command) {
 function buildInstallerIcns(destinationPath) {
   if (!existsSync(MAC_INSTALLER_ICONSET_PATH)) {
     throw new Error(
-      `Installer iconset not found at ${MAC_INSTALLER_ICONSET_PATH}. Run scripts/prepare-installer-icons.mjs first.`
+      `Installer iconset not found at ${MAC_INSTALLER_ICONSET_PATH}. Run \`bun run generate-app-icons\` first.`
     )
   }
 
diff --git a/scripts/generate-app-icons.mjs b/scripts/generate-app-icons.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8c77107
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/generate-app-icons.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import path from 'node:path'
+import { spawnSync } from 'node:child_process'
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
+
+const rootDir = path.resolve(path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), '..')
+
+const steps = [
+  [
+    path.join(rootDir, 'scripts/prepare-app-icons.mjs'),
+    'assets/logos/farmcontrolicon.png'
+  ],
+  [path.join(rootDir, 'scripts/prepare-installer-icons.mjs')]
+]
+
+for (const args of steps) {
+  const result = spawnSync('bun', args, {
+    cwd: rootDir,
+    stdio: 'inherit',
+    env: process.env
+  })
+
+  if (result.status !== 0) {
+    process.exit(result.status ?? 1)
+  }
+}
+
+console.log('generate-app-icons: done')
diff --git a/scripts/pre-build.mjs b/scripts/pre-build.mjs
index 2dea5a7..0ed4382 100644
--- a/scripts/pre-build.mjs
+++ b/scripts/pre-build.mjs
@@ -61,33 +61,31 @@ if (process.platform === "darwin") {
   }
 }
 
-const prepareIcons = spawnSync(
-  "bun",
-  [
-    path.join(rootDir, "scripts/prepare-app-icons.mjs"),
-    "assets/logos/farmcontrolicon.png",
-  ],
-  { cwd: rootDir, stdio: "inherit", env: process.env },
-);
+const requiredIconPaths = [
+  path.join(rootDir, "assets/icon.ico"),
+  path.join(rootDir, "assets/icon.png"),
+  path.join(rootDir, "assets/icon.iconset/icon_256x256.png"),
+  path.join(rootDir, "assets/installer.ico"),
+];
 
-if (prepareIcons.status !== 0) {
-  process.exit(prepareIcons.status ?? 1);
+if (buildEnv === "stable") {
+  const prepareIcons = spawnSync(
+    "bun",
+    [path.join(rootDir, "scripts/generate-app-icons.mjs")],
+    { cwd: rootDir, stdio: "inherit", env: process.env },
+  );
+
+  if (prepareIcons.status !== 0) {
+    process.exit(prepareIcons.status ?? 1);
+  }
 }
 
-const prepareInstallerIcons = spawnSync(
-  "bun",
-  [path.join(rootDir, "scripts/prepare-installer-icons.mjs")],
-  { cwd: rootDir, stdio: "inherit", env: process.env },
-);
-
-if (prepareInstallerIcons.status !== 0) {
-  process.exit(prepareInstallerIcons.status ?? 1);
-}
-
-const windowsIconPath = path.join(rootDir, "assets/icon.ico");
-if (!existsSync(windowsIconPath)) {
+const missingIcons = requiredIconPaths.filter((filePath) => !existsSync(filePath));
+if (missingIcons.length > 0) {
   console.error(
-    "pre-build: assets/icon.ico not found after prepare-app-icons (required for build.win.icon)",
+    `pre-build: missing generated icons:\n${missingIcons
+      .map((filePath) => `  - ${path.relative(rootDir, filePath)}`)
+      .join("\n")}\nRun \`bun run generate-app-icons\` to create them.`,
   );
   process.exit(1);
 }