diff --git a/internal/home/home.go b/internal/home/home.go
index f457c269..320fb9e1 100644
--- a/internal/home/home.go
+++ b/internal/home/home.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
-	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
 	"slices"
@@ -495,11 +494,40 @@ func checkPorts() (err error) {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// isUpdateEnabled returns true if the update is enabled for current
+// configuration.  It also logs the decision.  customURL should be true if the
+// updater is using a custom URL.
+func isUpdateEnabled(ctx context.Context, l *slog.Logger, opts *options, customURL bool) (ok bool) {
+	switch ch := version.Channel(); {
+	case opts.disableUpdate:
+		l.DebugContext(ctx, "updates are disabled by command-line option")
+
+		return false
+	case
+		ch == version.ChannelDevelopment,
+		ch == version.ChannelCandidate:
+		if customURL {
+			l.DebugContext(ctx, "updates are enabled due to custom URL is used")
+		} else {
+			l.DebugContext(ctx, "updates are disabled for development and candidate builds")
+		}
+
+		return customURL
+	default:
+		l.DebugContext(ctx, "updates are enabled")
+
+		return true
+	}
+}
+
+// initWeb initializes the web module.
 func initWeb(
+	ctx context.Context,
 	opts options,
 	clientBuildFS fs.FS,
 	upd *updater.Updater,
 	l *slog.Logger,
+	customURL bool,
 ) (web *webAPI, err error) {
 	var clientFS fs.FS
 	if opts.localFrontend {
@@ -513,17 +541,7 @@ func initWeb(
 		}
 	}
 
-	disableUpdate := opts.disableUpdate
-	switch version.Channel() {
-	case
-		version.ChannelDevelopment,
-		version.ChannelCandidate:
-		disableUpdate = true
-	}
-
-	if disableUpdate {
-		log.Info("AdGuard Home updates are disabled")
-	}
+	disableUpdate := !isUpdateEnabled(ctx, l, &opts, customURL)
 
 	webConf := &webConfig{
 		updater: upd,
@@ -544,7 +562,7 @@ func initWeb(
 
 	web = newWebAPI(webConf, l)
 	if web == nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("initializing web: %w", err)
+		return nil, errors.Error("can not initialize web")
 	}
 
 	return web, nil
@@ -557,6 +575,8 @@ func fatalOnError(err error) {
 }
 
 // run configures and starts AdGuard Home.
+//
+// TODO(e.burkov):  Make opts a pointer.
 func run(opts options, clientBuildFS fs.FS, done chan struct{}) {
 	// Configure working dir.
 	err := initWorkingDir(opts)
@@ -606,7 +626,7 @@ func run(opts options, clientBuildFS fs.FS, done chan struct{}) {
 
 	confPath := configFilePath()
 
-	upd := newUpdater(ctx, slogLogger, Context.workDir, confPath, execPath, config)
+	upd, customURL := newUpdater(ctx, slogLogger, Context.workDir, confPath, execPath, config)
 
 	// TODO(e.burkov): This could be made earlier, probably as the option's
 	// effect.
@@ -638,7 +658,7 @@ func run(opts options, clientBuildFS fs.FS, done chan struct{}) {
 		onConfigModified()
 	}
 
-	Context.web, err = initWeb(opts, clientBuildFS, upd, slogLogger)
+	Context.web, err = initWeb(ctx, opts, clientBuildFS, upd, slogLogger, customURL)
 	fatalOnError(err)
 
 	statsDir, querylogDir, err := checkStatsAndQuerylogDirs(&Context, config)
@@ -676,7 +696,8 @@ func run(opts options, clientBuildFS fs.FS, done chan struct{}) {
 	<-done
 }
 
-// newUpdater creates a new AdGuard Home updater.
+// newUpdater creates a new AdGuard Home updater.  customURL is true if the user
+// has specified a custom version announcement URL.
 func newUpdater(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	l *slog.Logger,
@@ -684,7 +705,7 @@ func newUpdater(
 	confPath string,
 	execPath string,
 	config *configuration,
-) (upd *updater.Updater) {
+) (upd *updater.Updater, customURL bool) {
 	// envName is the name of the environment variable that can be used to
 	// override the default version check URL.
 	const envName = "ADGUARD_HOME_TEST_UPDATE_VERSION_URL"
@@ -693,15 +714,16 @@ func newUpdater(
 
 	var versionURL *url.URL
 	switch {
-	case
+	case version.Channel() == version.ChannelRelease:
 		// Only enable custom update URL for development builds.
-		version.Channel() == version.ChannelRelease,
-		!config.UnsafeCustomUpdateIndexURL:
+		l.DebugContext(ctx, "custom update URL is disabled for release builds")
+	case !config.UnsafeCustomUpdateIndexURL:
 		// Go on and use the default URL.
+		l.DebugContext(ctx, "custom update URL is disabled", "env", customURLStr)
 	case customURLStr != "":
 		var err error
 		versionURL, err = url.Parse(customURLStr)
-		if err != nil {
+		if customURL = err == nil; !customURL {
 			l.ErrorContext(
 				ctx,
 				"invalid environment variable value",
@@ -714,11 +736,7 @@ func newUpdater(
 	}
 
 	if versionURL == nil {
-		versionURL = &url.URL{
-			Scheme: urlutil.SchemeHTTPS,
-			Host:   "static.adtidy.org",
-			Path:   path.Join("adguardhome", version.Channel(), "version.json"),
-		}
+		versionURL = updater.DefaultVersionURL()
 	}
 
 	l.DebugContext(ctx, "creating updater", "config_path", confPath)
@@ -735,7 +753,7 @@ func newUpdater(
 		ConfName:        confPath,
 		ExecPath:        execPath,
 		VersionCheckURL: versionURL,
-	})
+	}), customURL
 }
 
 // checkPermissions checks and migrates permissions of the files and directories
diff --git a/internal/home/web.go b/internal/home/web.go
index 099f9aeb..1909720b 100644
--- a/internal/home/web.go
+++ b/internal/home/web.go
@@ -101,6 +101,8 @@ type webAPI struct {
 
 // newWebAPI creates a new instance of the web UI and API server.  l must not be
 // nil.
+//
+// TODO(a.garipov):  Return a proper error.
 func newWebAPI(conf *webConfig, l *slog.Logger) (w *webAPI) {
 	log.Info("web: initializing")
 
diff --git a/internal/updater/updater.go b/internal/updater/updater.go
index 704ba990..fe1e7727 100644
--- a/internal/updater/updater.go
+++ b/internal/updater/updater.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
+	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/AdguardTeam/golibs/errors"
 	"github.com/AdguardTeam/golibs/ioutil"
 	"github.com/AdguardTeam/golibs/log"
+	"github.com/AdguardTeam/golibs/netutil/urlutil"
 )
 
 // Updater is the AdGuard Home updater.
@@ -62,11 +64,21 @@ type Updater struct {
 	prevCheckResult VersionInfo
 }
 
+// DefaultVersionURL returns the default URL for the version announcement.
+func DefaultVersionURL() *url.URL {
+	return &url.URL{
+		Scheme: urlutil.SchemeHTTPS,
+		Host:   "static.adtidy.org",
+		Path:   path.Join("adguardhome", version.Channel(), "version.json"),
+	}
+}
+
 // Config is the AdGuard Home updater configuration.
 type Config struct {
 	Client *http.Client
 
-	// VersionCheckURL is url to the latest version announcement.
+	// VersionCheckURL is URL to the latest version announcement.  It must not
+	// be nil, see [DefaultVersionURL].
 	VersionCheckURL *url.URL
 
 	Version string
@@ -87,7 +99,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	ExecPath string
 }
 
-// NewUpdater creates a new Updater.
+// NewUpdater creates a new Updater.  conf must not be nil.
 func NewUpdater(conf *Config) *Updater {
 	return &Updater{
 		client: conf.Client,