diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5c3ae63..7f48ed9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 Generate and edit images from your terminal, over local files, with one API key.
 
 ```bash
-npm install -g dreamlayer@0.4.0-beta.3
+npm install -g dreamlayer@0.4.0-beta.4
 export DREAMLAYER_API_KEY="dlr_live_your_key"
 
 dreamlayer generate "A glass greenhouse at dusk" --out greenhouse.png
diff --git a/RELEASE.md b/RELEASE.md
index 90216fc..e3d7f74 100644
--- a/RELEASE.md
+++ b/RELEASE.md
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 # Agent readiness release
 
-Prepared version: `0.4.0-beta.3`. Keep `latest` on `0.3.0` until a stable release is deliberately selected.
+Prepared version: `0.4.0-beta.4`. Keep `latest` on `0.3.0` until a stable release is deliberately selected.
+
+beta.4 adds `--background keep`: sprite frames that keep their generated background, priced at the flat
+`sprite_pricing.plain_frame_cents` with no tier (5 credits for twelve frames instead of 9.9). It refuses the flag
+against a server whose capabilities do not advertise that rate, and normalises a spelled-out `--background remove`
+off the wire so it stays the same job as an omitted one.
 
 1. Pass CI, review and merge the change.
 2. With npm publisher authentication, run `pnpm test` and `npm publish --tag beta`.
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 153f157..7a1fcd4 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "dreamlayer",
-  "version": "0.4.0-beta.3",
+  "version": "0.4.0-beta.4",
   "description": "Generate and edit images from your terminal, over local files, with one API key.",
   "license": "MIT",
   "type": "module",
diff --git a/test/packaged-install.test.mjs b/test/packaged-install.test.mjs
index 6432814..69dc7f7 100644
--- a/test/packaged-install.test.mjs
+++ b/test/packaged-install.test.mjs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ test("the packed CLI installs offline and its shipped binary starts", { timeout:
   assert.equal(packed.status, 0, packed.stderr);
   const metadata = JSON.parse(packed.stdout)[0];
   assert.equal(metadata.name, "dreamlayer");
-  assert.equal(metadata.version, "0.4.0-beta.3");
+  assert.equal(metadata.version, "0.4.0-beta.4");
   assert.ok(metadata.integrity.startsWith("sha512-"));
   assert.deepEqual(
     metadata.files.map(({ path: file }) => file).sort(),
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ test("the packed CLI installs offline and its shipped binary starts", { timeout:
     await readFile(path.join(installRoot, "node_modules", "dreamlayer", "package.json"), "utf8"),
   );
   assert.equal(packageJson.publishConfig.tag, "beta");
-  assert.equal(packageJson.version, "0.4.0-beta.3");
+  assert.equal(packageJson.version, "0.4.0-beta.4");
   assert.equal(packageJson.bin.dreamlayer, "./dist/cli.js");
 
   const env = { ...process.env, DREAMLAYER_API_KEY: "" };