diff --git a/files/ansible-playbooks/sot-updater.yml b/files/ansible-playbooks/sot-updater.yml
index 9235a40..fb133ed 100644
--- a/files/ansible-playbooks/sot-updater.yml
+++ b/files/ansible-playbooks/sot-updater.yml
@@ -218,7 +218,18 @@
       debug:
         msg: "Dev1 fw_version  {{ dev1_fw_clean | default('N/A') }}"
 
+    # ---- NEW: read NetBox current custom field for Dev1 and conditionally publish ----
+    - name: NetBox | Current custom fw_version
+      set_fact:
+        nb_fw_version: "{{ (hostvars[inventory_hostname].custom_fields.fw_version | default('')) }}"
+
+    - name: Dev1 | Version matches NetBox → skip update
+      when: (dev1_fw_clean | default('')) == (nb_fw_version | default(''))
+      debug:
+        msg: "version matches, we'll skip Netbox update"
+
     - name: Publish Dev1 fw_version
+      when: (dev1_fw_clean | default('')) != (nb_fw_version | default(''))
       delegate_to: localhost
       uri:
         url: "http://{{ rmq_host }}:{{ rmq_port }}/api/exchanges/{{ rmq_vhost | urlencode }}/{{ rmq_exchange | urlencode }}/publish"
@@ -313,7 +324,18 @@
               | trim
           }}
 
+    # ---- NEW: read NetBox current custom field for Dev2 and conditionally publish ----
+    - name: NetBox | Current custom indoor_fwver
+      set_fact:
+        nb_indoor_fwver: "{{ (hostvars[inventory_hostname].custom_fields.indoor_fwver | default('')) }}"
+
+    - name: Dev2 | Version matches NetBox → skip update
+      when: (indoor_fw_norm | default('')) == (nb_indoor_fwver | default(''))
+      debug:
+        msg: "version matches, we'll skip Netbox update"
+
     - name: Publish Dev2 indoor_fwver
+      when: (indoor_fw_norm | default('')) != (nb_indoor_fwver | default(''))
       delegate_to: localhost
       uri:
         url: "http://{{ rmq_host }}:{{ rmq_port }}/api/exchanges/{{ rmq_vhost | urlencode }}/{{ rmq_exchange | urlencode }}/publish"