diff --git a/electron_app/src/updater.js b/electron_app/src/updater.js
index e585dc977d..106e3d2f23 100644
--- a/electron_app/src/updater.js
+++ b/electron_app/src/updater.js
@@ -67,4 +67,24 @@ module.exports.start = function startAutoUpdate(updateBaseUrl) {
 }
 
 ipcMain.on('install_update', installUpdate);
-ipcMain.on('checkForUpdates', pollForUpdates);
+
+let ipcChannel;
+ipcMain.on('check_updates', function(event) {
+    ipcChannel = event.sender;
+    pollForUpdates();
+    // event.sender.send('check_updates') // true/false/error = available(downloading)/notAvailable/error
+});
+
+function ipcChannelSendUpdateStatus(status) {
+    if (ipcChannel) {
+        ipcChannel.send('check_updates', status);
+    }
+}
+
+autoUpdater.on('update-available', function() {
+    ipcChannelSendUpdateStatus(true);
+}).on('update-not-available', function() {
+    ipcChannelSendUpdateStatus(false);
+}).on('error', function(error) {
+    ipcChannelSendUpdateStatus(error.message);
+});
diff --git a/src/components/views/globals/UpdateCheckBar.js b/src/components/views/globals/UpdateCheckBar.js
index 4949c4426d..557698c711 100644
--- a/src/components/views/globals/UpdateCheckBar.js
+++ b/src/components/views/globals/UpdateCheckBar.js
@@ -17,76 +17,50 @@ limitations under the License.
 'use strict';
 
 import React from 'react';
-import dis from 'matrix-react-sdk/lib/dispatcher';
 import { _t } from 'matrix-react-sdk/lib/languageHandler';
 import PlatformPeg from 'matrix-react-sdk/lib/PlatformPeg';
-import {updateStateEnum} from '../../../vector/platform/VectorBasePlatform';
+import {updateCheckStatusEnum} from '../../../vector/platform/VectorBasePlatform';
 import AccessibleButton from 'matrix-react-sdk/lib/components/views/elements/AccessibleButton';
 
+const statusText = {
+    CHECKING: 'Checking for an update...',
+    ERROR: 'Error encountered (%(errorDetail)s).',
+    NOTAVAILABLE: 'No update available.',
+    DOWNLOADING: 'Downloading update...',
+};
+
+const doneStatuses = [
+    updateCheckStatusEnum.ERROR,
+    updateCheckStatusEnum.NOTAVAILABLE,
+];
+
 export default React.createClass({
-
-    getInitialState: function() {
-        return {
-            message: _t('Checking for an update...'),
-            done: false,
-        };
-    },
-
-    componentWillMount: function() {
-        PlatformPeg.get().checkForUpdate().done((state) => {
-            if (this._unmounted) return;
-
-            console.log('checkForUpdate done, ', state);
-
-            // We will be replaced by NewVersionBar
-            if (state === updateStateEnum.READY) return;
-
-            let done = true;
-            let message;
-            switch (state) {
-                case updateStateEnum.ERROR:
-                    message = _t('Error encountered when checking for an update.');
-                    break;
-                case updateStateEnum.TIMEOUT:
-                    message = _t('Update Check timed out, try again later.');
-                    break;
-                case updateStateEnum.NOTAVAILABLE:
-                    message = _t('No update found.');
-                    break;
-                case updateStateEnum.DOWNLOADING:
-                    message = _t('Update is being downloaded.');
-                    done = false;
-                    break;
-            }
-
-            this.setState({message, done});
-        });
-    },
-
-    componentWillUnmount: function() {
-        this._unmounted = true;
+    propTypes: {
+        status: React.PropTypes.oneOf(Object.values(updateCheckStatusEnum)).isRequired,
+        // Currently for error detail but will be usable for download progress
+        // once that is a thing that squirrel passes through electron.
+        detail: React.PropTypes.string,
     },
 
     hideToolbar: function() {
-        dis.dispatch({
-            action: 'check_updates',
-            value: false,
-        });
+        PlatformPeg.get().stopUpdateCheck();
     },
 
     render: function() {
+        const message = _t(statusText[this.props.status], { errorDetail: this.props.detail });
+
         let image;
-        if (this.state.done) {
+        if (doneStatuses.includes(this.props.status)) {
             image = <img className="mx_MatrixToolbar_warning" src="img/warning.svg" width="24" height="23" alt="Warning"/>;
         } else {
-            image = <img className="mx_MatrixToolbar_warning" src="'img/spinner.gif'" width="24" height="23" alt={this.state.message}/>;
+            image = <img className="mx_MatrixToolbar_warning" src="img/spinner.gif" width="24" height="23" alt={message}/>;
         }
 
         return (
             <div className="mx_MatrixToolbar">
                 {image}
                 <div className="mx_MatrixToolbar_content">
-                    {this.state.message}
+                    {message}
                 </div>
                 <AccessibleButton className="mx_MatrixToolbar_close" onClick={this.hideToolbar}>
                     <img src="img/cancel.svg" width="18" height="18" />
diff --git a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
index 2bce407061..1755fd620b 100644
--- a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
+++ b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
@@ -159,8 +159,9 @@
   "Yesterday": "Yesterday",
   "OK": "OK",
   "Checking for an update...": "Checking for an update...",
-  "Error encountered when checking for an update.": "Error encountered when checking for an update.",
-  "Update Check timed out, try again later.": "Update Check timed out, try again later.",
+  "Error encountered (%(errorDetail)s).": "Error encountered (%(errorDetail)s).",
+  "No update available.": "No update available.",
+  "Downloading update...": "Downloading update...",
   "No update found.": "No update found.",
   "Update is being downloaded.": "Update is being downloaded.",
   "You need to be using HTTPS to place a screen-sharing call.": "You need to be using HTTPS to place a screen-sharing call.",
diff --git a/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.js b/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.js
index 519cadc09d..7a1bf58292 100644
--- a/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.js
+++ b/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.js
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-import VectorBasePlatform, {updateStateEnum} from './VectorBasePlatform';
+import VectorBasePlatform, {updateCheckStatusEnum} from './VectorBasePlatform';
 import dis from 'matrix-react-sdk/lib/dispatcher';
 import { _t } from 'matrix-react-sdk/lib/languageHandler';
 import q from 'q';
-import electron, {remote, ipcRenderer} from 'electron';
+import {remote, ipcRenderer} from 'electron';
 
 remote.autoUpdater.on('update-downloaded', onUpdateDownloaded);
 
@@ -62,11 +62,42 @@ function _onAction(payload: Object) {
     }
 }
 
+function getUpdateCheckStatus(status) {
+    if (status === true) {
+        return { status: updateCheckStatusEnum.DOWNLOADING };
+    } else if (status === false) {
+        return { status: updateCheckStatusEnum.NOTAVAILABLE };
+    } else {
+        return {
+            status: updateCheckStatusEnum.ERROR,
+            detail: status,
+        };
+    }
+}
+
 export default class ElectronPlatform extends VectorBasePlatform {
     constructor() {
         super();
         dis.register(_onAction);
         this.updatable = Boolean(remote.autoUpdater.getFeedURL());
+
+        /*
+            IPC Call `check_updates` returns:
+            true if there is an update available
+            false if there is not
+            or the error if one is encountered
+         */
+        ipcRenderer.on('check_updates', (event, status) => {
+            if (!this.showUpdateCheck) return;
+            dis.dispatch({
+                action: 'check_updates',
+                value: getUpdateCheckStatus(status),
+            });
+            this.showUpdateCheck = false;
+        });
+
+        this.startUpdateCheck = this.startUpdateCheck.bind(this);
+        this.stopUpdateCheck = this.stopUpdateCheck.bind(this);
     }
 
     getHumanReadableName(): string {
@@ -138,43 +169,18 @@ export default class ElectronPlatform extends VectorBasePlatform {
         return q(remote.app.getVersion());
     }
 
-    checkForUpdate() { // manual update check for this platform
-        const deferred = q.defer();
+    startUpdateCheck() {
+        if (this.showUpdateCheck) return;
+        super.startUpdateCheck();
 
-        const _onUpdateAvailable = function() {
-            remote.autoUpdater.removeListener('update-not-available', _onUpdateNotAvailable);
-            remote.autoUpdater.removeListener('error', _onError);
-            deferred.resolve(updateStateEnum.DOWNLOADING);
-        }
-        const _onUpdateNotAvailable = function() {
-            remote.autoUpdater.removeListener('update-available', _onUpdateAvailable);
-            remote.autoUpdater.removeListener('error', _onError);
-            deferred.resolve(updateStateEnum.NOTAVAILABLE);
-        }
-        const _onError = function() {
-            remote.autoUpdater.removeListener('update-not-available', _onUpdateNotAvailable);
-            remote.autoUpdater.removeListener('update-available', _onUpdateAvailable);
-            deferred.resolve(updateStateEnum.ERROR);
-        }
-
-        remote.autoUpdater.once('update-available', _onUpdateAvailable);
-        remote.autoUpdater.once('update-not-available', _onUpdateNotAvailable);
-        remote.autoUpdater.once('error', _onError);
-
-        remote.ipcRenderer.send('checkForUpdates');
-        return deferred.promise.timeout(10000).catch(() => {
-            remote.autoUpdater.removeListener('update-not-available', _onUpdateNotAvailable);
-            remote.autoUpdater.removeListener('update-available', _onUpdateAvailable);
-            remote.autoUpdater.removeListener('error', _onError);
-            return updateStateEnum.TIMEOUT;
-        });
+        ipcRenderer.send('check_updates');
     }
 
     installUpdate() {
         // IPC to the main process to install the update, since quitAndInstall
         // doesn't fire the before-quit event so the main process needs to know
         // it should exit.
-        electron.ipcRenderer.send('install_update');
+        ipcRenderer.send('install_update');
     }
 
     getDefaultDeviceDisplayName(): string {
diff --git a/src/vector/platform/VectorBasePlatform.js b/src/vector/platform/VectorBasePlatform.js
index 074be91c83..0e84e5fcd5 100644
--- a/src/vector/platform/VectorBasePlatform.js
+++ b/src/vector/platform/VectorBasePlatform.js
@@ -19,12 +19,13 @@ limitations under the License.
 
 import BasePlatform from 'matrix-react-sdk/lib/BasePlatform';
 import { _t } from 'matrix-react-sdk/lib/languageHandler';
+import dis from 'matrix-react-sdk/lib/dispatcher';
 
 import Favico from 'favico.js';
 
-export const updateStateEnum = {
+export const updateCheckStatusEnum = {
+    CHECKING: 'CHECKING',
     ERROR: 'ERROR',
-    TIMEOUT: 'TIMEOUT',
     NOTAVAILABLE: 'NOTAVAILABLE',
     DOWNLOADING: 'DOWNLOADING',
     READY: 'READY',
@@ -42,8 +43,12 @@ export default class VectorBasePlatform extends BasePlatform {
         // and we set the state each time, even if the value hasn't changed,
         // so we'd need to fix that if enabling the animation.
         this.favicon = new Favico({animation: 'none'});
+        this.showUpdateCheck = false;
         this._updateFavicon();
         this.updatable = true;
+
+        this.startUpdateCheck = this.startUpdateCheck.bind(this);
+        this.stopUpdateCheck = this.stopUpdateCheck.bind(this);
     }
 
     getHumanReadableName(): string {
@@ -96,14 +101,30 @@ export default class VectorBasePlatform extends BasePlatform {
         return this.updatable;
     }
 
+    startUpdateCheck() {
+        this.showUpdateCheck = true;
+        dis.dispatch({
+            action: 'check_updates',
+            value: { status: updateCheckStatusEnum.CHECKING },
+        });
+    }
+
+    stopUpdateCheck() {
+        this.showUpdateCheck = false;
+        dis.dispatch({
+            action: 'check_updates',
+            value: false,
+        })
+    }
+
     /**
      * Check for the availability of an update to the version of the
      * app that's currently running.
      * If an update is available, this function should dispatch the
      * 'new_version' action.
-     * @returns Promise<updateStateEnum>
+     * @returns Promise<updateCheckStatusEnum>
      */
-    checkForUpdate(): Promise<number> {
+    pollForUpdate(): Promise<number> {
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/vector/platform/WebPlatform.js b/src/vector/platform/WebPlatform.js
index dd6b91de91..02632ba049 100644
--- a/src/vector/platform/WebPlatform.js
+++ b/src/vector/platform/WebPlatform.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-import VectorBasePlatform, {updateStateEnum} from './VectorBasePlatform';
+import VectorBasePlatform, {updateCheckStatusEnum} from './VectorBasePlatform';
 import request from 'browser-request';
 import dis from 'matrix-react-sdk/lib/dispatcher.js';
 import { _t } from 'matrix-react-sdk/lib/languageHandler';
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ export default class WebPlatform extends VectorBasePlatform {
     constructor() {
         super();
         this.runningVersion = null;
+
+        this.startUpdateCheck = this.startUpdateCheck.bind(this);
+        this.stopUpdateCheck = this.stopUpdateCheck.bind(this);
     }
 
     getHumanReadableName(): string {
@@ -135,11 +138,11 @@ export default class WebPlatform extends VectorBasePlatform {
     }
 
     startUpdater() {
-        this.checkForUpdate();
-        setInterval(this.checkForUpdate, POKE_RATE_MS);
+        this.pollForUpdate();
+        setInterval(this.pollForUpdate.bind(this), POKE_RATE_MS);
     }
 
-    checkForUpdate() {
+    pollForUpdate() {
         return this._getVersion().then((ver) => {
             if (this.runningVersion === null) {
                 this.runningVersion = ver;
@@ -149,12 +152,29 @@ export default class WebPlatform extends VectorBasePlatform {
                     currentVersion: this.runningVersion,
                     newVersion: ver,
                 });
-                return updateStateEnum.READY;
+                // Return to skip a MatrixChat state update
+                return;
             }
-            return updateStateEnum.NOTAVAILABLE;
+            return { status: updateCheckStatusEnum.NOTAVAILABLE };
         }, (err) => {
             console.error("Failed to poll for update", err);
-            return updateStateEnum.ERROR;
+            return {
+                status: updateCheckStatusEnum.ERROR,
+                detail: err.message || err.status ? err.status.toString() : 'Unknown Error',
+            };
+        });
+    }
+
+    startUpdateCheck() {
+        if (this.showUpdateCheck) return;
+        super.startUpdateCheck();
+        this.pollForUpdate().then((updateState) => {
+            if (!this.showUpdateCheck) return;
+            if (!updateState) return;
+            dis.dispatch({
+                action: 'check_updates',
+                value: updateState,
+            });
         });
     }