diff --git a/docs/configuration/optional-settings.md b/docs/configuration/optional-settings.md
index 82412cdf7..e500bfcad 100644
--- a/docs/configuration/optional-settings.md
+++ b/docs/configuration/optional-settings.md
@@ -255,6 +255,23 @@ Enable this option to run the webhook backend. See the docs section on the webho
 
 ---
 
+## CHECK_UPDATES
+
+Default: False
+
+Enable this option to check automatically for updates.
+
+------
+
+## CHECK_UPDATES_URL
+
+Default: https://github.com/digitalocean/netbox.git
+
+In case if you're using a fork or a self hosted version you can change the version check url.
+Because we use git to check version updates based on tags.
+
+---
+
 ## Date and Time Formatting
 
 You may define custom formatting for date and times. For detailed instructions on writing format strings, please see [the Django documentation](https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/dev/ref/templates/builtins/#date).
diff --git a/netbox/netbox/configuration.example.py b/netbox/netbox/configuration.example.py
index d7a9cf2ed..851ae59ae 100644
--- a/netbox/netbox/configuration.example.py
+++ b/netbox/netbox/configuration.example.py
@@ -158,3 +158,6 @@ TIME_FORMAT = 'g:i a'
 SHORT_TIME_FORMAT = 'H:i:s'
 DATETIME_FORMAT = 'N j, Y g:i a'
 SHORT_DATETIME_FORMAT = 'Y-m-d H:i'
+
+# Automatically check for updates if enabled. This feature requires a internet connection.
+CHECK_UPDATES = False
diff --git a/netbox/netbox/settings.py b/netbox/netbox/settings.py
index e50e9bd72..6e8ecda1c 100644
--- a/netbox/netbox/settings.py
+++ b/netbox/netbox/settings.py
@@ -337,6 +337,10 @@ INTERNAL_IPS = (
     '::1',
 )
 
+# Automatic update check
+CHECK_UPDATES = getattr(configuration, 'CHECK_UPDATES', False)
+CHECK_UPDATES_URL = getattr(configuration, 'CHECK_UPDATES_URL', 'https://github.com/digitalocean/netbox.git')
+HAS_UPDATES = {'latest_version': '1.0', 'last_updated': None}
 
 try:
     HOSTNAME = socket.gethostname()
diff --git a/netbox/templates/_base.html b/netbox/templates/_base.html
index f935f078e..d041880f4 100644
--- a/netbox/templates/_base.html
+++ b/netbox/templates/_base.html
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
         <div class="container">
             <div class="row">
                 <div class="col-xs-4">
-                    <p class="text-muted">{{ settings.HOSTNAME }} (v{{ settings.VERSION }})</p>
+                    <p class="text-muted">{{ settings.HOSTNAME }} (v{{ settings.VERSION }}) {% check_updates %}</p>
                 </div>
                 <div class="col-xs-4 text-center">
                     <p class="text-muted">{% now 'Y-m-d H:i:s T' %}</p>
diff --git a/netbox/templates/utilities/templatetags/checkUpdates.html b/netbox/templates/utilities/templatetags/checkUpdates.html
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..459ec6fb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/netbox/templates/utilities/templatetags/checkUpdates.html
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{% if latest_version %}
+<a href="{{ url }}" target="_blank"><span class="label label-warning">New version: {{ latest_version }}</span></a>
+{% endif %}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/netbox/utilities/templatetags/helpers.py b/netbox/utilities/templatetags/helpers.py
index 11fa789ec..0565b73fc 100644
--- a/netbox/utilities/templatetags/helpers.py
+++ b/netbox/utilities/templatetags/helpers.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from markdown import markdown
 
 from utilities.forms import unpack_grouped_choices
 from utilities.utils import foreground_color
-
+from utilities.version_check import check_newer_version
 
 register = template.Library()
 
@@ -208,3 +208,11 @@ def tag(tag, url_name=None):
         'tag': tag,
         'url_name': url_name,
     }
+
+
+@register.inclusion_tag('utilities/templatetags/checkUpdates.html')
+def check_updates():
+    """
+    Display if there is a update
+    """
+    return check_newer_version()
diff --git a/netbox/utilities/version_check.py b/netbox/utilities/version_check.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0a3f8399f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/netbox/utilities/version_check.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+import subprocess
+import re
+
+from distutils.version import LooseVersion
+from django.conf import settings
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta
+
+
+def check_newer_version():
+    def _git_get_latest_version():
+        version = '1.0'
+
+        try:
+            ps = subprocess.Popen(('git', 'ls-remote', '--tags', settings.CHECK_UPDATES_URL), stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
+            output = subprocess.check_output(('tail', '-1'), stdin=ps.stdout)
+            ps.wait()
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            # Command not found, so git not installed
+            settings.CHECK_UPDATES = False
+            return LooseVersion(version)
+
+        output = re.search('refs/tags/v(.*)', output.decode())
+        if output is not None:
+            version = output[1]
+
+        return LooseVersion(version)
+
+    # If check_updates enabled?
+    if not settings.CHECK_UPDATES:
+        return {}
+
+    if type(settings.HAS_UPDATES.get('latest_version')) is str:
+        latest_version = LooseVersion(settings.HAS_UPDATES.get('latest_version'))
+    else:
+        latest_version = settings.HAS_UPDATES.get('latest_version')
+
+    # If dev, remove it
+    cur_version = LooseVersion(settings.VERSION.replace('-dev', ''))
+
+    last_updated = settings.HAS_UPDATES.get('last_updated')
+
+    # Check every 24 hours for updates
+    if last_updated is None or ((datetime.utcnow() - last_updated) > timedelta(1)):
+        latest_version = _git_get_latest_version()
+        settings.HAS_UPDATES = {'latest_version': latest_version, 'last_updated': datetime.utcnow()}
+
+    # Check if this version is older then the newer version
+    if cur_version >= latest_version:
+        return {}
+
+    return {
+        'url': settings.CHECK_UPDATES_URL.replace('.git', ''),
+        'latest_version': latest_version.__str__(),
+    }