diff --git a/main.qml b/main.qml
index cd962ca8..18aa154b 100644
--- a/main.qml
+++ b/main.qml
@@ -821,6 +821,7 @@ ApplicationWindow {
         //
         walletManager.walletOpened.connect(onWalletOpened);
         walletManager.walletClosed.connect(onWalletClosed);
+        walletManager.checkUpdatesComplete.connect(onWalletCheckUpdatesComplete);
 
         if(typeof daemonManager != "undefined") {
             daemonManager.daemonStarted.connect(onDaemonStarted);
@@ -1341,8 +1342,7 @@ ApplicationWindow {
         Qt.quit();
     }
 
-    function checkUpdates() {
-        var update = walletManager.checkUpdates("monero-gui", "gui")
+    function onWalletCheckUpdatesComplete(update) {
         if (update === "")
             return
         print("Update found: " + update)
@@ -1360,6 +1360,10 @@ ApplicationWindow {
         }
     }
 
+    function checkUpdates() {
+        walletManager.checkUpdatesAsync("monero-gui", "gui")
+    }
+
     Timer {
         id: updatesTimer
         interval: 3600*1000; running: true; repeat: true
diff --git a/src/libwalletqt/WalletManager.cpp b/src/libwalletqt/WalletManager.cpp
index 300b3699..396274c6 100644
--- a/src/libwalletqt/WalletManager.cpp
+++ b/src/libwalletqt/WalletManager.cpp
@@ -331,8 +331,26 @@ bool WalletManager::saveQrCode(const QString &code, const QString &path) const
     return QRCodeImageProvider::genQrImage(code, &size).scaled(size.expandedTo(QSize(240, 240)), Qt::KeepAspectRatio).save(path, "PNG", 100);
 }
 
+void WalletManager::checkUpdatesAsync(const QString &software, const QString &subdir) const
+{
+    QFuture<QString> future = QtConcurrent::run(this, &WalletManager::checkUpdates,
+                                        software, subdir);
+    QFutureWatcher<QString> * watcher = new QFutureWatcher<QString>();
+    connect(watcher, &QFutureWatcher<Wallet*>::finished,
+            this, [this, watcher]() {
+        QFuture<QString> future = watcher->future();
+        watcher->deleteLater();
+        qDebug() << "Checking for updates - done";
+        emit checkUpdatesComplete(future.result());
+    });
+    watcher->setFuture(future);
+}
+
+
+
 QString WalletManager::checkUpdates(const QString &software, const QString &subdir) const
 {
+  qDebug() << "Checking for updates";
   const std::tuple<bool, std::string, std::string, std::string, std::string> result = Monero::WalletManager::checkUpdates(software.toStdString(), subdir.toStdString());
   if (!std::get<0>(result))
     return QString("");
diff --git a/src/libwalletqt/WalletManager.h b/src/libwalletqt/WalletManager.h
index 6824d603..bf9bf19a 100644
--- a/src/libwalletqt/WalletManager.h
+++ b/src/libwalletqt/WalletManager.h
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ public:
     Q_INVOKABLE QString resolveOpenAlias(const QString &address) const;
     Q_INVOKABLE bool parse_uri(const QString &uri, QString &address, QString &payment_id, uint64_t &amount, QString &tx_description, QString &recipient_name, QVector<QString> &unknown_parameters, QString &error);
     Q_INVOKABLE bool saveQrCode(const QString &, const QString &) const;
+    Q_INVOKABLE void checkUpdatesAsync(const QString &software, const QString &subdir) const;
     Q_INVOKABLE QString checkUpdates(const QString &software, const QString &subdir) const;
 
     // clear/rename wallet cache
@@ -143,6 +144,7 @@ signals:
 
     void walletOpened(Wallet * wallet);
     void walletClosed(const QString &walletAddress);
+    void checkUpdatesComplete(const QString &result) const;
 
 public slots:
 private: