diff --git a/classes/pref/prefs.php b/classes/pref/prefs.php
index d5a6dde76..8746aa1e0 100644
--- a/classes/pref/prefs.php
+++ b/classes/pref/prefs.php
@@ -1093,7 +1093,28 @@ class Pref_Prefs extends Handler_Protected {
 		set_pref(Prefs::_ENABLED_PLUGINS, $plugins);
 	}
 
-	private function _plugin_needs_update($root_dir, $plugin_name) {
+	static function _get_updated_plugins() {
+		$root_dir = dirname(dirname(__DIR__)); # we're in classes/pref/
+		$plugin_dirs = array_filter(glob("$root_dir/plugins.local/*"), "is_dir");
+
+		$rv = [];
+
+		foreach ($plugin_dirs as $dir) {
+			if (is_dir("$dir/.git")) {
+				$plugin_name = basename($dir);
+
+				array_push($rv, ["plugin" => $plugin_name, "rv" => self::_plugin_needs_update($root_dir, $plugin_name)]);
+			}
+		}
+
+		$rv = array_values(array_filter($rv, function ($item) {
+			return !empty($item["rv"]["o"]);
+		}));
+
+		return $rv;
+	}
+
+	private static function _plugin_needs_update($root_dir, $plugin_name) {
 		$plugin_dir = "$root_dir/plugins.local/" . basename($plugin_name);
 		$rv = [];
 
@@ -1150,23 +1171,12 @@ class Pref_Prefs extends Handler_Protected {
 		if ($_SESSION["access_level"] >= 10) {
 			$plugin_name = $_REQUEST["name"] ?? "";
 
-			# we're in classes/pref/
-			$root_dir = dirname(dirname(__DIR__));
-
-			$rv = [];
+			$root_dir = dirname(dirname(__DIR__)); # we're in classes/pref/
 
 			if (!empty($plugin_name)) {
-				array_push($rv, ["plugin" => $plugin_name, "rv" => $this->_plugin_needs_update($root_dir, $plugin_name)]);
+				$rv = ["plugin" => $plugin_name, "rv" => self::_plugin_needs_update($root_dir, $plugin_name)];
 			} else {
-				$plugin_dirs = array_filter(glob("$root_dir/plugins.local/*"), "is_dir");
-
-				foreach ($plugin_dirs as $dir) {
-					if (is_dir("$dir/.git")) {
-						$plugin_name = basename($dir);
-
-						array_push($rv, ["plugin" => $plugin_name, "rv" => $this->_plugin_needs_update($root_dir, $plugin_name)]);
-					}
-				}
+				$rv = self::_get_updated_plugins();
 			}
 
 			print json_encode($rv);
@@ -1191,7 +1201,7 @@ class Pref_Prefs extends Handler_Protected {
 					if (is_dir("$dir/.git")) {
 						$plugin_name = basename($dir);
 
-						$test = $this->_plugin_needs_update($root_dir, $plugin_name);
+						$test = self::_plugin_needs_update($root_dir, $plugin_name);
 
 						if (!empty($test["o"]))
 							array_push($rv, ["plugin" => $plugin_name, "rv" => $this->_update_plugin($root_dir, $plugin_name)]);
diff --git a/classes/rpc.php b/classes/rpc.php
index 72e00a8bc..7f7b924eb 100755
--- a/classes/rpc.php
+++ b/classes/rpc.php
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ class RPC extends Handler_Protected {
 	}
 
 	function checkforupdates() {
-		$rv = [];
+		$rv = ["changeset" => [], "plugins" => []];
 
 		$git_timestamp = false;
 		$git_commit = false;
@@ -411,10 +411,12 @@ class RPC extends Handler_Protected {
 					if ($git_timestamp < (int)$content["changeset"]["timestamp"] &&
 						$git_commit != $content["changeset"]["id"]) {
 
-						$rv = $content["changeset"];
+						$rv["changeset"] = $content["changeset"];
 					}
 				}
 			}
+
+			$rv["plugins"] = Pref_Prefs::_get_updated_plugins();
 		}
 
 		print json_encode($rv);
diff --git a/js/App.js b/js/App.js
index 046365ff8..8eda5ac9d 100644
--- a/js/App.js
+++ b/js/App.js
@@ -812,10 +812,23 @@ const App = {
          .then((reply) => {
             console.log('update reply', reply);
 
-            if (reply.id) {
-               App.byId("updates-available").show();
+            const icon = App.byId("updates-available");
+
+            if (reply.changeset.id || reply.plugins.length > 0) {
+               icon.show();
+
+               const tips = [];
+
+               if (reply.changeset.id)
+                  tips.push(__("Updates for Tiny Tiny RSS are available."));
+
+               if (reply.plugins.length > 0)
+                  tips.push(__("Updates for some local plugins are available."));
+
+               icon.setAttribute("title", tips.join("\n"));
+
             } else {
-               App.byId("updates-available").hide();
+               icon.hide();
             }
          });
    },
diff --git a/prefs.php b/prefs.php
index a6cbfd886..5762375a5 100644
--- a/prefs.php
+++ b/prefs.php
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@
    	title="<?= __("Communication problem with server.") ?>">error_outline</i>
 	<i class="material-icons log-alert" style="display : none" onclick="App.openPreferences('system')"
 		title="<?= __("Recent entries found in event log.") ?>">warning</i>
+	<i id="updates-available" class="material-icons icon-new-version" style="display : none">new_releases</i>
 	<a href="#" onclick="document.location.href = 'index.php'"><?= __('Exit preferences') ?></a>
 </div>
 
diff --git a/themes/compact.css b/themes/compact.css
index 16058309f..b5b421f19 100644
--- a/themes/compact.css
+++ b/themes/compact.css
@@ -763,6 +763,10 @@ body.ttrss_main #header i.log-alert {
   color: #ddba1c;
   cursor: pointer;
 }
+body.ttrss_main #header #updates-available {
+  color: #69C671;
+  padding-right: 4px;
+}
 body.ttrss_main #header i {
   margin: 0 4px;
 }
diff --git a/themes/compact_night.css b/themes/compact_night.css
index f1894f4de..0271b5310 100644
--- a/themes/compact_night.css
+++ b/themes/compact_night.css
@@ -763,6 +763,10 @@ body.ttrss_main #header i.log-alert {
   color: #ddba1c;
   cursor: pointer;
 }
+body.ttrss_main #header #updates-available {
+  color: #69C671;
+  padding-right: 4px;
+}
 body.ttrss_main #header i {
   margin: 0 4px;
 }
diff --git a/themes/light.css b/themes/light.css
index c014858ef..d88b0cfbe 100644
--- a/themes/light.css
+++ b/themes/light.css
@@ -763,6 +763,10 @@ body.ttrss_main #header i.log-alert {
   color: #ddba1c;
   cursor: pointer;
 }
+body.ttrss_main #header #updates-available {
+  color: #69C671;
+  padding-right: 4px;
+}
 body.ttrss_main #header i {
   margin: 0 4px;
 }
diff --git a/themes/light/tt-rss.less b/themes/light/tt-rss.less
index 35eec3e48..a4cf2f098 100644
--- a/themes/light/tt-rss.less
+++ b/themes/light/tt-rss.less
@@ -888,6 +888,11 @@ body.ttrss_main {
 			cursor : pointer;
 		}
 
+		#updates-available {
+			color : @color-checked;
+			padding-right : 4px;
+		}
+
 		i {
 			margin : 0 4px;
 		}
diff --git a/themes/night.css b/themes/night.css
index 1e397ee74..61f1d756a 100644
--- a/themes/night.css
+++ b/themes/night.css
@@ -764,6 +764,10 @@ body.ttrss_main #header i.log-alert {
   color: #ddba1c;
   cursor: pointer;
 }
+body.ttrss_main #header #updates-available {
+  color: #69C671;
+  padding-right: 4px;
+}
 body.ttrss_main #header i {
   margin: 0 4px;
 }
diff --git a/themes/night_blue.css b/themes/night_blue.css
index 361cd4fbf..39a4d4400 100644
--- a/themes/night_blue.css
+++ b/themes/night_blue.css
@@ -764,6 +764,10 @@ body.ttrss_main #header i.log-alert {
   color: #ddba1c;
   cursor: pointer;
 }
+body.ttrss_main #header #updates-available {
+  color: #69C671;
+  padding-right: 4px;
+}
 body.ttrss_main #header i {
   margin: 0 4px;
 }