diff --git a/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.cpp b/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.cpp
index 7cbf414b7..3e3d3c19c 100644
--- a/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.cpp
+++ b/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.cpp
@@ -181,7 +181,8 @@ namespace cryptonote
               m_last_json_checkpoints_update(0),
               m_disable_dns_checkpoints(false),
               m_update_download(0),
-              m_nettype(UNDEFINED)
+              m_nettype(UNDEFINED),
+              m_update_available(false)
   {
     m_checkpoints_updating.clear();
     set_cryptonote_protocol(pprotocol);
@@ -1541,10 +1542,14 @@ namespace cryptonote
       return false;
 
     if (tools::vercmp(version.c_str(), MONERO_VERSION) <= 0)
+    {
+      m_update_available = false;
       return true;
+    }
 
     std::string url = tools::get_update_url(software, subdir, buildtag, version, true);
     MCLOG_CYAN(el::Level::Info, "global", "Version " << version << " of " << software << " for " << buildtag << " is available: " << url << ", SHA256 hash " << hash);
+    m_update_available = true;
 
     if (check_updates_level == UPDATES_NOTIFY)
       return true;
diff --git a/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.h b/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.h
index b40575ae9..58fe5b7b5 100644
--- a/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.h
+++ b/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.h
@@ -738,6 +738,16 @@ namespace cryptonote
       */     
      network_type get_nettype() const { return m_nettype; };
 
+     /**
+      * @brief check whether an update is known to be available or not
+      *
+      * This does not actually trigger a check, but returns the result
+      * of the last check
+      *
+      * @return whether an update is known to be available or not
+      */
+     bool is_update_available() const { return m_update_available; }
+
      /**
       * @brief get whether fluffy blocks are enabled
       *
@@ -966,6 +976,8 @@ namespace cryptonote
 
      network_type m_nettype; //!< which network are we on?
 
+     std::atomic<bool> m_update_available;
+
      std::string m_checkpoints_path; //!< path to json checkpoints file
      time_t m_last_dns_checkpoints_update; //!< time when dns checkpoints were last updated
      time_t m_last_json_checkpoints_update; //!< time when json checkpoints were last updated
diff --git a/src/rpc/core_rpc_server.cpp b/src/rpc/core_rpc_server.cpp
index 0443f696e..3508208bc 100644
--- a/src/rpc/core_rpc_server.cpp
+++ b/src/rpc/core_rpc_server.cpp
@@ -208,6 +208,7 @@ namespace cryptonote
       res.was_bootstrap_ever_used = m_was_bootstrap_ever_used;
     }
     res.database_size = m_core.get_blockchain_storage().get_db().get_database_size();
+    res.update_available = m_core.is_update_available();
     return true;
   }
   //------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1595,6 +1596,7 @@ namespace cryptonote
       res.was_bootstrap_ever_used = m_was_bootstrap_ever_used;
     }
     res.database_size = m_core.get_blockchain_storage().get_db().get_database_size();
+    res.update_available = m_core.is_update_available();
     return true;
   }
   //------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/rpc/core_rpc_server_commands_defs.h b/src/rpc/core_rpc_server_commands_defs.h
index b1cf2bdd7..3b654d4cb 100644
--- a/src/rpc/core_rpc_server_commands_defs.h
+++ b/src/rpc/core_rpc_server_commands_defs.h
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ namespace cryptonote
 // advance which version they will stop working with
 // Don't go over 32767 for any of these
 #define CORE_RPC_VERSION_MAJOR 2
-#define CORE_RPC_VERSION_MINOR 0
+#define CORE_RPC_VERSION_MINOR 1
 #define MAKE_CORE_RPC_VERSION(major,minor) (((major)<<16)|(minor))
 #define CORE_RPC_VERSION MAKE_CORE_RPC_VERSION(CORE_RPC_VERSION_MAJOR, CORE_RPC_VERSION_MINOR)
 
@@ -893,6 +893,7 @@ namespace cryptonote
       uint64_t height_without_bootstrap;
       bool was_bootstrap_ever_used;
       uint64_t database_size;
+      bool update_available;
 
       BEGIN_KV_SERIALIZE_MAP()
         KV_SERIALIZE(status)
@@ -926,6 +927,7 @@ namespace cryptonote
         KV_SERIALIZE(height_without_bootstrap)
         KV_SERIALIZE(was_bootstrap_ever_used)
         KV_SERIALIZE(database_size)
+        KV_SERIALIZE(update_available)
       END_KV_SERIALIZE_MAP()
     };
   };