diff --git a/src/wallet/api/wallet2_api.h b/src/wallet/api/wallet2_api.h
index 09c64106e..6309724a4 100644
--- a/src/wallet/api/wallet2_api.h
+++ b/src/wallet/api/wallet2_api.h
@@ -1293,7 +1293,11 @@ struct WalletManager
     virtual std::string resolveOpenAlias(const std::string &address, bool &dnssec_valid) const = 0;
 
     //! checks for an update and returns version, hash and url
-    static std::tuple<bool, std::string, std::string, std::string, std::string> checkUpdates(const std::string &software, std::string subdir);
+    static std::tuple<bool, std::string, std::string, std::string, std::string> checkUpdates(
+        const std::string &software,
+        std::string subdir,
+        const char *buildtag = nullptr,
+        const char *current_version = nullptr);
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/wallet/api/wallet_manager.cpp b/src/wallet/api/wallet_manager.cpp
index 44a184304..8d7541cea 100644
--- a/src/wallet/api/wallet_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/api/wallet_manager.cpp
@@ -342,22 +342,30 @@ std::string WalletManagerImpl::resolveOpenAlias(const std::string &address, bool
     return addresses.front();
 }
 
-std::tuple<bool, std::string, std::string, std::string, std::string> WalletManager::checkUpdates(const std::string &software, std::string subdir)
+std::tuple<bool, std::string, std::string, std::string, std::string> WalletManager::checkUpdates(
+    const std::string &software,
+    std::string subdir,
+    const char *buildtag/* = nullptr*/,
+    const char *current_version/* = nullptr*/)
 {
+    if (buildtag == nullptr)
+    {
 #ifdef BUILD_TAG
-    static const char buildtag[] = BOOST_PP_STRINGIZE(BUILD_TAG);
+        static const char buildtag_default[] = BOOST_PP_STRINGIZE(BUILD_TAG);
 #else
-    static const char buildtag[] = "source";
-    // Override the subdir string when built from source
-    subdir = "source";
+        static const char buildtag_default[] = "source";
+        // Override the subdir string when built from source
+        subdir = "source";
 #endif
+        buildtag = buildtag_default;
+    }
 
     std::string version, hash;
     MDEBUG("Checking for a new " << software << " version for " << buildtag);
     if (!tools::check_updates(software, buildtag, version, hash))
       return std::make_tuple(false, "", "", "", "");
 
-    if (tools::vercmp(version.c_str(), MONERO_VERSION) > 0)
+    if (tools::vercmp(version.c_str(), current_version != nullptr ? current_version : MONERO_VERSION) > 0)
     {
       std::string user_url = tools::get_update_url(software, subdir, buildtag, version, true);
       std::string auto_url = tools::get_update_url(software, subdir, buildtag, version, false);