diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/WebServices.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/WebServices.cs
index dc4344ceef..6c0706e966 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/WebServices.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/WebServices.cs
@@ -9,16 +9,55 @@
  */
 #endregion
 
-using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System;
+using System.Net;
+using System.Text;
 
-namespace OpenRA
+namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common
 {
+	public enum ModVersionStatus { NotChecked, Latest, Outdated, Unknown, PlaytestAvailable }
+
 	public class WebServices : IGlobalModData
 	{
 		public readonly string ServerList = "http://master.openra.net/games";
 		public readonly string ServerAdvertise = "http://master.openra.net/ping";
 		public readonly string MapRepository = "http://resource.openra.net/map/";
 		public readonly string GameNews = "http://master.openra.net/gamenews";
-		public readonly string MPNotices = "http://master.openra.net/notices";
+		public readonly string VersionCheck = "http://master.openra.net/versioncheck";
+
+		public ModVersionStatus ModVersionStatus { get; private set; }
+		const int VersionCheckProtocol = 1;
+
+		public void CheckModVersion()
+		{
+			Action<DownloadDataCompletedEventArgs> onComplete = i =>
+			{
+				if (i.Error != null)
+					return;
+				try
+				{
+					var data = Encoding.UTF8.GetString(i.Result);
+
+					var status = ModVersionStatus.Latest;
+					switch (data)
+					{
+						case "outdated": status = ModVersionStatus.Outdated; break;
+						case "unknown": status = ModVersionStatus.Unknown; break;
+						case "playtest": status = ModVersionStatus.PlaytestAvailable; break;
+					}
+
+					Game.RunAfterTick(() => ModVersionStatus = status);
+				}
+				catch { }
+			};
+
+			var queryURL = VersionCheck + "?protocol={0}&engine={1}&mod={2}&version={3}".F(
+				VersionCheckProtocol,
+				Uri.EscapeUriString(Game.EngineVersion),
+				Uri.EscapeUriString(Game.ModData.Manifest.Id),
+				Uri.EscapeUriString(Game.ModData.Manifest.Metadata.Version));
+
+			new Download(queryURL, _ => { }, onComplete);
+		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Widgets/Logic/MainMenuLogic.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Widgets/Logic/MainMenuLogic.cs
index 61e366c05c..3a898b7c94 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Widgets/Logic/MainMenuLogic.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Widgets/Logic/MainMenuLogic.cs
@@ -237,7 +237,9 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Widgets.Logic
 
 			Game.OnRemoteDirectConnect += OnRemoteDirectConnect;
 
-			var newsURL = modData.Manifest.Get<WebServices>().GameNews;
+			// Check for updates in the background
+			var webServices = modData.Manifest.Get<WebServices>();
+			webServices.CheckModVersion();
 
 			// System information opt-out prompt
 			var sysInfoPrompt = widget.Get("SYSTEM_INFO_PROMPT");
@@ -267,11 +269,11 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Widgets.Logic
 					Game.Settings.Debug.SystemInformationVersionPrompt = SystemInformationVersion;
 					Game.Settings.Save();
 					SwitchMenu(MenuType.Main);
-					LoadAndDisplayNews(newsURL, newsBG);
+					LoadAndDisplayNews(webServices.GameNews, newsBG);
 				};
 			}
 			else
-				LoadAndDisplayNews(newsURL, newsBG);
+				LoadAndDisplayNews(webServices.GameNews, newsBG);
 		}
 
 		void LoadAndDisplayNews(string newsURL, Widget newsBG)
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Widgets/Logic/MultiplayerLogic.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Widgets/Logic/MultiplayerLogic.cs
index 47e1d3d01b..fb410b43f9 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Widgets/Logic/MultiplayerLogic.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Widgets/Logic/MultiplayerLogic.cs
@@ -52,15 +52,14 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Widgets.Logic
 
 		GameServer currentServer;
 		MapPreview currentMap;
+		bool showNotices;
 
 		Action onStart;
 		Action onExit;
 
 		enum SearchStatus { Fetching, Failed, NoGames, Hidden }
-		enum NoticeType { None, Outdated, Unknown, PlaytestAvailable }
 
 		SearchStatus searchStatus = SearchStatus.Fetching;
-		NoticeType notice = NoticeType.None;
 
 		Download currentQuery;
 		IEnumerable<BeaconLocation> lanGameLocations;
@@ -100,10 +99,27 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Widgets.Logic
 			noticeContainer = widget.GetOrNull("NOTICE_CONTAINER");
 			if (noticeContainer != null)
 			{
-				noticeContainer.IsVisible = () => notice != NoticeType.None;
-				noticeContainer.Get("OUTDATED_VERSION_LABEL").IsVisible = () => notice == NoticeType.Outdated;
-				noticeContainer.Get("UNKNOWN_VERSION_LABEL").IsVisible = () => notice == NoticeType.Unknown;
-				noticeContainer.Get("PLAYTEST_AVAILABLE_LABEL").IsVisible = () => notice == NoticeType.PlaytestAvailable;
+				noticeContainer.IsVisible = () => showNotices;
+				noticeContainer.Get("OUTDATED_VERSION_LABEL").IsVisible = () => services.ModVersionStatus == ModVersionStatus.Outdated;
+				noticeContainer.Get("UNKNOWN_VERSION_LABEL").IsVisible = () => services.ModVersionStatus == ModVersionStatus.Unknown;
+				noticeContainer.Get("PLAYTEST_AVAILABLE_LABEL").IsVisible = () => services.ModVersionStatus == ModVersionStatus.PlaytestAvailable;
+			}
+
+			var noticeWatcher = widget.Get<LogicTickerWidget>("NOTICE_WATCHER");
+			if (noticeWatcher != null && noticeContainer != null)
+			{
+				var containerHeight = noticeContainer.Bounds.Height;
+				noticeWatcher.OnTick = () =>
+				{
+					var show = services.ModVersionStatus != ModVersionStatus.NotChecked && services.ModVersionStatus != ModVersionStatus.Latest;
+					if (show != showNotices)
+					{
+						var dir = show ? 1 : -1;
+						serverList.Bounds.Y += dir * containerHeight;
+						serverList.Bounds.Height -= dir * containerHeight;
+						showNotices = show;
+					}
+				};
 			}
 
 			joinButton = widget.Get<ButtonWidget>("JOIN_BUTTON");
@@ -288,7 +304,6 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Widgets.Logic
 			}
 
 			RefreshServerList();
-			QueryNotices();
 
 			if (directConnectHost != null)
 			{
@@ -318,48 +333,6 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Widgets.Logic
 				game.Spectators > 0 ? ", {0} Spectator{1}".F(game.Spectators, game.Spectators != 1 ? "s" : "") : "");
 		}
 
-		void QueryNotices()
-		{
-			if (noticeContainer == null)
-				return;
-
-			Action<DownloadDataCompletedEventArgs> onComplete = i =>
-			{
-				if (i.Error != null)
-					return;
-				try
-				{
-					var data = Encoding.UTF8.GetString(i.Result);
-					var n = NoticeType.None;
-					switch (data)
-					{
-						case "outdated": n = NoticeType.Outdated; break;
-						case "unknown": n = NoticeType.Unknown; break;
-						case "playtest": n = NoticeType.PlaytestAvailable; break;
-					}
-
-					if (n == NoticeType.None)
-						return;
-
-					Game.RunAfterTick(() =>
-					{
-						notice = n;
-						serverList.Bounds.Y += noticeContainer.Bounds.Height;
-						serverList.Bounds.Height -= noticeContainer.Bounds.Height;
-					});
-				}
-				catch { }
-			};
-
-			var queryURL = services.MPNotices + "?protocol={0}&engine={1}&mod={2}&version={3}".F(
-				GameServer.ProtocolVersion,
-				Uri.EscapeUriString(Game.EngineVersion),
-				Uri.EscapeUriString(Game.ModData.Manifest.Id),
-				Uri.EscapeUriString(Game.ModData.Manifest.Metadata.Version));
-
-			new Download(queryURL, _ => { }, onComplete);
-		}
-
 		void RefreshServerList()
 		{
 			// Query in progress
diff --git a/mods/cnc/chrome/multiplayer-browser.yaml b/mods/cnc/chrome/multiplayer-browser.yaml
index 42a1df1a5b..e8814721cf 100644
--- a/mods/cnc/chrome/multiplayer-browser.yaml
+++ b/mods/cnc/chrome/multiplayer-browser.yaml
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ Container@MULTIPLAYER_PANEL:
 							Height: 25
 							Text: Status
 							Font: Bold
+				LogicTicker@NOTICE_WATCHER:
 				Container@NOTICE_CONTAINER:
 					X: 15
 					Y: 30
diff --git a/mods/common/chrome/multiplayer-browser.yaml b/mods/common/chrome/multiplayer-browser.yaml
index d1cd79f7d1..02d39da9c5 100644
--- a/mods/common/chrome/multiplayer-browser.yaml
+++ b/mods/common/chrome/multiplayer-browser.yaml
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ Background@MULTIPLAYER_PANEL:
 					Height: 25
 					Text: Status
 					Font: Bold
+		LogicTicker@NOTICE_WATCHER:
 		Background@NOTICE_CONTAINER:
 			X: 20
 			Y: 67