diff --git a/core/commands2/root.go b/core/commands2/root.go
index 75334e61198c407a709edcbd6e9e9deb797752fc..fed8c3f43465864241263a03b6695aa41d328ba9 100644
--- a/core/commands2/root.go
+++ b/core/commands2/root.go
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ var rootSubcommands = map[string]*cmds.Command{
 	"bootstrap": bootstrapCmd,
 	"mount":     mountCmd,
 	"block":     blockCmd,
+	"update":    updateCmd,
 
 	// test subcommands
 	// TODO: remove these when we don't need them anymore
diff --git a/core/commands2/update.go b/core/commands2/update.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..9e1edd186769484ae91dae21b76e0ca71fe8b64f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/commands2/update.go
@@ -0,0 +1,155 @@
+package commands
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+
+	cmds "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/commands"
+	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/core"
+	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/updates"
+)
+
+type UpdateOutput struct {
+	OldVersion string
+	NewVersion string
+}
+
+var updateCmd = &cmds.Command{
+	Help: `ipfs update - check for updates and apply them
+
+    ipfs update            - apply
+    ipfs update check      - just check
+    ipfs update log        - list the changelogs
+
+ipfs update is a utility command used to check for updates and apply them.
+`,
+	Run: func(res cmds.Response, req cmds.Request) {
+		n := req.Context().Node
+
+		output, err := updateApply(n)
+		if err != nil {
+			res.SetError(err, cmds.ErrNormal)
+			return
+		}
+
+		res.SetOutput(output)
+	},
+	Type: &UpdateOutput{},
+	Subcommands: map[string]*cmds.Command{
+		"check": updateCheckCmd,
+		"log":   updateLogCmd,
+	},
+	Marshallers: map[cmds.EncodingType]cmds.Marshaller{
+		cmds.Text: func(res cmds.Response) ([]byte, error) {
+			v := res.Output().(*UpdateOutput)
+			s := ""
+			if v.NewVersion != v.OldVersion {
+				s = fmt.Sprintf("Successfully updated to IPFS version '%s' (from '%s')",
+					v.NewVersion, v.OldVersion)
+			} else {
+				s = fmt.Sprintf("Already updated to latest version ('%s')", v.NewVersion)
+			}
+			return []byte(s), nil
+		},
+	},
+}
+
+var updateCheckCmd = &cmds.Command{
+	Help: `ipfs update check <key>`,
+	Run: func(res cmds.Response, req cmds.Request) {
+		n := req.Context().Node
+
+		output, err := updateCheck(n)
+		if err != nil {
+			res.SetError(err, cmds.ErrNormal)
+			return
+		}
+
+		res.SetOutput(output)
+	},
+	Type: &UpdateOutput{},
+	Marshallers: map[cmds.EncodingType]cmds.Marshaller{
+		cmds.Text: func(res cmds.Response) ([]byte, error) {
+			v := res.Output().(*UpdateOutput)
+			s := ""
+			if v.NewVersion != v.OldVersion {
+				s = fmt.Sprintf("A new version of IPFS is available ('%s', currently running '%s')",
+					v.NewVersion, v.OldVersion)
+			} else {
+				s = fmt.Sprintf("Already updated to latest version ('%s')", v.NewVersion)
+			}
+			return []byte(s), nil
+		},
+	},
+}
+
+var updateLogCmd = &cmds.Command{
+	Help: `ipfs update log - list the last versions and their changelog`,
+	Run: func(res cmds.Response, req cmds.Request) {
+		n := req.Context().Node
+
+		output, err := updateLog(n)
+		if err != nil {
+			res.SetError(err, cmds.ErrNormal)
+			return
+		}
+
+		res.SetOutput(output)
+	},
+}
+
+// updateApply applies an update of the ipfs binary and shuts down the node if successful
+func updateApply(n *core.IpfsNode) (*UpdateOutput, error) {
+	// TODO: 'force bool' param that stops the daemon (if running) before update
+
+	output := &UpdateOutput{
+		OldVersion: updates.Version,
+	}
+
+	u, err := updates.CheckForUpdate()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	if u == nil {
+		output.NewVersion = updates.Version
+		return output, nil
+	}
+
+	output.NewVersion = u.Version
+
+	if n.OnlineMode() {
+		return nil, errors.New(`You must stop the IPFS daemon before updating.`)
+	}
+
+	if err = updates.Apply(u); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return output, nil
+}
+
+// updateCheck checks wether there is an update available
+func updateCheck(n *core.IpfsNode) (*UpdateOutput, error) {
+	output := &UpdateOutput{
+		OldVersion: updates.Version,
+	}
+
+	u, err := updates.CheckForUpdate()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	if u == nil {
+		output.NewVersion = updates.Version
+		return output, nil
+	}
+
+	output.NewVersion = u.Version
+	return output, nil
+}
+
+// updateLog lists the version available online
+func updateLog(n *core.IpfsNode) (interface{}, error) {
+	return nil, errors.New("Not yet implemented")
+}