diff --git a/gui/slick/interfaces/default/config_general.tmpl b/gui/slick/interfaces/default/config_general.tmpl
index 6619f8b2..18d3581f 100644
--- a/gui/slick/interfaces/default/config_general.tmpl
+++ b/gui/slick/interfaces/default/config_general.tmpl
@@ -71,6 +71,18 @@
                             </label>
                         </div>
 
+                        <div class="field-pair">
+                            <input type="checkbox" name="auto_update" id="auto_update" #if $sickbeard.AUTO_UPDATE then "checked=\"checked\"" else ""#/>
+                            <label class="clearfix" for="auto_update">
+                                <span class="component-title">Automatic Updates</span>
+                                <span class="component-desc">Automatically get and install updates for Sick Beard when available.</span>
+                            </label>
+                            <label class="nocheck clearfix">
+                                <span class="component-title">&nbsp;</span>
+                                <span class="component-desc">Automatic Updates runs on startup and in the background.</span>
+                            </label>
+                        </div>
+
                         <div class="field-pair">
                             <input type="checkbox" name="sort_article" id="sort_article" #if $sickbeard.SORT_ARTICLE then "checked=\"checked\"" else ""#/>
                             <label class="clearfix" for="sort_article"> 
diff --git a/sickbeard/__init__.py b/sickbeard/__init__.py
index e9cc6595..bcfde0d6 100644
--- a/sickbeard/__init__.py
+++ b/sickbeard/__init__.py
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ backlogSearchScheduler = None
 currentSearchScheduler = None
 showUpdateScheduler = None
 versionCheckScheduler = None
+autoUpdateScheduler = None
 showQueueScheduler = None
 searchQueueScheduler = None
 properFinderScheduler = None
@@ -95,6 +96,7 @@ metadata_provider_dict = {}
 NEWEST_VERSION = None
 NEWEST_VERSION_STRING = None
 VERSION_NOTIFY = None
+AUTO_UPDATE = None
 
 INIT_LOCK = Lock()
 __INITIALIZED__ = False
@@ -469,7 +471,7 @@ def initialize(consoleLogging=True):
             USE_NMA, NMA_NOTIFY_ONSNATCH, NMA_NOTIFY_ONDOWNLOAD, NMA_NOTIFY_ONSUBTITLEDOWNLOAD, NMA_API, NMA_PRIORITY, \
             USE_PUSHALOT, PUSHALOT_NOTIFY_ONSNATCH, PUSHALOT_NOTIFY_ONDOWNLOAD, PUSHALOT_NOTIFY_ONSUBTITLEDOWNLOAD, PUSHALOT_AUTHORIZATIONTOKEN, \
             USE_PUSHBULLET, PUSHBULLET_NOTIFY_ONSNATCH, PUSHBULLET_NOTIFY_ONDOWNLOAD, PUSHBULLET_NOTIFY_ONSUBTITLEDOWNLOAD, PUSHBULLET_API, PUSHBULLET_DEVICE, \
-            versionCheckScheduler, VERSION_NOTIFY, PROCESS_AUTOMATICALLY, UNPACK, \
+            versionCheckScheduler, autoUpdateScheduler, VERSION_NOTIFY, AUTO_UPDATE, PROCESS_AUTOMATICALLY, UNPACK, \
             KEEP_PROCESSED_DIR, PROCESS_METHOD, TV_DOWNLOAD_DIR, MIN_SEARCH_FREQUENCY, \
             showQueueScheduler, searchQueueScheduler, ROOT_DIRS, CACHE_DIR, ACTUAL_CACHE_DIR, \
             NAMING_PATTERN, NAMING_MULTI_EP, NAMING_FORCE_FOLDERS, NAMING_ABD_PATTERN, NAMING_CUSTOM_ABD, NAMING_STRIP_YEAR, \
@@ -584,6 +586,7 @@ def initialize(consoleLogging=True):
         QUALITY_DEFAULT = check_setting_int(CFG, 'General', 'quality_default', SD)
         STATUS_DEFAULT = check_setting_int(CFG, 'General', 'status_default', SKIPPED)
         VERSION_NOTIFY = check_setting_int(CFG, 'General', 'version_notify', 1)
+        AUTO_UPDATE = check_setting_int(CFG, 'General', 'auto_update', 1)
         FLATTEN_FOLDERS_DEFAULT = bool(check_setting_int(CFG, 'General', 'flatten_folders_default', 0))
 
         PROVIDER_ORDER = check_setting_str(CFG, 'General', 'provider_order', '').split()
@@ -975,6 +978,12 @@ def initialize(consoleLogging=True):
                                                     threadName="CHECKVERSION",
                                                     runImmediately=True)
 
+        autoUpdateScheduler = scheduler.Scheduler(versionChecker.AutoUpdate(),
+                                                    cycleTime=datetime.timedelta(seconds=3),
+                                                    threadName="AUTOUPDATER",
+                                                    runImmediately=True,
+                                                    silent=True)
+
         showQueueScheduler = scheduler.Scheduler(show_queue.ShowQueue(),
                                                  cycleTime=datetime.timedelta(seconds=3),
                                                  threadName="SHOWQUEUE",
@@ -1032,7 +1041,7 @@ def initialize(consoleLogging=True):
 
 def start():
     global __INITIALIZED__, currentSearchScheduler, backlogSearchScheduler, \
-        showUpdateScheduler, versionCheckScheduler, showQueueScheduler, \
+        showUpdateScheduler, versionCheckScheduler, autoUpdateScheduler, showQueueScheduler, \
         properFinderScheduler, autoPostProcesserScheduler, searchQueueScheduler, \
         subtitlesFinderScheduler, started, USE_SUBTITLES, \
         traktWatchListCheckerSchedular, started
@@ -1053,6 +1062,9 @@ def start():
             # start the version checker
             versionCheckScheduler.thread.start()
 
+            # start the version checker
+            autoUpdateScheduler.thread.start()
+
             # start the queue checker
             showQueueScheduler.thread.start()
 
@@ -1117,6 +1129,13 @@ def halt():
             except:
                 pass
 
+            autoUpdateScheduler.abort = True
+            logger.log(u"Waiting for the AUTOUPDATER thread to exit")
+            try:
+                autoUpdateScheduler.thread.join(10)
+            except:
+                pass
+
             showQueueScheduler.abort = True
             logger.log(u"Waiting for the SHOWQUEUE thread to exit")
             try:
@@ -1289,6 +1308,7 @@ def save_config():
     new_config['General']['flatten_folders_default'] = int(FLATTEN_FOLDERS_DEFAULT)
     new_config['General']['provider_order'] = ' '.join(PROVIDER_ORDER)
     new_config['General']['version_notify'] = int(VERSION_NOTIFY)
+    new_config['General']['auto_update'] = int(AUTO_UPDATE)
     new_config['General']['naming_strip_year'] = int(NAMING_STRIP_YEAR)
     new_config['General']['naming_pattern'] = NAMING_PATTERN
     new_config['General']['naming_custom_abd'] = int(NAMING_CUSTOM_ABD)
diff --git a/sickbeard/versionChecker.py b/sickbeard/versionChecker.py
index dc1e931d..0956cd72 100644
--- a/sickbeard/versionChecker.py
+++ b/sickbeard/versionChecker.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ class CheckVersion():
 
         return install_type
 
-    def check_for_new_version(self, force=False):
+    def check_for_new_version(self, force=False, silent=False):
         """
         Checks the internet for a newer version.
 
@@ -102,10 +102,12 @@ class CheckVersion():
             logger.log(u"Version checking is disabled, not checking for the newest version")
             return False
 
-        logger.log(u"Checking if " + self.install_type + " needs an update")
+        if not silent:
+            logger.log(u"Checking if " + self.install_type + " needs an update")
         if not self.updater.need_update():
             sickbeard.NEWEST_VERSION_STRING = None
-            logger.log(u"No update needed")
+            if not silent:
+                logger.log(u"No update needed")
 
             if force:
                 ui.notifications.message('No update needed')
@@ -118,6 +120,14 @@ class CheckVersion():
         if self.updater.need_update():
             return self.updater.update()
 
+class AutoUpdate():
+    def run(self):
+        if CheckVersion().check_for_new_version(silent=True):
+            logger.log(u"New update found for SickBeard, starting auto-updater ...")
+            updated = sickbeard.versionCheckScheduler.action.update()
+            if updated:
+                logger.log(u"Update was successfull, restarting SickBeard ...")
+                sickbeard.restart()
 
 class UpdateManager():
     def get_github_repo_user(self):
diff --git a/sickbeard/webserve.py b/sickbeard/webserve.py
index 80ca3182..e1d1a721 100644
--- a/sickbeard/webserve.py
+++ b/sickbeard/webserve.py
@@ -976,7 +976,7 @@ class ConfigGeneral:
     def saveGeneral(self, log_dir=None, web_port=None, web_log=None, encryption_version=None, web_ipv6=None,
                     update_shows_on_start=None, launch_browser=None, web_username=None, use_api=None, api_key=None,
                     web_password=None, version_notify=None, enable_https=None, https_cert=None, https_key=None,
-                    sort_article=None,
+                    sort_article=None, auto_update=None,
                     anon_redirect=None, git_path=None, calendar_unprotected=None, date_preset=None, time_preset=None):
 
         results = []
@@ -984,6 +984,7 @@ class ConfigGeneral:
         # Misc
         sickbeard.LAUNCH_BROWSER = config.checkbox_to_value(launch_browser)
         config.change_VERSION_NOTIFY(config.checkbox_to_value(version_notify))
+        sickbeard.AUTO_UPDATE = config.checkbox_to_value(auto_update)
         # sickbeard.LOG_DIR is set in config.change_LOG_DIR()
 
         sickbeard.UPDATE_SHOWS_ON_START = config.checkbox_to_value(update_shows_on_start)