diff --git a/src/routes/apps.js b/src/routes/apps.js
index 56a2a0f49..06c8b16b3 100644
--- a/src/routes/apps.js
+++ b/src/routes/apps.js
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ exports = module.exports = {
     restart,
     exec,
     execWebSocket,
+    checkForUpdates,
 
     clone,
 
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ const apps = require('../apps.js'),
     HttpError = require('connect-lastmile').HttpError,
     HttpSuccess = require('connect-lastmile').HttpSuccess,
     safe = require('safetydance'),
+    updateChecker = require('../updatechecker.js'),
     users = require('../users.js'),
     WebSocket = require('ws');
 
@@ -801,6 +803,8 @@ async function setMounts(req, res, next) {
 }
 
 async function listEventlog(req, res, next) {
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof req.app, 'object');
+
     const page = typeof req.query.page !== 'undefined' ? parseInt(req.query.page) : 1;
     if (!page || page < 0) return next(new HttpError(400, 'page query param has to be a postive number'));
 
@@ -812,3 +816,13 @@ async function listEventlog(req, res, next) {
 
     next(new HttpSuccess(200, { eventlogs }));
 }
+
+async function checkForUpdates(req, res, next) {
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof req.app, 'object');
+
+    // it can take a while sometimes to get all the app updates one by one
+    req.clearTimeout();
+
+    await updateChecker.checkForUpdates({ automatic: false }); // appId argument is ignored for the moment
+    next(new HttpSuccess(200, { update: updateChecker.getUpdateInfo() }));
+}
diff --git a/src/server.js b/src/server.js
index 4470ff33c..095af0c53 100644
--- a/src/server.js
+++ b/src/server.js
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ function initializeExpressSync() {
     router.post('/api/v1/apps/:id/configure/location',           json, token, routes.apps.load, authorizeAdmin, routes.apps.setLocation);
     router.post('/api/v1/apps/:id/configure/mounts',             json, token, routes.apps.load, authorizeAdmin, routes.apps.setMounts);
     router.post('/api/v1/apps/:id/repair',                       json, token, routes.apps.load, authorizeOperator, routes.apps.repair);
+    router.post('/api/v1/apps/:id/check_for_updates',            json, token, routes.apps.load, authorizeOperator, routes.apps.checkForUpdates);
     router.post('/api/v1/apps/:id/update',                       json, token, routes.apps.load, authorizeOperator, routes.apps.update);
     router.post('/api/v1/apps/:id/restore',                      json, token, routes.apps.load, authorizeOperator, routes.apps.restore);
     router.post('/api/v1/apps/:id/import',                       json, token, routes.apps.load, authorizeOperator, routes.apps.importApp);
diff --git a/src/updatechecker.js b/src/updatechecker.js
index 64afc55b0..0cbb0a65b 100644
--- a/src/updatechecker.js
+++ b/src/updatechecker.js
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ async function checkAppUpdates(options) {
 
     debug('checkAppUpdates: checking for updates');
 
-    let state = getUpdateInfo();
-    let newState = { };  // create new state so that old app ids are removed
+    const state = getUpdateInfo();
+    const newState = { };  // create new state so that old app ids are removed
 
     const result = await apps.list();
 
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ async function checkBoxUpdates(options) {
 
     const updateInfo = await appstore.getBoxUpdate(options);
 
-    let state = getUpdateInfo();
+    const state = getUpdateInfo();
 
     if (!updateInfo) { // no update
         if ('box' in state) {