diff --git a/bin/reboot-required b/bin/reboot-required
index fb79d1aa..5b9b508f 100755
--- a/bin/reboot-required
+++ b/bin/reboot-required
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
+if [ ! -x /usr/share/update-notifier/notify-reboot-required ]; then
+	echo "?"
+	exit 1
+fi
+
 if [ -e /var/run/reboot-required ]; then
 	echo "(@)"
 fi
diff --git a/bin/updates-available b/bin/updates-available
index d9655ce2..54295d72 100755
--- a/bin/updates-available
+++ b/bin/updates-available
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
-/usr/lib/update-notifier/apt-check 2>&1 | tail -n 1 | sed "s/;.*$/\!/"
+if [ -x /usr/lib/update-notifier/apt-check ]; then
+	/usr/lib/update-notifier/apt-check 2>&1 | tail -n 1 | sed "s/;.*$/\!/"
+elif [ -x /usr/bin/apt-get ]; then
+	/usr/bin/apt-get -s -o Debug::NoLocking=true upgrade | grep ^Inst | wc -l
+elif [ -x /usr/bin/yum ]; then
+	/usr/bin/yum list updates | grep -c "updates"
+else
+	echo "?"
+fi