diff --git a/src/gui/mainwindow.cpp b/src/gui/mainwindow.cpp
index 5983ab8a6..1dc302d0a 100644
--- a/src/gui/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@
 #include "statsdialog.h"
 #include "statusbar.h"
 #include "torrentcreatordialog.h"
-
 #include "transferlistfilterswidget.h"
 #include "transferlistmodel.h"
 #include "transferlistwidget.h"
@@ -105,6 +104,8 @@
 #include "programupdater.h"
 #endif
 
+using namespace std::chrono_literals;
+
 namespace
 {
 #define SETTINGS_KEY(name) "GUI/" name
@@ -148,9 +149,6 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent)
     , m_posInitialized(false)
     , m_forceExit(false)
     , m_unlockDlgShowing(false)
-#if defined(Q_OS_WIN) || defined(Q_OS_MACOS)
-    , m_wasUpdateCheckEnabled(false)
-#endif
     , m_hasPython(false)
 {
     m_ui->setupUi(this);
@@ -317,11 +315,11 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent)
     connect(m_ui->actionUseAlternativeSpeedLimits, &QAction::triggered, this, &MainWindow::toggleAlternativeSpeeds);
 
 #if defined(Q_OS_WIN) || defined(Q_OS_MACOS)
-    m_programUpdateTimer = new QTimer(this);
-    m_programUpdateTimer->setInterval(60 * 60 * 1000);
-    m_programUpdateTimer->setSingleShot(true);
-    connect(m_programUpdateTimer, &QTimer::timeout, this, &MainWindow::checkProgramUpdate);
-    connect(m_ui->actionCheckForUpdates, &QAction::triggered, this, &MainWindow::checkProgramUpdate);
+    connect(m_ui->actionCheckForUpdates, &QAction::triggered, this, [this]() { checkProgramUpdate(true); });
+
+    // trigger an early check on startup
+    if (pref->isUpdateCheckEnabled())
+        checkProgramUpdate(false);
 #else
     m_ui->actionCheckForUpdates->setVisible(false);
 #endif
@@ -804,7 +802,8 @@ void MainWindow::cleanup()
     m_preventTimer->stop();
 
 #if (defined(Q_OS_WIN) || defined(Q_OS_MACOS))
-    m_programUpdateTimer->stop();
+    if (m_programUpdateTimer)
+        m_programUpdateTimer->stop();
 #endif
 
     // remove all child widgets
@@ -1583,15 +1582,21 @@ void MainWindow::loadPreferences(const bool configureSession)
     m_propertiesWidget->reloadPreferences();
 
 #if defined(Q_OS_WIN) || defined(Q_OS_MACOS)
-    if (pref->isUpdateCheckEnabled() && !m_wasUpdateCheckEnabled)
+    if (pref->isUpdateCheckEnabled())
     {
-        m_wasUpdateCheckEnabled = true;
-        checkProgramUpdate();
+        if (!m_programUpdateTimer)
+        {
+            m_programUpdateTimer = new QTimer(this);
+            m_programUpdateTimer->setInterval(24h);
+            m_programUpdateTimer->setSingleShot(true);
+            connect(m_programUpdateTimer, &QTimer::timeout, this, [this]() { checkProgramUpdate(false); });
+            m_programUpdateTimer->start();
+        }
     }
-    else if (!pref->isUpdateCheckEnabled() && m_wasUpdateCheckEnabled)
+    else
     {
-        m_wasUpdateCheckEnabled = false;
-        m_programUpdateTimer->stop();
+        delete m_programUpdateTimer;
+        m_programUpdateTimer = nullptr;
     }
 #endif
 
@@ -1897,15 +1902,21 @@ void MainWindow::on_actionDownloadFromURL_triggered()
 }
 
 #if defined(Q_OS_WIN) || defined(Q_OS_MACOS)
-void MainWindow::handleUpdateCheckFinished(const bool updateAvailable, const QString &newVersion, const bool invokedByUser)
+void MainWindow::handleUpdateCheckFinished(ProgramUpdater *updater, const bool invokedByUser)
 {
     m_ui->actionCheckForUpdates->setEnabled(true);
     m_ui->actionCheckForUpdates->setText(tr("&Check for Updates"));
     m_ui->actionCheckForUpdates->setToolTip(tr("Check for program updates"));
 
-    QObject *signalSender = sender();
+    const auto cleanup = [this, updater]()
+    {
+        if (m_programUpdateTimer)
+            m_programUpdateTimer->start();
+        updater->deleteLater();
+    };
 
-    if (updateAvailable)
+    const QString newVersion = updater->getNewVersion();
+    if (!newVersion.isEmpty())
     {
         const QString msg {tr("A new version is available.") + "<br/>"
             + tr("Do you want to download %1?").arg(newVersion) + "<br/><br/>"
@@ -1915,38 +1926,31 @@ void MainWindow::handleUpdateCheckFinished(const bool updateAvailable, const QSt
         msgBox->setAttribute(Qt::WA_DeleteOnClose);
         msgBox->setAttribute(Qt::WA_ShowWithoutActivating);
         msgBox->setDefaultButton(QMessageBox::Yes);
-        connect(msgBox, &QMessageBox::buttonClicked, this, [this, msgBox, signalSender](QAbstractButton *button)
+        connect(msgBox, &QMessageBox::buttonClicked, this, [this, msgBox, updater](QAbstractButton *button)
         {
             if (msgBox->buttonRole(button) == QMessageBox::YesRole)
             {
-                // The user want to update, let's download the update
-                auto *updater = dynamic_cast<ProgramUpdater *>(signalSender);
                 updater->updateProgram();
             }
-            else
-            {
-                if (Preferences::instance()->isUpdateCheckEnabled())
-                    m_programUpdateTimer->start();
-            }
-
-            signalSender->deleteLater();
         });
+        connect(msgBox, &QDialog::finished, this, cleanup);
         msgBox->open();
     }
-    else if (invokedByUser)
+    else
     {
-        auto *msgBox = new QMessageBox {QMessageBox::Information, QLatin1String("qBittorrent")
-            , tr("No updates available.\nYou are already using the latest version.")
-            , QMessageBox::Ok, this};
-        msgBox->setAttribute(Qt::WA_DeleteOnClose);
-        connect(msgBox, &QDialog::finished, this, [this, signalSender](const int)
+        if (invokedByUser)
         {
-            if (Preferences::instance()->isUpdateCheckEnabled())
-                m_programUpdateTimer->start();
-
-            signalSender->deleteLater();
-        });
-        msgBox->open();
+            auto *msgBox = new QMessageBox {QMessageBox::Information, QLatin1String("qBittorrent")
+                , tr("No updates available.\nYou are already using the latest version.")
+                , QMessageBox::Ok, this};
+            msgBox->setAttribute(Qt::WA_DeleteOnClose);
+            connect(msgBox, &QDialog::finished, this, cleanup);
+            msgBox->open();
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            cleanup();
+        }
     }
 }
 #endif
@@ -2106,18 +2110,23 @@ QIcon MainWindow::getSystrayIcon() const
 #endif // Q_OS_MACOS
 
 #if defined(Q_OS_WIN) || defined(Q_OS_MACOS)
-void MainWindow::checkProgramUpdate()
+void MainWindow::checkProgramUpdate(const bool invokedByUser)
 {
-    m_programUpdateTimer->stop(); // If the user had clicked the menu item
+    if (m_programUpdateTimer)
+        m_programUpdateTimer->stop();
+
     m_ui->actionCheckForUpdates->setEnabled(false);
     m_ui->actionCheckForUpdates->setText(tr("Checking for Updates..."));
     m_ui->actionCheckForUpdates->setToolTip(tr("Already checking for program updates in the background"));
-    bool invokedByUser = m_ui->actionCheckForUpdates == qobject_cast<QAction *>(sender());
-    ProgramUpdater *updater = new ProgramUpdater(this, invokedByUser);
-    connect(updater, &ProgramUpdater::updateCheckFinished, this, &MainWindow::handleUpdateCheckFinished);
+
+    auto *updater = new ProgramUpdater(this);
+    connect(updater, &ProgramUpdater::updateCheckFinished
+        , this, [this, invokedByUser, updater]()
+    {
+        handleUpdateCheckFinished(updater, invokedByUser);
+    });
     updater->checkForUpdates();
 }
-
 #endif
 
 #ifdef Q_OS_WIN
diff --git a/src/gui/mainwindow.h b/src/gui/mainwindow.h
index 6f0ee5998..63a8096ba 100644
--- a/src/gui/mainwindow.h
+++ b/src/gui/mainwindow.h
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ class ExecutionLogWidget;
 class LineEdit;
 class OptionsDialog;
 class PowerManagement;
+class ProgramUpdater;
 class PropertiesWidget;
 class RSSWidget;
 class SearchWidget;
@@ -134,9 +135,6 @@ private slots:
     void finishedTorrent(BitTorrent::Torrent *const torrent) const;
     void askRecursiveTorrentDownloadConfirmation(BitTorrent::Torrent *const torrent);
     void optionsSaved();
-#if defined(Q_OS_WIN) || defined(Q_OS_MACOS)
-    void handleUpdateCheckFinished(bool updateAvailable, const QString &newVersion, bool invokedByUser);
-#endif
     void toggleAlternativeSpeeds();
 
 #ifdef Q_OS_WIN
@@ -177,9 +175,7 @@ private slots:
     void on_actionLock_triggered();
     // Check for unpaused downloading or seeding torrents and prevent system suspend/sleep according to preferences
     void updatePowerManagementState();
-#if defined(Q_OS_WIN) || defined(Q_OS_MACOS)
-    void checkProgramUpdate();
-#endif
+
     void toolbarMenuRequested(const QPoint &point);
     void toolbarIconsOnly();
     void toolbarTextOnly();
@@ -252,10 +248,13 @@ private:
     // Power Management
     PowerManagement *m_pwr;
     QTimer *m_preventTimer;
-#if defined(Q_OS_WIN) || defined(Q_OS_MACOS)
-    QTimer *m_programUpdateTimer;
-    bool m_wasUpdateCheckEnabled;
-#endif
     bool m_hasPython;
     QMenu *m_toolbarMenu;
+
+#if defined(Q_OS_WIN) || defined(Q_OS_MACOS)
+    void checkProgramUpdate(bool invokedByUser);
+    void handleUpdateCheckFinished(ProgramUpdater *updater, bool invokedByUser);
+
+    QTimer *m_programUpdateTimer = nullptr;
+#endif
 };
diff --git a/src/gui/programupdater.cpp b/src/gui/programupdater.cpp
index ee18931eb..7301b83ea 100644
--- a/src/gui/programupdater.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/programupdater.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Bittorrent Client using Qt and libtorrent.
+ * Copyright (C) 2021  Mike Tzou (Chocobo1)
  * Copyright (C) 2010  Christophe Dumez <chris@qbittorrent.org>
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
@@ -36,7 +37,6 @@
 #include <QDebug>
 #include <QDesktopServices>
 #include <QRegularExpression>
-#include <QStringList>
 #include <QXmlStreamReader>
 
 #if defined(Q_OS_WIN)
@@ -44,56 +44,82 @@
 #endif
 
 #include "base/net/downloadmanager.h"
+#include "base/utils/version.h"
 #include "base/version.h"
 
 namespace
 {
-    const QString RSS_URL {QStringLiteral("https://www.fosshub.com/feed/5b8793a7f9ee5a5c3e97a3b2.xml")};
+    bool isVersionMoreRecent(const QString &remoteVersion)
+    {
+        using Version = Utils::Version<int, 4, 3>;
 
-    QString getStringValue(QXmlStreamReader &xml);
+        try
+        {
+            const Version newVersion {remoteVersion};
+            const Version currentVersion {QBT_VERSION_MAJOR, QBT_VERSION_MINOR, QBT_VERSION_BUGFIX, QBT_VERSION_BUILD};
+            if (newVersion == currentVersion)
+            {
+                const bool isDevVersion = QString::fromLatin1(QBT_VERSION_STATUS).contains(
+                    QRegularExpression(QLatin1String("(alpha|beta|rc)")));
+                if (isDevVersion)
+                    return true;
+            }
+            return (newVersion > currentVersion);
+        }
+        catch (const std::runtime_error &)
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
 }
 
-ProgramUpdater::ProgramUpdater(QObject *parent, bool invokedByUser)
-    : QObject(parent)
-    , m_invokedByUser(invokedByUser)
-{
-}
-
-void ProgramUpdater::checkForUpdates()
+void ProgramUpdater::checkForUpdates() const
 {
+    const auto RSS_URL = QString::fromLatin1("https://www.fosshub.com/feed/5b8793a7f9ee5a5c3e97a3b2.xml");
     // Don't change this User-Agent. In case our updater goes haywire,
     // the filehost can identify it and contact us.
     Net::DownloadManager::instance()->download(
-                Net::DownloadRequest(RSS_URL).userAgent("qBittorrent/" QBT_VERSION_2 " ProgramUpdater (www.qbittorrent.org)")
-                , this, &ProgramUpdater::rssDownloadFinished);
+        Net::DownloadRequest(RSS_URL).userAgent("qBittorrent/" QBT_VERSION_2 " ProgramUpdater (www.qbittorrent.org)")
+        , this, &ProgramUpdater::rssDownloadFinished);
+}
+
+QString ProgramUpdater::getNewVersion() const
+{
+    return m_newVersion;
 }
 
 void ProgramUpdater::rssDownloadFinished(const Net::DownloadResult &result)
 {
-
     if (result.status != Net::DownloadStatus::Success)
     {
         qDebug() << "Downloading the new qBittorrent updates RSS failed:" << result.errorString;
-        emit updateCheckFinished(false, QString(), m_invokedByUser);
+        emit updateCheckFinished();
         return;
     }
 
     qDebug("Finished downloading the new qBittorrent updates RSS");
 
+    const auto getStringValue = [](QXmlStreamReader &xml) -> QString
+    {
+        xml.readNext();
+        return (xml.isCharacters() && !xml.isWhitespace())
+            ? xml.text().toString()
+            : QString {};
+    };
+
 #ifdef Q_OS_MACOS
     const QString OS_TYPE {"Mac OS X"};
 #elif defined(Q_OS_WIN)
-    const QString OS_TYPE
-    {(::IsWindows7OrGreater()
-            && QSysInfo::currentCpuArchitecture().endsWith("64"))
+    const QString OS_TYPE {(::IsWindows7OrGreater()
+        && QSysInfo::currentCpuArchitecture().endsWith("64"))
         ? "Windows x64" : "Windows"};
 #endif
 
-    QString version;
-    QXmlStreamReader xml(result.data);
     bool inItem = false;
+    QString version;
     QString updateLink;
     QString type;
+    QXmlStreamReader xml(result.data);
 
     while (!xml.atEnd())
     {
@@ -121,7 +147,10 @@ void ProgramUpdater::rssDownloadFinished(const Net::DownloadResult &result)
                     {
                         qDebug("Detected version is %s", qUtf8Printable(version));
                         if (isVersionMoreRecent(version))
-                            m_updateUrl = updateLink;
+                        {
+                            m_newVersion = version;
+                            m_updateURL = updateLink;
+                        }
                     }
                     break;
                 }
@@ -134,51 +163,10 @@ void ProgramUpdater::rssDownloadFinished(const Net::DownloadResult &result)
         }
     }
 
-    emit updateCheckFinished(!m_updateUrl.isEmpty(), version, m_invokedByUser);
+    emit updateCheckFinished();
 }
 
-void ProgramUpdater::updateProgram()
+bool ProgramUpdater::updateProgram() const
 {
-    Q_ASSERT(!m_updateUrl.isEmpty());
-    QDesktopServices::openUrl(m_updateUrl);
-    return;
-}
-
-bool ProgramUpdater::isVersionMoreRecent(const QString &remoteVersion) const
-{
-    const QRegularExpressionMatch regVerMatch = QRegularExpression("([0-9.]+)").match(QBT_VERSION);
-    if (regVerMatch.hasMatch())
-    {
-        const QString localVersion = regVerMatch.captured(1);
-        const QVector<QStringRef> remoteParts = remoteVersion.splitRef('.');
-        const QVector<QStringRef> localParts = localVersion.splitRef('.');
-
-        for (int i = 0; i < qMin(remoteParts.size(), localParts.size()); ++i)
-        {
-            if (remoteParts[i].toInt() > localParts[i].toInt())
-                return true;
-            if (remoteParts[i].toInt() < localParts[i].toInt())
-                return false;
-        }
-        // Compared parts were equal, if remote version is longer, then it's more recent (2.9.2.1 > 2.9.2)
-        if (remoteParts.size() > localParts.size())
-            return true;
-        // versions are equal, check if the local version is a development release, in which case it is older (2.9.2beta < 2.9.2)
-        const QRegularExpressionMatch regDevelMatch = QRegularExpression("(alpha|beta|rc)").match(QBT_VERSION);
-        if (regDevelMatch.hasMatch())
-            return true;
-    }
-    return false;
-}
-
-namespace
-{
-    QString getStringValue(QXmlStreamReader &xml)
-    {
-        xml.readNext();
-        if (xml.isCharacters() && !xml.isWhitespace())
-            return xml.text().toString();
-
-        return {};
-    }
+    return QDesktopServices::openUrl(m_updateURL);
 }
diff --git a/src/gui/programupdater.h b/src/gui/programupdater.h
index c843324ab..1a22886a4 100644
--- a/src/gui/programupdater.h
+++ b/src/gui/programupdater.h
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Bittorrent Client using Qt and libtorrent.
+ * Copyright (C) 2021  Mike Tzou (Chocobo1)
  * Copyright (C) 2010  Christophe Dumez <chris@qbittorrent.org>
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
@@ -29,32 +30,33 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <QObject>
+#include <QString>
+#include <QUrl>
 
 namespace Net
 {
     struct DownloadResult;
 }
 
-class ProgramUpdater : public QObject
+class ProgramUpdater final : public QObject
 {
     Q_OBJECT
     Q_DISABLE_COPY(ProgramUpdater)
 
 public:
-    explicit ProgramUpdater(QObject *parent = nullptr, bool invokedByUser = false);
+    using QObject::QObject;
 
-    void checkForUpdates();
-    void updateProgram();
+    void checkForUpdates() const;
+    QString getNewVersion() const;
+    bool updateProgram() const;
 
 signals:
-    void updateCheckFinished(bool updateAvailable, QString version, bool invokedByUser);
+    void updateCheckFinished();
 
 private slots:
     void rssDownloadFinished(const Net::DownloadResult &result);
 
 private:
-    bool isVersionMoreRecent(const QString &remoteVersion) const;
-
-    QString m_updateUrl;
-    bool m_invokedByUser;
+    QString m_newVersion;
+    QUrl m_updateURL;
 };