diff --git a/emain/emain.ts b/emain/emain.ts
index b0c77329f..33be2242f 100644
--- a/emain/emain.ts
+++ b/emain/emain.ts
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ function runWaveSrv(): Promise<boolean> {
         env: envCopy,
     });
     proc.on("exit", (e) => {
-        if (globalIsQuitting) {
+        if (globalIsQuitting || updater?.status == "installing") {
             return;
         }
         console.log("wavesrv exited, shutting down");
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ function createBrowserWindow(
         win.webContents.send("fullscreen-change", false);
     });
     win.on("close", (e) => {
-        if (globalIsQuitting) {
+        if (globalIsQuitting || updater?.status == "installing") {
             return;
         }
         const choice = electron.dialog.showMessageBoxSync(win, {
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ function createBrowserWindow(
         }
     });
     win.on("closed", () => {
-        if (globalIsQuitting) {
+        if (globalIsQuitting || updater?.status == "installing") {
             return;
         }
         services.WindowService.CloseWindow(waveWindow.oid);
@@ -623,8 +623,8 @@ function makeAppMenu() {
         },
         {
             label: "Check for Updates",
-            click: () => {
-                fireAndForget(() => updater?.checkForUpdates(true));
+            click: async () => {
+                await updater?.checkForUpdates(true);
             },
         },
         {
@@ -807,7 +807,7 @@ async function appMain() {
     console.log("wavesrv ready signal received", ready, Date.now() - startTs, "ms");
     await electronApp.whenReady();
     relaunchBrowserWindows();
-    configureAutoUpdater();
+    await configureAutoUpdater();
     globalIsStarting = false;
 
     electronApp.on("activate", () => {
diff --git a/emain/updater.ts b/emain/updater.ts
index 70fcb358b..48b146c74 100644
--- a/emain/updater.ts
+++ b/emain/updater.ts
@@ -4,15 +4,13 @@ import { autoUpdater } from "electron-updater";
 import * as services from "../frontend/app/store/services";
 import { fireAndForget } from "../frontend/util/util";
 
-let autoUpdateLock = false;
-
 export let updater: Updater;
 
 export class Updater {
     interval: NodeJS.Timeout | null;
     availableUpdateReleaseName: string | null;
     availableUpdateReleaseNotes: string | null;
-    _status: UpdaterStatus;
+    private _status: UpdaterStatus;
     lastUpdateCheck: Date;
 
     constructor() {
@@ -102,6 +100,7 @@ export class Updater {
         }
         const now = new Date();
         if (
+            userInput ||
             !this.lastUpdateCheck ||
             Math.abs(now.getTime() - this.lastUpdateCheck.getTime()) > autoUpdateOpts.intervalms
         ) {
@@ -135,7 +134,10 @@ export class Updater {
             await electron.dialog
                 .showMessageBox(electron.BrowserWindow.getFocusedWindow() ?? allWindows[0], dialogOpts)
                 .then(({ response }) => {
-                    if (response === 0) autoUpdater.quitAndInstall();
+                    if (response === 0) {
+                        this.status = "installing";
+                        autoUpdater.quitAndInstall();
+                    }
                 });
         }
     }
@@ -146,6 +148,8 @@ electron.ipcMain.on("get-app-update-status", (event) => {
     event.returnValue = updater?.status;
 });
 
+let autoUpdateLock = false;
+
 /**
  * Configures the auto-updater based on the user's preference
  * @param enabled Whether the auto-updater should be enabled
@@ -153,7 +157,7 @@ electron.ipcMain.on("get-app-update-status", (event) => {
 export async function configureAutoUpdater() {
     if (isDev()) {
         console.log("skipping auto-updater in dev mode");
-        return null;
+        return;
     }
 
     // simple lock to prevent multiple auto-update configuration attempts, this should be very rare
diff --git a/frontend/types/custom.d.ts b/frontend/types/custom.d.ts
index e26cbab2d..5eeeae710 100644
--- a/frontend/types/custom.d.ts
+++ b/frontend/types/custom.d.ts
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ declare global {
         giveFocus?: () => boolean;
     }
 
-    type UpdaterStatus = "up-to-date" | "checking" | "downloading" | "ready" | "error";
+    type UpdaterStatus = "up-to-date" | "checking" | "downloading" | "ready" | "error" | "installing";
 
     // jotai doesn't export this type :/
     type Loadable<T> = { state: "loading" } | { state: "hasData"; data: T } | { state: "hasError"; error: unknown };