diff --git a/onionshare_gui/settings_dialog.py b/onionshare_gui/settings_dialog.py
index d53ac303..dae3b6c5 100644
--- a/onionshare_gui/settings_dialog.py
+++ b/onionshare_gui/settings_dialog.py
@@ -557,31 +557,43 @@ class SettingsDialog(QtWidgets.QDialog):
         self._disable_buttons()
         self.qtapp.processEvents()
 
+        def update_timestamp():
+            # Update the last checked label
+            settings = Settings(self.config)
+            settings.load()
+            autoupdate_timestamp = settings.get('autoupdate_timestamp')
+            self._update_autoupdate_timestamp(autoupdate_timestamp)
+
+        def close_forced_update_thread():
+            forced_update_thread.quit()
+            # Enable buttons
+            self._enable_buttons()
+            # Update timestamp
+            update_timestamp()
+
         # Check for updates
         def update_available(update_url, installed_version, latest_version):
             Alert(strings._("update_available", True).format(update_url, installed_version, latest_version))
+            close_forced_update_thread()
+
         def update_not_available():
             Alert(strings._('update_not_available', True))
+            close_forced_update_thread()
 
-        u = UpdateChecker(self.onion)
-        u.update_available.connect(update_available)
-        u.update_not_available.connect(update_not_available)
-
-        try:
-            u.check(force=True)
-        except UpdateCheckerCheckError:
+        def update_error():
             Alert(strings._('update_error_check_error', True), QtWidgets.QMessageBox.Warning)
-        except UpdateCheckerInvalidLatestVersion as e:
+            close_forced_update_thread()
+
+        def update_invalid_version():
             Alert(strings._('update_error_invalid_latest_version', True).format(e.latest_version), QtWidgets.QMessageBox.Warning)
+            close_forced_update_thread()
 
-        # Enable buttons
-        self._enable_buttons()
-
-        # Update the last checked label
-        settings = Settings(self.config)
-        settings.load()
-        autoupdate_timestamp = settings.get('autoupdate_timestamp')
-        self._update_autoupdate_timestamp(autoupdate_timestamp)
+        forced_update_thread = UpdateThread(self.onion, self.config, force=True)
+        forced_update_thread.update_available.connect(update_available)
+        forced_update_thread.update_not_available.connect(update_not_available)
+        forced_update_thread.update_error.connect(update_error)
+        forced_update_thread.update_invalid_version.connect(update_invalid_version)
+        forced_update_thread.start()
 
     def save_clicked(self):
         """
diff --git a/onionshare_gui/update_checker.py b/onionshare_gui/update_checker.py
index ca2eb48a..16d8b8f5 100644
--- a/onionshare_gui/update_checker.py
+++ b/onionshare_gui/update_checker.py
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ class UpdateChecker(QtCore.QObject):
     """
     update_available = QtCore.pyqtSignal(str, str, str)
     update_not_available = QtCore.pyqtSignal()
+    update_error = QtCore.pyqtSignal()
+    update_invalid_version = QtCore.pyqtSignal()
 
     def __init__(self, onion, config=False):
         super(UpdateChecker, self).__init__()
@@ -120,12 +122,14 @@ class UpdateChecker(QtCore.QObject):
 
             except Exception as e:
                 common.log('UpdateChecker', 'check', '{}'.format(e))
+                self.update_error.emit()
                 raise UpdateCheckerCheckError
 
             # Validate that latest_version looks like a version string
             # This regex is: 1-3 dot-separated numeric components
             version_re = r"^(\d+\.)?(\d+\.)?(\d+)$"
             if not re.match(version_re, latest_version):
+                self.update_invalid_version.emit()
                 raise UpdateCheckerInvalidLatestVersion(latest_version)
 
             # Update the last checked timestamp (dropping the seconds and milliseconds)
@@ -148,12 +152,15 @@ class UpdateChecker(QtCore.QObject):
 class UpdateThread(QtCore.QThread):
     update_available = QtCore.pyqtSignal(str, str, str)
     update_not_available = QtCore.pyqtSignal()
+    update_error = QtCore.pyqtSignal()
+    update_invalid_version = QtCore.pyqtSignal()
 
-    def __init__(self, onion, config=False):
+    def __init__(self, onion, config=False, force=False):
         super(UpdateThread, self).__init__()
         common.log('UpdateThread', '__init__')
         self.onion = onion
         self.config = config
+        self.force = force
 
     def run(self):
         common.log('UpdateThread', 'run')
@@ -161,9 +168,11 @@ class UpdateThread(QtCore.QThread):
         u = UpdateChecker(self.onion, self.config)
         u.update_available.connect(self._update_available)
         u.update_not_available.connect(self._update_not_available)
+        u.update_error.connect(self._update_error)
+        u.update_invalid_version.connect(self._update_invalid_version)
 
         try:
-            u.check(config=self.config)
+            u.check(config=self.config,force=self.force)
         except Exception as e:
             # If update check fails, silently ignore
             common.log('UpdateThread', 'run', '{}'.format(e))
@@ -178,3 +187,13 @@ class UpdateThread(QtCore.QThread):
         common.log('UpdateThread', '_update_not_available')
         self.active = False
         self.update_not_available.emit()
+
+    def _update_error(self):
+        common.log('UpdateThread', '_update_error')
+        self.active = False
+        self.update_error.emit()
+
+    def _update_invalid_version(self):
+        common.log('UpdateThread', '_update_invalid_version')
+        self.active = False
+        self.update_invalid_version.emit()