diff --git a/core/core-dotspacemacs.el b/core/core-dotspacemacs.el
index 79838045e3c7..8e1fff9f3bcb 100644
--- a/core/core-dotspacemacs.el
+++ b/core/core-dotspacemacs.el
@@ -80,6 +80,9 @@ banner, `random' chooses a random text banner in `core/banners'
 directory. A string value must be a path to a .PNG file.
 If the value is nil then no banner is displayed.")
 
+(defvar dotspacemacs-version-check-enable t
+  "If non-nil then enable checking for new versions of spacemacs")
+
 (defvar dotspacemacs-configuration-layers '(emacs-lisp)
   "List of configuration layers to load. If it is the symbol `all' instead
 of a list then all discovered layers will be installed.")
diff --git a/core/core-release-management.el b/core/core-release-management.el
index 2d7f0ba781f4..ef8e03822756 100644
--- a/core/core-release-management.el
+++ b/core/core-release-management.el
@@ -74,29 +74,30 @@ users on `develop' branch must manually pull last commits instead."
   "Periodicly check for new for new Spacemacs version.
 Update `spacemacs-new-version' variable if any new version has been
 found."
-  (if (string-equal "develop" (spacemacs/git-get-current-branch))
-      (message "Skipping check for new version because you are on develop.")
-    (message "Start checking for new version...")
-    (async-start
-     `(lambda ()
-        ,(async-inject-variables "\\`user-emacs-directory\\'")
-        (load-file (concat user-emacs-directory "core/core-load-paths.el"))
-        (require 'core-spacemacs)
-        (spacemacs/get-last-version))
-     (lambda (result)
-       (if result
-           (if (or (version< result spacemacs-version)
-                   (string= result spacemacs-version)
-                   (if spacemacs-new-version
-                       (string= result spacemacs-new-version)))
-               (message "Spacemacs is up to date.")
-             (message "New version of Spacemacs available: %s" result)
-             (setq spacemacs-new-version result))
-         (message "Unable to check for new version."))))
-    (when interval
-      (setq spacemacs-version-check-timer
-            (run-at-time t (timer-duration interval)
-                         'spacemacs/check-for-new-version)))))
+  (if (eq nil dotspacemacs-version-check-enable)
+      (message "Skipping check for new version because dotspacemacs-version-check-enable nil")
+    (if (string-equal "develop" (spacemacs/git-get-current-branch))
+        (message "Skipping check for new version because you are on develop.")
+      (message "Start checking for new version...")
+      (async-start
+       (lambda ()
+         (load-file (concat user-emacs-directory "core/core-load-paths.el"))
+         (require 'core-spacemacs)
+         (spacemacs/get-last-version))
+       (lambda (result)
+         (if result
+             (if (or (version< result spacemacs-version)
+                     (string= result spacemacs-version)
+                     (if spacemacs-new-version
+                         (string= result spacemacs-new-version)))
+                 (message "Spacemacs is up to date.")
+               (message "New version of Spacemacs available: %s" result)
+               (setq spacemacs-new-version result))
+           (message "Unable to check for new version."))))
+      (when interval
+        (setq spacemacs-version-check-timer
+              (run-at-time t (timer-duration interval)
+                           'spacemacs/check-for-new-version))))))
 
 (defun spacemacs/get-last-version ()
   "Return the last tagged version."