diff --git a/modules/common/src/main/scala/docspell/common/config/Implicits.scala b/modules/common/src/main/scala/docspell/common/config/Implicits.scala
index c294cb66..e76b1592 100644
--- a/modules/common/src/main/scala/docspell/common/config/Implicits.scala
+++ b/modules/common/src/main/scala/docspell/common/config/Implicits.scala
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ import scodec.bits.ByteVector
 
 object Implicits {
 
+  implicit val accountIdReader: ConfigReader[AccountId] =
+    ConfigReader[String].emap(reason(AccountId.parse))
+
   implicit val pathReader: ConfigReader[Path] =
     ConfigReader[JPath].map(Path.fromNioPath)
 
diff --git a/modules/joex/src/main/resources/reference.conf b/modules/joex/src/main/resources/reference.conf
index 97ecc84c..38c001c6 100644
--- a/modules/joex/src/main/resources/reference.conf
+++ b/modules/joex/src/main/resources/reference.conf
@@ -180,6 +180,62 @@ docspell.joex {
     }
   }
 
+  # A periodic task to check for new releases of docspell. It can
+  # inform about a new release via e-mail. You need to specify an
+  # account that has SMTP settings to use for sending.
+  update-check {
+    # Whether to enable this task
+    enabled = false
+
+    # Sends the mail without checking the latest release. Can be used
+    # if you want to see if mail sending works, but don't want to wait
+    # until a new release is published.
+    test-run = false
+
+    # When the update check should execute. Default is to run every
+    # week.
+    schedule = "Sun *-*-* 00:00:00"
+
+    # An account id in form of `collective/user` (or just `user` if
+    # collective and user name are the same). This user account must
+    # have at least one valid SMTP settings which are used to send the
+    # mail.
+    sender-account = ""
+
+    # The SMTP connection id that should be used for sending the mail.
+    smtp-id = ""
+
+    # A list of recipient e-mail addresses.
+    # Example: `[ "john.doe@gmail.com" ]`
+    recipients = []
+
+    # The subject of the mail. It supports the same variables as the
+    # body.
+    subject = "Docspell {{ latestVersion }} is available"
+
+    # The body of the mail. Subject and body can contain these
+    # variables which are replaced:
+    #
+    # - `latestVersion` the latest available version of Docspell
+    # - `currentVersion` the currently running (old) version of Docspell
+    # - `releasedAt` a date when the release was published
+    #
+    # The body is processed as markdown after the variables have been
+    # replaced.
+    body = """
+Hello,
+
+You are currently running Docspell {{ currentVersion }}. Version *{{ latestVersion }}*
+is now available, which was released on {{ releasedAt }}. Check the release page at:
+
+<https://github.com/eikek/docspell/releases/latest>
+
+Have a nice day!
+
+Docpell Update Check
+"""
+  }
+
   # Configuration of text extraction
   extraction {
     # For PDF files it is first tried to read the text parts of the
diff --git a/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/Config.scala b/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/Config.scala
index 05326c0d..6f281783 100644
--- a/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/Config.scala
+++ b/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/Config.scala
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import docspell.ftssolr.SolrConfig
 import docspell.joex.analysis.RegexNerFile
 import docspell.joex.hk.HouseKeepingConfig
 import docspell.joex.scheduler.{PeriodicSchedulerConfig, SchedulerConfig}
+import docspell.joex.updatecheck.UpdateCheckConfig
 import docspell.store.JdbcConfig
 
 case class Config(
@@ -36,7 +37,8 @@ case class Config(
     sendMail: MailSendConfig,
     files: Files,
     mailDebug: Boolean,
-    fullTextSearch: Config.FullTextSearch
+    fullTextSearch: Config.FullTextSearch,
+    updateCheck: UpdateCheckConfig
 )
 
 object Config {
diff --git a/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/ConfigFile.scala b/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/ConfigFile.scala
index 9091cffd..bf777dcc 100644
--- a/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/ConfigFile.scala
+++ b/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/ConfigFile.scala
@@ -6,21 +6,56 @@
 
 package docspell.joex
 
+import cats.data.Validated
+import cats.data.ValidatedNec
+import cats.implicits._
+
 import docspell.common.config.Implicits._
 import docspell.joex.scheduler.CountingScheme
 
+import emil.MailAddress
+import emil.javamail.syntax._
 import pureconfig._
 import pureconfig.generic.auto._
+import yamusca.imports._
 
 object ConfigFile {
   import Implicits._
 
   def loadConfig: Config =
-    ConfigSource.default.at("docspell.joex").loadOrThrow[Config]
+    validOrThrow(ConfigSource.default.at("docspell.joex").loadOrThrow[Config])
+
+  private def validOrThrow(cfg: Config): Config =
+    validate(cfg).fold(err => sys.error(err.toList.mkString("- ", "\n", "")), identity)
 
   object Implicits {
     implicit val countingSchemeReader: ConfigReader[CountingScheme] =
       ConfigReader[String].emap(reason(CountingScheme.readString))
 
+    implicit val templateReader: ConfigReader[Template] =
+      ConfigReader[String].emap(reason(str => mustache.parse(str.trim).left.map(_._2)))
+
+    implicit val mailAddressReader: ConfigReader[MailAddress] =
+      ConfigReader[String].emap(reason(MailAddress.parse))
   }
+
+  def validate(cfg: Config): ValidatedNec[String, Config] =
+    List(
+      failWhen(
+        cfg.updateCheck.enabled && cfg.updateCheck.recipients.isEmpty,
+        "No recipients given for enabled update check!"
+      ),
+      failWhen(
+        cfg.updateCheck.enabled && cfg.updateCheck.smtpId.isEmpty,
+        "No recipients given for enabled update check!"
+      ),
+      failWhen(
+        cfg.updateCheck.enabled && cfg.updateCheck.subject.els.isEmpty,
+        "No subject given for enabled update check!"
+      )
+    ).reduce(_ |+| _).map(_ => cfg)
+
+  def failWhen(cond: Boolean, msg: => String): ValidatedNec[String, Unit] =
+    Validated.condNec(!cond, (), msg)
+
 }
diff --git a/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/JoexAppImpl.scala b/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/JoexAppImpl.scala
index 9bde54ec..6de22aa9 100644
--- a/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/JoexAppImpl.scala
+++ b/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/JoexAppImpl.scala
@@ -32,16 +32,17 @@ import docspell.joex.process.ItemHandler
 import docspell.joex.process.ReProcessItem
 import docspell.joex.scanmailbox._
 import docspell.joex.scheduler._
+import docspell.joex.updatecheck._
 import docspell.joexapi.client.JoexClient
 import docspell.store.Store
 import docspell.store.queue._
 import docspell.store.records.{REmptyTrashSetting, RJobLog}
+import docspell.store.usertask.UserTaskScope
+import docspell.store.usertask.UserTaskStore
 
 import emil.javamail._
 import org.http4s.blaze.client.BlazeClientBuilder
 import org.http4s.client.Client
-import docspell.store.usertask.UserTaskStore
-import docspell.store.usertask.UserTaskScope
 
 final class JoexAppImpl[F[_]: Async](
     cfg: Config,
@@ -81,6 +82,9 @@ final class JoexAppImpl[F[_]: Async](
       .periodicTask[F](cfg.houseKeeping.schedule)
       .flatMap(pstore.insert) *>
       scheduleEmptyTrashTasks *>
+      UpdateCheckTask
+        .periodicTask(cfg.updateCheck)
+        .flatMap(pstore.insert) *>
       MigrationTask.job.flatMap(queue.insertIfNew) *>
       AllPreviewsTask
         .job(MakePreviewArgs.StoreMode.WhenMissing, None)
@@ -130,6 +134,7 @@ object JoexAppImpl {
       itemSearchOps <- OItemSearch(store)
       analyser      <- TextAnalyser.create[F](cfg.textAnalysis.textAnalysisConfig)
       regexNer      <- RegexNerFile(cfg.textAnalysis.regexNerFileConfig, store)
+      updateCheck   <- UpdateCheck.resource(httpClient)
       javaEmil =
         JavaMailEmil(Settings.defaultSettings.copy(debug = cfg.mailDebug))
       sch <- SchedulerBuilder(cfg.scheduler, store)
@@ -239,6 +244,13 @@ object JoexAppImpl {
             EmptyTrashTask.onCancel[F]
           )
         )
+        .withTask(
+          JobTask.json(
+            UpdateCheckTask.taskName,
+            UpdateCheckTask[F](cfg.updateCheck, cfg.sendMail, javaEmil, updateCheck),
+            UpdateCheckTask.onCancel[F]
+          )
+        )
         .resource
       psch <- PeriodicScheduler.create(
         cfg.periodicScheduler,
diff --git a/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/updatecheck/MakeMail.scala b/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/updatecheck/MakeMail.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f0432da5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/updatecheck/MakeMail.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2020 Docspell Contributors
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+ */
+
+package docspell.joex.updatecheck
+
+import cats.effect._
+
+import docspell.common.MailSendConfig
+import docspell.joex.mail.EmilHeader
+import docspell.store.records.RUserEmail
+
+import emil._
+import emil.builder._
+import emil.markdown._
+import yamusca.implicits._
+import yamusca.imports._
+
+object MakeMail {
+
+  def apply[F[_]: Sync](
+      sendCfg: MailSendConfig,
+      cfg: UpdateCheckConfig,
+      smtpCfg: RUserEmail,
+      latestRelease: UpdateCheck.Release
+  ): Mail[F] = {
+
+    val templateCtx = TemplateCtx(latestRelease)
+    val md          = templateCtx.render(cfg.body)
+    val subj        = templateCtx.render(cfg.subject)
+
+    MailBuilder.build(
+      From(smtpCfg.mailFrom),
+      Tos(cfg.recipients),
+      XMailer.emil,
+      Subject(subj),
+      EmilHeader.listId(sendCfg.listId),
+      MarkdownBody[F](md).withConfig(
+        MarkdownConfig("body { font-size: 10pt; font-family: sans-serif; }")
+      )
+    )
+  }
+
+  final case class TemplateCtx(
+      currentVersion: String,
+      latestVersion: String,
+      releasedAt: String
+  )
+  object TemplateCtx {
+    def apply(release: UpdateCheck.Release): TemplateCtx =
+      TemplateCtx(UpdateCheck.currentVersion, release.version, release.published_at)
+
+    implicit val yamuscaConverter: ValueConverter[TemplateCtx] =
+      ValueConverter.deriveConverter[TemplateCtx]
+  }
+}
diff --git a/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/updatecheck/UpdateCheck.scala b/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/updatecheck/UpdateCheck.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cd98c3f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/updatecheck/UpdateCheck.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2020 Docspell Contributors
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+ */
+
+package docspell.joex.updatecheck
+
+import cats.effect._
+
+import docspell.joex.BuildInfo
+
+import io.circe.Decoder
+import io.circe.generic.semiauto._
+import org.http4s.circe.CirceEntityDecoder._
+import org.http4s.client.Client
+import org.http4s.implicits._
+
+trait UpdateCheck[F[_]] {
+
+  def latestRelease: F[UpdateCheck.Release]
+
+}
+
+object UpdateCheck {
+
+  val currentVersion: String =
+    BuildInfo.version
+
+  final case class Release(
+      html_url: String,
+      id: Int,
+      tag_name: String,
+      name: String,
+      created_at: String,
+      published_at: String
+  ) {
+
+    def version: String = tag_name
+
+    def isCurrent: Boolean = {
+      val version = BuildInfo.version
+      version.endsWith("SNAPSHOT") || version == tag_name
+    }
+
+  }
+
+  object Release {
+    implicit val jsonDecoder: Decoder[Release] =
+      deriveDecoder[Release]
+  }
+
+  def apply[F[_]: Async](client: Client[F]): UpdateCheck[F] =
+    new UpdateCheck[F] {
+      def latestRelease: F[UpdateCheck.Release] =
+        client.expect[Release](latestReleaseUrl)
+    }
+
+  def resource[F[_]: Async](client: Client[F]): Resource[F, UpdateCheck[F]] =
+    Resource.pure(UpdateCheck[F](client))
+
+  private[this] val latestReleaseUrl =
+    uri"https://api.github.com/repos/eikek/docspell/releases/latest"
+}
diff --git a/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/updatecheck/UpdateCheckConfig.scala b/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/updatecheck/UpdateCheckConfig.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2040d75a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/updatecheck/UpdateCheckConfig.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2020 Docspell Contributors
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+ */
+
+package docspell.joex.updatecheck
+
+import docspell.common._
+
+import com.github.eikek.calev.CalEvent
+import emil.MailAddress
+import yamusca.data.Template
+
+final case class UpdateCheckConfig(
+    enabled: Boolean,
+    testRun: Boolean,
+    schedule: CalEvent,
+    senderAccount: AccountId,
+    smtpId: Ident,
+    recipients: List[MailAddress],
+    subject: Template,
+    body: Template
+)
diff --git a/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/updatecheck/UpdateCheckTask.scala b/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/updatecheck/UpdateCheckTask.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bf449401
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/updatecheck/UpdateCheckTask.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2020 Docspell Contributors
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+ */
+
+package docspell.joex.updatecheck
+
+import cats.data.OptionT
+import cats.effect._
+import cats.implicits._
+
+import docspell.common._
+import docspell.joex.scheduler.Context
+import docspell.joex.scheduler.Task
+import docspell.store.records.RPeriodicTask
+import docspell.store.records.RUserEmail
+import docspell.store.usertask.UserTask
+import docspell.store.usertask.UserTaskScope
+
+import emil._
+
+object UpdateCheckTask {
+  val taskName: Ident = Ident.unsafe("new-release-check")
+
+  type Args = Unit
+
+  def onCancel[F[_]]: Task[F, Args, Unit] =
+    Task.log(_.warn("Cancelling update-check task"))
+
+  def periodicTask[F[_]: Sync](cfg: UpdateCheckConfig): F[RPeriodicTask] =
+    UserTask(
+      Ident.unsafe("docspell-update-check"),
+      taskName,
+      cfg.enabled,
+      cfg.schedule,
+      None,
+      ()
+    ).encode.toPeriodicTask(
+      UserTaskScope(cfg.senderAccount.collective),
+      "Docspell Update Check".some
+    )
+
+  def apply[F[_]: Async](
+      cfg: UpdateCheckConfig,
+      sendCfg: MailSendConfig,
+      emil: Emil[F],
+      updateCheck: UpdateCheck[F]
+  ): Task[F, Args, Unit] =
+    if (cfg.enabled)
+      Task { ctx =>
+        for {
+          _ <- ctx.logger.info(
+            s"Check for updates. Current version is: ${UpdateCheck.currentVersion}"
+          )
+          _ <- ctx.logger.debug(
+            s"Get SMTP connection for ${cfg.senderAccount.asString} and ${cfg.smtpId}"
+          )
+          smtpCfg <- findConnection(ctx, cfg)
+          _       <- ctx.logger.debug("Checking for latest release at GitHub")
+          latest  <- updateCheck.latestRelease
+          _       <- ctx.logger.debug(s"Got latest release: $latest.")
+          _ <-
+            if (cfg.testRun)
+              ctx.logger.info(
+                s"This is a test-run as configured. A mail will always be sent!"
+              )
+            else ().pure[F]
+          _ <-
+            if (latest.isCurrent && !cfg.testRun)
+              ctx.logger.info(
+                s"Latest release is ${latest.version}, which is the current one. Everything uptodate."
+              )
+            else
+              ctx.logger.info(
+                s"Sending mail about new release: ${latest.tag_name}"
+              ) *> emil(smtpCfg.toMailConfig).send(
+                MakeMail(sendCfg, cfg, smtpCfg, latest)
+              )
+        } yield ()
+      }
+    else
+      Task.pure(())
+
+  def findConnection[F[_]: Sync](
+      ctx: Context[F, _],
+      cfg: UpdateCheckConfig
+  ): F[RUserEmail] =
+    OptionT(ctx.store.transact(RUserEmail.getByName(cfg.senderAccount, cfg.smtpId)))
+      .getOrElseF(
+        Sync[F].raiseError(
+          new Exception(
+            s"No smtp connection found for user ${cfg.senderAccount.asString} and connection '${cfg.smtpId.id}'!"
+          )
+        )
+      )
+
+}
diff --git a/nix/module-joex.nix b/nix/module-joex.nix
index 219e67c3..aefd6c4a 100644
--- a/nix/module-joex.nix
+++ b/nix/module-joex.nix
@@ -63,6 +63,27 @@ let
         min-not-found = 2;
       };
     };
+    update-check = {
+      enabled = false;
+      test-run = false;
+      schedule = "Sun *-*-* 00:00:00";
+      sender-account = "";
+      smtp-id = "";
+      recipients = [];
+      subject = "Docspell {{ latestVersion }} is available";
+      body = ''
+Hello,
+
+You are currently running Docspell {{ currentVersion }}. Version *{{ latestVersion }}*
+is now available, which was released on {{ releasedAt }}. Check the release page at:
+
+<https://github.com/eikek/docspell/releases/latest>
+
+Have a nice day!
+
+Docpell Update Check
+'';
+    };
     extraction = {
       pdf = {
         min-text-len = 500;
@@ -571,6 +592,88 @@ in {
         '';
       };
 
+      update-check = mkOption {
+        type = types.submodule({
+          options = {
+            enabled = mkOption {
+              type = types.bool;
+              default = defaults.update-check.enabled;
+              description = "Whether this task is enabled.";
+            };
+            test-run = mkOption {
+              type = types.bool;
+              default = defaults.update-check.test-run;
+              description = ''
+                Sends the mail without checking the latest release. Can be used
+                if you want to see if mail sending works, but don't want to wait
+                until a new release is published.
+              '';
+            };
+            schedule = mkOption {
+              type = types.str;
+              default = defaults.update-check.schedule;
+              description = ''
+                When the check-update task should execute. Default is to run every
+                week.
+              '';
+            };
+            sender-account = mkOption {
+              type = types.str;
+              default = defaults.update-check.sender-account;
+              description = ''
+                An account id in form of `collective/user` (or just `user` if
+                collective and user name are the same). This user account must
+                have at least one valid SMTP settings which are used to send the
+                mail.
+              '';
+            };
+            smtp-id = mkOption {
+              type = types.str;
+              default = defaults.update-check.smtp-id;
+              description = ''
+                The SMTP connection id that should be used for sending the mail.
+              '';
+            };
+            recipients = mkOption {
+              type = types.listOf types.str;
+              default = defaults.update-check.recipients;
+              example = [ "josh.doe@gmail.com" ];
+              description = ''
+                A list of recipient e-mail addresses.
+              '';
+            };
+            subject = mkOption {
+              type = types.str;
+              default = defaults.update-check.subject;
+              description = ''
+                The subject of the mail. It supports the same variables as the body.
+              '';
+            };
+            body = mkOption {
+              type = types.str;
+              default = defaults.update-check.body;
+              description = ''
+                The body of the mail. Subject and body can contain these
+                variables which are replaced:
+
+                - `latestVersion` the latest available version of Docspell
+                - `currentVersion` the currently running (old) version of Docspell
+                - `releasedAt` a date when the release was published
+
+                The body is processed as markdown after the variables have been
+                replaced.
+              '';
+            };
+          };
+        });
+        default = defaults.update-check;
+        description = ''
+          A periodic task to check for new releases of docspell. It can
+          inform about a new release via e-mail. You need to specify an
+          account that has SMTP settings to use for sending.
+        '';
+      };
+
       extraction = mkOption {
         type = types.submodule({
           options = {