diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c6130d1d..3231705d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
     "@patternfly/react-core": "3.158.3",
     "moment": "2.27.0",
     "react": "16.13.1",
-    "react-dom": "16.13.1"
+    "react-dom": "16.13.1",
+    "throttle-debounce": "2.2.1"
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/app.jsx b/src/app.jsx
index 250d5da8..4a1fe35a 100644
--- a/src/app.jsx
+++ b/src/app.jsx
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ import {
     DataToolbar, DataToolbarItem, DataToolbarContent,
 } from '@patternfly/react-core/dist/esm/experimental';
 import moment from 'moment';
+import { debounce } from 'throttle-debounce';
 
 import cockpit from 'cockpit';
 
@@ -65,6 +66,44 @@ function track_id(item) {
     return key;
 }
 
+function format_version(deployment) {
+    var formated = "";
+    if (!deployment || !deployment.osname)
+        return;
+
+    if (deployment.version)
+        formated = deployment.version.v;
+
+    return cockpit.format("$0 $1", deployment.osname.v, formated);
+}
+
+// https://github.com/cockpit-project/cockpit/blob/master/pkg/lib/notifications.js
+function set_page_status(status) {
+    cockpit.transport.control("notify", { page_status: status });
+}
+
+/* client.changed often happens several times at the start, avoid flickering */
+const set_update_status = debounce(1000, versions => {
+    if (versions && versions.length > 0) {
+        /* if the latest version is booted, we are current */
+        if (versions[0].booted && versions[0].booted.v) {
+            set_page_status({
+                title: _("System is up to date"),
+                details: { icon: "fa fa-check-circle-o" }
+            });
+        } else {
+            /* report the available update */
+            set_page_status({
+                title: cockpit.format(_("Update available: $0"), format_version(versions[0])),
+                type: "warning",
+            });
+        }
+    } else {
+        console.warn("got invalid client.known_versions_for() result:", JSON.stringify(versions));
+        set_page_status(null);
+    }
+});
+
 /**
  * Empty state for connecting and errors
  */
@@ -414,13 +453,26 @@ class Application extends React.Component {
             }
 
             this.setState({ curtain: { state: 'failed', failure: true, message, final } });
+            set_page_status(null);
         };
 
         client.addEventListener("connectionLost", (event, ex) => show_failure(ex));
         client.addEventListener("changed", () => this.forceUpdate());
 
         client.connect()
-            .then(() => { timeout = window.setTimeout(check_empty, 1000) })
+            .then(() => {
+                timeout = window.setTimeout(check_empty, 1000);
+
+                /* notify overview card */
+                set_page_status({
+                    type: null,
+                    title: _("Checking for package updates..."),
+                    details: {
+                        link: false,
+                        icon: "spinner spinner-xs",
+                    },
+                });
+            })
             .fail(ex => {
                 window.clearTimeout(timeout);
                 show_failure(ex);
@@ -495,8 +547,10 @@ class Application extends React.Component {
         /* TODO: support more than one OS */
 
         /* successful, deployments are available */
-        const items = client.known_versions_for(this.state.os, this.state.origin.remote, this.state.origin.branch)
-                          .map(item => {
+        const versions = client.known_versions_for(this.state.os, this.state.origin.remote, this.state.origin.branch);
+        set_update_status(versions);
+
+        const items = versions.map(item => {
                               const packages = client.packages(item);
                               if (packages)
                                   packages.addEventListener("changed", () => this.setState({})); // re-render
diff --git a/src/manifest.json b/src/manifest.json
index b21d2286..d28e9887 100644
--- a/src/manifest.json
+++ b/src/manifest.json
@@ -6,9 +6,10 @@
     },
 
     "tools": {
-        "ostree": {
-            "label": "Software Updates",
-            "path": "index.html"
+        "index": {
+            "label": "Software Updates"
         }
-    }
+    },
+
+    "preload": [ "index" ]
 }
diff --git a/test/check-ostree b/test/check-ostree
index 69bf3175..c8309967 100755
--- a/test/check-ostree
+++ b/test/check-ostree
@@ -651,5 +651,46 @@ class OstreeCase(MachineCase):
         self.assertIn("Reconnect", b.text(".pf-c-empty-state button"))
         self.allow_authorize_journal_messages()
 
+    @skipImage("Too old cockpit-system", "rhel-atomic", "continuous-atomic")
+    def testPageStatus(self):
+        m = self.machine
+        b = self.browser
+
+        rhsmcertd_hack(m)
+
+        # preloading works, no updates available
+        self.login_and_go("/system")
+        b.wait_text("#page_status_notification_updates", "System is up to date")
+        self.assertEqual(b.attr("#page_status_notification_updates span:first-child", "class"),
+                         "fa fa-check-circle-o")
+        # go to updates page
+        b.click("#page_status_notification_updates a")
+        b.enter_page("/updates")
+
+        # now generate an update
+        remove_pkg = m.execute("rpm -qa | grep socat").strip()
+        generate_new_commit(m, remove_pkg)
+        m.upload(["files/publickey.asc"], "/root/")
+        m.execute("ostree remote gpg-import local -k /root/publickey.asc")
+
+        # updates page sees the new version
+        b.click("#check-for-updates-btn")
+        b.wait_in_text(get_list_item(1) + " .version", "cockpit-base.2")
+
+        # overview page notices the new version as well
+        b.go("/system")
+        b.enter_page("/system")
+        b.wait_in_text("#page_status_notification_updates", "Update available:")
+        b.wait_in_text("#page_status_notification_updates", "cockpit-base.2")
+
+        # check with new session
+        b.logout()
+        self.login_and_go("/system")
+        b.wait_in_text("#page_status_notification_updates", "Update available:")
+        b.wait_in_text("#page_status_notification_updates", "cockpit-base.2")
+
+        self.allow_authorize_journal_messages()
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     test_main()