diff --git a/docs/content/advanced/config/optional-config.md b/docs/content/advanced/config/optional-config.md
index c58f5636..2f450b03 100644
--- a/docs/content/advanced/config/optional-config.md
+++ b/docs/content/advanced/config/optional-config.md
@@ -4,12 +4,13 @@ title: Optional Configuration
 
 You can set these environment variables to configure the container. They are not required, but can be useful in some cases.
 
-| Env            | Default   | Example     | Description                        |
-| -------------- | --------- | ----------- | ---------------------------------- |
-| `PORT`         | `51821`   | `6789`      | TCP port for Web UI.               |
-| `HOST`         | `0.0.0.0` | `localhost` | IP address web UI binds to.        |
-| `INSECURE`     | `false`   | `true`      | If access over http is allowed     |
-| `DISABLE_IPV6` | `false`   | `true`      | If IPv6 support should be disabled |
+| Env                     | Default   | Example     | Description                             |
+| ----------------------- | --------- | ----------- | --------------------------------------- |
+| `PORT`                  | `51821`   | `6789`      | TCP port for Web UI.                    |
+| `HOST`                  | `0.0.0.0` | `localhost` | IP address web UI binds to.             |
+| `INSECURE`              | `false`   | `true`      | If access over http is allowed          |
+| `DISABLE_IPV6`          | `false`   | `true`      | If IPv6 support should be disabled      |
+| `DISABLE_VERSION_CHECK` | `false`   | `true`      | If wg-easy should check for new updates |
 
 /// note | IPv6 Caveats
 
diff --git a/src/server/utils/config.ts b/src/server/utils/config.ts
index 1c5b2081..4498442a 100644
--- a/src/server/utils/config.ts
+++ b/src/server/utils/config.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ export const WG_ENV = {
   /** If IPv6 should be disabled */
   DISABLE_IPV6: process.env.DISABLE_IPV6 === 'true',
   WG_EXECUTABLE: await detectAwg(),
+  DISABLE_VERSION_CHECK: process.env.DISABLE_VERSION_CHECK === 'true',
 };
 
 export const WG_INITIAL_ENV = {
diff --git a/src/server/utils/release.ts b/src/server/utils/release.ts
index f5dfdc46..93d6d786 100644
--- a/src/server/utils/release.ts
+++ b/src/server/utils/release.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,13 @@ type GithubRelease = {
 };
 
 async function fetchLatestRelease() {
+  if (WG_ENV.DISABLE_VERSION_CHECK) {
+    return {
+      version: RELEASE,
+      changelog: '',
+    };
+  }
+
   try {
     const response = await $fetch<GithubRelease>(
       'https://api.github.com/repos/wg-easy/wg-easy/releases/latest',