diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7866309..5aad8db 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ It currently logs the following data:
 | timezone | true | \ | Your local timezone (you can find the list of timezones here: [time zones](https://gist.github.com/heyalexej/8bf688fd67d7199be4a1682b3eec7568))
 | power_integer_state | false | false | Return the power state in text or integer form
 | update_interval | false | 60 | The update interval to send new values to the MQTT broker 
+| check_available_updates | false | false | Check the # of avaiblable updates 
 | check_wifi_strength | false | false | Check the wifi strength 
 | external_drives | false | \ | Declare external drives you want to check disk usage of (see example settings.yaml)
 
diff --git a/src/settings_example.yaml b/src/settings_example.yaml
index ff93673..a0c49cb 100644
--- a/src/settings_example.yaml
+++ b/src/settings_example.yaml
@@ -9,5 +9,6 @@ timezone: Europe/Brussels
 power_integer_state: false #defaults to false
 update_interval: 60 #Defaults to 60
 check_wifi_strength: true
+check_available_updates: true
 external_drives:
   Drive1: /boot/
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/system_sensors.py b/src/system_sensors.py
index 99191d3..56cc2fc 100644
--- a/src/system_sensors.py
+++ b/src/system_sensors.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 import paho.mqtt.client as mqtt
 import pytz
 import yaml
-import apt
 from pytz import timezone
 import argparse
 
@@ -82,10 +81,10 @@ def updateSensors():
     + get_rpi_power_status()
     + '", "last_boot": "'
     + get_last_boot()
-    + '", "updates": '
-    + get_updates()
     + ', "last_message": "'
     + time.ctime()+'"')
+    if "check_available_updates" in settings and settings["check_available_updates"]:
+        payload_str = payload_str + ', "updates": ' + get_updates()
     if "check_wifi_strength" in settings and settings["check_wifi_strength"]:
         payload_str = payload_str + ', "wifi_strength": ' + get_wifi_strength()
     if "external_drives" in settings:
@@ -351,29 +350,6 @@ def _parser():
         qos=1,
         retain=True,
     )
-
-    mqttClient.publish(
-        topic="homeassistant/sensor/"
-        + deviceName
-        + "/"
-        + deviceName
-        + "Updates/config",
-        payload='{"name":"'
-        + deviceName
-        + 'Updates","state_topic":"system-sensors/sensor/'
-        + deviceName
-        + '/state","value_template":"{{ value_json.updates}}","unique_id":"'
-        + deviceName.lower()
-        + '_sensor_updates","device":{"identifiers":["'
-        + deviceName.lower()
-        + '_sensor"],"name":"'
-        + deviceName
-        + 'Sensors","model":"RPI '
-        + deviceName
-        + '","manufacturer":"RPI"}, "icon":"mdi:cellphone-arrow-down"}',
-        qos=1,
-        retain=True,
-    )
     
     mqttClient.publish(
         topic="homeassistant/sensor/"
@@ -398,6 +374,31 @@ def _parser():
         retain=True,
     )
 
+    if "check_available_updates" in settings and settings["check_available_updates"]:
+        import apt
+        mqttClient.publish(
+            topic="homeassistant/sensor/"
+            + deviceName
+            + "/"
+            + deviceName
+            + "Updates/config",
+            payload='{"name":"'
+            + deviceName
+            + 'Updates","state_topic":"system-sensors/sensor/'
+            + deviceName
+            + '/state","value_template":"{{ value_json.updates}}","unique_id":"'
+            + deviceName.lower()
+            + '_sensor_updates","device":{"identifiers":["'
+            + deviceName.lower()
+            + '_sensor"],"name":"'
+            + deviceName
+            + 'Sensors","model":"RPI '
+            + deviceName
+            + '","manufacturer":"RPI"}, "icon":"mdi:cellphone-arrow-down"}',
+            qos=1,
+            retain=True,
+        )
+
     if "check_wifi_strength" in settings and settings["check_wifi_strength"]:
         mqttClient.publish(
             topic="homeassistant/sensor/"