diff --git a/bonfire/bonfire.py b/bonfire/bonfire.py
index be1e5679..5337a162 100755
--- a/bonfire/bonfire.py
+++ b/bonfire/bonfire.py
@@ -6,12 +6,6 @@
 import sys
 import warnings
 
-from importlib.metadata import version, PackageNotFoundError
-try:
-    __version__ = version("crc-bonfire")
-except PackageNotFoundError:
-    __version__ = "(unknown)"
-
 from tabulate import tabulate
 from wait_for import TimedOutError
 
@@ -31,7 +25,14 @@
     oc,
     whoami,
 )
-from bonfire.utils import FatalError, split_equals, find_what_depends_on, validate_time_string
+from bonfire.utils import (
+    FatalError,
+    split_equals,
+    find_what_depends_on,
+    validate_time_string,
+    check_pypi,
+    get_version,
+)
 from bonfire.local import get_local_apps
 from bonfire.processor import (
     TemplateProcessor,
@@ -64,6 +65,8 @@ def _error(msg):
 @click.group(context_settings=dict(help_option_names=["-h", "--help"]))
 @click.option("--debug", "-d", help="Enable debug logging", is_flag=True, default=False)
 def main(debug):
+    check_pypi()
+
     logging.getLogger("sh").setLevel(logging.CRITICAL)  # silence the 'sh' library logger
     logging.basicConfig(
         format="%(asctime)s [%(levelname)8s] [%(threadName)20s] %(message)s",
@@ -1124,7 +1127,7 @@ def _err_handler(err):
 @main.command("version")
 def _cmd_version():
     """Print bonfire version"""
-    click.echo("bonfire version " + __version__)
+    click.echo("bonfire version " + get_version())
 
 
 @config.command("write-default")
diff --git a/bonfire/config.py b/bonfire/config.py
index d9379667..264a15b0 100644
--- a/bonfire/config.py
+++ b/bonfire/config.py
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ def _get_config_path():
 DEFAULT_CONFIG_PATH = _get_config_path().joinpath("config.yaml")
 DEFAULT_ENV_PATH = _get_config_path().joinpath("env")
 DEFAULT_SECRETS_DIR = _get_config_path().joinpath("secrets")
+VER_CHECK_PATH = _get_config_path().joinpath("lastvercheck")
+VER_CHECK_TIME = 3600  # check every 1hr
+
 DEFAULT_CLOWDENV_TEMPLATE = resource_filename(
     "bonfire", "resources/local-cluster-clowdenvironment.yaml"
 )
diff --git a/bonfire/utils.py b/bonfire/utils.py
index 6e3382c1..33ce6d0d 100644
--- a/bonfire/utils.py
+++ b/bonfire/utils.py
@@ -3,14 +3,20 @@
 import logging
 import os
 import re
-import requests
 import shlex
 import subprocess
 import tempfile
+import time
 import yaml
+from distutils.version import StrictVersion
+from pathlib import Path
 
+import pkg_resources
+import requests
 from cached_property import cached_property
 
+import bonfire.config as conf
+
 
 class FatalError(Exception):
     """An exception that will cause the CLI to exit"""
@@ -18,6 +24,9 @@ class FatalError(Exception):
     pass
 
 
+PKG_NAME = "crc-bonfire"
+PYPI_URL = f"https://pypi.python.org/pypi/{PKG_NAME}/json"
+
 GH_RAW_URL = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/{org}/{repo}/{ref}{path}"
 GL_RAW_URL = "https://gitlab.cee.redhat.com/{group}/{project}/-/raw/{ref}{path}"
 GH_API_URL = os.getenv("GITHUB_API_URL", "https://api.github.com")
@@ -393,3 +402,90 @@ def load_file(path):
         raise FatalError("File '{}' is empty!".format(path))
 
     return content
+
+
+def get_version():
+    try:
+        return pkg_resources.get_distribution(PKG_NAME).version
+    except pkg_resources.DistributionNotFound:
+        return "0.0.0"
+
+
+def _compare_version(pypi_version):
+    pypi_version = StrictVersion(pypi_version)
+
+    local_version = get_version()
+    try:
+        my_version = StrictVersion(local_version)
+    except ValueError:
+        print(f"Version {local_version} seems to be a dev version, assuming up-to-date")
+        my_version = StrictVersion("999.999.999")
+        return
+
+    if my_version < pypi_version:
+        print(
+            "\n"
+            "There is a new bonfire version available! (yours: {}, available: {})"
+            "\n"
+            "Upgrade with:\n"
+            f"    pip install --upgrade {PKG_NAME}"
+            " ".format(my_version, pypi_version)
+        )
+    else:
+        print("Up-to-date!")
+
+
+def _update_ver_check_file():
+    ver_check_file = Path(conf.VER_CHECK_PATH)
+    try:
+        with ver_check_file.open(mode="w") as fp:
+            fp.write(str(time.time()))
+    except OSError:
+        log.error("failed to update version check file at path: %s", ver_check_file.resolve())
+
+
+def _ver_check_needed():
+    ver_check_file = Path(conf.VER_CHECK_PATH)
+    if not ver_check_file.exists():
+        _update_ver_check_file()
+        return True
+
+    last_check_time = 0
+    try:
+        with ver_check_file.open() as fp:
+            last_check_time = float(fp.read().strip())
+    except (OSError, ValueError):
+        log.exception("failed to read version check file at path: %s", ver_check_file.resolve())
+
+    if time.time() > last_check_time + conf.VER_CHECK_TIME:
+        _update_ver_check_file()
+        return True
+
+    return False
+
+
+def check_pypi():
+    if not _ver_check_needed():
+        return
+
+    print("\nChecking pypi for latest release...")
+
+    pkg_data = {}
+    try:
+        response = requests.get(PYPI_URL, timeout=5)
+        response.raise_for_status()
+        pkg_data = response.json()
+    except requests.exceptions.Timeout:
+        print("Unable to reach pypi quickly, giving up.")
+    except requests.exceptions.HTTPError as e:
+        print("Error response from pypi: ", e.errno, e.message)
+    except ValueError:
+        print("Response was not valid json, giving up.")
+
+    try:
+        pypi_version = pkg_data["info"]["version"]
+    except KeyError:
+        print("Unable to parse version info from pypi")
+    else:
+        _compare_version(pypi_version)
+    print("\n")