diff --git a/docs/config-format.md b/docs/config-format.md
index 77ae943..28b12ad 100644
--- a/docs/config-format.md
+++ b/docs/config-format.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ Entry    | Description | Default
 -------- | ------------- | ------------
 `backup` | Create a backup of the dotfile in case it differs from the one that will be installed by dotdrop  | true
 `banner` | Display the banner  | true
+`check_version` | Check if a new version of dotdrop is available on github | false
 `chmod_on_import` | Always add a chmod entry on newly imported dotfiles (see `--preserve-mode`) | false
 `cmpignore` | List of patterns to ignore when comparing, applied to all dotfiles (enclose in quotes when using wildcards; see [ignore patterns](config.md#ignore-patterns)) | -
 `create` | Create a directory hierarchy when installing dotfiles if it doesn't exist | true
diff --git a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
index 4e33227..31f43e5 100644
--- a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
+++ b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from dotdrop.comparator import Comparator
 from dotdrop.importer import Importer
 from dotdrop.utils import get_tmpdir, removepath, \
     uniq_list, patch_ignores, dependencies_met, \
-    adapt_workers
+    adapt_workers, check_version
 from dotdrop.linktypes import LinkTypes
 from dotdrop.exceptions import YamlException, \
     UndefinedException, UnmetDependency
@@ -829,6 +829,9 @@ def main():
         LOG.dbg('\n\n')
     options_time = time.time() - time0
 
+    if opts.check_version:
+        check_version()
+
     time0 = time.time()
     ret, command = _exec_command(opts)
     cmd_time = time.time() - time0
diff --git a/dotdrop/options.py b/dotdrop/options.py
index 6ad7892..a49d80b 100644
--- a/dotdrop/options.py
+++ b/dotdrop/options.py
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ class Options(AttrMonitor):
         self.upignore = None
         self.link_on_import = None
         self.chmod_on_import = None
+        self.check_version = None
 
         # args parsing
         self.args = {}
diff --git a/dotdrop/settings.py b/dotdrop/settings.py
index 2eafe3f..3b4675a 100644
--- a/dotdrop/settings.py
+++ b/dotdrop/settings.py
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ class Settings(DictParser):
     key_template_dotfile_default = 'template_dotfile_default'
     key_ignore_missing_in_dotdrop = 'ignore_missing_in_dotdrop'
     key_chmod_on_import = 'chmod_on_import'
+    key_check_version = 'check_version'
 
     # import keys
     key_import_actions = 'import_actions'
@@ -65,7 +66,8 @@ class Settings(DictParser):
                  template_dotfile_default=True,
                  ignore_missing_in_dotdrop=False,
                  force_chmod=False,
-                 chmod_on_import=False):
+                 chmod_on_import=False,
+                 check_version=False):
         self.backup = backup
         self.banner = banner
         self.create = create
@@ -95,6 +97,7 @@ class Settings(DictParser):
         self.ignore_missing_in_dotdrop = ignore_missing_in_dotdrop
         self.force_chmod = force_chmod
         self.chmod_on_import = chmod_on_import
+        self.check_version = check_version
 
     def _serialize_seq(self, name, dic):
         """serialize attribute 'name' into 'dic'"""
@@ -121,6 +124,7 @@ class Settings(DictParser):
             self.key_ignore_missing_in_dotdrop: self.ignore_missing_in_dotdrop,
             self.key_force_chmod: self.force_chmod,
             self.key_chmod_on_import: self.chmod_on_import,
+            self.key_check_version: self.check_version,
         }
         self._serialize_seq(self.key_default_actions, dic)
         self._serialize_seq(self.key_import_actions, dic)
diff --git a/dotdrop/utils.py b/dotdrop/utils.py
index e9fe828..1fd3b26 100644
--- a/dotdrop/utils.py
+++ b/dotdrop/utils.py
@@ -15,10 +15,14 @@ import importlib
 import filecmp
 import itertools
 from shutil import rmtree, which
+import json
+import requests
+from packaging import version
 
 # local import
 from dotdrop.logger import Logger
 from dotdrop.exceptions import UnmetDependency
+from dotdrop.version import __version__ as VERSION
 
 LOG = Logger()
 STAR = '*'
@@ -447,3 +451,22 @@ def debug_dict(title, elems, debug):
                 LOG.dbg('\t\t- {}'.format(i))
         else:
             LOG.dbg('\t- \"{}\": {}'.format(k, val))
+
+
+def check_version():
+    """check dotdrop version on github and compare with current"""
+    url = 'https://api.github.com/repos/deadc0de6/dotdrop/releases/latest'
+    req = requests.get(url, timeout=1)
+    if not req:
+        return
+    try:
+        latest = req.json()['name']
+    except json.decoder.JSONDecodeError:
+        return
+    except ValueError:
+        return
+    if latest.startswith('v'):
+        latest = latest[1:]
+    if version.parse(VERSION) < version.parse(latest):
+        msg = 'A new version of dotdrop is available ({})'
+        LOG.warn(msg.format(latest))
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 7ae81ea..b32258d 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -2,3 +2,5 @@ Jinja2; python_version > '3.4'
 docopt; python_version > '3.4'
 ruamel.yaml; python_version > '3.4'
 python-magic; python_version > '3.4'
+packaging; python_version > '3.4'
+requests; python_version > '3.4'