diff --git a/lib/utils.js b/lib/utils.js
index 3d2ae843..b1cc349a 100644
--- a/lib/utils.js
+++ b/lib/utils.js
@@ -141,10 +141,11 @@ exports.deprecate = (obj, prop, value, oldPath, newPath) => {
 
 // Check for updates.
 const pkg = require('../package.json');
+const UPDATE_INTERVAL = 1000 * 60 * 60 * 12;
 exports.lastUpdateCheck = 0;
 exports.checkForUpdates = () => {
   if (!process.env.YTDL_NO_UPDATE && !pkg.version.startsWith('0.0.0-') &&
-    Date.now() - exports.lastUpdateCheck >= 1000 * 60 * 60 * 12) {
+    Date.now() - exports.lastUpdateCheck >= UPDATE_INTERVAL) {
     exports.lastUpdateCheck = Date.now();
     return miniget('https://api.github.com/repos/fent/node-ytdl-core/releases/latest', {
       headers: { 'User-Agent': 'ytdl-core' },
@@ -152,6 +153,9 @@ exports.checkForUpdates = () => {
       if (JSON.parse(response).tag_name !== `v${pkg.version}`) {
         console.warn('\x1b[33mWARNING:\x1B[0m ytdl-core is out of date! Update with "npm install ytdl-core@latest".');
       }
+    }, err => {
+      console.warn('Error checking for updates:', err.message);
+      console.warn('You can disable this check by setting the `YTDL_NO_UPDATE` env variable.');
     });
   }
   return null;
diff --git a/test/utils-test.js b/test/utils-test.js
index 70cc5537..14b7e6d7 100644
--- a/test/utils-test.js
+++ b/test/utils-test.js
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ describe('utils.parseAbbreviatedNumber', () => {
 
 
 describe('utils.checkForUpdates', () => {
-  before(() => delete process.env.YTDL_NO_UPDATE);
+  beforeEach(() => delete process.env.YTDL_NO_UPDATE);
   after(() => process.env.YTDL_NO_UPDATE = 'true');
   beforeEach(() => utils.lastUpdateCheck = Date.now());
   afterEach(() => sinon.restore());
@@ -155,4 +155,22 @@ describe('utils.checkForUpdates', () => {
       assert.ok(warnSpy.notCalled);
     });
   });
+
+  describe('When there is an error checking for updates', () => {
+    it('Warns the console', async() => {
+      const pkg = require('../package.json');
+      sinon.replace(pkg, 'version', 'v1.0.0');
+      const scope = nock('https://api.github.com')
+        .get('/repos/fent/node-ytdl-core/releases/latest')
+        .reply(403, 'slow down there');
+      const warnSpy = sinon.spy();
+      sinon.replace(console, 'warn', warnSpy);
+      sinon.replace(Date, 'now', sinon.stub().returns(Infinity));
+      await utils.checkForUpdates();
+      scope.done();
+      assert.ok(warnSpy.called);
+      assert.ok(/Error checking for updates/.test(warnSpy.firstCall.args[0]));
+      assert.ok(/Status code: 403/.test(warnSpy.firstCall.args[1]));
+    });
+  });
 });