diff --git a/gode/packages.go b/gode/packages.go
index 7ae14f1ab2..73bd6bab56 100644
--- a/gode/packages.go
+++ b/gode/packages.go
@@ -52,22 +52,20 @@ func RemovePackage(name string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// UpdatePackages updates all packages.
-func UpdatePackages() (string, error) {
-	stdout, stderr, err := execNpm("update")
+// OutdatedPackages returns a map of packages and their latest version
+func OutdatedPackages(names ...string) (map[string]string, error) {
+	args := append([]string{"outdated", "--json"}, names...)
+	stdout, stderr, err := execNpm(args...)
 	if err != nil {
-		return stdout, errors.New(stderr)
+		return nil, errors.New(stderr)
 	}
-	return stdout, nil
-}
-
-// UpdatePackage updates a package.
-func UpdatePackage(name string) (string, error) {
-	stdout, stderr, err := execNpm("update", name)
-	if err != nil {
-		return stdout, errors.New(stderr)
+	var outdated map[string]struct{ Latest string }
+	json.Unmarshal([]byte(stdout), &outdated)
+	packages := make(map[string]string, len(outdated))
+	for name, versions := range outdated {
+		packages[name] = versions.Latest
 	}
-	return stdout, nil
+	return packages, nil
 }
 
 func npmCmd(args ...string) (*exec.Cmd, error) {
diff --git a/gode/packages_test.go b/gode/packages_test.go
index 4757a9e1d1..cebb5a55b5 100644
--- a/gode/packages_test.go
+++ b/gode/packages_test.go
@@ -37,11 +37,14 @@ func TestRemovePackage(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestUpdatePackages(t *testing.T) {
+func TestOutdatedPackages(t *testing.T) {
 	setup()
-	must(InstallPackage("request"))
-	_, err := UpdatePackages()
+	must(InstallPackage("heroku-cli-util@1.0.0"))
+	packages, err := OutdatedPackages("heroku-cli-util")
 	must(err)
+	if packages["heroku-cli-util"] == "" {
+		t.Fatal("heroku-cli-util not found")
+	}
 }
 
 func TestPackagesGithubPackage(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/io.go b/io.go
index 587744d58f..d328cf2aed 100644
--- a/io.go
+++ b/io.go
@@ -213,3 +213,10 @@ func supportsColor() bool {
 	}
 	return os.Getenv("COLOR") != "false"
 }
+
+func plural(word string, count int) string {
+	if count == 1 {
+		return word
+	}
+	return word + "s"
+}
diff --git a/plugin_cache.go b/plugin_cache.go
index 9fc8ac538a..1bae90ee40 100644
--- a/plugin_cache.go
+++ b/plugin_cache.go
@@ -8,15 +8,6 @@ import (
 
 var pluginCachePath = filepath.Join(AppDir(), "plugin-cache.json")
 
-// UpdatePluginCache updates all the plugins in ~/.heroku/plugin-cache.json
-func UpdatePluginCache() {
-	cache := FetchPluginCache()
-	for name := range cache {
-		cache[name] = getPlugin(name, true)
-	}
-	savePluginCache(cache)
-}
-
 // AddPluginsToCache adds/updates a set of plugins to ~/.heroku/plugin-cache.json
 func AddPluginsToCache(plugins ...*Plugin) {
 	cache := FetchPluginCache()
diff --git a/update.go b/update.go
index 075adf80dd..06dba07e0b 100644
--- a/update.go
+++ b/update.go
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ func Update(channel string, t string) {
 		touchAutoupdateFile()
 		updateCLI(channel)
 		updateNode()
-		updatePlugins(t)
+		updatePlugins()
 		done <- true
 	}()
 	select {
@@ -70,38 +70,34 @@ func Update(channel string, t string) {
 	}
 }
 
-func updatePlugins(t string) {
-	updated := false
+func updatePlugins() {
 	plugins := PluginNamesNotSymlinked()
 	if len(plugins) == 0 {
 		return
 	}
 	Err("Updating plugins... ")
-	if t == "foreground" || t == "block" {
-		b, _ := gode.UpdatePackages()
-		if len(b) > 0 {
-			updated = true
-		}
-	} else {
-		for _, name := range plugins {
+	packages, err := gode.OutdatedPackages(plugins...)
+	PrintError(err)
+	if len(packages) > 0 {
+		for name, version := range packages {
 			lockfile := updateLockPath + "." + name
 			LogIfError(golock.Lock(lockfile))
-			b, _ := gode.UpdatePackage(name)
+			err := gode.InstallPackage(name + "@" + version)
+			PrintError(err)
+			AddPluginsToCache(getPlugin(name, true))
 			LogIfError(golock.Unlock(lockfile))
-			if len(b) > 0 {
-				updated = true
-			}
 		}
-	}
-	Errln("done")
-	if updated {
-		Err("rebuilding plugins cache... ")
-		UpdatePluginCache()
-		Errln("done")
+		Errf("done. Updated %d %s.\n", len(packages), plural("package", len(packages)))
+	} else {
+		Errln("no plugins to update.")
 	}
 }
 
 func updateCLI(channel string) {
+	if channel == "?" {
+		// do not update dev version
+		return
+	}
 	manifest, err := getUpdateManifest(channel)
 	if err != nil {
 		Warn("Error updating CLI")
@@ -136,9 +132,6 @@ func updateCLI(channel string) {
 
 // IsUpdateNeeded checks if an update is available
 func IsUpdateNeeded(t string) bool {
-	if Channel == "?" {
-		return false
-	}
 	f, err := os.Stat(autoupdateFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		return true