diff --git a/etc/sudoers.d/mintupdate b/etc/sudoers.d/mintupdate
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..24196f47
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/sudoers.d/mintupdate
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# Allow any user to check for new system updates without
+# requiring user authentication.
+
+Cmnd_Alias UPDATE = /usr/lib/linuxmint/mintUpdate/checkAPT.py
+
+ALL ALL = NOPASSWD:UPDATE
diff --git a/usr/lib/linuxmint/mintUpdate/checkAPT.py b/usr/lib/linuxmint/mintUpdate/checkAPT.py
index 87ba2609..c9651ff7 100755
--- a/usr/lib/linuxmint/mintUpdate/checkAPT.py
+++ b/usr/lib/linuxmint/mintUpdate/checkAPT.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 #    return changes
 
 try:
-    cache = None
+    cache = apt.Cache()
     
     if os.getuid() == 0 :
         use_synaptic = False
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@
             returnCode = comnd.wait()
             #sts = os.waitpid(comnd.pid, 0)            
         else:
-            cache = apt.Cache()
             cache.update()
 
     sys.path.append('/usr/lib/linuxmint/common')
@@ -58,8 +57,8 @@
     except:
         dist_upgrade = True
         
-    if cache is None:
-        cache = apt.Cache()
+    # Reopen the cache to reflect any updates
+    cache.open(None)
     cache.upgrade(dist_upgrade)
     changes = cache.get_changes()
     
diff --git a/usr/lib/linuxmint/mintUpdate/mintUpdate.py b/usr/lib/linuxmint/mintUpdate/mintUpdate.py
index 1badcbd8..5071aba1 100755
--- a/usr/lib/linuxmint/mintUpdate/mintUpdate.py
+++ b/usr/lib/linuxmint/mintUpdate/mintUpdate.py
@@ -463,9 +463,9 @@ def run(self):
             wTree.get_widget("vpaned1").set_position(vpaned_position)
             gtk.gdk.threads_leave()
             if app_hidden:
-                updates = commands.getoutput("/usr/lib/linuxmint/mintUpdate/checkAPT.py | grep \"###\"")
+                updates = commands.getoutput("sudo /usr/lib/linuxmint/mintUpdate/checkAPT.py | grep \"###\"")
             else:
-                updates = commands.getoutput("/usr/lib/linuxmint/mintUpdate/checkAPT.py --use-synaptic %s | grep \"###\"" % self.wTree.get_widget("window1").window.xid)
+                updates = commands.getoutput("sudo /usr/lib/linuxmint/mintUpdate/checkAPT.py --use-synaptic %s | grep \"###\"" % self.wTree.get_widget("window1").window.xid)
            
             # Look for mintupdate
             if ("UPDATE###mintupdate###" in updates):