diff --git a/app/build.gradle b/app/build.gradle
index 9b39a1a2..f48a0439 100755
--- a/app/build.gradle
+++ b/app/build.gradle
@@ -66,11 +66,13 @@ android {
             dimension "repo"
             // versionNameSuffix "-github" // appended in assemble task
             buildConfigField("String", "dsn", SENTRY_DSN)
+            buildConfigField("boolean", "isPre", "false")
         }
 
         fdroid {
             dimension "repo"
             versionNameSuffix "-fdroid"
+            buildConfigField("boolean", "isPre", "false")
         }
     }
 
@@ -84,6 +86,7 @@ android {
 
             def suffix = "${versionName}-${flavor}_${builtType}" // eg. 19.1.0-github_debug or release
             if (builtType.toString() == 'release' && project.hasProperty("pre")) {
+                buildConfigField("boolean", "isPre", "true")
                 // append latest commit short hash for pre-release
                 suffix = "${versionName}.${getGitHash()}-${flavor}" // eg. 19.1.0.b123456-github
             }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/awais/instagrabber/activities/MainActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/awais/instagrabber/activities/MainActivity.java
index 408a841a..5ea65279 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/awais/instagrabber/activities/MainActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/awais/instagrabber/activities/MainActivity.java
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 
+import awais.instagrabber.BuildConfig;
 import awais.instagrabber.R;
 import awais.instagrabber.adapters.SuggestionsAdapter;
 import awais.instagrabber.asyncs.PostFetcher;
@@ -163,8 +164,10 @@ public class MainActivity extends BaseLanguageActivity implements FragmentManage
             setupBottomNavigationBar(true);
         }
         setupSuggestions();
-        final boolean checkUpdates = settingsHelper.getBoolean(Constants.CHECK_UPDATES);
-        if (checkUpdates) FlavorTown.updateCheck(this);
+        if (!BuildConfig.isPre) {
+            final boolean checkUpdates = settingsHelper.getBoolean(Constants.CHECK_UPDATES);
+            if (checkUpdates) FlavorTown.updateCheck(this);
+        }
         FlavorTown.changelogCheck(this);
         new ViewModelProvider(this).get(AppStateViewModel.class); // Just initiate the App state here
         final Intent intent = getIntent();
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/awais/instagrabber/fragments/settings/MorePreferencesFragment.java b/app/src/main/java/awais/instagrabber/fragments/settings/MorePreferencesFragment.java
index 1343bb60..684888c5 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/awais/instagrabber/fragments/settings/MorePreferencesFragment.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/awais/instagrabber/fragments/settings/MorePreferencesFragment.java
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ public class MorePreferencesFragment extends BasePreferencesFragment {
                                            BuildConfig.VERSION_NAME + " (" + BuildConfig.VERSION_CODE + ")",
                                            -1,
                                            preference -> {
+                                               if (BuildConfig.isPre) return true;
                                                final AppCompatActivity activity = (AppCompatActivity) getActivity();
                                                if (activity == null) return true;
                                                FlavorTown.updateCheck(activity, true);