diff --git a/tmate-decoder.c b/tmate-decoder.c
index ca2d8ccd..1d2e70ad 100644
--- a/tmate-decoder.c
+++ b/tmate-decoder.c
@@ -110,6 +110,10 @@ static void tmate_header(struct tmate_decoder *decoder,
 
 	tmate_debug("new master, client version: %s, protocol version: %d",
 		    client_version, decoder->protocol);
+
+	if (strcmp(client_version, TMATE_LATEST_VERSION))
+		tmate_notify_later(10, "A new version is available, please upgrade :)");
+
 	free(client_version);
 
 	if (gethostname(hostname, sizeof(hostname)) < 0)
diff --git a/tmate-encoder.c b/tmate-encoder.c
index 98b83202..70134fbd 100644
--- a/tmate-encoder.c
+++ b/tmate-encoder.c
@@ -32,6 +32,13 @@ void tmate_encoder_init(struct tmate_encoder *encoder)
 		msgpack_pack_##what(&tmate_encoder->pk, __VA_ARGS__);	\
 } while(0)
 
+static void __tmate_notify(const char *msg)
+{
+	pack(array, 2);
+	pack(int, TMATE_NOTIFY);
+	pack(string, msg);
+}
+
 void printflike1 tmate_notify(const char *fmt, ...)
 {
 	va_list ap;
@@ -41,9 +48,36 @@ void printflike1 tmate_notify(const char *fmt, ...)
 	vsnprintf(msg, sizeof(msg), fmt, ap);
 	va_end(ap);
 
-	pack(array, 2);
-	pack(int, TMATE_NOTIFY);
-	pack(string, msg);
+	__tmate_notify(msg);
+}
+
+static void __tmate_notify_later(evutil_socket_t fd, short what, void *arg)
+{
+	char *msg = arg;
+	__tmate_notify(msg);
+}
+
+void printflike2 tmate_notify_later(int timeout, const char *fmt, ...)
+{
+	struct timeval tv;
+	va_list ap;
+	char *msg;
+
+	tv.tv_sec = timeout;
+	tv.tv_usec = 0;
+
+	va_start(ap, fmt);
+	xvasprintf(&msg, fmt, ap);
+	va_end(ap);
+
+	/*
+	 * FIXME leaks like crazy when calling tmate_notify_later()
+	 * multiple times.
+	 */
+
+	evtimer_assign(&tmate_encoder->ev_notify_timer, ev_base,
+		       __tmate_notify_later, msg);
+	evtimer_add(&tmate_encoder->ev_notify_timer, &tv);
 }
 
 static int num_clients(void)
diff --git a/tmate.h b/tmate.h
index 8b7d1b6c..82c5edad 100644
--- a/tmate.h
+++ b/tmate.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ do {							\
 
 /* tmate-encoder.c */
 
+#define TMATE_LATEST_VERSION "1.8.6"
 #define TMATE_DOMAIN "tmate.io"
 
 enum tmate_client_commands {
@@ -31,12 +32,14 @@ enum tmate_client_commands {
 struct tmate_encoder {
 	struct evbuffer *buffer;
 	struct event ev_readable;
+	struct event ev_notify_timer;
 	msgpack_packer pk;
 };
 
 extern void tmate_encoder_init(struct tmate_encoder *encoder);
 
 extern void printflike1 tmate_notify(const char *fmt, ...);
+extern void printflike2 tmate_notify_later(int timeout, const char *fmt, ...);
 extern void tmate_notify_client_join(struct client *c);
 extern void tmate_notify_client_left(struct client *c);