diff --git a/PalCalc.SaveReader/SaveFile/LevelSaveFile.cs b/PalCalc.SaveReader/SaveFile/LevelSaveFile.cs
index 1956b629..a05e42df 100644
--- a/PalCalc.SaveReader/SaveFile/LevelSaveFile.cs
+++ b/PalCalc.SaveReader/SaveFile/LevelSaveFile.cs
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ private LevelSaveData BuildResult(PalDB db, List<GvasCharacterInstance> characte
                         // references a container ID not in this list. the cause is not known, but I've seen "effective"
                         // container sizes from 1 to 40. there's no clear answer to "where" this container is (or its
                         // pals), so we won't bother referencing it
+                        //
+                        // (might be due to butchered pals? https://github.com/tylercamp/palcalc/issues/12#issuecomment-2101688781)
                         logger.Warning("unrecognized pal container id '{id}', skipping", gvasInstance.ContainerId);
                         continue;
                     }
diff --git a/PalCalc.UI/App.xaml.cs b/PalCalc.UI/App.xaml.cs
index 7a4cbf72..00974889 100644
--- a/PalCalc.UI/App.xaml.cs
+++ b/PalCalc.UI/App.xaml.cs
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ namespace PalCalc.UI
     /// </summary>
     public partial class App : Application
     {
-        public static string Version => "v1.0.1";
+        public static string Version => "v1.0.3";
+        public static string RepositoryUrl => "https://github.com/tylercamp/palcalc/";
 
         private static ILogger logger;
 
diff --git a/PalCalc.UI/MainWindow.xaml b/PalCalc.UI/MainWindow.xaml
index c140e765..74a02803 100644
--- a/PalCalc.UI/MainWindow.xaml
+++ b/PalCalc.UI/MainWindow.xaml
@@ -81,9 +81,13 @@
                     <v:BreedingResultListView DataContext="{Binding PalTarget.CurrentPalSpecifier.CurrentResults}" />
                 </GroupBox>
 
-                <Grid Grid.Row="1" Margin="0,5,0,0">
-                    <Button Width="50" Click="AboutButton_Click">About</Button>
-                </Grid>
+                <StackPanel Grid.Row="1">
+                    <Button Width="50" Click="AboutButton_Click" Margin="0,5,0,5">About</Button>
+                    <TextBlock Visibility="{Binding UpdatesMessageVisibility}" TextWrapping="Wrap" TextAlignment="Center">
+                        <!-- NavigateUri unused, value must be set for event to trigger -->
+                        <Hyperlink NavigateUri="http://github.com" RequestNavigate="DownloadUpdateLink_RequestNavigate">An update is available!</Hyperlink>
+                    </TextBlock>
+                </StackPanel>
             </Grid>
         </DockPanel>
     </Grid>
diff --git a/PalCalc.UI/MainWindow.xaml.cs b/PalCalc.UI/MainWindow.xaml.cs
index 79d054c5..06a13560 100644
--- a/PalCalc.UI/MainWindow.xaml.cs
+++ b/PalCalc.UI/MainWindow.xaml.cs
@@ -61,5 +61,10 @@ private void AboutButton_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
             window.Owner = this;
             window.ShowDialog();
         }
+
+        private void DownloadUpdateLink_RequestNavigate(object sender, RequestNavigateEventArgs e)
+        {
+            ViewModel.TryDownloadLatestVersion();
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/PalCalc.UI/ViewModel/MainWindowViewModel.cs b/PalCalc.UI/ViewModel/MainWindowViewModel.cs
index a31d2913..640af013 100644
--- a/PalCalc.UI/ViewModel/MainWindowViewModel.cs
+++ b/PalCalc.UI/ViewModel/MainWindowViewModel.cs
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.IO;
 using System.Linq;
+using System.Net;
+using System.Net.Http;
 using System.Text;
 using System.Threading;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
@@ -149,6 +151,8 @@ public MainWindowViewModel(Dispatcher dispatcher)
             if (settings.SelectedGameIdentifier != null) SaveSelection.TrySelectSaveGame(settings.SelectedGameIdentifier);
 
             dispatcher.BeginInvoke(UpdateFromSaveProperties, DispatcherPriority.Background);
+
+            CheckForUpdates();
         }
 
         private void SaveSelection_CustomSaveAdded(ManualSavesLocationViewModel manualSaves, ISaveGame save)
@@ -450,6 +454,57 @@ public bool IsEditable
 
         public Visibility ProgressBarVisibility => string.IsNullOrEmpty(SolverStatusMsg) ? Visibility.Collapsed : Visibility.Visible;
 
+        [ObservableProperty]
+        private Visibility updatesMessageVisibility = Visibility.Collapsed;
+
+        private string VersionFromUrl(string url) => url.Split('/').Last();
+        private string latestVersionUrl;
+
+        private void CheckForUpdates()
+        {
+            Task.Run(async () =>
+            {
+                try
+                {
+                    var latestReleaseUrl = $"{App.RepositoryUrl}/releases/latest";
+                    using (var client = new HttpClient(new HttpClientHandler() { AllowAutoRedirect = false }))
+                    using (var response = await client.GetAsync(latestReleaseUrl))
+                    {
+                        if (response.StatusCode == HttpStatusCode.Found)
+                        {
+                            var location = response.Headers?.Location;
+                            if (location != null)
+                            {
+                                latestVersionUrl = location.AbsoluteUri;
+                                var latestVersion = VersionFromUrl(latestVersionUrl);
+                                if (latestVersion != App.Version)
+                                {
+                                    dispatcher.BeginInvoke(() => UpdatesMessageVisibility = Visibility.Visible);
+                                }
+                            }
+                            else
+                            {
+                                logger.Warning("releases response did not include redirect URL, unable to determine latest version");
+                            }
+                        }
+                        else
+                        {
+                            logger.Warning("did not receive FOUND status code, unable to determine latest version");
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+                catch (Exception e)
+                {
+                    logger.Warning(e, "error fetching latest version");
+                }
+            });
+        }
+
+        public void TryDownloadLatestVersion()
+        {
+            Process.Start(new ProcessStartInfo { FileName = latestVersionUrl, UseShellExecute = true });
+        }
+
         public PalDB DB => db;
     }
 }