diff --git a/backend/open_webui/main.py b/backend/open_webui/main.py
index 67a14f16b2..0ecb9f2f2e 100644
--- a/backend/open_webui/main.py
+++ b/backend/open_webui/main.py
@@ -2575,8 +2575,8 @@ async def get_app_latest_release_version(user=Depends(get_verified_user)):
 
                 return {'current': VERSION, 'latest': latest_version[1:]}
     except Exception as e:
-        log.debug(e)
-        return {'current': VERSION, 'latest': VERSION}
+        log.warning(f'Version update check failed: {e}')
+        return {'current': VERSION, 'latest': None}
 
 
 @app.get('/api/changelog')
diff --git a/src/lib/components/admin/Settings/General.svelte b/src/lib/components/admin/Settings/General.svelte
index f2fd9b0509..b54863a1a4 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/admin/Settings/General.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/admin/Settings/General.svelte
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@
 
 	export let saveHandler: Function;
 
-	let updateAvailable: boolean | null = false;
+	let updateAvailable: boolean | null = null;
 	let version = {
 		current: WEBUI_VERSION,
-		latest: WEBUI_VERSION
+		latest: ''
 	};
 
 	let adminConfig: any = null;
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
 		version = await getVersionUpdates(localStorage.token).catch((error) => {
 			return {
 				current: WEBUI_VERSION,
-				latest: WEBUI_VERSION
+				latest: null
 			};
 		});
 
@@ -91,6 +91,10 @@
 		defaultInterfaceSettings = getDefaultInterfaceSettings();
 
 		banners = [...$_banners];
+
+		if ($config?.features?.enable_version_update_check) {
+			checkForVersionUpdates();
+		}
 	});
 </script>
 
@@ -112,17 +116,23 @@
 							<Tooltip content={WEBUI_BUILD_HASH}>v{WEBUI_VERSION}</Tooltip>
 
 							{#if $config?.features?.enable_version_update_check}
-								<a
-									href="https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/releases/tag/v{version.latest}"
-									target="_blank"
-									class="text-gray-500 hover:text-gray-700 dark:text-gray-500 dark:hover:text-gray-300"
-								>
-									{updateAvailable === null
-										? $i18n.t('Checking for updates...')
-										: updateAvailable
-											? `(v${version.latest} ${$i18n.t('available!')})`
-											: $i18n.t('(latest)')}
-								</a>
+								{#if version.latest === null}
+									<span class="text-gray-500 dark:text-gray-500"
+										>{$i18n.t('Could not check for updates')}</span
+									>
+								{:else}
+									<a
+										href="https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/releases/tag/v{version.latest}"
+										target="_blank"
+										class="text-gray-500 hover:text-gray-700 dark:text-gray-500 dark:hover:text-gray-300"
+									>
+										{updateAvailable === null
+											? $i18n.t('Checking for updates...')
+											: updateAvailable
+												? `(v${version.latest} ${$i18n.t('available!')})`
+												: $i18n.t('(latest)')}
+									</a>
+								{/if}
 							{/if}
 						</div>
 
diff --git a/src/lib/components/chat/Settings/About.svelte b/src/lib/components/chat/Settings/About.svelte
index 6e6c2fe686..75fb775081 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/chat/Settings/About.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/chat/Settings/About.svelte
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 		version = await getVersionUpdates(localStorage.token).catch((error) => {
 			return {
 				current: WEBUI_VERSION,
-				latest: WEBUI_VERSION
+				latest: null
 			};
 		});
 
@@ -66,21 +66,25 @@
 						</Tooltip>
 
 						{#if $config?.features?.enable_version_update_check}
-							<a
-								href="https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/releases/tag/v{version.latest}"
-								target="_blank"
-							>
-								{updateAvailable === null
-									? $i18n.t('Checking for updates...')
-									: updateAvailable
-										? `(v${version.latest} ${$i18n.t('available!')})`
-										: $i18n.t('(latest)')}
-							</a>
+							{#if version.latest === null}
+								<span>{$i18n.t('Could not check for updates')}</span>
+							{:else}
+								<a
+									href="https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/releases/tag/v{version.latest}"
+									target="_blank"
+								>
+									{updateAvailable === null
+										? $i18n.t('Checking for updates...')
+										: updateAvailable
+											? `(v${version.latest} ${$i18n.t('available!')})`
+											: $i18n.t('(latest)')}
+								</a>
+							{/if}
 						{/if}
 					</div>
 
 					<button
-						class={actionButtonClass}
+						class="self-start {actionButtonClass}"
 						on:click={() => {
 							showChangelog.set(true);
 						}}
diff --git a/src/lib/i18n/locales/en-US/translation.json b/src/lib/i18n/locales/en-US/translation.json
index 736e24b9fd..dbd543a531 100644
--- a/src/lib/i18n/locales/en-US/translation.json
+++ b/src/lib/i18n/locales/en-US/translation.json
@@ -691,6 +691,7 @@
 	"Copying to clipboard was successful!": "",
 	"Copyright (c)": "",
 	"CORS must be properly configured by the provider to allow requests from Open WebUI.": "",
+	"Could not check for updates": "",
 	"Could not load release notes.": "",
 	"Could not read file.": "",
 	"Couldn't find your language?": "",
diff --git a/src/lib/utils/index.ts b/src/lib/utils/index.ts
index 7065843ba5..96b243c01a 100644
--- a/src/lib/utils/index.ts
+++ b/src/lib/utils/index.ts
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ export const copyToClipboard = async (text, html = null, formatted = false) => {
 };
 
 export const compareVersion = (latest, current) => {
-	return current === '0.0.0'
+	return !latest || current === '0.0.0'
 		? false
 		: current.localeCompare(latest, undefined, {
 				numeric: true,
diff --git a/src/routes/(app)/+layout.svelte b/src/routes/(app)/+layout.svelte
index 633a9f7ec5..0c96091268 100644
--- a/src/routes/(app)/+layout.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/(app)/+layout.svelte
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@
 		version = await getVersionUpdates(localStorage.token).catch((error) => {
 			return {
 				current: WEBUI_VERSION,
-				latest: WEBUI_VERSION
+				latest: null
 			};
 		});
 	};