diff --git a/share/gpodder/ui/gtk/menus.ui b/share/gpodder/ui/gtk/menus.ui
index c2c30093..07f655d3 100644
--- a/share/gpodder/ui/gtk/menus.ui
+++ b/share/gpodder/ui/gtk/menus.ui
@@ -13,10 +13,6 @@
         <attribute name="action">app.gotoMygpo</attribute>
         <attribute name="label" translatable="yes">Go to gpodder.net</attribute>
       </item>
-      <item>
-        <attribute name="action">app.checkForUpdates</attribute>
-        <attribute name="label" translatable="yes">Software updates</attribute>
-      </item>
     </section>
     <section>
       <item>
diff --git a/src/gpodder/config.py b/src/gpodder/config.py
index e22b4cf8..ec49265f 100644
--- a/src/gpodder/config.py
+++ b/src/gpodder/config.py
@@ -92,13 +92,6 @@ defaults = {
 
     'check_connection': True,
 
-    # Software updates from gpodder.org
-    'software_update': {
-        'check_on_startup': True,  # check for updates on start
-        'last_check': 0,  # unix timestamp of last update check
-        'interval': 5,  # interval (in days) to check for updates
-    },
-
     'ui': {
         # Settings for the Command-Line Interface
         'cli': {
diff --git a/src/gpodder/gtkui/main.py b/src/gpodder/gtkui/main.py
index 63c2c346..66338054 100644
--- a/src/gpodder/gtkui/main.py
+++ b/src/gpodder/gtkui/main.py
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ class gPodder(BuilderWidget, dbus.service.Object):
             util.idle_add(self.subscribe_to_url, self.options.subscribe)
         elif not self.channels:
             self.on_itemUpdate_activate()
-        elif self.config.software_update.check_on_startup:
+        elif False and self.config.software_update.check_on_startup:
             # Check for software updates from gpodder.org
             diff = time.time() - self.config.software_update.last_check
             if diff > (60 * 60 * 24) * self.config.software_update.interval:
@@ -3489,6 +3489,7 @@ class gPodder(BuilderWidget, dbus.service.Object):
         If silent=False, a message will be shown even if no updates are
         available (set silent=False when the check is manually triggered).
         """
+        return
         try:
             up_to_date, version, released, days = util.get_update_info()
         except Exception as e: