diff --git a/src/conf_defaults.lua b/src/conf_defaults.lua
index dfada35..6f99c5d 100644
--- a/src/conf_defaults.lua
+++ b/src/conf_defaults.lua
@@ -335,4 +335,10 @@ M.doodle3d_tour_enabled = {
 	description = 'Show tour to new users'
 }
 
+M.doodle3d_betas = {
+	default = false,
+	type = 'bool',
+	description = 'Update to beta releases',
+}
+
 return M
diff --git a/src/rest/api/api_update.lua b/src/rest/api/api_update.lua
index 99d1167..353bc26 100644
--- a/src/rest/api/api_update.lua
+++ b/src/rest/api/api_update.lua
@@ -49,9 +49,9 @@ end
 function M.status(request, response)
 	updater.setLogger(log)
 	updater.setUseCache(false)
-	local success,status,msg = updater.getStatus()
+	local includeBetas = settings.get('doodle3d.betas')
+	local success,status,msg = updater.getStatus(includeBetas)
 
-	--response:addData('current_version', status.currentVersion)
 	response:addData('current_version', updater.formatVersion(status.currentVersion))
 
 	response:addData('state_code', status.stateCode)
@@ -62,10 +62,11 @@ function M.status(request, response)
 		return
 	end
 
-	local canUpdate = updater.compareVersions(status.newestVersion, status.currentVersion) > 0
+	local canUpdate = updater.compareVersions(status.newestVersion, status.currentVersion, status.newestReleaseTimestamp, status.currentReleaseTimestamp) > 0
 
-	--response:addData('newest_version', status.newestVersion)
 	response:addData('newest_version', updater.formatVersion(status.newestVersion))
+	if status.currentReleaseTimestamp then response:addData('current_release_date', updater.formatDate(status.currentReleaseTimestamp)) end
+	if status.newestReleaseTimestamp then response:addData('newest_release_date', updater.formatDate(status.newestReleaseTimestamp)) end
 	response:addData('can_update', canUpdate)
 
 	if status.progress then response:addData('progress', status.progress) end
@@ -94,7 +95,8 @@ function M.download_POST(request, response)
 	local vEnt, rv, msg
 
 	if not argVersion then
-		local success,status,msg = updater.getStatus()
+		local includeBetas = settings.get('doodle3d.betas')
+		local success,status,msg = updater.getStatus(includeBetas)
 		if not success then
 			updater.setState(updater.STATE.DOWNLOAD_FAILED, msg)
 			response:setFail(msg)
@@ -153,9 +155,9 @@ function M.install_POST(request, response)
 	local argNoRetain = request:get("no_retain")
 	log:info("API:update/install (noRetain: "..utils.dump(argNoRetain)..")")
 	local noRetain = argNoRetain == 'true'
-	
+
 	if not operationsAccessOrFail(request, response) then return end
-	
+
 	updater.setLogger(log)
 	updater.setState(updater.STATE.INSTALLING,"")
 
@@ -163,7 +165,8 @@ function M.install_POST(request, response)
 	--local rv,msg = netconf.enableAccessPoint(ssid)
 
 	if not argVersion then
-		local success,status,msg = updater.getStatus()
+		local includeBetas = settings.get('doodle3d.betas')
+		local success,status,msg = updater.getStatus(includeBetas)
 		if not success then
 			updater.setState(updater.STATE.INSTALL_FAILED, msg)
 			response:setFail(msg)
diff --git a/updater-ng/d3d-update-mgr.lua b/updater-ng/d3d-update-mgr.lua
index 4127cd5..7e782d1 100644
--- a/updater-ng/d3d-update-mgr.lua
+++ b/updater-ng/d3d-update-mgr.lua
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ end
 -- @treturn bool True if status has been determined fully, false if not.
 -- @treturn table The result table.
 -- @treturn ?string Descriptive message in case the result table is not complete.
-function M.getStatus()
+function M.getStatus(includeBetas)
 	if not baseUrl then baseUrl = M.DEFAULT_BASE_URL end
 	local unknownVersion = { major = 0, minor = 0, patch = 0 }
 	local result = {}
@@ -405,15 +405,24 @@ function M.getStatus()
 	result.stateCode, result.stateText = getState()
 	result.stateCode = tonumber(result.stateCode)
 
-	local verTable,msg = M.getAvailableVersions()
+	local verTable,msg = M.getAvailableVersions(includeBetas and 'both' or 'stables')
 	if not verTable then
-		D("could not obtain available versions (" .. msg .. ")")
+		D("error: could not obtain available versions (" .. msg .. ")")
 		-- TODO: set an error state in result to signify we probably do not have internet access?
 		return false, result, msg
 	end
 
 	local newest = verTable and verTable[#verTable]
 	result.newestVersion = newest and newest.version or unknownVersion
+	result.newestReleaseTimestamp = newest and newest.timestamp
+
+	-- look up timestamp of current version
+	local cEnt = M.findVersion(result.currentVersion, verTable)
+	if cEnt then
+		result.currentReleaseTimestamp = cEnt.timestamp
+	else
+		D("warning: could not find current wifibox version in release index, beta setting disabled after having beta installed?")
+	end
 
 	if result.stateCode == M.STATE.DOWNLOADING then
 		result.progress = fileSize(cachePath .. '/' .. newest.sysupgradeFilename)