diff --git a/ui/src/nav/Nav.tsx b/ui/src/nav/Nav.tsx
index 3896caa2..7d4947c1 100644
--- a/ui/src/nav/Nav.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/nav/Nav.tsx
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import { NotificationsLink } from './notifications/NotificationsLink';
 import { Search } from './Search';
 import { SystemPreferences } from '../preferences/SystemPreferences';
 import { useSystemUpdate } from '../logic/useSystemUpdate';
+import useVereState from '../state/vere';
 import { Bullet } from '../components/icons/Bullet';
 import { Cross } from '../components/icons/Cross';
 import MagnifyingGlass16Icon from '../components/icons/MagnifyingGlass16Icon';
@@ -138,9 +139,12 @@ export const Nav: FunctionComponent<NavProps> = ({ menu }) => {
   const dialogNavRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
   const { disableWayfinding } = useCalm();
   const { systemBlocked } = useSystemUpdate();
+  const { isLatest, loaded } = useVereState();
   const [dialogContentOpen, setDialogContentOpen] = useState(false);
   const select = useAppSearchStore((state) => state.select);
 
+  const runtimeOutOfDate = (loaded && !(isLatest));
+
   const menuState = menu || 'closed';
   const isOpen =
     menuState !== 'upgrading' && menuState !== 'closed' && menuState !== 'app';
@@ -188,7 +192,7 @@ export const Nav: FunctionComponent<NavProps> = ({ menu }) => {
         containerRef={dialogContentOpen ? dialogNavRef : navRef}
         className="flex w-full items-center space-x-2 sm:justify-center"
       >
-        <SystemPrefsLink menuState={menuState} systemBlocked={systemBlocked} />
+        <SystemPrefsLink menuState={menuState} systemBlocked={systemBlocked || runtimeOutOfDate} />
         <NotificationsLink
           navOpen={isOpen}
           notificationsOpen={menu === 'notifications'}
diff --git a/ui/src/preferences/about-system/AboutSystem.tsx b/ui/src/preferences/about-system/AboutSystem.tsx
index 17bf4b9f..7c7e0e75 100644
--- a/ui/src/preferences/about-system/AboutSystem.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/preferences/about-system/AboutSystem.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import * as Dialog from '@radix-ui/react-dialog';
 import { FullTlon16Icon } from '../../components/icons/FullTlon16Icon';
 import { useSystemUpdate } from '../../logic/useSystemUpdate';
 import { usePike, useLag } from '../../state/kiln';
+import useVereState from '../../state/vere';
 import { disableDefault, pluralize } from '@/logic/utils';
 import { UpdatePreferences } from './UpdatePreferences';
 
@@ -28,6 +29,11 @@ export const AboutSystem = () => {
   const hash = basePike && getHash(basePike);
   const lag = useLag();
 
+  const vere = useVereState.getState();
+  const {isLatest, vereVersion, latestVereVersion, loaded} = vere;
+
+  const runtimeUpToDate = (!loaded || isLatest)
+
   return (
     <>
       <div className="inner-section relative mb-4 space-y-8">
@@ -51,6 +57,7 @@ export const AboutSystem = () => {
                   <p className="text-orange-500">
                     System update failed because your runtime was out of date.
                   </p>
+                  <p>Your runtime version is {vereVersion}, the latest runtime version is {latestVereVersion}.</p>
                   <p>Update your runtime or contact your hosting provider.</p>
                   <p>Once your runtime is up to date, click retry below.</p>
                   <Button variant="caution" onClick={freezeApps}>
@@ -138,7 +145,20 @@ export const AboutSystem = () => {
               )}
             </>
           ) : (
-            <p>Your urbit is up to date.</p>
+              <>
+                  {runtimeUpToDate ?
+                   <>
+                       <p>Urbit Runtime Version {vereVersion}</p>
+                       <p>Your urbit is up to date.</p>
+                   </> :
+                   <>
+                       <p className="text-orange-500">Your runtime version is {vereVersion}, the latest runtime version is {latestVereVersion}.</p>
+                       <p className="text-orange-500">
+                           <a className="text-blue-500 font-bold" href="https://operators.urbit.org/manual/os/updates#runtime-updates">Update your runtime </a>
+                           or contact your hosting provider.</p>
+                   </>
+                  }
+              </>
           )}
         </div>
       </div>
diff --git a/ui/src/state/vere.ts b/ui/src/state/vere.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d5b3a086
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/state/vere.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+import api from '@/api';
+import create, { SetState } from 'zustand';
+import produce from 'immer';
+
+interface Vere {
+  cur: VereState;
+  next?: VereState;
+  set: SetState<Vere>;
+  loaded: boolean;
+  isLatest: boolean;
+  vereVersion: string;
+  latestVereVersion: string;
+}
+
+interface VereState {
+  rev: string;
+  non?: string;
+  zuse?: number;
+  arvo?: number;
+  lull?: number;
+  hoon?: number;
+  nock?: number;
+}
+
+const useVereState = create<Vere>((set, get) => ({
+  loaded: false,
+  set
+}))
+
+const fetchRuntimeVersion = () => {
+  api.thread({
+    inputMark: 'noun',
+    outputMark: 'vere-update',
+    desk: 'base',
+    threadName: 'runtime-version',
+    body: '',
+  }).then((data: Vere) => {
+    useVereState.setState((state) => {
+      const vereVersion = data.cur.rev.split('/vere/~.')[1];
+      const isLatest = data.next === undefined;
+      const latestVereVersion = !isLatest ? data.next.rev.split('/vere/~.')[1] : vereVersion
+        return Object.assign(data, {loaded: true, isLatest, vereVersion, latestVereVersion});
+    })
+  });
+}
+
+fetchRuntimeVersion()
+
+setInterval(fetchRuntimeVersion, 1800000)
+
+export default useVereState;;
+
+// window.vere = useVereState.getState;