diff --git a/polybar/.config/polybar/scripts/poly-archupdates b/polybar/.config/polybar/scripts/poly-archupdates
index c54bd69..6b27e35 100755
--- a/polybar/.config/polybar/scripts/poly-archupdates
+++ b/polybar/.config/polybar/scripts/poly-archupdates
@@ -6,25 +6,32 @@
 # that polybar simply displays nothing.
 #
 # dependendies: yay, (pacman-contrib optional)
+#
+# Takes an optional integer argument, which is the minimum
+# numer of package updates for an answer to be returned.
+min_upd=${1:-0}
 
 # prefer checkupdates since it allows checking w/o partial upgrade
 if command -v "checkupdates" >/dev/null; then
-  updates_repo="$(checkupdates | wc -l)"
-# fall back to yay, but be aware it will not find everything
-else
-  updates_repo="$(yay -Qun 2>/dev/null | wc -l)"
+    updates_repo="$(checkupdates 2>&1)"
 fi
 
+# fall back to yay, but be aware it will not find everything
+# if checkupdates finds nothing or returns an error
+if [ "$updates_repo" = "" ] || [ -z "${updates_repo##*==> ERROR: Cannot fetch updates*}" ]; then
+    updates_repo="$(yay -Qun 2>/dev/null)"
+fi
+updates_repo=$(echo "$updates_repo" | wc -l)
+
 updates_aur="$(yay -Qum 2>/dev/null | wc -l)"
-# if ! updates_aur=$(cower -u 2> /dev/null | wc -l); then
-# if ! updates_aur=$(trizen -Su --aur --quiet | wc -l); then
-# if ! updates_aur=$(pikaur -Qua 2> /dev/null | wc -l); then
-# if ! updates_aur=$(rua upgrade --printonly 2> /dev/null | wc -l); then
+# updates_aur=$(cower -u 2> /dev/null | wc -l)
+# updates_aur=$(trizen -Su --aur --quiet | wc -l)
+# updates_aur=$(pikaur -Qua 2> /dev/null | wc -l)
+# updates_aur=$(rua upgrade --printonly 2> /dev/null | wc -l)
 
-updates="$((updates_repo + updates_aur))"
-
-if [ "$updates" -gt 0 ]; then
-  echo "$updates"
+updates=$((updates_repo + updates_aur))
+if [ "$updates" -gt "$min_upd" ]; then
+    echo "$updates"
 else
-  echo ""
+    echo ""
 fi