diff --git a/polybar/.config/polybar/scripts/poly-archupdates b/polybar/.config/polybar/scripts/poly-archupdates
index b99a3ad..475a4ca 100755
--- a/polybar/.config/polybar/scripts/poly-archupdates
+++ b/polybar/.config/polybar/scripts/poly-archupdates
@@ -1,18 +1,27 @@
 #!/bin/sh
+#
+# check for available archupdates and return their number
+# checks both repositories and aur
+# returns empty string when 0 packages are available, so
+# that polybar simply displays nothing.
+#
+# dependendies: yay, bc, (pacman-contrib optional)
 
-if ! updates_arch=$(yay -Qun 2>/dev/null | wc -l); then
-  updates_arch=0
+# prefer checkupdates since it allows checking w/o partial upgrade
+if command -v "checkupdates" >/dev/null; then
+  updates_repo="$(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)"
 fi
 
-if ! updates_aur=$(yay -Qum 2>/dev/null | wc -l); then
-  # if ! updates_aur=$(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=$(rua upgrade --printonly 2> /dev/null | wc -l); then
-  updates_aur=0
-fi
+updates_aur="$(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=$(("$updates_arch" + "$updates_aur"))
+updates="$(echo "$updates_repo + $updates_aur" | bc)"
 
 if [ "$updates" -gt 0 ]; then
   echo "$updates"