diff --git a/actions/upgrades b/actions/upgrades
index 2d130660e..561edcc8c 100755
--- a/actions/upgrades
+++ b/actions/upgrades
@@ -61,7 +61,11 @@ def subcommand_run(_):
         sys.exit(1)
 
     try:
-        subprocess.check_call(['unattended-upgrades', '-v'])
+        subprocess.Popen(
+            ['unattended-upgrades', '-v'],
+            stdin=subprocess.DEVNULL, stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+            stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL, close_fds=True,
+            start_new_session=True)
     except FileNotFoundError:
         print('Error: unattended-upgrades is not available.', file=sys.stderr)
         sys.exit(2)
diff --git a/plinth/modules/upgrades/templates/upgrades.html b/plinth/modules/upgrades/templates/upgrades.html
index 6bc6f0391..15b0167b2 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/upgrades/templates/upgrades.html
+++ b/plinth/modules/upgrades/templates/upgrades.html
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 {% block page_head %}
 
-  {% if running %}
+  {% if is_busy %}
     <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="3"/>
   {% endif %}
 
@@ -33,47 +33,25 @@
 
   <h2>{{ title }}</h2>
 
-  {% if result %}
+  <p>
+    {% blocktrans trimmed %}
+      Upgrades install the latest software and security updates. When automatic
+      upgrades are enabled, upgrades are automatically run every night. You
+      don't normally need to start the upgrade process.
+    {% endblocktrans %}
+  </p>
 
-    {% if result.return_code %}
-      <p>
-        {% trans "There was an error while upgrading." %}
-      </p>
+  <p>
+    {% blocktrans trimmed %}
+      Depending on the number of packages to install, this may take a long time
+      to complete.  While upgrades are in progress, you will not be able to
+      install other packages.  During the upgrade, this web interface may be
+      temporarily unavailable and show an error.  Refresh the page to continue.
+    {% endblocktrans %}
+  </p>
 
-      <h5>{% trans "Output from unattended-upgrades:" %}</h5>
-      <pre>{{ result.error }}</pre>
-      {% if result.output %}
-        <pre>{{ result.output }}</pre>
-      {% endif %}
-    {% else %}
-      <p>
-        {% trans "The operating system is up to date now. &nbsp;" %}
-        <button type="button" class="btn btn-default show-details"
-                style='display: none;'>
-          {% trans "Show Details" %}
-          <div class="caret"></div>
-        </button>
-      </p>
-
-      <div class="details">
-        <h5>{% trans "Output from unattended-upgrades:" %}</h5>
-        <pre>{{ result.output }}</pre>
-      </div>
-    {% endif %}
-
-  {% endif %}
-
-
-  {% if not result and not running %}
-    <p>
-      {% blocktrans trimmed %}
-        This will run unattended-upgrades, which will attempt to upgrade
-        your system with the latest Debian packages. It may take a few
-        minutes to complete.
-      {% endblocktrans %}
-    </p>
-
-    <form class="form" method="post" action="{% url 'upgrades:run' %}">
+  {% if not is_busy %}
+    <form class="form" method="post" action="{% url 'upgrades:upgrade' %}">
       {% csrf_token %}
 
       <input type="submit" class="btn btn-primary"
@@ -81,13 +59,19 @@
     </form>
   {% endif %}
 
-  {% if running %}
+  {% if is_busy %}
     <p class="running-status-parent">
       <span class="running-status active"></span>
-      {% trans "System is being upgraded." %}
+      {% trans "A package manager is running." %}
     </p>
   {% endif %}
 
+  {% if log %}
+    <h5>{% trans "Recent log from upgrades:" %}</h5>
+
+    <pre>{{ log }}</pre>
+  {% endif %}
+
 {% endblock %}
 
 {% block page_js %}
diff --git a/plinth/modules/upgrades/urls.py b/plinth/modules/upgrades/urls.py
index 5ff9f8788..9457c17dc 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/upgrades/urls.py
+++ b/plinth/modules/upgrades/urls.py
@@ -27,5 +27,4 @@ from . import views
 urlpatterns = [
     url(r'^sys/upgrades/$', views.index, name='index'),
     url(r'^sys/upgrades/upgrade/$', views.upgrade, name='upgrade'),
-    url(r'^sys/upgrades/upgrade/run/$', views.run, name='run'),
 ]
diff --git a/plinth/modules/upgrades/views.py b/plinth/modules/upgrades/views.py
index 6e83faf8c..d08d6f291 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/upgrades/views.py
+++ b/plinth/modules/upgrades/views.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ from django.shortcuts import redirect
 from django.template.response import TemplateResponse
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _, ugettext_lazy
 from django.views.decorators.http import require_POST
+import subprocess
 
 from .forms import ConfigureForm
 from plinth import actions
@@ -36,7 +37,8 @@ subsubmenu = [{'url': reverse_lazy('upgrades:index'),
               {'url': reverse_lazy('upgrades:upgrade'),
                'text': ugettext_lazy('Upgrade Packages')}]
 
-upgrade_process = None
+LOG_FILE = '/var/log/unattended-upgrades/unattended-upgrades.log'
+LOCK_FILE = '/var/log/dpkg/lock'
 
 
 def on_install():
@@ -65,29 +67,42 @@ def index(request):
                              'form': form,
                              'subsubmenu': subsubmenu})
 
+def is_package_manager_busy():
+    """Return whether a package manager is running."""
+    try:
+        subprocess.check_output(['lsof', '/var/lib/dpkg/lock'])
+        return True
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+        return False
+
+
+def get_log():
+    """Return the current log for unattended upgrades."""
+    try:
+        with open(LOG_FILE, 'r') as file_handle:
+            return file_handle.read()
+    except IOError:
+        return None
+
 
 @package.required(['unattended-upgrades'], on_install=on_install)
 def upgrade(request):
     """Serve the upgrade page."""
-    result = _collect_upgrade_result(request)
+    is_busy = is_package_manager_busy()
+
+    if request.method == 'POST':
+        try:
+            actions.superuser_run('upgrades', ['run'])
+            messages.success(request, _('Upgrade process started.'))
+            is_busy = True
+        except ActionError:
+            messages.error(request, _('Starting upgrade failed.'))
 
     return TemplateResponse(request, 'upgrades.html',
                             {'title': _('Package Upgrades'),
                              'subsubmenu': subsubmenu,
-                             'running': bool(upgrade_process),
-                             'result': result})
-
-
-@require_POST
-@package.required(['unattended-upgrades'], on_install=on_install)
-def run(_):
-    """Start the upgrade process."""
-    global upgrade_process
-    if not upgrade_process:
-        upgrade_process = actions.superuser_run(
-            'upgrades', ['run'], async=True)
-
-    return redirect('upgrades:upgrade')
+                             'is_busy': is_busy,
+                             'log': get_log()})
 
 
 def get_status():
@@ -121,30 +136,3 @@ def _apply_changes(request, old_status, new_status):
         messages.success(request, _('Automatic upgrades enabled'))
     else:
         messages.success(request, _('Automatic upgrades disabled'))
-
-
-def _collect_upgrade_result(request):
-    """Handle upgrade process completion."""
-    global upgrade_process
-    if not upgrade_process:
-        return
-
-    return_code = upgrade_process.poll()
-
-    # Upgrade process is not complete yet
-    if return_code is None:
-        return
-
-    output, error = upgrade_process.communicate()
-    output, error = output.decode(), error.decode()
-
-    if not return_code:
-        messages.success(request, _('Upgrade completed.'))
-    else:
-        messages.error(request, _('Upgrade failed.'))
-
-    upgrade_process = None
-
-    return {'return_code': return_code,
-            'output': output,
-            'error': error}