diff --git a/plinth/modules/help/views.py b/plinth/modules/help/views.py
index 3a0127bdc..eaa5c756c 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/help/views.py
+++ b/plinth/modules/help/views.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from django.utils.translation import get_language_from_request
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
 
 from plinth import __version__, actions, cfg
+from plinth.modules.upgrades.views import get_os_release
 
 
 def index(request):
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ def about(request):
         'title': _('About {box_name}').format(box_name=_(cfg.box_name)),
         'version': __version__,
         'new_version': not freedombox.candidate.is_installed,
-        'os_release': get_os_release(),
+        'os_release': get_os_release()
     }
     return TemplateResponse(request, 'help_about.html', context)
 
@@ -120,15 +121,3 @@ def status_log(request):
     output = actions.superuser_run('help', ['get-logs'])
     context = {'num_lines': 100, 'data': output}
     return TemplateResponse(request, 'statuslog.html', context)
-
-
-def get_os_release():
-    """Returns the Debian release number and name"""
-    output = 'Error: Cannot read PRETTY_NAME in /etc/os-release.'
-    with open('/etc/os-release', 'r') as release_file:
-        for line in release_file:
-            if 'PRETTY_NAME=' in line:
-                line = line.replace('"', '').strip()
-                line = line.split('=')
-                output = line[1]
-    return output
diff --git a/plinth/modules/upgrades/templates/upgrades_configure.html b/plinth/modules/upgrades/templates/upgrades_configure.html
index 5878a7d45..bd3dd69f7 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/upgrades/templates/upgrades_configure.html
+++ b/plinth/modules/upgrades/templates/upgrades_configure.html
@@ -7,6 +7,54 @@
 {% load i18n %}
 {% load static %}
 
+{% block page_head %}
+  <style type="text/css">
+    .warning {
+        color: var(--warning-color);
+    }
+
+    .processing {
+        color: var(--progress-color);
+    }
+
+    .normal {
+        color: var(--neutral-dark-color);
+    }
+  </style>
+{% endblock %}
+
+{% block status %}
+  {{ block.super}}  {% comment %} To extend instead of overwrite {% endcomment %}
+
+  <h3>{% trans "Status" %}</h3>
+  <div class="upgrades-status-frame clearfix">
+    <div class="upgrade-status-icon pull-left">
+      {% if is_busy %}
+        <span class="fa fa-refresh fa-spin fa-3x fa-pull-left processing"></span>
+      {% elif new_version %}
+        <span class="fa fa-frown-o fa-3x fa-pull-left warning"></span>
+      {% else %}
+        <span class="fa fa-smile-o fa-3x fa-pull-left normal"></span>
+      {% endif %}
+    </div>
+    <p>
+      {% blocktrans trimmed %}
+        You are running {{ os_release }} and {{ box_name }} version {{ version }}.
+      {% endblocktrans %}
+      {% if is_busy %}
+        <strong>{% trans "Updating..." %}</strong>
+      {% elif new_version %}
+        {% blocktrans trimmed %}
+          There is a new {{ box_name }} version available.
+        {% endblocktrans %}
+        <strong>{% trans "Your Freedombox needs an update!" %}</strong>
+      {% else %}
+        {% blocktrans %}{{ box_name }} is up to date.{% endblocktrans %}
+      {% endif %}
+    </p>
+  </div>
+{% endblock %}
+
 {% block extra_content %}
   <h3>{% trans "Frequent Feature Updates" %}</h3>
   <p>
diff --git a/plinth/modules/upgrades/views.py b/plinth/modules/upgrades/views.py
index 443227c34..0a8f4a081 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/upgrades/views.py
+++ b/plinth/modules/upgrades/views.py
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@
 """
 FreedomBox app for upgrades.
 """
+import time
 
+from apt.cache import Cache
 from django.contrib import messages
 from django.http import HttpResponseRedirect
 from django.shortcuts import redirect
@@ -10,7 +12,7 @@ from django.urls import reverse_lazy
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
 from django.views.generic.edit import FormView
 
-from plinth import actions, package
+from plinth import __version__, actions, package
 from plinth.errors import ActionError
 from plinth.modules import first_boot, upgrades
 from plinth.views import AppView
@@ -29,12 +31,17 @@ class UpgradesConfigurationView(AppView):
         return {'auto_upgrades_enabled': upgrades.is_enabled()}
 
     def get_context_data(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        cache = Cache()
+        freedombox = cache['freedombox']
         context = super().get_context_data(*args, **kwargs)
         context['can_activate_backports'] = upgrades.can_activate_backports()
         context['is_backports_requested'] = upgrades.is_backports_requested()
         context['is_busy'] = package.is_package_manager_busy()
         context['log'] = get_log()
         context['refresh_page_sec'] = 3 if context['is_busy'] else None
+        context['version'] = __version__
+        context['new_version'] = not freedombox.candidate.is_installed
+        context['os_release'] = get_os_release()
         return context
 
     def form_valid(self, form):
@@ -66,6 +73,21 @@ class UpgradesConfigurationView(AppView):
         return super().form_valid(form)
 
 
+def get_os_release():
+    """Returns the Debian release number and name
+
+    Note: The Help module calls this function also.
+    """
+    output = 'Error: Cannot read PRETTY_NAME in /etc/os-release.'
+    with open('/etc/os-release', 'r') as release_file:
+        for line in release_file:
+            if 'PRETTY_NAME=' in line:
+                line = line.replace('"', '').strip()
+                line = line.split('=')
+                output = line[1]
+    return output
+
+
 def get_log():
     """Return the current log for unattended upgrades."""
     return actions.superuser_run('upgrades', ['get-log'])
@@ -73,10 +95,16 @@ def get_log():
 
 def upgrade(request):
     """Serve the upgrade page."""
+    secs_for_package_to_get_busy = 2
     if request.method == 'POST':
         try:
             actions.superuser_run('upgrades', ['run'])
             messages.success(request, _('Upgrade process started.'))
+            # Give the Package module some time to get busy so the page enters
+            # the refreshing loop. XXX: Remove after changing the busy check
+            # implementation include activating state of
+            # freedombox-manual-upgrade.service.
+            time.sleep(secs_for_package_to_get_busy)
         except ActionError:
             messages.error(request, _('Starting upgrade failed.'))
 
diff --git a/static/themes/default/css/main.css b/static/themes/default/css/main.css
index 6808adec3..3b258e1c4 100644
--- a/static/themes/default/css/main.css
+++ b/static/themes/default/css/main.css
@@ -2,6 +2,17 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
 */
 
+:root {
+    --background-color: #f1f1f1; /* Light grey */
+    --neutral-light-color: #f5f5f5; /* Light grey */
+    --neutral-dark-color: #d4d4d4; /* Grey */
+    --info-color: #5bc0de; /* Pale blue, almost turquoise */
+    --freedombox-blue-color: #4989D4; /* Blue */
+    --progress-color: #3498db; /* Blue */
+    --error-color: #d9534f; /* Red */
+    --warning-color: #ec971f; /* Orange */
+}
+
 @font-face {
     font-family: 'Lato';
     src: url('../lato/Lato-Italic.woff2') format('woff2');
@@ -64,7 +75,7 @@ body {
     position: relative;
     font-family: Lato, sans-serif;
     font-size: 15px;
-    background: url('../img/noise.png') #f1f1f1;
+    background: url('../img/noise.png') var(--background-color);
 }
 
 @media (max-width: 767px) {
@@ -75,7 +86,7 @@ body {
     body.index-page,
     body.apps-page,
     body.system-page {
-        background: url('../img/noise.png') #f1f1f1;
+        background: url('../img/noise.png') var(--background-color);
     }
 }
 
@@ -114,17 +125,9 @@ body {
     display: inline-block;
 }
 
-.running-status.active {
-    background-color: rgb(0, 167, 0);
-}
-
-.running-status.inactive {
-    background-color: rgb(228, 66, 66);
-}
-
 .running-status.loading {
-    border: 4px solid #f3f3f3; /* Light grey */
-    border-top: 4px solid #3498db; /* Blue */
+    border: 4px solid var(--neutral-light-color);
+    border-top: 4px solid var(--progress-color);
     border-radius: 50%;
     width: 16px;
     height: 16px;
@@ -159,7 +162,7 @@ body {
 
 .form-diagnostics-button .btn:hover,
 .form-diagnostics-button .btn:focus {
-    background-color:#f5f5f5
+    background-color: var(--neutral-light-color)
 }
 
 /* Hide log out button if user dropdown is available */
@@ -272,7 +275,7 @@ footer {
 
 /* applying styles to header - begin */
 .main-header {
-    background: #4989D4;
+    background: var(--freedombox-blue-color);
     box-shadow: 0 4px 6px 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25);
     border: none;
 }
@@ -325,7 +328,7 @@ footer {
     color: white;
     content: '';
     flex: 1;
-    border-bottom: #d4d4d4 solid 2px;
+    border-bottom: var(--neutral-dark-color) solid 2px;
     margin: auto 1.8rem;
 }
 
@@ -514,7 +517,7 @@ a.menu_link_active {
 }
 
 .toggle-button--toggled {
-    background: #4989D4;
+    background: var(--freedombox-blue-color);
 }
 
 .toggle-button--toggled::before {
@@ -527,8 +530,8 @@ a.menu_link_active {
  */
 .running-status-button-before {
     display: inline-block;
-    border: 4px solid #f3f3f3; /* Light grey */
-    border-top: 4px solid #3498db; /* Blue */
+    border: 4px solid var(--neutral-light-color);
+    border-top: 4px solid var(--progress-color);
     border-radius: 50%;
     width: 16px;
     height: 16px;
@@ -686,27 +689,27 @@ img.notification-icon {
 }
 
 .badge-exception, .badge-error {
-    background-color: #d9534f;
+    background-color: var(--error-color);
 }
 
 .badge-warning {
-    background-color: #ec971f;
+    background-color: var(--warning-color);
 }
 
 .badge-info, .badge-debug {
-    background-color: #5bc0de;
+    background-color: var(--info-color);
 }
 
 .notification-exception, .notification-error {
-    border-left-color: #d9534f;
+    border-left-color: var(--error-color);
 }
 
 .notification-warning {
-    border-left-color: #ec971f;
+    border-left-color: var(--warning-color);
 }
 
 .notification-info, .notification-debug {
-    border-left-color: #5bc0de;
+    border-left-color: var(--info-color)
 }
 
 /* Don't collapse notifications on small screens */