diff --git a/src/opnsense/mvc/app/controllers/OPNsense/Core/Api/FirmwareController.php b/src/opnsense/mvc/app/controllers/OPNsense/Core/Api/FirmwareController.php
index 4de63b848..202ebd80b 100644
--- a/src/opnsense/mvc/app/controllers/OPNsense/Core/Api/FirmwareController.php
+++ b/src/opnsense/mvc/app/controllers/OPNsense/Core/Api/FirmwareController.php
@@ -423,6 +423,7 @@ class FirmwareController extends ApiControllerBase
         $backend = new Backend();
         $response = array();
         if ($this->request->isPost()) {
+            $backend->configdRun('firmware flush');
             $response['msg_uuid'] = trim($backend->configdRun('firmware update', true));
             $response['status'] = 'ok';
         } else {
@@ -442,6 +443,7 @@ class FirmwareController extends ApiControllerBase
         $backend = new Backend();
         $response = array();
         if ($this->request->isPost()) {
+            $backend->configdRun('firmware flush');
             $response['msg_uuid'] = trim($backend->configdRun('firmware upgrade', true));
             $response['status'] = 'ok';
         } else {
@@ -1133,6 +1135,7 @@ class FirmwareController extends ApiControllerBase
                 $this->sessionClose(); // long running action, close session
 
                 $backend = new Backend();
+                $backend->configdRun('firmware flush');
                 $backend->configdRun("firmware configure");
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/opnsense/service/conf/actions.d/actions_firmware.conf b/src/opnsense/service/conf/actions.d/actions_firmware.conf
index 2827111c3..701eba08c 100644
--- a/src/opnsense/service/conf/actions.d/actions_firmware.conf
+++ b/src/opnsense/service/conf/actions.d/actions_firmware.conf
@@ -4,11 +4,18 @@ parameters:
 type:script
 message:Retrieve firmware update status
 
+[flush]
+command:rm -f /tmp/pkg_upgrade.json
+parameters:
+type:script
+message:Flush firmware update status
+
 [probe]
 command:/usr/local/opnsense/scripts/firmware/launcher.sh check
 parameters:
 type:script
 message:Running firmware update status
+description:Firmware update check
 
 [changelog.fetch]
 command: /usr/local/opnsense/scripts/firmware/changelog.sh fetch
diff --git a/src/www/widgets/api/plugins/system.inc b/src/www/widgets/api/plugins/system.inc
index ae565d59b..b73e0522b 100644
--- a/src/www/widgets/api/plugins/system.inc
+++ b/src/www/widgets/api/plugins/system.inc
@@ -162,6 +162,25 @@ function system_api_versions()
     return $result;
 }
 
+function system_api_firmware()
+{
+    $ret = gettext('Click to check for updates.');
+
+    $product = json_decode(configd_run('firmware product'), true);
+    if (
+        !empty($product['product_check']['upgrade_sets']) ||
+        !empty($product['product_check']['downgrade_packages']) ||
+        !empty($product['product_check']['new_packages']) ||
+        !empty($product['product_check']['reinstall_packages']) ||
+        !empty($product['product_check']['remove_packages']) ||
+        !empty($product['product_check']['upgrade_packages'])
+    ) {
+        $ret = gettext('Click to view pending updates.');
+    }
+
+    return $ret;
+}
+
 /**
  * widget system data
  */
@@ -178,6 +197,7 @@ function system_api()
     $result['config'] = system_api_config();
     $result['kernel'] = system_api_kernel();
     $result['disk'] = system_api_disk();
+    $result['firmware'] = system_api_firmware();
 
     return $result;
 }
diff --git a/src/www/widgets/widgets/system_information.widget.php b/src/www/widgets/widgets/system_information.widget.php
index ac1c65b7e..6dd59057e 100644
--- a/src/www/widgets/widgets/system_information.widget.php
+++ b/src/www/widgets/widgets/system_information.widget.php
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ require_once("system.inc");
       // update cpu usage chart
       system_information_widget_cpu_update(sender, data);
 
+      $("#system_information_widget_firmware").html(data['firmware']);
+
       $("#system_information_widget_cpu_type").html(data['cpu']['model'] + ' ('+data['cpu']['cpus']+' cores)');
       var uptime_days = parseInt(moment.duration(parseInt(data['uptime']), 'seconds').asDays());
       var uptime_str = "";
@@ -181,7 +183,7 @@ require_once("system.inc");
     <tr>
       <td><?= gettext('Updates') ?></td>
       <td>
-        <a href='/ui/core/firmware#checkupdate'><?= gettext('Click to check for updates.') ?></a>
+        <a href='/ui/core/firmware#checkupdate'><span id="system_information_widget_firmware"><?= gettext('Retrieving internal update status...') ?></span></a>
       </td>
     </tr>
     <tr>