diff --git a/app/auto-updater.js b/app/auto-updater.js
index e904450e..9fcdc4df 100644
--- a/app/auto-updater.js
+++ b/app/auto-updater.js
@@ -17,7 +17,16 @@ function init() {
   });
 
   const config = getConfig();
-  const updatePrefix = config.canaryUpdates ? 'releases-canary' : 'releases';
+
+  // Default to the "stable" update channel
+  let canaryUpdates = false;
+
+  // If defined in the config, switch to the "canary" channel
+  if (config.updateChannel && config.updateChannel === 'canary') {
+    canaryUpdates = true;
+  }
+
+  const updatePrefix = canaryUpdates ? 'releases-canary' : 'releases';
   const feedURL = `https://${updatePrefix}.hyper.is/update/${platform}`;
 
   autoUpdater.setFeedURL(`${feedURL}/${version}`);
diff --git a/app/config/config-default.js b/app/config/config-default.js
index af747370..e50ee254 100644
--- a/app/config/config-default.js
+++ b/app/config/config-default.js
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@
 
 module.exports = {
   config: {
-    // Choose either `false` for receiving highly polished,
-    // or `true` for less polished but more frequent updates
-    canaryUpdates: false,
+    // Choose either "stable" for receiving highly polished,
+    // or "canary" for less polished but more frequent updates
+    updateChannel: 'stable',
 
     // default font size in pixels for all tabs
     fontSize: 12,