diff --git a/app/package.json b/app/package.json
index df69b299..341c8979 100644
--- a/app/package.json
+++ b/app/package.json
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
     "hterm-umd": "1.0.1",
     "json-loader": "0.5.4",
     "mousetrap": "1.6.0",
+    "ms": "0.7.1",
     "react": "15.1.0",
     "react-addons-shallow-compare": "15.1.0",
     "react-dom": "15.1.0",
diff --git a/app/update-checker.js b/app/update-checker.js
index 393ae2ab..785b0bd7 100644
--- a/app/update-checker.js
+++ b/app/update-checker.js
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 /*global fetch:false*/
 import { version as currentVersion } from '../package';
 import compare from 'semver-compare';
+import ms from 'ms';
+
+const DEFAULT_INTERVAL = ms('5m');
 
 export default class UpdateChecker {
 
-  constructor (fn, { interval = 5000 } = {}) {
+  constructor (fn, { interval = DEFAULT_INTERVAL } = {}) {
     this.callback = fn;
     this.interval = interval;
     this.check();