diff --git a/dvc/check_updates.py b/dvc/check_updates.py
index e113d8061..5a0e4b826 100644
--- a/dvc/check_updates.py
+++ b/dvc/check_updates.py
@@ -1,19 +1,36 @@
-from github import Github
+import os
+import time
+import json
+import requests
 
 from dvc import VERSION_BASE
 from dvc.logger import Logger
 
-GITHUB_USER = 'dataversioncontrol'
-GITHUB_REPO = 'dvc'
+DVCAPI_URL = 'https://4ki8820rsf.execute-api.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/prod/latest-version'
+CHECK_UPDATES_FILE = '.check_updates'
+TIMEOUT = 7 * 24 * 60 * 60 #every week
 
-def check_updates():
+def check_updates(dvc_dir):
     current = VERSION_BASE
 
+    if os.getenv('CI'):
+        return
+
+    fname = os.path.join(dvc_dir, CHECK_UPDATES_FILE)
+    if os.path.isfile(fname):
+        ctime = os.path.getctime(fname)
+        if time.time() - ctime < TIMEOUT:
+            msg = '{} is not old enough to check for updates'
+            Logger.debug(msg.format(CHECK_UPDATES_FILE))
+            return
+
+        os.unlink(fname)
+
     try:
-        gh = Github()
-        user = gh.get_user(GITHUB_USER)
-        repo = user.get_repo(GITHUB_REPO)
-        latest = repo.get_latest_release().title
+        r = requests.get(DVCAPI_URL)
+        j = json.loads(r.content)
+        latest = j['version']
+        open(fname, 'w+').close()
     except Exception as exc:
         Logger.debug('Failed to obtain latest version: {}'.format(str(exc)))
         return
diff --git a/dvc/project.py b/dvc/project.py
index 6c151f527..72d64cada 100644
--- a/dvc/project.py
+++ b/dvc/project.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class Project(object):
         self.logger = Logger(self.config._config[Config.SECTION_CORE].get(Config.SECTION_CORE_LOGLEVEL, None))
         self.cloud = DataCloud(cache=self.cache, config=self.config._config)
 
-        check_updates()
+        check_updates(self.dvc_dir)
 
     @staticmethod
     def init(root_dir=os.curdir, no_scm=False):
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index eaed5ed0f..2283e5f3e 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -20,4 +20,4 @@ paramiko>=2.4.1
 binaryornot==0.4.4
 jsonpath-rw==1.4.0
 reflink==0.2.0
-PyGithub>=1.39
+requests>=2.18.4
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 767c7c14f..5212b0186 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ install_requires = [
     "binaryornot==0.4.4",
     "jsonpath-rw==1.4.0",
     "reflink==0.2.0",
-    "PyGithub>=1.39",
+    "requests>=2.18.4",
 ]
 
 setup(