diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c8aae9cefa5..a52280cae47 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ GitHub CLI is available for repositories hosted on GitHub.com and GitHub Enterpr
 
 ## Contributing
 
-If anything feels off, or if you feel that some functionality is missing, please check out the [contributing page][contributing]. We'd love to hear your feedback!
+If anything feels off, or if you feel that some functionality is missing, please check out the [contributing page][contributing].
 
 
 <!-- this anchor is linked to from elsewhere, so avoid renaming it -->
@@ -20,25 +20,25 @@ If anything feels off, or if you feel that some functionality is missing, please
 
 ### macOS
 
-`gh` is available via [Homebrew][] and [MacPorts][].
+`gh` is available via [Homebrew][], [MacPorts][], and as a downloadable binary from the [releases page][].
 
 #### Homebrew
 
-|Install:|Upgrade:|
-|---|---|
-|`brew install gh`|`brew upgrade gh`|
+| Install:          | Upgrade:          |
+| ----------------- | ----------------- |
+| `brew install gh` | `brew upgrade gh` |
 
 #### MacPorts
 
-|Install:|Upgrade:|
-|---|---|
-|`sudo port install gh`|`sudo port selfupdate && sudo port upgrade gh`|
-
-
+| Install:               | Upgrade:                                       |
+| ---------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
+| `sudo port install gh` | `sudo port selfupdate && sudo port upgrade gh` |
 
 ### Linux
 
-See [Linux installation docs](./docs/install_linux.md).
+`gh` is available via [Homebrew](#homebrew), and as downloadable binaries from the [releases page][].
+
+For more information and distro-specific instructions, see the [Linux installation docs](./docs/install_linux.md).
 
 ### Windows
 
@@ -61,10 +61,9 @@ scoop update gh
 
 #### Chocolatey
 
-|Install:|Upgrade:|
-|---|---|
-|`choco install gh`|`choco upgrade gh`|
-
+| Install:           | Upgrade:           |
+| ------------------ | ------------------ |
+| `choco install gh` | `choco upgrade gh` |
 
 #### Signed MSI
 
diff --git a/api/queries_issue.go b/api/queries_issue.go
index 6ef431ed422..d607901a31f 100644
--- a/api/queries_issue.go
+++ b/api/queries_issue.go
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ type IssuesAndTotalCount struct {
 	TotalCount int
 }
 
-// Ref. https://developer.github.com/v4/object/issue/
 type Issue struct {
 	ID        string
 	Number    int
diff --git a/cmd/gh/main.go b/cmd/gh/main.go
index db329c3cdb6..242df7ed2e4 100644
--- a/cmd/gh/main.go
+++ b/cmd/gh/main.go
@@ -186,7 +186,17 @@ func printError(out io.Writer, err error, cmd *cobra.Command, debug bool) {
 }
 
 func shouldCheckForUpdate() bool {
-	return updaterEnabled != "" && !isCompletionCommand() && utils.IsTerminal(os.Stderr)
+	if os.Getenv("GH_NO_UPDATE_NOTIFIER") != "" {
+		return false
+	}
+	return updaterEnabled != "" && !isCI() && !isCompletionCommand() && utils.IsTerminal(os.Stderr)
+}
+
+// based on https://github.com/watson/ci-info/blob/HEAD/index.js
+func isCI() bool {
+	return os.Getenv("CI") != "" || // GitHub Actions, Travis CI, CircleCI, Cirrus CI, GitLab CI, AppVeyor, CodeShip, dsari
+		os.Getenv("BUILD_NUMBER") != "" || // Jenkins, TeamCity
+		os.Getenv("RUN_ID") != "" // TaskCluster, dsari
 }
 
 func isCompletionCommand() bool {
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/pr/view/view.go b/pkg/cmd/pr/view/view.go
index 33a75b34dac..4476a84c0de 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/pr/view/view.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/pr/view/view.go
@@ -191,7 +191,6 @@ func printHumanPrPreview(io *iostreams.IOStreams, pr *api.PullRequest) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// Ref. https://developer.github.com/v4/enum/pullrequestreviewstate/
 const (
 	requestedReviewState        = "REQUESTED" // This is our own state for review request
 	approvedReviewState         = "APPROVED"
@@ -250,7 +249,6 @@ func prReviewerList(pr api.PullRequest) string {
 	return reviewerList
 }
 
-// Ref. https://developer.github.com/v4/union/requestedreviewer/
 const teamTypeName = "Team"
 
 const ghostName = "ghost"
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/root/help_topic.go b/pkg/cmd/root/help_topic.go
index bd23bc68a42..d88109ad3d9 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/root/help_topic.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/root/help_topic.go
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ func NewHelpTopic(topic string) *cobra.Command {
 
 		CLICOLOR_FORCE: set to a value other than "0" to keep ANSI colors in output
 		even when the output is piped.
+
+		GH_NO_UPDATE_NOTIFIER: set to any value to disable update notifications. By default, gh
+		checks for new releases once every 24 hours and displays an upgrade notice on standard
+		error if a newer version was found.
 	`)
 
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{