diff --git a/scripts/utilities.sh b/scripts/utilities.sh
index 15a1b0d..868b667 100644
--- a/scripts/utilities.sh
+++ b/scripts/utilities.sh
@@ -359,11 +359,12 @@ function create_required_folders() {
 }
 
 function update_system_package_lists() {
-  local cache_mtime update_age
+  local cache_mtime update_age silent
+  if [[ $1 == '--silent' ]]; then silent=1; shift; fi
   if [[ -e /var/lib/apt/periodic/update-success-stamp ]]; then
-    cache_mtime="$(stat -c $Y /var/lib/apt/periodic/update-success-stamp)"
+    cache_mtime="$(stat -c %Y /var/lib/apt/periodic/update-success-stamp)"
   elif [[ -e /var/lib/apt/lists ]]; then
-    cache_mtime="$(stat -c $Y /var/lib/apt/lists)"
+    cache_mtime="$(stat -c %Y /var/lib/apt/lists)"
   else
     log_warning "Failure determining package cache age, forcing update"
     cache_mtime=0
@@ -373,10 +374,10 @@ function update_system_package_lists() {
 
   # update if cache is greater than 48 hours old
   if [[ $update_age -gt $((48*60*60)) ]]; then
-    status_msg "Updating package lists..."
+    if [[ ! $silent ]]; then status_msg "Updating package lists..."; fi
     if ! sudo apt-get update --allow-releaseinfo-change; then
       log_error "Failure while updating package lists!"
-      error_msg "Updating package lists failed!"
+      if [[ ! $silent ]]; then error_msg "Updating package lists failed!"; fi
       exit 1
     fi
   else
@@ -386,7 +387,7 @@ function update_system_package_lists() {
 
 function check_system_updates() {
   local updates_avail status
-  if ! update_system_package_lists; then
+  if ! update_system_package_lists --silent; then
     status="${red}Update check failed!     ${white}" 
   else
     updates_avail="$(apt list --upgradeable 2>/dev/null | sed "1d")"