diff --git a/manifest.json b/manifest.json
index 500fb12c4..250f1cb78 100644
--- a/manifest.json
+++ b/manifest.json
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   "description": "Privacy preserving and transparent payments",
   "author": "GNU Taler Developers",
   "version": "0.6.40",
-  "version_name": "0.2.3",
+  "version_name": "0.2.4",
 
   "minimum_chrome_version": "51",
   "minimum_opera_version": "36",
diff --git a/src/webex/wxBackend.ts b/src/webex/wxBackend.ts
index 356b2af6e..5290b4c17 100644
--- a/src/webex/wxBackend.ts
+++ b/src/webex/wxBackend.ts
@@ -428,6 +428,13 @@ function clearRateLimitCache() {
  * Sets up all event handlers and other machinery.
  */
 export async function wxMain() {
+  // Explicitly unload the extension page as soon as an update is available,
+  // so the update gets installed as soon as possible.
+  chrome.runtime.onUpdateAvailable.addListener((details) => {
+    console.log("update available:", details);
+    chrome.runtime.reload();
+  })
+
   window.onerror = (m, source, lineno, colno, error) => {
     logging.record("error", m + error, undefined, source || "(unknown)", lineno || 0, colno || 0);
   };