diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/update.go b/cmd/ipfs/update.go
index 0391df98aaa..e6d078253e0 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/update.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/update.go
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ import (
 	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/core/commands"
 )
 
+func init() {
+	cmdIpfsUpdate.Flag.Bool("force", false, "force shutdown of daemon when updating")
+}
+
 var cmdIpfsUpdate = &commander.Command{
 	UsageLine: "update",
 	Short:     "check for updates and apply them",
@@ -20,7 +24,7 @@ I wont even try, @jbenet. You do this much better :)`,
 	Run: makeCommand(command{
 		name:   "updateApply",
 		args:   0,
-		flags:  nil,
+		flags:  []string{"force"},
 		online: true,
 		cmdFn:  commands.UpdateApply,
 	}),
diff --git a/core/commands/update.go b/core/commands/update.go
index 67a1f6285af..68f9456dddb 100644
--- a/core/commands/update.go
+++ b/core/commands/update.go
@@ -25,13 +25,13 @@ func UpdateApply(n *core.IpfsNode, args []string, opts map[string]interface{}, o
 	fmt.Fprintln(out, "New Version:", u.Version)
 
 	_, onDaemon := opts["onDaemon"]
-	_, force := opts["force"]
+	force := opts["force"].(bool)
 	if onDaemon && !force {
 		return fmt.Errorf(`Error: update must stop running ipfs service.
 You may want to abort the update, or shut the service down manually.
 To shut it down automatically, run:
 
-  ipfs update apply -f
+  ipfs update --force
 `)
 	}