diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/UpdateService.java b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/UpdateService.java
index 265651e6f..de53b6432 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/UpdateService.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/UpdateService.java
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ public class UpdateService extends IntentService {
     private NotificationCompat.Builder notificationBuilder;
     private AppUpdateStatusManager appUpdateStatusManager;
 
+    private static boolean updating;
+
     public UpdateService() {
         super("UpdateService");
     }
@@ -136,6 +138,14 @@ public class UpdateService extends IntentService {
 
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Whether or not a repo update is currently in progress. Used to show feedback throughout
+     * the app to users, so they know something is happening.
+     */
+    public static boolean isUpdating() {
+        return updating;
+    }
+
     @Override
     public void onCreate() {
         super.onCreate();
@@ -365,6 +375,7 @@ public class UpdateService extends IntentService {
                 return;
             }
 
+            updating = true;
             notificationManager.notify(NOTIFY_ID_UPDATING, notificationBuilder.build());
             LocalBroadcastManager.getInstance(this).registerReceiver(updateStatusReceiver,
                     new IntentFilter(LOCAL_ACTION_STATUS));
@@ -452,6 +463,8 @@ public class UpdateService extends IntentService {
         } catch (Exception e) {
             Log.e(TAG, "Exception during update processing", e);
             sendStatus(this, STATUS_ERROR_GLOBAL, e.getMessage());
+        } finally {
+            updating = false;
         }
 
         long time = System.currentTimeMillis() - startTime;
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/views/BannerUpdatingRepos.java b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/views/BannerUpdatingRepos.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a5eff101f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/views/BannerUpdatingRepos.java
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+package org.fdroid.fdroid.views;
+
+import android.content.BroadcastReceiver;
+import android.content.Context;
+import android.content.Intent;
+import android.content.IntentFilter;
+import android.support.v4.content.LocalBroadcastManager;
+import android.util.AttributeSet;
+import android.view.Gravity;
+import android.view.View;
+
+import org.fdroid.fdroid.R;
+import org.fdroid.fdroid.UpdateService;
+
+/**
+ * Widget which reflects whether or not a repo update is currently in progress or not. If so, shows
+ * some sort of feedback to the user.
+ */
+public class BannerUpdatingRepos extends android.support.v7.widget.AppCompatTextView {
+
+    public BannerUpdatingRepos(Context context) {
+        this(context, null);
+    }
+
+    public BannerUpdatingRepos(Context context, AttributeSet attrs) {
+        this(context, attrs, android.R.attr.textViewStyle);
+    }
+
+    public BannerUpdatingRepos(Context context, AttributeSet attrs, int defStyleAttr) {
+        super(context, attrs, defStyleAttr);
+        int padding = (int) getResources().getDimension(R.dimen.banner__padding);
+        setPadding(padding, padding, padding, padding);
+        setBackgroundColor(0xFF4A4A4A);
+        setGravity(Gravity.CENTER_VERTICAL | Gravity.CENTER_HORIZONTAL);
+        setText(R.string.update_notification_title);
+        setTextColor(0xFFFFFFFF);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    protected void onAttachedToWindow() {
+        super.onAttachedToWindow();
+        monitorRepoUpdates();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    protected void onDetachedFromWindow() {
+        super.onDetachedFromWindow();
+        stopMonitoringRepoUpdates();
+    }
+
+    private void monitorRepoUpdates() {
+        if (isInEditMode()) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        LocalBroadcastManager.getInstance(getContext()).registerReceiver(onRepoFeedback, new IntentFilter(UpdateService.LOCAL_ACTION_STATUS));
+        setBannerIsVisible(UpdateService.isUpdating());
+    }
+
+    private void setBannerIsVisible(boolean isUpdating) {
+        if (isUpdating) {
+            setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
+        } else {
+            setVisibility(View.GONE);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void stopMonitoringRepoUpdates() {
+        LocalBroadcastManager.getInstance(getContext()).unregisterReceiver(onRepoFeedback);
+    }
+
+    private final BroadcastReceiver onRepoFeedback = new BroadcastReceiver() {
+        @Override
+        public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
+            // Anything other than a STATUS_INFO broadcast signifies that it was complete (and out
+            // banner should be removed).
+            boolean isInfo = intent.getIntExtra(UpdateService.EXTRA_STATUS_CODE, 0) == UpdateService.STATUS_INFO;
+            setBannerIsVisible(isInfo);
+        }
+    };
+}
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/main_tab_categories.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/main_tab_categories.xml
index 2d9310292..22257c8b3 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/main_tab_categories.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/main_tab_categories.xml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
-<android.support.design.widget.CoordinatorLayout
+<android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout
     xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
     xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
     xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
@@ -7,16 +7,34 @@
     android:layout_width="match_parent"
     android:layout_height="match_parent">
 
+    <org.fdroid.fdroid.views.BannerUpdatingRepos
+        android:id="@+id/banner_updating_repos"
+        android:layout_width="0dp"
+        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent"
+        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
+        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
+        tools:layout_editor_absoluteX="8dp" />
+
     <android.support.v7.widget.RecyclerView
         android:id="@+id/category_list"
-        android:layout_width="match_parent"
-        android:layout_height="match_parent"
+        android:layout_width="0dp"
+        android:layout_height="0dp"
         tools:listitem="@layout/category_item"
+        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/banner_updating_repos"
         app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
-        app:layout_constraintLeft_toRightOf="parent"
-        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent"
-        android:scrollbars="vertical" />
+        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
+        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
+        android:scrollbars="vertical"
+        tools:layout_editor_absoluteX="0dp" />
 
-    <include layout="@layout/fab_search" />
+    <include layout="@layout/fab_search"
+        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
+        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
+        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
+        android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/fab_margin"
+        android:layout_marginEnd="@dimen/fab_margin"
+        android:layout_marginRight="@dimen/fab_margin" />
 
-</android.support.design.widget.CoordinatorLayout>
\ No newline at end of file
+</android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/main_tab_whats_new.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/main_tab_whats_new.xml
index 073f0f9a0..e0cc009e2 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/main_tab_whats_new.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/main_tab_whats_new.xml
@@ -12,15 +12,23 @@
         android:layout_height="match_parent"
         android:id="@+id/swipe_to_refresh">
 
-        <android.support.v7.widget.RecyclerView
-            android:id="@+id/app_list"
+        <LinearLayout
             android:layout_width="match_parent"
             android:layout_height="match_parent"
-            tools:listitem="@layout/app_card_normal"
-            app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
-            app:layout_constraintLeft_toRightOf="parent"
-            app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent"
-            android:scrollbars="vertical" />
+            android:orientation="vertical">
+
+            <org.fdroid.fdroid.views.BannerUpdatingRepos
+                android:layout_width="match_parent"
+                android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
+
+            <android.support.v7.widget.RecyclerView
+                android:id="@+id/app_list"
+                android:layout_width="match_parent"
+                android:layout_height="match_parent"
+                tools:listitem="@layout/app_card_normal"
+                android:scrollbars="vertical" />
+
+        </LinearLayout>
 
     </android.support.v4.widget.SwipeRefreshLayout>
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/dimens.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/dimens.xml
index 547e4acc4..054dd03be 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/dimens.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/dimens.xml
@@ -30,4 +30,6 @@
     <dimen name="category_preview__app_list__padding__horizontal">4dp</dimen>
     <dimen name="category_preview__app_list__padding__horizontal__first">72dp</dimen>
     <dimen name="category_preview__app_list__padding__vertical">18dp</dimen>
+
+    <dimen name="banner__padding">4dp</dimen>
 </resources>