diff --git a/app/index.js b/app/index.js
index 6bdfc9ffca9..22469809e70 100644
--- a/app/index.js
+++ b/app/index.js
@@ -374,6 +374,15 @@ app.on('ready', () => {
       process.on(messages.CHECK_FOR_UPDATE, () => updater.checkForUpdate(true))
       ipcMain.on(messages.CHECK_FOR_UPDATE, () => updater.checkForUpdate(true))
 
+      // if user does NOT have brave-core installed, trigger an update
+      // so that banner is shown. Delayed so updater can initialize.
+      const braveCoreInstalled = initialImmutableState.getIn(['about', 'init', 'braveCoreInstalled']) || false
+      if (!braveCoreInstalled) {
+        setTimeout(() => {
+          updater.checkForUpdate(true)
+        }, 5 * 1000)
+      }
+
       // This is fired from a auto-update metadata call
       process.on(messages.UPDATE_META_DATA_RETRIEVED, (metadata) => {
         console.log(metadata)
diff --git a/js/about/newtab.js b/js/about/newtab.js
index d6dd098f4da..8d93a67b988 100644
--- a/js/about/newtab.js
+++ b/js/about/newtab.js
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ const backgrounds = require('../data/backgrounds')
 const urlutils = require('../lib/urlutil')
 const random = require('../../app/common/lib/randomUtil')
 const cx = require('../lib/classSet')
-const {isLinux} = require('../../app/common/lib/platformUtil')
 const ipc = window.chrome.ipcRenderer
 
 // Styles