diff --git a/lib/meteor.js b/lib/meteor.js
index fcacd7bae5..0fdd3f679c 100644
--- a/lib/meteor.js
+++ b/lib/meteor.js
@@ -370,7 +370,8 @@ Fiber(function () {
         process.exit(1);
       }
 
-      require(path.join(__dirname, 'update.js'));
+      var update = require(path.join(__dirname, 'update.js'));
+      update.updateMeteor();
     }
   });
 
diff --git a/lib/run.js b/lib/run.js
index c415ad7ad7..b98661d38a 100644
--- a/lib/run.js
+++ b/lib/run.js
@@ -497,20 +497,25 @@ _.extend(DependencyWatcher.prototype, {
 // XXX this should move to main meteor command-line, probably?
 var start_update_checks = function () {
   var update_check = function () {
-    updater.get_manifest(function (manifest) {
-      if (!files.in_checkout() && manifest &&
-          updater.needs_upgrade(manifest)) {
-        console.log("////////////////////////////////////////");
-        console.log("////////////////////////////////////////");
-        console.log();
-        console.log("meteor is out of date. Please run:");
-        console.log();
-        console.log("     meteor update");
-        console.log();
-        console.log("////////////////////////////////////////");
-        console.log("////////////////////////////////////////");
-      }
-    });
+    // XXX update for engine
+    try {
+      var manifest = updater.getManifest();
+    } catch (e) {
+      // Ignore errors (eg, offline)
+      return;
+    }
+    if (!files.in_checkout() && manifest &&
+        updater.needs_upgrade(manifest)) {
+      console.log("////////////////////////////////////////");
+      console.log("////////////////////////////////////////");
+      console.log();
+      console.log("meteor is out of date. Please run:");
+      console.log();
+      console.log("     meteor update");
+      console.log();
+      console.log("////////////////////////////////////////");
+      console.log("////////////////////////////////////////");
+    }
   };
   setInterval(update_check, 12*60*60*1000); // twice a day
   update_check(); // and now.
diff --git a/lib/update.js b/lib/update.js
index 6106874b73..175d74e78c 100644
--- a/lib/update.js
+++ b/lib/update.js
@@ -19,8 +19,11 @@ if (files.in_checkout()) {
   process.exit(1);
 }
 
-// Immediately kick off manifest check.
-updater.get_manifest(function (manifest) {
+// XXX update for engine
+var updateMeteor = function () {
+  // Immediately kick off manifest check.
+  // XXX error check
+  var manifest = updater.getManifest();
 
   //// Examine manifest and see if we need to upgrade.
 
@@ -248,4 +251,4 @@ updater.get_manifest(function (manifest) {
   });
   req.end();
 
-});
+};
diff --git a/lib/updater.js b/lib/updater.js
index 74b74ea7fe..7b647365b1 100644
--- a/lib/updater.js
+++ b/lib/updater.js
@@ -9,52 +9,21 @@ var http = require("http");
 var https = require("https");
 var path = require("path");
 var semver = require("semver");
+var Future = require('fibers/future');
 
 var files = require(path.join(__dirname, 'files.js'));
 
-var manifest_options = testingUpdater ? {
-  host: 's3.amazonaws.com',
-  path: '/com.meteor.static/test/update/manifest.json'
-} : {
-  host: 'update.meteor.com',
-  path: '/manifest.json'
-};
+var manifestUrl = testingUpdater
+      ? 'https://s3.amazonaws.com/com.meteor.static/test/update/manifest.json'
+      : 'https://update.meteor.com/manifest.json';
 
 
 /**
  * Downloads the current manifest file and returns it via a callback (or
  * null on error)
  */
-// XXX make this synchronous
-exports.get_manifest = function (callback) {
-  // XXX this is gross. use files.getUrl instead.
-  var req = https.request(manifest_options, function(res) {
-    if (res.statusCode !== 200) {
-      callback(null);
-      return;
-    }
-    res.setEncoding('utf8');
-    var manifest = '';
-    res.on('data', function (chunk) {
-      manifest = manifest + chunk;
-    });
-    res.on('end', function () {
-      var parsed;
-      try {
-        parsed = JSON.parse(manifest);
-      } catch (err) {
-        parsed = null;
-      };
-      callback(parsed);
-    });
-  });
-  req.addListener('error', function (err) {
-    // Need to register an error handler or node will crash:
-    // http://rentzsch.tumblr.com/post/664884799/node-js-handling-refused-http-client-connections
-
-    callback(null);
-  });
-  req.end();
+exports.getManifest = function () {
+  return Future.wrap(files.getUrl)({url: manifestUrl, json: true});
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/warehouse.js b/lib/warehouse.js
index bf0936ba84..d7fad1105b 100644
--- a/lib/warehouse.js
+++ b/lib/warehouse.js
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ var warehouse = module.exports = {
 
   // XXX make errors prettier
   fetchLatestRelease: function () {
-    var manifest = Future.wrap(updater.get_manifest)().wait();
+    var manifest = updater.getManifest();
     // XXX in the future support release channels other than stable
     var releaseName = manifest.releases.stable;
     if (!releaseName) {