diff --git a/check_updates.sh b/check_updates.sh
index 157dd78..e2ad10c 100755
--- a/check_updates.sh
+++ b/check_updates.sh
@@ -5,7 +5,10 @@ PATH="$PATH:/usr/sbin:/sbin"
 TMP_FILE=$(mktemp)
 MAIL=$(mktemp)
 
-PORTAGE_RUNING=$(pgrep emerge)
+# Possible race condition: if someone runs `eix blah` at the exact same time,
+# it will block the update. But that seems highly improbable.
+# The mail goal is to avoid stacking updates or eix-sync/eix-updates
+PORTAGE_RUNING=$(pgrep 'emerge|eix')
 if [ "${PORTAGE_RUNING}" ]; then
        echo "Error: another emerge is already running, exiting"
        exit 1
@@ -13,7 +16,7 @@ fi
 
 PORTAGE_QUIET='1'
 
-eix-sync 1>/dev/null 2>${TMP_FILE}
+eix-sync 1>/dev/null 2>${TMP_FILE} || eix-update 1>/dev/null 2>${TMP_FILE}
 
 emerge -v --update --newuse --deep --with-bdeps=y --quiet-build=y @security \
 	&>> ${TMP_FILE}