diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/ui/EditorFooter.java b/app/src/processing/app/ui/EditorFooter.java
index 589483c01..cf2ea561f 100644
--- a/app/src/processing/app/ui/EditorFooter.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/ui/EditorFooter.java
@@ -281,22 +281,24 @@ public class EditorFooter extends Box {
 
 
     private void drawUpdates(Graphics2D g2) {
-      FontRenderContext frc = g2.getFontRenderContext();
-      final int GAP = 5;
-      final String updateLabel = "Updates";
-      String updatesStr = "" + updateCount;
-      double countWidth = font.getStringBounds(updatesStr, frc).getWidth();
-      float diameter = (float) (countWidth * 1.65f);
-      float ex = getWidth() - Editor.RIGHT_GUTTER - diameter;
-      float ey = (getHeight() - diameter) / 2;
-      g2.setColor(updateColor);
-      g2.fill(new Ellipse2D.Float(ex, ey, diameter, diameter));
-      g2.setColor(textColor[SELECTED]);
-      int baseline = (getHeight() + fontAscent) / 2;
-      g2.drawString(updatesStr, (int) (ex + (diameter - countWidth)/2), baseline);
-      double updatesWidth = font.getStringBounds(updateLabel, frc).getWidth();
-      g2.setColor(textColor[UNSELECTED]);
-      g2.drawString(updateLabel, (int) (ex - updatesWidth - GAP), baseline);
+      if (updateCount != 0) {
+        FontRenderContext frc = g2.getFontRenderContext();
+        final int GAP = 5;
+        final String updateLabel = "Updates";
+        String updatesStr = "" + updateCount;
+        double countWidth = font.getStringBounds(updatesStr, frc).getWidth();
+        float diameter = (float) (countWidth * 1.65f);
+        float ex = getWidth() - Editor.RIGHT_GUTTER - diameter;
+        float ey = (getHeight() - diameter) / 2;
+        g2.setColor(updateColor);
+        g2.fill(new Ellipse2D.Float(ex, ey, diameter, diameter));
+        g2.setColor(textColor[SELECTED]);
+        int baseline = (getHeight() + fontAscent) / 2;
+        g2.drawString(updatesStr, (int) (ex + (diameter - countWidth)/2), baseline);
+        double updatesWidth = font.getStringBounds(updateLabel, frc).getWidth();
+        g2.setColor(textColor[UNSELECTED]);
+        g2.drawString(updateLabel, (int) (ex - updatesWidth - GAP), baseline);
+      }
     }
 
 
diff --git a/todo.txt b/todo.txt
index 1945b9752..9b2aceea2 100644
--- a/todo.txt
+++ b/todo.txt
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@ X   https://github.com/processing/processing/pull/3887
 X grab bag of CM work from Jakub
 X   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/3895
 X   https://github.com/processing/processing/pull/3897
+X show number of updates available in the footer
+X   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/3518
+X   https://github.com/processing/processing/pull/3896
+X   https://github.com/processing/processing/pull/3901
+o   total number of updates available is not correct? (may be fixed)
 
 gui
 X distinguish errors and warnings
@@ -93,12 +98,7 @@ _ bring back the # of updates on the update tab
 _   use this instead of the 'icon' stuff?
 _   or in addition, since only the 'updates' tab has it
 _   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/3855
-_ show number of updates available in the footer
-_   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/3518
-X   https://github.com/processing/processing/pull/3896
-X   https://github.com/processing/processing/pull/3901
-_   and have it be clickable so to open the manager
-_   total number of updates available is not correct? (may be fixed)
+_ for updates available, have it be clickable to open the manager
 _ ugly white gap at the top of scroll bar
 _   the table header doesn't extend far enough
 _ scrolling "past" top/bottom causes the screen to jiggle (OS X and Trackpad)