diff --git a/wp-admin/css/colors-classic.css b/wp-admin/css/colors-classic.css
index 83a1141c1..65d0f3831 100644
--- a/wp-admin/css/colors-classic.css
+++ b/wp-admin/css/colors-classic.css
@@ -312,11 +312,11 @@ ul#widget-list li.widget-list-item h4.widget-title {
 	font-weight: bold;
 }
 
-#adminmenu li a #awaiting-mod {
+#adminmenu li a #awaiting-mod, #sidemenu li a #update-plugins {
 	background-image: url(../images/comment-stalk-classic.gif);
 }
 
-#adminmenu li a #awaiting-mod span {
+#adminmenu li a #awaiting-mod span, #sidemenu li a #update-plugins span {
 	background-color: #d54e21;
 	color: #fff;
 }
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ ul#widget-list li.widget-list-item h4.widget-title {
 }
 
 
-#adminmenu li a:hover #awaiting-mod span {
+#adminmenu li a:hover #awaiting-mod span, #sidemenu li a:hover #update-plugins span {
 	background-color: #07273E;
 }
 
diff --git a/wp-admin/css/colors-fresh.css b/wp-admin/css/colors-fresh.css
index 1d5994063..09e0c5822 100644
--- a/wp-admin/css/colors-fresh.css
+++ b/wp-admin/css/colors-fresh.css
@@ -291,16 +291,16 @@ ul#widget-list li.widget-list-item h4.widget-title {
 	color: #d54e21;
 }
 
-#adminmenu li a #awaiting-mod {
+#adminmenu li a #awaiting-mod, #sidemenu li a #update-plugins {
 	background-image: url(../images/comment-stalk-fresh.gif);
 }
 
-#adminmenu li a #awaiting-mod span, #rightnow .reallynow {
+#adminmenu li a #awaiting-mod span, #sidemenu li a #update-plugins span, #rightnow .reallynow {
 	background-color: #d54e21;
 	color: #fff;
 }
 
-#adminmenu li a:hover #awaiting-mod span {
+#adminmenu li a:hover #awaiting-mod span, #sidemenu li a:hover #update-plugins span {
 	background-color: #264761;
 }
 
diff --git a/wp-admin/includes/update.php b/wp-admin/includes/update.php
index b7592c689..1883fbd9c 100644
--- a/wp-admin/includes/update.php
+++ b/wp-admin/includes/update.php
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ function wp_update_plugins() {
 
 	update_option( 'update_plugins', $new_option );
 }
-add_action( 'load-plugins.php', 'wp_update_plugins' );
+add_action( 'init', 'wp_update_plugins' );
 
 function wp_plugin_update_row( $file, $plugin_data ) {
 	$current = get_option( 'update_plugins' );
diff --git a/wp-admin/menu.php b/wp-admin/menu.php
index 81f9b337b..cad05c870 100644
--- a/wp-admin/menu.php
+++ b/wp-admin/menu.php
@@ -25,7 +25,10 @@ $awaiting_mod = $awaiting_mod->moderated;
 $menu[15] = array(__('Design'), 'switch_themes', 'themes.php');
 $menu[20] = array( sprintf( __('Comments %s'), "<span id='awaiting-mod' class='count-$awaiting_mod'><span class='comment-count'>" . number_format_i18n($awaiting_mod) . "</span></span>" ), 'edit_posts', 'edit-comments.php');
 $menu[30] = array(__('Settings'), 'manage_options', 'options-general.php');
-$menu[35] = array(__('Plugins'), 'activate_plugins', 'plugins.php');
+
+$update_plugins = get_option( 'update_plugins' );
+$update_count = count( $update_plugins->response );
+$menu[35] = array( sprintf( __('Plugins %s'), "<span id='update-plugins' class='count-$update_count'><span class='plugin-count'>" . number_format_i18n($update_count) . "</span></span>" ), 'activate_plugins', 'plugins.php');
 if ( current_user_can('edit_users') )
 	$menu[40] = array(__('Users'), 'edit_users', 'users.php');
 else
diff --git a/wp-admin/wp-admin.css b/wp-admin/wp-admin.css
index 1cbdbcc45..0699a87b9 100644
--- a/wp-admin/wp-admin.css
+++ b/wp-admin/wp-admin.css
@@ -727,7 +727,7 @@ a.view-comment-post-link {
 	padding: 0 0 8px 17px;
 }
 
-#adminmenu li a #awaiting-mod {
+#adminmenu li a #awaiting-mod, #sidemenu li a #update-plugins {
 	position: absolute;
 	margin-left: -0.4em;
 	margin-top: 0.2em;
@@ -738,7 +738,7 @@ a.view-comment-post-link {
 	width: 1em;
 }
 
-#adminmenu li a .count-0 {
+#adminmenu li a .count-0, #sidemenu li a .count-0 {
 	display: none;
 }
 
@@ -778,11 +778,11 @@ strong .post-com-count {
 	background-position: center -3px;
 }
 
-#adminmenu li a:hover #awaiting-mod {
+#adminmenu li a:hover #awaiting-mod, #sidemenu li a:hover #update-plugins {
 	background-position: -80px bottom;
 }
 
-#adminmenu li a #awaiting-mod span {
+#adminmenu li a #awaiting-mod span, #sidemenu li a #update-plugins span {
 	top: -0.8em;
 	right: 0;
 	position: absolute;