diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 518976af..7df9860e 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ const (
 )
 
 var (
-	version = "x.x.x"
+	version   = "0.0.0-dev"
 	debugMqtt = false
 )
 
diff --git a/status.go b/status.go
index f67cda28..cbd1cfe2 100644
--- a/status.go
+++ b/status.go
@@ -31,10 +31,11 @@ import (
 
 // Status contains info about the sketches running on the device
 type Status struct {
-	id           string
-	mqttClient   mqtt.Client
-	Sketches     map[string]*SketchStatus `json:"sketches"`
-	messagesSent int
+	id             string
+	mqttClient     mqtt.Client
+	Sketches       map[string]*SketchStatus `json:"sketches"`
+	messagesSent   int
+	firstMessageAt time.Time
 }
 
 // SketchBinding represents a pair (SketchName,SketchId)
@@ -121,7 +122,18 @@ func (s *Status) Raw(topic, msg string) {
 	if s.mqttClient == nil {
 		return
 	}
+
+	if s.messagesSent < 10 {
+		// first 10 messages are virtually free
+		s.firstMessageAt = time.Now()
+	}
+
 	if s.messagesSent > 1000 {
+		// if started more than one day ago, reset the counter
+		if time.Since(s.firstMessageAt) > 24*time.Hour {
+			s.messagesSent = 0
+		}
+
 		fmt.Println("rate limiting: " + strconv.Itoa(s.messagesSent))
 		introducedDelay := time.Duration(s.messagesSent/1000) * time.Second
 		if introducedDelay > 20*time.Second {
diff --git a/updater/updater.go b/updater/updater.go
index 70bd628f..bf59b12c 100644
--- a/updater/updater.go
+++ b/updater/updater.go
@@ -232,9 +232,19 @@ func (u *Updater) update() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	// this is the version publically available (GA)
 	v1, _ := semver.Make(u.Info.Version)
+	// this is the version of the actual binary at start
 	v2, _ := semver.Make(u.CurrentVersion)
 
+	if len(v2.Pre) > 0 {
+		log.Println("Prerelease versions:")
+		for _, pre := range v2.Pre {
+			if pre.String() == "dev" {
+				return errors.New("dev version")
+			}
+		}
+	}
 	if v1.Compare(v2) <= 0 {
 		return errors.New("already at latest version")
 	}