diff --git a/include/econfig-spec.h b/include/econfig-spec.h
index 45a6f819..cd477615 100644
--- a/include/econfig-spec.h
+++ b/include/econfig-spec.h
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ EMPCFBOTH("hourslop", hourslop, int, NSC_INT, KM_INTERNAL,
     "Number of minutes update check can slip to match update_times")
 EMPCFBOTH("blitz_time", blitz_time, int, NSC_INT, 0,
     "Number of minutes between updates under policy #2.")
+EMPCFBOTH("pre_update_hook", pre_update_hook, char *, NSC_STRING, 0,
+    "Shell command run right before the update.")
 
 EMPCF_COMMENT("\n\n### Demand update policy")
 EMPCFBOTH("update_demandpolicy", update_demandpolicy, int, NSC_INT, 0,
diff --git a/src/lib/global/constants.c b/src/lib/global/constants.c
index 8e3dccfb..c7610611 100644
--- a/src/lib/global/constants.c
+++ b/src/lib/global/constants.c
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ int update_wantmin = 0;		/* number of votes required for demand update */
 int blitz_time = 10;		/* number of minutes between blitz updates */
 char *update_demandtimes = "";	/* times demand update is allowed */
 char *game_days = "";		/* days game is running */
-char *game_hours = "";	/* hours game is running */
+char *game_hours = "";		/* hours game is running */
+char *pre_update_hook = "";
 int max_idle = 15;		/* session dies after max_idle minutes idle */
 
 int sect_mob_max = 127;		/* sector mobility limits */
diff --git a/src/server/update.c b/src/server/update.c
index 9ba3a344..b8da7160 100644
--- a/src/server/update.c
+++ b/src/server/update.c
@@ -32,6 +32,11 @@
  *     Steve McClure, 1996
  */
 
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#ifndef _WIN32
+#include <sys/wait.h>
+#endif
 #include "misc.h"
 #include "player.h"
 #include "empthread.h"
@@ -40,9 +45,10 @@
 #include "server.h"
 
 empth_sem_t *update_sem;
+time_t update_time;
 
 static void update_wait(void *unused);
-time_t update_time;
+static int run_hook(char *cmd, char *name);
 
 /*ARGSUSED*/
 void
@@ -119,6 +125,10 @@ update_wait(void *unused)
 	    /* sleep a few, wait for aborts to take effect */
 	    empth_sleep(now + 2);
 	}
+	if (*pre_update_hook) {
+	    if (run_hook(pre_update_hook, "pre-update"))
+		continue;
+	}
 	/* 
 	 * we rely on the fact that update's priority is the highest
 	 * in the land so it can finish before it yields.
@@ -137,3 +147,26 @@ update_wait(void *unused)
     }
     /*NOTREACHED*/
 }
+
+static int
+run_hook(char *cmd, char *name)
+{
+    int status = system(cmd);
+    if (status == 0)
+	;			/* successful exit */
+    else if (status == -1)
+	logerror("couldn't execute command processor for %s hook (%s)",
+		 name, strerror(errno));
+#ifndef _WIN32
+    else if (WIFEXITED(status))
+	logerror("%s hook terminated unsuccessfully (exit status %d)",
+		 name, WEXITSTATUS(status));
+    else if (WIFSIGNALED(status))
+	logerror("%s hook terminated abnormally (signal %d)",
+		 name, WTERMSIG(status));
+#endif
+    else if (status)
+	logerror("%s hook terminated strangely (status %d)",
+		 name, status);
+    return status;
+}