diff --git a/sensu/plugins/check-apt-cache.sh b/sensu/plugins/check-apt-cache.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..3187e2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sensu/plugins/check-apt-cache.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# This checks that the apt cache has been updated recently.
+# It relies on the periodic cron job that touches FILE after a successful run.
+
+# the file that is touched by cron job on successful apt cache update
+FILE=/var/lib/apt/update-cache-success
+
+# arguments passed in for the warning/critical threshold in hours
+WARNING_HOURS=$1
+CRITICAL_HOURS=$2
+
+if [ $# -ne 2 ]; then
+    echo "usage: $0 WARNINGHOURS CRITICALHOURS"
+    exit 3
+fi
+
+if ! [[ -f $FILE ]]; then
+    echo "status file missing: $FILE"
+    exit 3
+fi
+
+HOURS_SINCE_UPDATE=`echo $(( ($(date +%s) - $(date +%s -r "$FILE"))/60/60))`
+MINUTES_SINCE_UPDATE=`echo $(( ($(date +%s) - $(date +%s -r "$FILE"))/60))`
+
+if [[ $HOURS_SINCE_UPDATE -gt $CRITICAL_HOURS ]]; then
+    echo "CRITICAL: stale apt cache, $HOURS_SINCE_UPDATE hours old."
+    exit 2
+elif [[ $HOURS_SINCE_UPDATE -gt $WARNING_HOURS ]]; then
+    echo "WARNING: stale apt cache, $HOURS_SINCE_UPDATE hours old."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "OK: last apt cache update was ${HOURS_SINCE_UPDATE}h (${MINUTES_SINCE_UPDATE}m) ago"
+exit 0
diff --git a/sensu/plugins/check-apt-get-update.sh b/sensu/plugins/check-apt-get-update.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index a46fb6c..0000000
--- a/sensu/plugins/check-apt-get-update.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-
-if [[ -n $1 ]]; then
-    export http_proxy=$1
-fi
-
-if ! { apt-get update 2>&1 || echo "E: update failed"; } | grep -q '^[WE]:'; then
-    echo "apt cache update successsful"
-    exit 0
-else
-    echo "apt cache update failed"
-    exit 2
-fi