diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c0c121f..a9c3677 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ See `requirements.txt`
 See `dc-ops --help`
 
 ## Configuration Options
+- `self-update`: (optional) update this script on startup. Defaults to `false`.
 - `loglevel`: (optional) define loglevel. Defaults to "INFO" if not set.
 - `compose-opts`: (optional) define additional parameters to `docker compose up -d`.
 - `stacks`: an array containing details for each repository. Each element is a dictionary containing the following keys:
diff --git a/dc-ops b/dc-ops
index aa350dc..965bda1 100755
--- a/dc-ops
+++ b/dc-ops
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 
 import yaml
 
-from lib.helper import run_subprocess, update_git_repo
+from lib.helper import run_subprocess, update_git_repo, do_selfupdate
 
 # read config file
 configfile = Path(__file__).with_name("config.yml")
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ log.basicConfig(format="%(message)s", level=loglevel)
 # define docker compose parameters
 composeopts = cfg.get("compose-opts", "")
 
+# check for updates of myself
+allow_self_update = cfg.get("self-update", False)
+if allow_self_update:
+    do_selfupdate()
+
 # iterate all stacks
 for stack in cfg["stacks"]:
     # skip disabled stacks
diff --git a/lib/helper.py b/lib/helper.py
index 2efa89e..80caf03 100644
--- a/lib/helper.py
+++ b/lib/helper.py
@@ -1,9 +1,26 @@
 import logging as log
 import subprocess
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
 
 import git
 
 
+def do_selfupdate():
+    """perform git pull on script's base directory"""
+    repo_path = Path(sys.argv[0]).parent.absolute()
+    repo = git.Repo(repo_path)
+    try:
+        pull_res = repo.remotes.origin.pull()[0]
+    except git.exc.GitCommandError as e:
+        log.error(str(e))
+        return
+    if pull_res.old_commit:
+        log.info("selfupdate: successfully updated myself - exiting")
+        sys.exit(0)
+    log.info("selfupdate: no updates found for myself")
+
+
 def run_subprocess(command: str, workdir: str) -> bool:
     """execute subprocess and print output