diff --git a/cmds/portmaster-start/main.go b/cmds/portmaster-start/main.go
index fd83d94c..35f69482 100644
--- a/cmds/portmaster-start/main.go
+++ b/cmds/portmaster-start/main.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
@@ -11,6 +12,10 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"syscall"
 
+	"github.com/safing/portmaster/updates/helper"
+
+	"github.com/tidwall/gjson"
+
 	"github.com/safing/portbase/dataroot"
 	"github.com/safing/portbase/info"
 	portlog "github.com/safing/portbase/log"
@@ -33,7 +38,6 @@ var (
 		UpdateURLs: []string{
 			"https://updates.safing.io",
 		},
-		Beta:    false,
 		DevMode: false,
 		Online:  true, // is disabled later based on command
 	}
@@ -65,7 +69,7 @@ func init() {
 	{
 		flags.StringVar(&dataDir, "data", "", "Configures the data directory. Alternatively, this can also be set via the environment variable PORTMASTER_DATA.")
 		flags.StringVar(&registry.UserAgent, "update-agent", "Start", "Sets the user agent for requests to the update server")
-		flags.BoolVar(&staging, "staging", false, "Use staging update channel (for testing only)")
+		flags.BoolVar(&staging, "staging", false, "Deprecated, configure in settings instead.")
 		flags.IntVar(&maxRetries, "max-retries", 5, "Maximum number of retries when starting a Portmaster component")
 		flags.BoolVar(&stdinSignals, "input-signals", false, "Emulate signals using stdin.")
 		_ = rootCmd.MarkPersistentFlagDirname("data")
@@ -164,32 +168,6 @@ func configureRegistry(mustLoadIndex bool) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	registry.AddIndex(updater.Index{
-		Path:   "stable.json",
-		Stable: true,
-		Beta:   false,
-	})
-
-	// TODO: enable loading beta versions
-	// registry.AddIndex(updater.Index{
-	// Path:   "beta.json",
-	// Stable: false,
-	// Beta:   true,
-	// })
-
-	if stagingActive() {
-		// Set flag no matter how staging was activated.
-		staging = true
-
-		log.Println("WARNING: staging environment is active.")
-
-		registry.AddIndex(updater.Index{
-			Path:   "staging.json",
-			Stable: true,
-			Beta:   true,
-		})
-	}
-
 	return updateRegistryIndex(mustLoadIndex)
 }
 
@@ -210,6 +188,16 @@ func configureLogging() error {
 }
 
 func updateRegistryIndex(mustLoadIndex bool) error {
+	// Get release channel from config.
+	releaseChannel := getReleaseChannel(dataRoot)
+
+	// Set indexes based on the release channel.
+	helper.SetIndexes(registry, releaseChannel)
+
+	// Update registry to use pre-releases or not.
+	registry.SetUsePreReleases(releaseChannel != helper.ReleaseChannelStable)
+
+	// Load indexes from disk or network, if needed and desired.
 	err := registry.LoadIndexes(context.Background())
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("WARNING: error loading indexes: %s\n", err)
@@ -218,6 +206,7 @@ func updateRegistryIndex(mustLoadIndex bool) error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Load versions from disk to know which others we have and which are available.
 	err = registry.ScanStorage("")
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("WARNING: error during storage scan: %s\n", err)
@@ -247,13 +236,23 @@ func detectInstallationDir() string {
 	return parent
 }
 
-func stagingActive() bool {
-	// Check flag and env variable.
-	if staging || os.Getenv("PORTMASTER_STAGING") == "enabled" {
-		return true
+func getReleaseChannel(dataRoot *utils.DirStructure) string {
+	configData, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filepath.Join(dataRoot.Path, "config.json"))
+	if err != nil {
+		if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			log.Printf("WARNING: failed to read config.json to get release channel: %s", err)
+		}
+		return helper.ReleaseChannelStable
 	}
 
-	// Check if staging index is present and acessible.
-	_, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(registry.StorageDir().Path, "staging.json"))
-	return err == nil
+	// Get release channel from config, validate and return it.
+	channel := gjson.GetBytes(configData, helper.ReleaseChannelJSONKey).String()
+	switch channel {
+	case helper.ReleaseChannelStable,
+		helper.ReleaseChannelBeta,
+		helper.ReleaseChannelStaging:
+		return channel
+	default:
+		return helper.ReleaseChannelStable
+	}
 }
diff --git a/cmds/portmaster-start/update.go b/cmds/portmaster-start/update.go
index 1b89b113..69c26e2c 100644
--- a/cmds/portmaster-start/update.go
+++ b/cmds/portmaster-start/update.go
@@ -40,8 +40,7 @@ var (
 
 func indexRequired(cmd *cobra.Command) bool {
 	switch cmd {
-	case updateCmd,
-		purgeCmd:
+	case updateCmd, purgeCmd:
 		return true
 	default:
 		return false
@@ -49,35 +48,9 @@ func indexRequired(cmd *cobra.Command) bool {
 }
 
 func downloadUpdates() error {
-	// mark required updates
-	if onWindows {
-		registry.MandatoryUpdates = []string{
-			helper.PlatformIdentifier("core/portmaster-core.exe"),
-			helper.PlatformIdentifier("kext/portmaster-kext.dll"),
-			helper.PlatformIdentifier("kext/portmaster-kext.sys"),
-			helper.PlatformIdentifier("start/portmaster-start.exe"),
-			helper.PlatformIdentifier("notifier/portmaster-notifier.exe"),
-			helper.PlatformIdentifier("notifier/portmaster-snoretoast.exe"),
-		}
-	} else {
-		registry.MandatoryUpdates = []string{
-			helper.PlatformIdentifier("core/portmaster-core"),
-			helper.PlatformIdentifier("start/portmaster-start"),
-			helper.PlatformIdentifier("notifier/portmaster-notifier"),
-		}
-	}
-
-	// add updates that we require on all platforms.
-	registry.MandatoryUpdates = append(
-		registry.MandatoryUpdates,
-		helper.PlatformIdentifier("app/portmaster-app.zip"),
-		"all/ui/modules/portmaster.zip",
-	)
-
-	// Add assets that need unpacking.
-	registry.AutoUnpack = []string{
-		helper.PlatformIdentifier("app/portmaster-app.zip"),
-	}
+	// Set required updates.
+	registry.MandatoryUpdates = helper.MandatoryUpdates()
+	registry.AutoUnpack = helper.AutoUnpackUpdates()
 
 	// logging is configured as a persistent pre-run method inherited from
 	// the root command but since we don't use run.Run() we need to start
@@ -100,8 +73,8 @@ func downloadUpdates() error {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to create update dir: %w", err)
 		}
 
-		// Reset registry state.
-		registry.Reset()
+		// Reset registry resources.
+		registry.ResetResources()
 	}
 
 	// Update all indexes.
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 9a0f387b..da6f30f1 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/templexxx/cpufeat v0.0.0-20180724012125-cef66df7f161 // indirect
 	github.com/templexxx/xor v0.0.0-20191217153810-f85b25db303b // indirect
 	github.com/tevino/abool v1.2.0
-	github.com/tidwall/gjson v1.7.5 // indirect
+	github.com/tidwall/gjson v1.7.5
 	github.com/tidwall/sjson v1.1.6 // indirect
 	github.com/tjfoc/gmsm v1.4.0 // indirect
 	github.com/tklauser/go-sysconf v0.3.5 // indirect