diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8cd5cca3d..0472e9343 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ the Internet.  Additionally traffic between the app and the probe is currently
 insecure and should not traverse the internet.
 
 Scope will periodically check with our servers to see if a new version is
-availible.  To disable this, run:
+available.  To disable this, run:
 
 ```
 CHECKPOINT_DISABLE=true scope launch
diff --git a/prog/app.go b/prog/app.go
index b7b25a3c0..55f504de8 100644
--- a/prog/app.go
+++ b/prog/app.go
@@ -44,14 +44,13 @@ func appMain() {
 	defer log.Print("app exiting")
 
 	// Start background version checking
-	params := checkpoint.CheckParams{
+	checkpoint.CheckInterval(&checkpoint.CheckParams{
 		Product:       "scope-app",
 		Version:       app.Version,
 		SignatureFile: signatureFile,
-	}
-	checkpoint.CheckInterval(&params, versionCheckPeriod, func(r *checkpoint.CheckResponse, err error) {
+	}, versionCheckPeriod, func(r *checkpoint.CheckResponse, err error) {
 		if r.Outdated {
-			log.Printf("Scope version %s is availible; please update at %s",
+			log.Printf("Scope version %s is available; please update at %s",
 				r.CurrentVersion, r.CurrentDownloadURL)
 		}
 	})
diff --git a/prog/probe.go b/prog/probe.go
index cdbc00e34..0a3fe757f 100644
--- a/prog/probe.go
+++ b/prog/probe.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	signatureFile      = "/etc/weave/signature"
-	versionCheckPeriod = 6 * 60 * time.Minute
+	versionCheckPeriod = 6 * time.Hour
 )
 
 func check() {
diff --git a/scope b/scope
index f472b5def..92185d015 100755
--- a/scope
+++ b/scope
@@ -90,9 +90,13 @@ check_not_running() {
 }
 
 launch_command() {
+    local args="-v /etc/weave:/etc/weave"
+    if  (set +u; [ -n "$CHECKPOINT_DISABLE" ]); then
+        args=
+    fi
     echo docker run --privileged -d --name=$SCOPE_CONTAINER_NAME --net=host --pid=host \
             -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock \
-            -v /etc/weave:/etc/weave \
+            $args \
             -e CHECKPOINT_DISABLE \
             $WEAVESCOPE_DOCKER_ARGS $SCOPE_IMAGE --probe.docker true "$@"
 }