diff --git a/wp-admin/includes/update.php b/wp-admin/includes/update.php
index 1debecdc53..83af44729a 100644
--- a/wp-admin/includes/update.php
+++ b/wp-admin/includes/update.php
@@ -34,9 +34,13 @@ function get_core_updates( $options = array() ) {
 	$dismissed = get_option( 'dismissed_update_core' );
 	if ( !is_array( $dismissed ) ) $dismissed = array();
 	$from_api = get_option( 'update_core' );
-	if ( !is_array( $from_api ) ) return false;
+	if ( empty($from_api) )
+		return false;
+	if ( !is_array( $from_api->updates ) ) return false;
+	$updates = $from_api->updates;
+	if ( !is_array( $updates ) ) return false;
 	$result = array();
-	foreach($from_api as $update) {
+	foreach($updates as $update) {
 		if ( array_key_exists( $update->current.'|'.$update->locale, $dismissed ) ) {
 			if ( $options['dismissed'] ) {
 				$update->dismissed = true;
@@ -68,8 +72,9 @@ function undismiss_core_update( $version, $locale ) {
 
 function find_core_update( $version, $locale ) {
 	$from_api = get_option( 'update_core' );
-	if ( !is_array( $from_api ) ) return false;
-	foreach($from_api as $update) {
+	if ( !is_array( $from_api->updates ) ) return false;
+	$updates = $from_api->updates;
+	foreach($updates as $update) {
 		if ( $update->current == $version && $update->locale == $locale )
 			return $update;
 	}
diff --git a/wp-includes/update.php b/wp-includes/update.php
index bf46c61624..a374769704 100644
--- a/wp-includes/update.php
+++ b/wp-includes/update.php
@@ -77,7 +77,11 @@ function wp_version_check() {
 		$new_options[] = $new_option;
 	}
 
-	update_option( 'update_core', $new_options );
+	$updates = new stdClass();
+	$updates->updates = $new_options;
+	$updates->last_checked = time();
+	$updates->version_checked = $wp_version;
+	update_option( 'update_core',  $updates);
 }
 add_action( 'init', 'wp_version_check' );