diff --git a/core/modules/update/update.fetch.inc b/core/modules/update/update.fetch.inc
index c6652a70..c6c98d1 100644
--- a/core/modules/update/update.fetch.inc
+++ b/core/modules/update/update.fetch.inc
@@ -351,7 +351,12 @@ function _update_cron_notify() {
         else {
           $target_language = $default_language;
         }
-        drupal_mail('update', 'status_notify', $target, $target_language, $params);
+        $message = drupal_mail('update', 'status_notify', $target, $target_language, $params);
+        // Track when the last mail was successfully sent to avoid sending
+        // too many e-mails.
+        if ($message['result']) {
+          variable_set('update_last_email_notification', REQUEST_TIME);
+        }
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/core/modules/update/update.install b/core/modules/update/update.install
index 9ff39d1..ddd16f9 100644
--- a/core/modules/update/update.install
+++ b/core/modules/update/update.install
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ function update_uninstall() {
     'update_check_frequency',
     'update_fetch_url',
     'update_last_check',
+    'update_last_email_notification',
     'update_notification_threshold',
     'update_notify_emails',
     'update_max_fetch_attempts',
diff --git a/core/modules/update/update.module b/core/modules/update/update.module
index 4b3eab2..44e20a6 100644
--- a/core/modules/update/update.module
+++ b/core/modules/update/update.module
@@ -294,13 +294,18 @@ function update_cron() {
     // configured notifications about the new status.
     update_refresh();
     update_fetch_data();
-    _update_cron_notify();
   }
   else {
     // Otherwise, see if any individual projects are now stale or still
     // missing data, and if so, try to fetch the data.
     update_get_available(TRUE);
   }
+  if ((REQUEST_TIME - variable_get('update_last_email_notification', 0)) > $interval) {
+    // If configured time between notifications elapsed, send email about
+    // updates possibly available.
+    module_load_include('inc', 'update', 'update.fetch');
+    _update_cron_notify();
+  }
 
   // Clear garbage from disk.
   update_clear_update_disk_cache();