diff --git a/py3status/modules/arch_updates.py b/py3status/modules/arch_updates.py
index ff5109594d..6489fdff01 100644
--- a/py3status/modules/arch_updates.py
+++ b/py3status/modules/arch_updates.py
@@ -2,13 +2,9 @@
 Display number of pending updates for Arch Linux.
 
 Configuration parameters:
+    cache_timeout: refresh interval for this module (default 3600)
     format: display format for this module, otherwise auto (default None)
     hide_if_zero: don't show on bar if True (default False)
-    pacman_log_location: location of the pacman log (default '/var/log/pacman.log')
-    refresh_interval: interval (in seconds) between refreshing data from package
-        database or AUR. Note that this module may refresh sooner than the
-        specified interval, if pacman log is modified since the last refresh
-        time. (default 3600)
 
 Format placeholders:
     {aur} Number of pending aur updates
@@ -23,6 +19,10 @@
     paru: feature packed AUR helper
     pikaur: pacman wrapper and AUR helper written in python
 
+Note:
+    py3status for Arch-based distributions should include an alpm hook
+    to refresh this module after packages and/or files being modified.
+
 @author Iain Tatch <iain.tatch@gmail.com>
 @license BSD
 
@@ -32,34 +32,20 @@
 aur
 {'full_text': 'UPD: 15/4'}
 """
-import os
-import time
 
 STRING_NOT_INSTALLED = "{} not installed"
-CACHE_KEY_TEXT = "arch_updates_text"
-CACHE_KEY_TIMESTAMP = "arch_updates_timestamp"
 
 
 class Py3status:
     """ """
 
     # available configuration parameters
+    cache_timeout = 3600
     format = None
     hide_if_zero = False
-    pacman_log_location = "/var/log/pacman.log"
-    refresh_interval = 3600
 
     class Meta:
-        deprecated = {
-            "remove": [{"param": "include_aur", "msg": "obsolete"}],
-            "rename": [
-                {
-                    "param": "cache_timeout",
-                    "new": "refresh_interval",
-                    "msg": "cache_timeout has been renamed to refresh_interval",
-                }
-            ],
-        }
+        deprecated = {"remove": [{"param": "include_aur", "msg": "obsolete"}]}
 
     def post_config_hook(self):
         helper = {
@@ -135,36 +121,6 @@ def _get_pikaur_updates(self):
             return None if ce.error else 0
 
     def arch_updates(self):
-        cached = self._get_cached_value()
-        if cached is not None:
-            return {"full_text": cached}
-
-        full_text = self._get_display_text()
-
-        self.py3.storage_set(CACHE_KEY_TEXT, full_text)
-        self.py3.storage_set(CACHE_KEY_TIMESTAMP, time.time())
-
-        return {"full_text": full_text}
-
-    def _get_cached_value(self):
-        text = self.py3.storage_get(CACHE_KEY_TEXT)
-        generated_at = self.py3.storage_get(CACHE_KEY_TIMESTAMP)
-
-        if text is None or generated_at is None:
-            return None
-
-        # If the log file has been updated since last refresh, the update number
-        # is likely no longer valid. We skip the cache here.
-        log_mtime = os.path.getmtime(self.pacman_log_location)
-        if generated_at < log_mtime:
-            return None
-
-        if generated_at + self.refresh_interval > time.time():
-            return text
-
-        return None
-
-    def _get_display_text(self):
         pacman, aur, total, full_text = None, None, None, ""
 
         if self._get_pacman_updates:
@@ -178,7 +134,10 @@ def _get_display_text(self):
             arch_data = {"aur": aur, "pacman": pacman, "total": total}
             full_text = self.py3.safe_format(self.format, arch_data)
 
-        return full_text
+        return {
+            "cached_until": self.py3.time_in(self.cache_timeout),
+            "full_text": full_text,
+        }
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":