diff --git a/pkgs/applications/audio/spotify/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/audio/spotify/default.nix
index b8495465db55..04bdff3c8135 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/audio/spotify/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/audio/spotify/default.nix
@@ -1,13 +1,18 @@
-{ fetchurl, stdenv, dpkg, xorg, alsaLib, makeWrapper, openssl, freetype
+{ fetchurl, stdenv, squashfsTools, xorg, alsaLib, makeWrapper, openssl, freetype
 , glib, pango, cairo, atk, gdk_pixbuf, gtk2, cups, nspr, nss, libpng
 , libgcrypt, systemd, fontconfig, dbus, expat, ffmpeg_0_10, curl, zlib, gnome3 }:
 
 let
-  # Please update the stable branch!
-  # Latest version number can be found at:
-  # http://repository-origin.spotify.com/pool/non-free/s/spotify-client/
-  # Be careful not to pick the testing version.
-  version = "1.0.80.480.g51b03ac3-13";
+  # "rev" decides what is actually being downloaded
+  version = "1.0.80.474.gef6b503e-7";
+  # To get the latest stable revision:
+  # curl -H 'X-Ubuntu-Series: 16' 'https://api.snapcraft.io/api/v1/snaps/details/spotify?channel=stable' | jq '.download_url,.version,.last_updated'
+  # To get general information:
+  # curl -H 'Snap-Device-Series: 16' 'https://api.snapcraft.io/v2/snaps/info/spotify' | jq '.'
+  # More exapmles of api usage:
+  # https://github.com/canonical-websites/snapcraft.io/blob/master/webapp/publisher/snaps/views.py
+  rev = "16";
+
 
   deps = [
     alsaLib
@@ -49,12 +54,20 @@ in
 stdenv.mkDerivation {
   name = "spotify-${version}";
 
+  # fetch from snapcraft instead of the debian repository most repos fetch from.
+  # That is a bit more cumbersome. But the debian repository only keeps the last
+  # two versions, while snapcraft should provide versions indefinately:
+  # https://forum.snapcraft.io/t/how-can-a-developer-remove-her-his-app-from-snap-store/512
+
+  # This is the next-best thing, since we're not allowed to re-distribute
+  # spotify ourselves:
+  # https://community.spotify.com/t5/Desktop-Linux/Redistribute-Spotify-on-Linux-Distributions/td-p/1695334
   src = fetchurl {
-    url = "https://repository-origin.spotify.com/pool/non-free/s/spotify-client/spotify-client_${version}_amd64.deb";
-    sha256 = "e32f4816ae79dbfa0c14086e76df3bc83d526402aac1dbba534127fc00fe50ea";
+    url = "https://api.snapcraft.io/api/v1/snaps/download/pOBIoZ2LrCB3rDohMxoYGnbN14EHOgD7_${rev}.snap";
+    sha512 = "45b7ab574b30fb368e0b6f4dd60addbfd1ddc02173b4f98b31c524eed49073432352a361e75959ce8e2f752231e93c79ca1b538c4bd295c935d1e2e0585d147f";
   };
 
-  buildInputs = [ dpkg makeWrapper ];
+  buildInputs = [ squashfsTools makeWrapper ];
 
   doConfigure = false;
   doBuild = false;
@@ -63,7 +76,23 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
 
   unpackPhase = ''
     runHook preUnpack
-    dpkg-deb -x $src .
+    unsquashfs "$src" '/usr/share/spotify' '/usr/bin/spotify' '/meta/snap.yaml'
+    cd squashfs-root
+    if ! grep -q 'grade: stable' meta/snap.yaml; then
+      # Unfortunately this check is not reliable: At the moment (2018-07-26) the
+      # latest version in the "edge" channel is also marked as stable.
+      echo "The snap package is marked as unstable:"
+      grep 'grade: ' meta/snap.yaml
+      echo "You probably chose the wrong revision."
+      exit 1
+    fi
+    if ! grep -q '${version}' meta/snap.yaml; then
+      echo "Package version differs from version found in snap metadata:"
+      grep 'version: ' meta/snap.yaml
+      echo "While the nix package specifies: ${version}."
+      echo "You probably chose the wrong revision or forgot to update the nix version."
+      exit 1
+    fi
     runHook postUnpack
   '';
 
@@ -75,6 +104,8 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
       mkdir -p $libdir
       mv ./usr/* $out/
 
+      cp meta/snap.yaml $out
+
       # Work around Spotify referring to a specific minor version of
       # OpenSSL.
 
diff --git a/pkgs/applications/audio/spotify/update.sh b/pkgs/applications/audio/spotify/update.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..114245f6d46c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/applications/audio/spotify/update.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+channel="stable" # stable/candidate/edge
+nixpkgs="$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)"
+spotify_nix="$nixpkgs/pkgs/applications/audio/spotify/default.nix"
+
+
+
+# create bash array from snap info
+snap_info=($(
+	curl -H 'X-Ubuntu-Series: 16' \
+		"https://api.snapcraft.io/api/v1/snaps/details/spotify?channel=$channel" \
+	| jq --raw-output \
+		'.revision,.download_sha512,.version,.last_updated'
+))
+
+revision="${snap_info[0]}"
+sha512="${snap_info[1]}"
+version="${snap_info[2]}"
+last_updated="${snap_info[3]}"
+
+# find the last commited version
+version_pre=$(
+	git  grep 'version\s*=' HEAD "$spotify_nix" \
+	| sed -Ene 's/.*"(.*)".*/\1/p'
+)
+
+if [[ "$version_pre" = "$version" ]]; then
+	echo "Spotify is already up ot date"
+	exit 0
+fi
+
+echo "Updating from ${version_pre} to ${version}, released on ${last_updated}"
+
+# search-andreplace revision, hash and version
+sed --regexp-extended \
+	-e 's/rev\s*=\s*"[0-9]+"\s*;/rev = "'"${revision}"'";/' \
+	-e 's/sha512\s*=\s*".{128}"\s*;/sha512 = "'"${sha512}"'";/' \
+	-e 's/version\s*=\s*".*"\s*;/version = "'"${version}"'";/' \
+	-i "$spotify_nix" 
+
+if ! nix-build -A spotify "$nixpkgs"; then
+	echo "The updated spotify failed to build."
+	exit 1
+fi
+
+git add "$spotify_nix"
+# show diff for review
+git diff HEAD
+# prepare commit message, but allow edit
+git commit --edit --message "spotify: $version_pre -> $version"