diff --git a/ports/ports/seoul.mk b/ports/ports/seoul.mk
index 394818c03..88f5fbd3f 100644
--- a/ports/ports/seoul.mk
+++ b/ports/ports/seoul.mk
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-SEOUL_REV     = 6ee3f454c66fa9fb427ff161ced3fccf6462311a
+SEOUL_BRANCH  = genode_13_08
 SEOUL         = seoul-git
 SEOUL_URL     = https://github.com/alex-ab/seoul.git
 
@@ -24,30 +24,42 @@ python_not_installed:
 	@false;
 endif
 
-prepare:: $(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(SEOUL)
+prepare:: fetch-new-version $(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(SEOUL)/genode_prepared
 
 #
 # Port-specific local rules
 #
-$(DOWNLOAD_DIR)/$(SEOUL)/.git:
+$(DOWNLOAD_DIR)/$(SEOUL):
 	$(VERBOSE)git clone $(SEOUL_URL) $(DOWNLOAD_DIR)/$(SEOUL) && \
-	cd download/seoul-git && \
-	git reset --hard $(SEOUL_REV) && \
-	cd ../.. && touch $@
+	cd $(DOWNLOAD_DIR)/$(SEOUL) && \
+	git checkout $(SEOUL_BRANCH) && \
+	rm -f $(CURDIR)/$(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(SEOUL)/genode_prepared
+
+fetch-new-version: $(DOWNLOAD_DIR)/$(SEOUL)
+	$(VERBOSE)(cd download/seoul-git && \
+	git fetch origin --dry-run 2>&1 | grep "$(SEOUL_BRANCH)" && \
+	git pull origin && \
+	rm -f $(CURDIR)/$(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(SEOUL)/genode_prepared) | true
 
 I82576VF_DIR = $(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(SEOUL)/model/intel82576vf
 EXECUTOR_DIR = $(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(SEOUL)/executor
 
-$(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(SEOUL)/.git: $(DOWNLOAD_DIR)/$(SEOUL)/.git
-	$(VERBOSE)git clone $(DOWNLOAD_DIR)/$(SEOUL) $(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(SEOUL)
-	@# fix python version in code generator scripts
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "s/env python2/env $(PYTHON2)/" $(I82576VF_DIR)/genreg.py $(EXECUTOR_DIR)/build_instructions.py
-	@# call code generators
-	$(VERBOSE)cd $(EXECUTOR_DIR); \
-                  ./build_instructions.py > instructions.inc
-	$(VERBOSE)cd $(I82576VF_DIR); \
-	          ./genreg.py reg_pci.py ../../include/model/intel82576vfpci.inc
-	$(VERBOSE)cd $(I82576VF_DIR); \
-	          ./genreg.py reg_mmio.py ../../include/model/intel82576vfmmio.inc
+$(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(SEOUL):
+	$(VERBOSE)git clone $(DOWNLOAD_DIR)/$(SEOUL) $(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(SEOUL) && \
+	cd $(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(SEOUL) && \
+	git checkout $(SEOUL_BRANCH)
 
-$(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(SEOUL): $(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(SEOUL)/.git
+$(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(SEOUL)/genode_prepared: $(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(SEOUL)
+	$(VERBOSE)cd $(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(SEOUL) && git checkout -f $(SEOUL_BRANCH)
+	$(VERBOSE)echo "fix python version in code generator scripts ..." && \
+	sed -i "s/env python2/env $(PYTHON2)/" $(I82576VF_DIR)/genreg.py $(EXECUTOR_DIR)/build_instructions.py && \
+	echo "call code generators ..." && \
+	cd $(EXECUTOR_DIR) && \
+	          ./build_instructions.py > instructions.inc && \
+	cd $(CURDIR)/$(I82576VF_DIR) && \
+	          ./genreg.py reg_pci.py ../../include/model/intel82576vfpci.inc && \
+	cd $(CURDIR)/$(I82576VF_DIR) && \
+	          ./genreg.py reg_mmio.py ../../include/model/intel82576vfmmio.inc && \
+	touch $(CURDIR)/$@
+
+.PHONY: fetch-new-version