During metazoan life, protein homeostasis (proteostasis) declines with age due to impaired proteasome activity. The signalling pathways activated by growth factors that regulate proteostasis and their importance to ageing are just emerging. In this issue, Liu et al report a crucial role of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in regulating Caenorhabditis elegans lifespan through the RAF/MAPK pathway. EGF signalling activates the ubiquitin–proteosome system (UPS) and represses the chaperone machinery by modulating the expression of several ageing‐related genes (gerontogenes). This strategic switch in controlling global protein turnover provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms driving ageing in multi‐cellular organisms.