diff --git a/src/CallHandler.js b/src/CallHandler.js
index 5349e628bb..4e6ceb6382 100644
--- a/src/CallHandler.js
+++ b/src/CallHandler.js
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ import dis from './dispatcher';
 import { showUnknownDeviceDialogForCalls } from './cryptodevices';
 import SettingsStore from "./settings/SettingsStore";
 import WidgetUtils from './utils/WidgetUtils';
+import ScalarAuthClient from './ScalarAuthClient';
 
 global.mxCalls = {
     //room_id: MatrixCall
@@ -401,7 +402,29 @@ function _onAction(payload) {
     }
 }
 
-function _startCallApp(roomId, type) {
+async function _startCallApp(roomId, type) {
+    // check for a working intgrations manager. Technically we could put
+    // the state event in anyway, but the resulting widget would then not
+    // work for us. Better that the user knows before everyone else in the
+    // room sees it.
+    const scalarClient = new ScalarAuthClient();
+    let haveScalar = false;
+    try {
+        await scalarClient.connect();
+        haveScalar = scalarClient.hasCredentials();
+    } catch (e) {
+        // fall through
+    }
+    if (!haveScalar) {
+        const ErrorDialog = sdk.getComponent("dialogs.ErrorDialog");
+
+        Modal.createTrackedDialog('Could not connect to the integration server', '', ErrorDialog, {
+            title: _t('Could not connect to the integration server'),
+            description: _t('A conference call could not be started because the intgrations server is not available'),
+        });
+        return;
+    }
+
     dis.dispatch({
         action: 'appsDrawer',
         show: true,
diff --git a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
index 39eba74519..ee5006ce4c 100644
--- a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
+++ b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@
     "Conference calling is in development and may not be reliable.": "Conference calling is in development and may not be reliable.",
     "Failed to set up conference call": "Failed to set up conference call",
     "Conference call failed.": "Conference call failed.",
+    "Could not connect to the integration server": "Could not connect to the integration server",
+    "A conference call could not be started because the intgrations server is not available": "A conference call could not be started because the intgrations server is not available",
     "Call in Progress": "Call in Progress",
     "A call is already in progress!": "A call is already in progress!",
     "Permission Required": "Permission Required",
@@ -712,7 +714,6 @@
     "Uploaded on %(date)s by %(user)s": "Uploaded on %(date)s by %(user)s",
     "Download this file": "Download this file",
     "Integrations Error": "Integrations Error",
-    "Could not connect to the integration server": "Could not connect to the integration server",
     "Manage Integrations": "Manage Integrations",
     "%(nameList)s %(transitionList)s": "%(nameList)s %(transitionList)s",
     "%(severalUsers)sjoined %(count)s times|other": "%(severalUsers)sjoined %(count)s times",