diff --git a/electron_app/src/electron-main.js b/electron_app/src/electron-main.js
index b0d4de4c21..5f9598afaf 100644
--- a/electron_app/src/electron-main.js
+++ b/electron_app/src/electron-main.js
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ electron.app.on('ready', () => {
         defaultHeight: 768,
     });
 
-    mainWindow = new electron.BrowserWindow({
+    mainWindow = global.mainWindow = new electron.BrowserWindow({
         icon: iconPath,
         show: false,
         autoHideMenuBar: true,
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ electron.app.on('ready', () => {
     mainWindow.hide();
 
     // Create trayIcon icon
-    tray.create(mainWindow, {
+    tray.create({
         icon_path: iconPath,
         brand: vectorConfig.brand || 'Riot',
     });
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ electron.app.on('ready', () => {
     }
 
     mainWindow.on('closed', () => {
-        mainWindow = null;
+        mainWindow = global.mainWindow = null;
     });
     mainWindow.on('close', (e) => {
         if (!global.appQuitting && (tray.hasTray() || process.platform === 'darwin')) {
diff --git a/electron_app/src/tray.js b/electron_app/src/tray.js
index 039e7133fa..4225e1f6f3 100644
--- a/electron_app/src/tray.js
+++ b/electron_app/src/tray.js
@@ -26,17 +26,17 @@ exports.hasTray = function hasTray() {
     return (trayIcon !== null);
 };
 
-exports.create = function(win, config) {
+exports.create = function(config) {
     // no trays on darwin
     if (process.platform === 'darwin' || trayIcon) return;
 
     const toggleWin = function() {
-        if (win.isVisible() && !win.isMinimized()) {
-            win.hide();
+        if (global.mainWindow.isVisible() && !global.mainWindow.isMinimized()) {
+            global.mainWindow.hide();
         } else {
-            if (win.isMinimized()) win.restore();
-            if (!win.isVisible()) win.show();
-            win.focus();
+            if (global.mainWindow.isMinimized()) global.mainWindow.restore();
+            if (!global.mainWindow.isVisible()) global.mainWindow.show();
+            global.mainWindow.focus();
         }
     };
 
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ exports.create = function(win, config) {
     trayIcon.on('click', toggleWin);
 
     let lastFavicon = null;
-    win.webContents.on('page-favicon-updated', async function(ev, favicons) {
+    global.mainWindow.webContents.on('page-favicon-updated', async function(ev, favicons) {
         let newFavicon = config.icon_path;
         if (favicons && favicons.length > 0 && favicons[0].startsWith('data:')) {
             newFavicon = favicons[0];
@@ -85,10 +85,10 @@ exports.create = function(win, config) {
         }
 
         trayIcon.setImage(newFavicon);
-        win.setIcon(newFavicon);
+        global.mainWindow.setIcon(newFavicon);
     });
 
-    win.webContents.on('page-title-updated', function(ev, title) {
+    global.mainWindow.webContents.on('page-title-updated', function(ev, title) {
         trayIcon.setToolTip(title);
     });
 };
diff --git a/electron_app/src/updater.js b/electron_app/src/updater.js
index 106e3d2f23..49fa4e0419 100644
--- a/electron_app/src/updater.js
+++ b/electron_app/src/updater.js
@@ -67,17 +67,11 @@ module.exports.start = function startAutoUpdate(updateBaseUrl) {
 }
 
 ipcMain.on('install_update', installUpdate);
-
-let ipcChannel;
-ipcMain.on('check_updates', function(event) {
-    ipcChannel = event.sender;
-    pollForUpdates();
-    // event.sender.send('check_updates') // true/false/error = available(downloading)/notAvailable/error
-});
+ipcMain.on('check_updates', pollForUpdates);
 
 function ipcChannelSendUpdateStatus(status) {
-    if (ipcChannel) {
-        ipcChannel.send('check_updates', status);
+    if (global.mainWindow) {
+        global.mainWindow.webContents.send('check_updates', status);
     }
 }