diff --git a/js/build/embark.bundle.js b/js/build/embark.bundle.js
index eed9d3d46..6556a58d4 100644
--- a/js/build/embark.bundle.js
+++ b/js/build/embark.bundle.js
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ var EmbarkJS =
 	  var ipfs;
 	  if (provider === 'whisper') {
 	    this.currentMessages = EmbarkJS.Messages.Whisper;
-	    if (typeof variable === 'undefined') {
+	    if (typeof variable === 'undefined' && typeof(web3) === 'undefined') {
 	      if (options === undefined) {
 	        web3 = new Web3(new Web3.providers.HttpProvider("http://localhost:8545"));
 	      } else {
diff --git a/js/embark.js b/js/embark.js
index 93b7e39fe..d9aba4ac1 100644
--- a/js/embark.js
+++ b/js/embark.js
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ EmbarkJS.Messages.setProvider = function(provider, options) {
   var ipfs;
   if (provider === 'whisper') {
     this.currentMessages = EmbarkJS.Messages.Whisper;
-    if (typeof variable === 'undefined') {
+    if (typeof variable === 'undefined' && typeof(web3) === 'undefined') {
       if (options === undefined) {
         web3 = new Web3(new Web3.providers.HttpProvider("http://localhost:8545"));
       } else {
diff --git a/lib/contracts/abi.js b/lib/contracts/abi.js
index 479b9f771..95c444855 100644
--- a/lib/contracts/abi.js
+++ b/lib/contracts/abi.js
@@ -18,6 +18,14 @@ ABIGenerator.prototype.generateProvider = function() {
     return "";
   }
 
+  result += "\nvar whenEnvIsLoaded = function(cb) {";
+  result += "\n  if (typeof window !== 'undefined' && window !== null) {";
+  result += "\n      window.addEventListener('load', cb);";
+  result += "\n  } else {";
+  result += "\n    cb();";
+  result += "\n  }";
+  result += "\n}";
+
   if (this.plugins) {
     providerPlugins = this.plugins.getPluginsFor('clientWeb3Provider');
   }
@@ -27,12 +35,14 @@ ABIGenerator.prototype.generateProvider = function() {
       result += plugin.generateProvider(self) + "\n";
     });
   } else {
+    result += "\nwhenEnvIsLoaded(function() {";
     result += "\nif (typeof web3 !== 'undefined' && typeof Web3 !== 'undefined') {";
     result += '\n\tweb3 = new Web3(web3.currentProvider);';
     result += "\n} else if (typeof Web3 !== 'undefined') {";
     result += '\n\tweb3 = new Web3(new Web3.providers.HttpProvider("http://' + this.rpcHost + ':' + this.rpcPort + '"));';
     result += '\n}';
     result += "\nweb3.eth.defaultAccount = web3.eth.accounts[0];";
+    result += '\n})';
   }
 
   return result;
@@ -62,6 +72,16 @@ ABIGenerator.prototype.generateContracts = function(useEmbarkJS) {
       var abi = JSON.stringify(contract.abiDefinition);
       var gasEstimates = JSON.stringify(contract.gasEstimates);
 
+      // TODO: refactor this
+      result += "\nvar whenEnvIsLoaded = function(cb) {";
+      result += "\n  if (typeof window !== 'undefined' && window !== null) {";
+      result += "\n      window.addEventListener('load', cb);";
+      result += "\n  } else {";
+      result += "\n    cb();";
+      result += "\n  }";
+      result += "\n}";
+
+      result += "\nwhenEnvIsLoaded(function() {";
       if (useEmbarkJS) {
         result += "\n" + className + " = new EmbarkJS.Contract({abi: " + abi + ", address: '" + contract.deployedAddress + "', code: '" + contract.code + "', gasEstimates: " + gasEstimates + "});";
       } else {
@@ -69,6 +89,7 @@ ABIGenerator.prototype.generateContracts = function(useEmbarkJS) {
         result += "\n" + className + "Contract = web3.eth.contract(" + className + "Abi);";
         result += "\n" + className + " = " + className + "Contract.at('" + contract.deployedAddress + "');";
       }
+      result += '\n});';
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/test/abi.js b/test/abi.js
index 4d2533ba3..05a443d31 100644
--- a/test/abi.js
+++ b/test/abi.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ describe('embark.ABIGenerator', function() {
     var generator = new ABIGenerator({blockchainConfig: {rpcHost: 'somehost', rpcPort: '1234'}, contractsManager: {}});
 
     it('should generate code to connect to a provider', function() {
-      var providerCode = "\nif (typeof web3 !== 'undefined' && typeof Web3 !== 'undefined') {\n\tweb3 = new Web3(web3.currentProvider);\n} else if (typeof Web3 !== 'undefined') {\n\tweb3 = new Web3(new Web3.providers.HttpProvider(\"http://somehost:1234\"));\n}\nweb3.eth.defaultAccount = web3.eth.accounts[0];";
+      var providerCode = "\nvar whenEnvIsLoaded = function(cb) {\n  if (typeof window !== 'undefined' && window !== null) {\n      window.addEventListener('load', cb);\n  } else {\n    cb();\n  }\n}\nwhenEnvIsLoaded(function() {\nif (typeof web3 !== 'undefined' && typeof Web3 !== 'undefined') {\n\tweb3 = new Web3(web3.currentProvider);\n} else if (typeof Web3 !== 'undefined') {\n\tweb3 = new Web3(new Web3.providers.HttpProvider(\"http://somehost:1234\"));\n}\nweb3.eth.defaultAccount = web3.eth.accounts[0];\n})"
 
       assert.equal(generator.generateProvider(), providerCode);
     });
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ describe('embark.ABIGenerator', function() {
       var withEmbarkJS = true;
 
       it('should generate contract code', function() {
-        var contractCode = "\n\nSimpleStorage = new EmbarkJS.Contract({abi: [{\"constant\":true,\"inputs\":[],\"name\":\"storedData\",\"outputs\":[{\"name\":\"\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"constant\":false,\"inputs\":[{\"name\":\"x\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"name\":\"set\",\"outputs\":[],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"constant\":true,\"inputs\":[],\"name\":\"get\",\"outputs\":[{\"name\":\"retVal\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"inputs\":[{\"name\":\"initialValue\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"type\":\"constructor\"}], address: '0x123', code: '12345', gasEstimates: 12000});\nFoo = new EmbarkJS.Contract({abi: [{\"constant\":true,\"inputs\":[],\"name\":\"storedData\",\"outputs\":[{\"name\":\"\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"constant\":false,\"inputs\":[{\"name\":\"x\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"name\":\"set\",\"outputs\":[],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"constant\":true,\"inputs\":[],\"name\":\"get\",\"outputs\":[{\"name\":\"retVal\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"inputs\":[{\"name\":\"initialValue\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"type\":\"constructor\"}], address: '0x124', code: '123456', gasEstimates: 12000});";
+        var contractCode = "\n\nwhenEnvIsLoaded(function() {\nSimpleStorage = new EmbarkJS.Contract({abi: [{\"constant\":true,\"inputs\":[],\"name\":\"storedData\",\"outputs\":[{\"name\":\"\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"constant\":false,\"inputs\":[{\"name\":\"x\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"name\":\"set\",\"outputs\":[],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"constant\":true,\"inputs\":[],\"name\":\"get\",\"outputs\":[{\"name\":\"retVal\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"inputs\":[{\"name\":\"initialValue\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"type\":\"constructor\"}], address: '0x123', code: '12345', gasEstimates: 12000});\n});\nwhenEnvIsLoaded(function() {\nFoo = new EmbarkJS.Contract({abi: [{\"constant\":true,\"inputs\":[],\"name\":\"storedData\",\"outputs\":[{\"name\":\"\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"constant\":false,\"inputs\":[{\"name\":\"x\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"name\":\"set\",\"outputs\":[],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"constant\":true,\"inputs\":[],\"name\":\"get\",\"outputs\":[{\"name\":\"retVal\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"inputs\":[{\"name\":\"initialValue\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"type\":\"constructor\"}], address: '0x124', code: '123456', gasEstimates: 12000});\n});";
         assert.equal(generator.generateContracts(withEmbarkJS), contractCode);
       });
     });
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ describe('embark.ABIGenerator', function() {
       var withEmbarkJS = false;
 
       it('should generate contract code', function() {
-        var contractCode = "\n\nSimpleStorageAbi = [{\"constant\":true,\"inputs\":[],\"name\":\"storedData\",\"outputs\":[{\"name\":\"\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"constant\":false,\"inputs\":[{\"name\":\"x\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"name\":\"set\",\"outputs\":[],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"constant\":true,\"inputs\":[],\"name\":\"get\",\"outputs\":[{\"name\":\"retVal\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"inputs\":[{\"name\":\"initialValue\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"type\":\"constructor\"}];\nSimpleStorageContract = web3.eth.contract(SimpleStorageAbi);\nSimpleStorage = SimpleStorageContract.at('0x123');\nFooAbi = [{\"constant\":true,\"inputs\":[],\"name\":\"storedData\",\"outputs\":[{\"name\":\"\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"constant\":false,\"inputs\":[{\"name\":\"x\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"name\":\"set\",\"outputs\":[],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"constant\":true,\"inputs\":[],\"name\":\"get\",\"outputs\":[{\"name\":\"retVal\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"inputs\":[{\"name\":\"initialValue\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"type\":\"constructor\"}];\nFooContract = web3.eth.contract(FooAbi);\nFoo = FooContract.at('0x124');";
+        var contractCode = "\n\nwhenEnvIsLoaded(function() {\nSimpleStorageAbi = [{\"constant\":true,\"inputs\":[],\"name\":\"storedData\",\"outputs\":[{\"name\":\"\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"constant\":false,\"inputs\":[{\"name\":\"x\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"name\":\"set\",\"outputs\":[],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"constant\":true,\"inputs\":[],\"name\":\"get\",\"outputs\":[{\"name\":\"retVal\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"inputs\":[{\"name\":\"initialValue\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"type\":\"constructor\"}];\nSimpleStorageContract = web3.eth.contract(SimpleStorageAbi);\nSimpleStorage = SimpleStorageContract.at('0x123');\n});\nwhenEnvIsLoaded(function() {\nFooAbi = [{\"constant\":true,\"inputs\":[],\"name\":\"storedData\",\"outputs\":[{\"name\":\"\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"constant\":false,\"inputs\":[{\"name\":\"x\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"name\":\"set\",\"outputs\":[],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"constant\":true,\"inputs\":[],\"name\":\"get\",\"outputs\":[{\"name\":\"retVal\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"payable\":false,\"type\":\"function\"},{\"inputs\":[{\"name\":\"initialValue\",\"type\":\"uint256\"}],\"type\":\"constructor\"}];\nFooContract = web3.eth.contract(FooAbi);\nFoo = FooContract.at('0x124');\n});";
         assert.equal(generator.generateContracts(withEmbarkJS), contractCode);
       });
     });