diff --git a/js/build/embark.bundle.js b/js/build/embark.bundle.js
index 321bfd244..120b40b6f 100644
--- a/js/build/embark.bundle.js
+++ b/js/build/embark.bundle.js
@@ -156,13 +156,16 @@ var EmbarkJS =
 	EmbarkJS.Storage = {
 	};
 
-	// EmbarkJS.Storage.setProvider('ipfs',{server: 'localhost', port: '5001'})<F37>
-	//{server: ‘localhost’, port: ‘5001’};
+	// EmbarkJS.Storage.setProvider('ipfs',{server: 'localhost', port: '5001'})
 
 	EmbarkJS.Storage.setProvider = function(provider, options) {
 	  if (provider === 'ipfs') {
 	    this.currentStorage = EmbarkJS.Storage.IPFS;
-	    this.ipfsConnection = IpfsApi(options.server, options.port);
+	    if (options === undefined) {
+	      this.ipfsConnection = IpfsApi('localhost', '5001');
+	    } else {
+	      this.ipfsConnection = IpfsApi(options.server, options.port);
+	    }
 	  } else {
 	    throw Error('unknown provider');
 	  }
@@ -170,6 +173,9 @@ var EmbarkJS =
 
 	EmbarkJS.Storage.saveText = function(text) {
 	  var self = this;
+	  if (!this.ipfsConnection) {
+	    this.setProvider('ipfs');
+	  }
 	  var promise = new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
 	    self.ipfsConnection.add((new self.ipfsConnection.Buffer(text)), function(err, result) {
 	      if (err) {
@@ -191,6 +197,10 @@ var EmbarkJS =
 	    throw new Error('no file found');
 	  }
 
+	  if (!this.ipfsConnection) {
+	    this.setProvider('ipfs');
+	  }
+
 	  var promise = new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
 	    var reader = new FileReader();
 	    reader.onloadend = function() { 
@@ -214,6 +224,9 @@ var EmbarkJS =
 	  var self = this;
 	  // TODO: detect type, then convert if needed
 	  //var ipfsHash = web3.toAscii(hash);
+	  if (!this.ipfsConnection) {
+	    this.setProvider('ipfs');
+	  }
 
 	  var promise = new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
 	    self.ipfsConnection.object.get([hash]).then(function(node) {
diff --git a/js/embark.js b/js/embark.js
index 903e35b74..be6831c05 100644
--- a/js/embark.js
+++ b/js/embark.js
@@ -109,13 +109,16 @@ EmbarkJS.IPFS = 'ipfs';
 EmbarkJS.Storage = {
 };
 
-// EmbarkJS.Storage.setProvider('ipfs',{server: 'localhost', port: '5001'})<F37>
-//{server: ‘localhost’, port: ‘5001’};
+// EmbarkJS.Storage.setProvider('ipfs',{server: 'localhost', port: '5001'})
 
 EmbarkJS.Storage.setProvider = function(provider, options) {
   if (provider === 'ipfs') {
     this.currentStorage = EmbarkJS.Storage.IPFS;
-    this.ipfsConnection = IpfsApi(options.server, options.port);
+    if (options === undefined) {
+      this.ipfsConnection = IpfsApi('localhost', '5001');
+    } else {
+      this.ipfsConnection = IpfsApi(options.server, options.port);
+    }
   } else {
     throw Error('unknown provider');
   }
@@ -123,6 +126,9 @@ EmbarkJS.Storage.setProvider = function(provider, options) {
 
 EmbarkJS.Storage.saveText = function(text) {
   var self = this;
+  if (!this.ipfsConnection) {
+    this.setProvider('ipfs');
+  }
   var promise = new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
     self.ipfsConnection.add((new self.ipfsConnection.Buffer(text)), function(err, result) {
       if (err) {
@@ -144,6 +150,10 @@ EmbarkJS.Storage.uploadFile = function(inputSelector) {
     throw new Error('no file found');
   }
 
+  if (!this.ipfsConnection) {
+    this.setProvider('ipfs');
+  }
+
   var promise = new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
     var reader = new FileReader();
     reader.onloadend = function() { 
@@ -167,6 +177,9 @@ EmbarkJS.Storage.get = function(hash) {
   var self = this;
   // TODO: detect type, then convert if needed
   //var ipfsHash = web3.toAscii(hash);
+  if (!this.ipfsConnection) {
+    this.setProvider('ipfs');
+  }
 
   var promise = new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
     self.ipfsConnection.object.get([hash]).then(function(node) {