diff --git a/demo/app/index.html b/demo/app/index.html
index af92acbb2..417f60960 100644
--- a/demo/app/index.html
+++ b/demo/app/index.html
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@
 
       </div>
       <div role="tabpanel" class="tab-pane" id="communication">
+        <span class="error">The node you are using does not support whisper</span>
 
         <h3>Listen To channel</h3>
         <div class="form-group form-inline listen">
diff --git a/demo/app/js/index.js b/demo/app/js/index.js
index aa40e01fa..e5a1ebe6b 100644
--- a/demo/app/js/index.js
+++ b/demo/app/js/index.js
@@ -71,7 +71,15 @@ $(document).ready(function() {
 // Communication (Whisper) example
 // ===========================
 $(document).ready(function() {
-  EmbarkJS.Messages.setProvider('whisper');
+
+  $("#communication .error").hide();
+  web3.version.getWhisper(function(err, res) {
+    if (err) {
+      $("#communication .error").show();
+    } else {
+      EmbarkJS.Messages.setProvider('whisper');
+    }
+  });
 
   $("#communication button.listenToChannel").click(function() {
     var channel = $("#communication .listen input.channel").val();