diff --git a/dapps/templates/demo/app/dapp.js b/dapps/templates/demo/app/dapp.js
index 999e40550..9dc060795 100644
--- a/dapps/templates/demo/app/dapp.js
+++ b/dapps/templates/demo/app/dapp.js
@@ -35,11 +35,8 @@ class App extends React.Component {
         return this.setState({error: err.message || err});
       }
 
-      EmbarkJS.Messages.Providers.whisper.getWhisperVersion((err, _version) => {
-        if (err) {
-          return console.log(err);
-        }
-        this.setState({whisperEnabled: true});
+      EmbarkJS.Messages.isAvailable().then(result => {
+        this.setState({whisperEnabled: result});
       });
 
       EmbarkJS.Storage.isAvailable().then((result) => {
diff --git a/packages/embarkjs/src/messages.js b/packages/embarkjs/src/messages.js
index dc69f99e5..d78dd66a3 100644
--- a/packages/embarkjs/src/messages.js
+++ b/packages/embarkjs/src/messages.js
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ Messages.setProvider = function (providerName, options) {
 
 Messages.isAvailable = function () {
   if (!this.currentMessages) {
-    return false;
+    return Promise.resolve(false);
   }
   return this.currentMessages.isAvailable();
 };