diff --git a/lib/modules/whisper/js/embarkjs.js b/lib/modules/whisper/js/embarkjs.js
index 7796b3cc3..93176bab3 100644
--- a/lib/modules/whisper/js/embarkjs.js
+++ b/lib/modules/whisper/js/embarkjs.js
@@ -13,20 +13,25 @@ __embarkWhisperNewWeb3.setProvider = function (options) {
   }
   // TODO: take into account type
   self.web3 = new Web3(new Web3.providers.WebsocketProvider("ws://" + provider, options.providerOptions));
-  self.getWhisperVersion(function (err, version) {
-    if (err) {
-      console.log("whisper not available");
-    } else if (version >= 5) {
-      self.web3.shh.newSymKey().then((id) => {
-        self.symKeyID = id;
-      });
-      self.web3.shh.newKeyPair().then((id) => {
-        self.sig = id;
-      });
-    } else {
-      throw new Error("version of whisper not supported");
-    }
-    self.whisperVersion = self.web3.version.whisper;
+  self.web3.currentProvider.on('connect', () => {
+    self.getWhisperVersion(function (err, version) {
+      if (err) {
+        console.log("whisper not available");
+      } else if (version >= 5) {
+        self.web3.shh.newSymKey().then((id) => {
+          self.symKeyID = id;
+        });
+        self.web3.shh.newKeyPair().then((id) => {
+          self.sig = id;
+        });
+      } else {
+        throw new Error("version of whisper not supported");
+      }
+      self.whisperVersion = self.web3.version.whisper;
+    });
+  });
+  self.web3.currentProvider.on('error', () => {
+    console.log("whisper not available");
   });
 };