diff --git a/src/@types/global.d.ts b/src/@types/global.d.ts
index 469ef59c69..f498103d60 100644
--- a/src/@types/global.d.ts
+++ b/src/@types/global.d.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
-Copyright 2020 New Vector Ltd
+Copyright 2020, 2021 New Vector Ltd
 
 Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -17,13 +17,32 @@ limitations under the License.
 import "matrix-react-sdk/src/@types/global"; // load matrix-react-sdk's type extensions first
 import type {Renderer} from "react-dom";
 
+type ElectronChannel =
+    "app_onAction" |
+    "before-quit" |
+    "check_updates" |
+    "install_update" |
+    "ipcCall" |
+    "ipcReply" |
+    "loudNotification" |
+    "preferences" |
+    "seshat" |
+    "seshatReply" |
+    "setBadgeCount" |
+    "update-downloaded" |
+    "userDownloadCompleted" |
+    "userDownloadOpen";
+
 declare global {
     interface Window {
         mxSendRageshake: (text: string, withLogs?: boolean) => void;
         matrixChat: ReturnType<Renderer>;
 
         // electron-only
-        ipcRenderer: any;
+        electron: {
+            on(channel: ElectronChannel, listener: (event: Event, ...args: any[]) => void): void;
+            send(channel: ElectronChannel, ...args: any[]): void;
+        }
 
         // opera-only
         opera: any;
diff --git a/src/vector/init.tsx b/src/vector/init.tsx
index f625644d04..de022622db 100644
--- a/src/vector/init.tsx
+++ b/src/vector/init.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 /*
 Copyright 2015, 2016 OpenMarket Ltd
 Copyright 2017 Vector Creations Ltd
-Copyright 2018, 2019, 2020 New Vector Ltd
 Copyright 2019 Michael Telatynski <7t3chguy@gmail.com>
+Copyright 2018 - 2021 New Vector Ltd
 
 Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ import { initRageshake } from "./rageshakesetup";
 export const rageshakePromise = initRageshake();
 
 export function preparePlatform() {
-    if (window.ipcRenderer) {
+    if (window.electron) {
         console.log("Using Electron platform");
         PlatformPeg.set(new ElectronPlatform());
     } else if (window.matchMedia('(display-mode: standalone)').matches) {
diff --git a/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.tsx b/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.tsx
index 10a9600608..722892649b 100644
--- a/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.tsx
+++ b/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 /*
 Copyright 2016 Aviral Dasgupta
 Copyright 2016 OpenMarket Ltd
-Copyright 2018 New Vector Ltd
 Copyright 2019 Michael Telatynski <7t3chguy@gmail.com>
-Copyright 2020 The Matrix.org Foundation C.I.C.
+Copyright 2018 - 2021 New Vector Ltd
 
 Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -49,7 +48,7 @@ import {CheckUpdatesPayload} from "matrix-react-sdk/src/dispatcher/payloads/Chec
 import ToastStore from "matrix-react-sdk/src/stores/ToastStore";
 import GenericExpiringToast from "matrix-react-sdk/src/components/views/toasts/GenericExpiringToast";
 
-const ipcRenderer = window.ipcRenderer;
+const electron = window.electron;
 const isMac = navigator.platform.toUpperCase().includes('MAC');
 
 function platformFriendlyName(): string {
@@ -74,7 +73,7 @@ function platformFriendlyName(): string {
 function _onAction(payload: ActionPayload) {
     // Whitelist payload actions, no point sending most across
     if (['call_state'].includes(payload.action)) {
-        ipcRenderer.send('app_onAction', payload);
+        electron.send('app_onAction', payload);
     }
 }
 
@@ -104,7 +103,7 @@ class SeshatIndexManager extends BaseEventIndexManager {
     constructor() {
         super();
 
-        ipcRenderer.on('seshatReply', this._onIpcReply);
+        electron.on('seshatReply', this._onIpcReply);
     }
 
     async _ipcCall(name: string, ...args: any[]): Promise<any> {
@@ -112,7 +111,7 @@ class SeshatIndexManager extends BaseEventIndexManager {
         const ipcCallId = ++this.nextIpcCallId;
         return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
             this.pendingIpcCalls[ipcCallId] = {resolve, reject};
-            window.ipcRenderer.send('seshat', {id: ipcCallId, name, args});
+            window.electron.send('seshat', {id: ipcCallId, name, args});
         });
     }
 
@@ -230,7 +229,7 @@ export default class ElectronPlatform extends VectorBasePlatform {
             false if there is not
             or the error if one is encountered
          */
-        ipcRenderer.on('check_updates', (event, status) => {
+        electron.on('check_updates', (event, status) => {
             dis.dispatch<CheckUpdatesPayload>({
                 action: Action.CheckUpdates,
                 ...getUpdateCheckStatus(status),
@@ -238,21 +237,21 @@ export default class ElectronPlatform extends VectorBasePlatform {
         });
 
         // try to flush the rageshake logs to indexeddb before quit.
-        ipcRenderer.on('before-quit', function() {
+        electron.on('before-quit', function() {
             console.log('element-desktop closing');
             rageshake.flush();
         });
 
-        ipcRenderer.on('ipcReply', this._onIpcReply);
-        ipcRenderer.on('update-downloaded', this.onUpdateDownloaded);
+        electron.on('ipcReply', this._onIpcReply);
+        electron.on('update-downloaded', this.onUpdateDownloaded);
 
-        ipcRenderer.on('preferences', () => {
+        electron.on('preferences', () => {
             dis.fire(Action.ViewUserSettings);
         });
 
-        ipcRenderer.on('userDownloadCompleted', (ev, {path, name}) => {
+        electron.on('userDownloadCompleted', (ev, {path, name}) => {
             const onAccept = () => {
-                ipcRenderer.send('userDownloadOpen', {path});
+                electron.send('userDownloadOpen', {path});
             };
 
             ToastStore.sharedInstance().addOrReplaceToast({
@@ -328,7 +327,7 @@ export default class ElectronPlatform extends VectorBasePlatform {
         if (this.notificationCount === count) return;
         super.setNotificationCount(count);
 
-        ipcRenderer.send('setBadgeCount', count);
+        electron.send('setBadgeCount', count);
     }
 
     supportsNotifications(): boolean {
@@ -371,7 +370,7 @@ export default class ElectronPlatform extends VectorBasePlatform {
     }
 
     loudNotification(ev: Event, room: Object) {
-        ipcRenderer.send('loudNotification');
+        electron.send('loudNotification');
     }
 
     async getAppVersion(): Promise<string> {
@@ -423,14 +422,14 @@ export default class ElectronPlatform extends VectorBasePlatform {
 
     startUpdateCheck() {
         super.startUpdateCheck();
-        ipcRenderer.send('check_updates');
+        electron.send('check_updates');
     }
 
     installUpdate() {
         // IPC to the main process to install the update, since quitAndInstall
         // doesn't fire the before-quit event so the main process needs to know
         // it should exit.
-        ipcRenderer.send('install_update');
+        electron.send('install_update');
     }
 
     getDefaultDeviceDisplayName(): string {
@@ -460,7 +459,7 @@ export default class ElectronPlatform extends VectorBasePlatform {
         const ipcCallId = ++this.nextIpcCallId;
         return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
             this.pendingIpcCalls[ipcCallId] = {resolve, reject};
-            window.ipcRenderer.send('ipcCall', {id: ipcCallId, name, args});
+            window.electron.send('ipcCall', {id: ipcCallId, name, args});
             // Maybe add a timeout to these? Probably not necessary.
         });
     }