diff --git a/src/vector/index.js b/src/vector/index.js
index 0ced93d57d..b791783b98 100644
--- a/src/vector/index.js
+++ b/src/vector/index.js
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ var UpdateChecker = require("./updater");
 var q = require('q');
 var request = require('browser-request');
 
-import UAParser from 'ua-parser-js';
 import url from 'url';
 
 import {parseQs, parseQsFromFragment} from './url_utils';
@@ -144,19 +143,6 @@ var makeRegistrationUrl = function() {
            '#/register';
 }
 
-
-function getDefaultDeviceDisplayName() {
-    // strip query-string and fragment from uri
-    let u = url.parse(window.location.href);
-    u.search = "";
-    u.hash = "";
-    let app_name = u.format();
-
-    let ua = new UAParser();
-    return app_name + " via " + ua.getBrowser().name +
-        " on " + ua.getOS().name;
-}
-
 window.addEventListener('hashchange', onHashChange);
 
 function getConfig() {
@@ -262,7 +248,7 @@ async function loadApp() {
                 startingFragmentQueryParams={fragparts.params}
                 enableGuest={true}
                 onLoadCompleted={onLoadCompleted}
-                defaultDeviceDisplayName={getDefaultDeviceDisplayName()}
+                defaultDeviceDisplayName={PlatformPeg.get().getDefaultDeviceDisplayName()}
             />,
             document.getElementById('matrixchat')
         );
diff --git a/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.js b/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.js
index c7455a7100..3894896a01 100644
--- a/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.js
+++ b/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.js
@@ -35,6 +35,27 @@ function onUpdateDownloaded(ev, releaseNotes, ver, date, updateURL) {
     });
 }
 
+function platformFriendlyName() {
+    console.log(window.process);
+    switch (window.process.platform) {
+        case 'darwin':
+            return 'macOS';
+        case 'freebsd':
+            return 'FreeBSD';
+        case 'openbsd':
+            return 'OpenBSD';
+        case 'sunos':
+            return 'SunOS';
+        case 'win32':
+            return 'Windows';
+        default:
+            // Sorry, Linux users: you get lumped into here,
+            // but only because Linux's capitalisation is
+            // normal. We do care about you.
+            return window.process.platform[0].toUpperCase + window.process.platform.slice(1);
+    }
+}
+
 export default class ElectronPlatform extends VectorBasePlatform {
     setNotificationCount(count: number) {
         super.setNotificationCount(count);
@@ -101,4 +122,8 @@ export default class ElectronPlatform extends VectorBasePlatform {
         // it should exit.
         electron.ipcRenderer.send('install_update');
     }
+
+    getDefaultDeviceDisplayName() {
+        return "Riot Desktop on " + platformFriendlyName();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/vector/platform/VectorBasePlatform.js b/src/vector/platform/VectorBasePlatform.js
index d2ed8c344c..5240f3f583 100644
--- a/src/vector/platform/VectorBasePlatform.js
+++ b/src/vector/platform/VectorBasePlatform.js
@@ -39,4 +39,12 @@ export default class VectorBasePlatform extends BasePlatform {
      */
     installUpdate() {
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Get a sensible default display name for the
+     * device Vector is running on
+     */
+    getDefaultDeviceDisplayName() {
+        return "Unknown device";
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/vector/platform/WebPlatform.js b/src/vector/platform/WebPlatform.js
index dec15869e7..9998f7c78f 100644
--- a/src/vector/platform/WebPlatform.js
+++ b/src/vector/platform/WebPlatform.js
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ import request from 'browser-request';
 import dis from 'matrix-react-sdk/lib/dispatcher.js';
 import q from 'q';
 
+import url from 'url';
+import UAParser from 'ua-parser-js';
+
 export default class WebPlatform extends VectorBasePlatform {
     constructor() {
         super();
@@ -180,4 +183,16 @@ export default class WebPlatform extends VectorBasePlatform {
     installUpdate() {
         window.location.reload();
     }
+
+    getDefaultDeviceDisplayName() {
+        // strip query-string and fragment from uri
+        let u = url.parse(window.location.href);
+        u.search = "";
+        u.hash = "";
+        let app_name = u.format();
+
+        let ua = new UAParser();
+        return app_name + " via " + ua.getBrowser().name +
+            " on " + ua.getOS().name;
+    }
 }