diff --git a/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.js b/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.js
index 810fa984..c7455a71 100644
--- a/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.js
+++ b/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 
 import VectorBasePlatform from './VectorBasePlatform';
 import dis from 'matrix-react-sdk/lib/dispatcher';
+import q from 'q';
 
 const electron = require('electron');
 const remote = electron.remote;
@@ -84,6 +85,10 @@ export default class ElectronPlatform extends VectorBasePlatform {
         notif.close();
     }
 
+    getAppVersion() {
+        return q(electron.remote.app.getVersion());
+    }
+
     pollForUpdate() {
         // In electron we control the update process ourselves, since
         // it needs to run in the main process, so we just run the timer
diff --git a/src/vector/platform/WebPlatform.js b/src/vector/platform/WebPlatform.js
index 4d994967..b5459aec 100644
--- a/src/vector/platform/WebPlatform.js
+++ b/src/vector/platform/WebPlatform.js
@@ -144,6 +144,13 @@ export default class WebPlatform extends VectorBasePlatform {
         return deferred.promise;
     }
 
+    getAppVersion() {
+        if (this.runningVersion !== null) {
+            return q(this.runningVersion);
+        }
+        return this._getVersion();
+    }
+
     pollForUpdate() {
         this._getVersion().done((ver) => {
             if (this.runningVersion == null) {